First of all, it's a great production, but did anyone else laugh out loud (like me) at the irony?
The contestants are walking to Madonna’s "Like a Prayer;" the video for this song was extremely controversial, with themes of racism and rape; it depicted a black Jesus and burning crosses. The video lost Madonna an ad campaign with Pepsi. Click here for the video.
One of the pictures Miss France was dethroned for showed her floating on a cross in a pool. Click here for the picture. Ironic! :)
Madonna went on to win the Viewer's Choice Award and MTV VMA for her video; although Valérie Bègue probably won't experience such a positive outcome, she is being supported:
Click here for the entire article.
The contestants are walking to Madonna’s "Like a Prayer;" the video for this song was extremely controversial, with themes of racism and rape; it depicted a black Jesus and burning crosses. The video lost Madonna an ad campaign with Pepsi. Click here for the video.
One of the pictures Miss France was dethroned for showed her floating on a cross in a pool. Click here for the picture. Ironic! :)
Madonna went on to win the Viewer's Choice Award and MTV VMA for her video; although Valérie Bègue probably won't experience such a positive outcome, she is being supported:
France faces a rebellion in La Réunion, its Indian Ocean island, after the Miss France beauty pageant tried to sack this year's winner for appearing in provocative photographs.
Many of the 800,000 inhabitants of the island, which is legally part of France, have risen up in support of Valérie Bègue, 22, a business student who won the Miss France 2008 crown two weeks ago...
Click here for the entire article.
If this isn't provacative enough, and I'm sure this is just the opening number. Those pictures are tame and of Miss France if they have this for their competition opening. I am appauld and maybe this is why pageants have such a bad rep. It does look like they are just parading around to be shown off.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but I'm not entirely clear on your opinion here. You find the production provocative and in bad taste, but do not think the floating cross picture warrants her title be revoked; is that right?
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding that this is actually the Swimsuit competition, and not just an opening number. Most fans on the Miss USA/ Universe board I read absolutely love it and its Victoria Secret likeness. Remember, in the Universe pageant system they’re looking for models, not pageant patties, thus their productions are often more like runway shows. I believe this is their evening gown competition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY4e8NGkXiI&NR=1 I LOVE how they’re using a techno version of La Habanera from the famous French opera “Carmen!” Do a YouTube search of “Miss France 2008” for a few other cute clips.
As for the picture, I’m not bothered by the floating cross bikini shot either; the yogurt picture is raunchy, but debatable. There was also a topless photo that I assume sealed her dethroning.
Thank you for commenting!
~Abby
...I just had Loren read this and his immediate reaction was “Topless in France, why is that a big deal?” LOL! I don’t know if it’s correct, but I think his American perception that European nudity is no big deal is common.
ReplyDeleteI had been viewing this situation through “pageant eyes,” but culturally speaking perhaps it wasn’t the topless photo, but rather the mood, or scandalous tone of the photos.
~Abby
Abby, Loren is correct. Europe, especially France and Spain are known for their topless beaches where families go after work, strip down and go swimming. It is no big deal for them. I do however, have an issue with the two photos that she appears in here. It is very poor taste for someone trying to be a role model. And yes, I am shaking my head along with you at the irony.
ReplyDelete~Nancy
I felt as a woman that they were downgrading females. It seems for this pageant that they are saying that women are there to be lusted and paraded around (which each contestant seemed to do the very exact thing). Maybe it's because they are in a different culture/society. However, if people are offended by the pictures then they should be offended by the way the swimsuit competition was ran. It seems to be very similar. I can see where they tried for the Victoria's Secret, but even those models seem to be strong women. The VS models show it when walking on the runway. But the women who were in Miss France I felt completely opposite just by watching the video on your blog.
ReplyDeleteJust putting in my two cents. Maybe I'm wrong and just got a different reaction from the video.