MISS LEBANON 2011

The new Miss Lebanon 2011 was crowned just moments ago during a lavish, televised ceremony in Beirut. The winner is Yara Khoury-Mikhael. Runners-up were Carolina Nassar, Sonia-Lynn Gabriel, Paloma Mady, and Pamela Jabbour.

The final two

The beautiful top five finalists!

The hot-n-hunky host!

The glorious, outdoor setting

LEBANON'S LONG-LOST RESPECTABILITY

At Miss Lebanon 2007

Joelle made a very respectable showing at Miss World 1997, finishing in the top 10.

The Daily Star, 18-mar-2011: The Miss Lebanon competition, an annual staple of the Lebanese Broadcasting Channel (LBC), will move under greater control of the Tourism Ministry in 2011 in a bid to clean up the pageant’s image. The change, announced this week, has been introduced to ensure the competition reverts to being “a truly national one” and regains much of its long-lost respectability. Read more at The Daily Star.

INTERNATIONAL GLORY

Who will garner international glory as the 49th Miss International? We'll know later today!

Miss International 2002, Miss Lebanon Christina Sawaya, and her runners-up Miss France Emmanuelle Jagodisinski and Miss Japan Hana Urushima

Miss International 1995, Miss Norway Anne Lena Hansen, and her runners-up Miss Czech Republic Renata Hornofova and Miss Venezuela Ana Maria Amorer

Miss International 1999, Miss Colombia Paulina Gálvez

TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE - 1971

Miss Universe 1971, Lebanon's Georgina Rizk, and first runner-up Miss Australia Tony Rayward.

Here's Georgina's court of honor - Miss Brasil Eliane Parreira Guimarães, Miss Puerto Rico Beba Franco, Miss Australia Tony Rayward, and Miss Finland Pirjo Laitila.

THESE EYES

And what goergous eyes they are. One of Beauty School's favorite Miss Universes, Georgina Rizk of Lebanon. She took the stage in the evening gown competition in 1971 wearing hot pants and well the rest of the night was hers. And we're glad for it.

MISS LEBANON 2008

Rosarita Tawil won the Miss Lebanon 2008 title on Friday night. We should see her at Miss World 2008 and Miss Universe 2009.

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT 3RD RUNNERS-UP

Yes, indeed we have a tie. These two lovely ladies showed their independent spirit by way of fashion. Each made some daring choices in what they chose to wear at the Miss Universe pageant, and their choices served them well, with one winning the title and the other placing as first runner-up. If they had started their own couture collection, it would most likely be called "G/G". We speak of none other than Georgina Rizk, Miss Universe 1971 and Gerthie David, Miss Haiti and first runner-up at Miss Universe 1975.

Georgina was the only Miss Universe winner t0 wear hot pants for her choice of evening gown. All we can say is Va-Va-Voom.

As for Gerthie, she pulled out all the stops. This girl knew how to accessorize. She not only wore a hat in the evening gown competition, she also carried a purse. One has to wonder what was in it. And to top it off, when she made top five, she added a huge white feather boa to her look. She knew how to complement her look and we send her warm compliments as our co-winner.