Are pageants taken seriously in Australia? How was Jennifer Hawkinss victory at Miss Universe received there?
I don’t think pageants will ever be taken seriously here in Australia. Like I said, it’s just not in the culture and it’s not in the Australian psyche. It’s entertainment. Like every Aussie achievement, it was celebrated but not to the proportions that you guys celebrated Precious’ victory! What’s the best pageant-memory of your life? Oh that’s easy. Jennifer winning on my birthday. I was in the office when I received a text message from my friend, Sifiso Bande in South Africa telling me that Jen made it into the top 15. That was enough for me at the time, until about 30 minutes later I get another SMS saying she had proceeded through to the top ten and then on to the top 5. From that moment I couldn’t work anymore and sat in the coffee room waiting for the next message. He then sent me his final message saying the winner was my girl and my first reaction was “You are bull sh**ing me.” Five minutes after that my friend in Melbourne calls and says “Darling, I heard something on the news
