After all, in today's fast-paced, ever-changing world, isn't it nice to know there are some things you can rely upon for stability?
Asia Pacific Arts Online Magazine: First Annual Miss Vietnam U.S.A. PageantAfter five years of planning, the first annual "Miss Vietnam U.S.A." pageant will be held on December 20 at the Grove of Anaheim. Hosting the show will be Mai Phuong and Tuan Cuong.
[. . .] The show will feature sixty contestants from all over the nation competing for the grand prize of $20,000 and a brand-new Mercedes Benz. The first-runner up will win $10,000 and the second runner-up will win $5,000. There will also be a reward of $3,000 each in the categories of Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality and Miss Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese dress).
(Update: Added Google Images link to Ao Dai, in case you were curious what one looks like. You're welcome.)
I mention this because Trish was scheduled to perform.
See? Predictable.
Want to know more? Check out MissVietnamUSA.com.
Later, we shall discuss whether a beauty pageant represents a sign of progress or not. Clearly, somebody thought it did, or they wouldn't have spent five years putting it together. I'm not sure it's my place to question their decision.
Wait, what am I saying? It's my blog. I get to question everyone's decisions.
I just choose not to.
I do, however, worry that so many of the contestants are blonde. . .
Update 12/25: Well, they finally updated with the winners. Madison, you'll be glad to know that the blondes appear to have been shut out entirely: Miss Vietnam USA 2004 is the very brunette Contestant #34, Caroline Nguyen. Additionally:
"Our full color 120 pages Magazine/booklet is available for everyone to purchase. Our magazine is $5.00 plus $2.50 for shipping and handling." To order, send a check or money order to our P.o Box and we will send the booklet within 7 days.To: P.O. BOX 10184
Westminster, CA 92685
Attn: Magazine/booklet Order
Hell yes I'm ordering one.
Maybe several. They'd make nice (albeit sligtly late) Kwanzaa gifts, I think. Because what says Kwanzaa like cute Vietnamese women, presumably with a section featuring all of them wearing the Ao Dai?
Don't answer that.
Seriously -- as much so as it gets around here -- that first link has several interesting news bits, such as:
Korean Costumes Through the AgesThe Asia Pacific Museum in Pasadena is hosting the "Korean Costume Through the Ages" from November 1, 2003 until February 1, 2004. This exhibit will be the first of its kind in Southern California to trace the development of the hanbok (traditional Korean dress) from the Three Kingdoms Period (1st century BC- AD 668) to the modern period.
For more information, visit http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org
And also:
Goryeo Dynasty Exhibit at San Francisco's Asian Art MuseumThe San Francisco Asian Art Museum will be hosting the "Goryeo Dynasty: Korea's Age of Enlightenment, 918 to 1392" exhibit from October 18, 2003 until January 11, 2004. The exhibit will examine the artistic works produced during the Goryeo Dynasty with over 113 rare artworks on display, seven of which have been designated as the National Treasures of Korea. Items on display include celadon ceramics, Buddhist paintings and sculptures, illustrated Buddhist sutras, ritual implements, metal crafts and lacquer wares.
For many of these objects, it will be their first time on display in the U.S. They have been collected from over thirty-five lenders throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. This is the first exhibition of its kind outside of Korea.
For more info, see http://www.asianart.org
And that's skipping the bit about Amy Anderson's Chopschtick Comedy, and the Korean American Symphony Orchestra making its debut in "Echo of Dreams" at UCLA , with help from the Korean Youth and Community Center.
That issue also has an article Nothing Funny about Cho's New Line, about the clothing line:
Revolutionary, co-creating designer, Ava Stander states, "High Class Cho is reminiscent of the glamorous fashions of the '40s, where screen sirens of every shape filled each frame with infinite possibility, mystery and desire." This philosophy is also made apparent by the clothes collection coming in four sizes: "Audrey" (size 10-12), "Lana (size 12-14), "Marilyn" (size 14-16) and "Anita" (size 16-18).
Link added, natch.
And even though you'd think I've now milked the site for all it's worth, you'd be wrong. Go visit. There's more.
After all, I pulled all that from the November 21st issue. The current one covers The Last Samurai and also the latest from Sandra Tsing Loh.
