Post by Lucy on Jun 28, 2004 22:48:56 GMT -5
Miss Lebanon runner-up declines prize
$12,000 can't tie Franjieh down to yearlong contract
By Majdoline Hatoum
Special to The Daily Star
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
ADMA: In a first of its kind turn of events, one which was not entirely unexpected however, the first runner-up in the Miss Lebanon pageant, Lamitta Franjieh, declined her title - and a cash prize of $12,000 - on Monday, saying she preferred not to be tied down by a contract.
Rony Jazzar, producer from Star Wave Productions - the company that organized the pageant with the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) - announced Franjieh's decision during a news conference held for Miss Lebanon 2004, Nadine Njeim.
"She said she preferred not to be tied down with a year-long work contract that comes with her title," Jazzar said.
After Franjieh learned that she was the runner-up, she stormed off the stage during the live televized pageant.
During the conference, held at the Regency Palace Hotel in Adma, Njeim announced her program as Miss Lebanon 2004, saying she would focus on two topics, the environment and the elderly.
"I will be participating in awareness campaigns targeting environmental issues in Lebanon," she said. "I also plan to continue the program that former Miss Lebanon Christina Sawaya started to help the elderly in Lebanon.
"There isn't sufficient interest in this important issue, and things should be done to help ensure the dignity of old people in Lebanon," Njeim added.
Asked about her relations with Franjieh, Njeim said the two were still friends, even though Franjieh did not congratulate her after the event.
"We had good relations during our common stay at the house," she said, "but after we left, we lost contact. ... Each one of us is busy with her life."
Njeim said her experience during the Miss Lebanon journey added to her self-confidence and had helped her to build up her personality.
"I learned from the mistakes I made during my experience as a participant in the Miss Lebanon pageant this year," she said. "I do not deny that I made some mistakes, but nobody is perfect.
"Please don't forget we were under a lot of pressure."
Answering critics who said the pageant should not have allowed contestants to participate who had undergone plastic surgery, Jazzar explained that plastic surgery was an "international standard."
"Whether in the Miss World or Miss Universe pageant, plastic surgery is allowed," he said. "The Miss Lebanon pageant is no exception."
$12,000 can't tie Franjieh down to yearlong contract
By Majdoline Hatoum
Special to The Daily Star
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
ADMA: In a first of its kind turn of events, one which was not entirely unexpected however, the first runner-up in the Miss Lebanon pageant, Lamitta Franjieh, declined her title - and a cash prize of $12,000 - on Monday, saying she preferred not to be tied down by a contract.
Rony Jazzar, producer from Star Wave Productions - the company that organized the pageant with the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) - announced Franjieh's decision during a news conference held for Miss Lebanon 2004, Nadine Njeim.
"She said she preferred not to be tied down with a year-long work contract that comes with her title," Jazzar said.
After Franjieh learned that she was the runner-up, she stormed off the stage during the live televized pageant.
During the conference, held at the Regency Palace Hotel in Adma, Njeim announced her program as Miss Lebanon 2004, saying she would focus on two topics, the environment and the elderly.
"I will be participating in awareness campaigns targeting environmental issues in Lebanon," she said. "I also plan to continue the program that former Miss Lebanon Christina Sawaya started to help the elderly in Lebanon.
"There isn't sufficient interest in this important issue, and things should be done to help ensure the dignity of old people in Lebanon," Njeim added.
Asked about her relations with Franjieh, Njeim said the two were still friends, even though Franjieh did not congratulate her after the event.
"We had good relations during our common stay at the house," she said, "but after we left, we lost contact. ... Each one of us is busy with her life."
Njeim said her experience during the Miss Lebanon journey added to her self-confidence and had helped her to build up her personality.
"I learned from the mistakes I made during my experience as a participant in the Miss Lebanon pageant this year," she said. "I do not deny that I made some mistakes, but nobody is perfect.
"Please don't forget we were under a lot of pressure."
Answering critics who said the pageant should not have allowed contestants to participate who had undergone plastic surgery, Jazzar explained that plastic surgery was an "international standard."
"Whether in the Miss World or Miss Universe pageant, plastic surgery is allowed," he said. "The Miss Lebanon pageant is no exception."
