Miss World

The Miss World pageant (not to be confused with Miss Universe) is an international beauty pageant founded in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951.

Controversy

The Miss World pageant seems to have been the target of many controversies since its inception. In the 1960s and 1970s, the pageant was marred by scandals. The 1960s included tabloid coverage of nude photographs and the alcoholic excesses of the winners. The rise in feminism led to further controversy. The first winner from the United States, 1973's Marjorie Wallace, was forced to resign because of her high-profile serial dating. The 1974 winner resigned four days later after it was discovered she was a single mother. In 1977, a United Nations boycott was organized because the pageant included South Africa, a participation which ended the next year. The 1980 winner Gabriela Brum of Germany resigned one day after winning, initially claiming her boyfriend disapproved. A few days later it emerged that she had been forced to resign after it was discovered that she posed naked for a magazine.

Related Topics:
1960s - 1970s - Tabloid - Alcoholic excesses - Feminism - United States - 1973 - Marjorie Wallace - Serial - Dating - 1974 - Single mother - 1977 - United Nations - Boycott - South Africa - 1980 - Gabriela Brum

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In the 1980s, the pageant repositioned itself with the slogan Beauty With a Purpose. The contest added tests of intelligence and personality. By the 1990s, the pageant was reaching two billion viewers from almost every country in the world. The competition has been seen as old-fashioned and rather un-PC in its native Britain. Despite the global appeal, the show has not been broadcast on any major terrestrial British TV network for several years, although SkyTravel provided coverage in 2004.

Related Topics:
1980s - Slogan - Intelligence - Personality - 1990s - Un-PC - SkyTravel - 2004

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