She also drinks Two Buck Chuck, which gives her several dozen coolness points.
Update: The bits with Margaret Cho and Sandra Tsing Loh also touch on size issues, which I, being an idjit, never really connect to the Asian community. Somebody slap me, ok?
And also, from Amy Anderson's bio:
Unlike her name, Amy Anderson is originally from South Korea. She was adopted and raised by Swedish people in Minnesota where her inevitable comedy career took flight. She spent six years in Minneapolis as a comedian, actor and writer before fleeing to sunny Los Angeles.
Are there any non-Korean female Asian comics?
yeah...why are so many of the contestants blonde? Is is there any one of them who is wearign their natural hair color. That's something deep to write about.
. . . because, really, we're not spending Christmas Eve looking at the entries for contestants in the Miss Vietnam USA pageant, we're seriously discussing the impact of Western standards of beauty on an immigrant community.
Uh-huh.
Contestant #58 only seems to have red highlights, and that could be a trick of the light. And her last name, predictably, is "Nguyen." Really should see what percentage of them have that name. This would mean clicking through all of them, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make in the name of science.
And I guess we could blame the good people at Truong Thi for the hair colour thang. . .
Miss vietnam usa was a complete rigged..the winner already knew the judges ahead of time.
Ok, Uknown, I've been trying to think of a way of replying to that.
And I still got nothing.
Would go out on a limb and suggest that the Vietnamese community in the US ain't so huge that it's impossible for the winner to know the judges and it not be some kind'a conspiracy/rigging/cahoots thing, but that suggests I know what the fuck I'm talking about, which I freely admit that I don't.
So instead I'll simply repeat that opinions expressed in comments represent those of the commentator, and not necessarily those of Uppity-Negro.com or any of its subsidiaries. Don't sue me, I am broke and unemployed.
Press Release:
The search is on for the most beautiful Vietnamese American woman in the USA. Miss Vietnam USA 2005 Pageant at the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday November 13, 2004 at 6:00 PM.
After thirty years and many, many hard journeys, the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam has settled in the United States of America. We have excelled in every aspect of life from entrepreneurship, education, innovation, adaptation, humanitarian, philosophy, and religions.
To celebrate this magnificent achievement and to praise the excellence of all Vietnamese women, we’re proudly presenting “ The Second Annual Miss Vietnam U.S.A.” Pageant 2005. The grand extravaganza event will take place on Saturday November 13, 2004 at the Long Beach Convention Center.
This November, there will be as many as 60 of the most beautiful Vietnamese women from all over America coming to California to compete for this prestigious honor of being named the most beautiful Vietnamese Women in America. Alone with this high honor, our winner will receive a grand prize of $10,000 and a brand new Mercedes Benz along with many other prizes and job offers.
Winner - Brand New Mecerdes + $10,000 Cash
1st Runner-up - $5,000 Cash
2nd Runner-up - $3,000 Cash
3rd Runner-up - $1,000 Cash
4th Runner-up - $1,000 Cash
Miss Congeniality - $1,000 Cash
Miss (Ao Dai)Traditional Vietnamese Long Dress - $1,000 Cash
Miss Photogenic - $1,000 Cash
How to Enter Miss Vietnam U.S.A. 2005 Pageant:
OUR DEAD LINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS AT MID NIGHT, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 05, 2004.
Qualification to be a Contestant:
Must be a female, between the age of 17 and 27
Must have at least 50% Vietnamese Ancestry
Must be single, never married and never had children
Must be a legal US Resident
Miss Vietnam USA
P.O. BOX 10808
Westminster, CA 92685
Telephone:
1-800-618-1992
1-714-715-3765
E-mail:
info@missvietnamusa.com
staff@missvietnamusa.com
I know it's technically comment spam, but I just can't bring myself to delete it.
Anyone here thinking of entering? Yes, I'm looking at you, Michelle. And you, Ginger. And especially you, Neo.
I mean, c'mon. Mercedes.
Um, hah hah?
Oh, right, that legal US resident thing. Don't worry, I'm sure they don't have la Migra vetting entries.
You don't think they have la Migra vetting entries, do you?