Brazil's Larissa Ramos was crowned 2009 Miss Earth during the coronation night at The Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center on Boracay Island Sunday night, besting 79 other beauties from around the world.
Ramos succeeded 2008 Miss Earth Karla Paula Henry from the Philippines.
The Philippines' Sandra Seifert was named Miss Air (1st Runner-up), Venezuela's Jessica Barboza was hailed Miss Water (2nd Runner-up), and Alejandra Echevarria of Spain got the title Miss Fire (3rd Runner-up).
For this year's final round, the final 8 candidates from Brazil, Philippines, Venezuela, Spain, Colombia (Alejandra Castillo Múnera), Martinique (Pascale Nelide), Poland (Izabela Wilczek) and Thailand (Rujinan Phanseethum) were asked to pick photos that represented international issues about the planet.
Each candidate was given 30 seconds to express her thoughts on a particular environmental subject.
Ramos chose the photos showing the problem of air pollution. She stated: "I come from a country that has the largest rainforest in the world. It is also known as the lungs of the world -- Brazil. But we cannot just say that we are the lungs of the world because my country also produces a lot of air pollution as well."
The 2009 coronation night was hosted by television personality and host Marc Nelson, model Borgy Manotoc and former VJ Sarah Meier.
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Miss Earth Brazil Larissa Ramos is Miss Earth 2009
Megan Fox doesn't want to be like Angelina Jolie
The sexy "Jennifer's Body" actress has frequently been compared to the "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" star since her break-through role in 2007's "Transformers." But despite the brunettes' similar looks and penchant for wild statements, the younger actress insists they are poles apart.
Fox, 23, said: "People compare me to Angelina Jolie, and she's so serious and stoic. I'm the opposite.
"I'm not a tigress like Angelina. Of course, people want me to be. But I want to be the contradiction of that."
Fox - who was caught in a furor after she compared "Transformers" director Michael Bay to Nazi party leader Adolf Hitler - blamed the Jolie comparisons for people taking her too seriously.
She said: "When I do interviews, I say things that I think are hysterical. But because we live in a world of sound bites, you're not allowed to have a sense of humor.
"Sarcasm doesn't translate in print at all. And neither does self-deprecating humor."
Fox also said she had doubts about her own acting skills, unlike Oscar-winner Jolie.
She told the New York Times newspaper: "I don't know if I'm talented, I don't know what I can do or can't do. I had no skills at all. As a child, I had it in my head that I was supposed to be doing this, and then I did it. But I didn't know what I was doing."
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Janet Jackson blames Dr. Conrad Murray for Michael's death
Pop star Janet Jackson holds Michael Jackson's personal doctor responsible for her brother's sudden death and has told ABC News that a day does not go by when she doesn't think about her late sibling.
"He was the one that was administering," Janet Jackson said about Houston-based physician Dr. Conrad Murray. "I think he is responsible."
Murray, who was hired to treat Michael Jackson in the months before Jackson died on June 25 of a drug overdose, is currently a target in the manslaughter investigation of the "Thriller" singer's death.
Since June, Los Angeles County coroner officials have said the powerful anesthetic propofol, which is used in surgery, and the sedative lorazepam, were the primary drugs responsible for Jackson's death. Police have referred the case to prosecutors to determine if criminal charges should be filed.
Janet Jackson has remained mostly quiet about her brother's death, but she spoke with ABC television journalist Robin Roberts in an interview set to air Wednesday night on the network's show "In the Spotlight."
"It's been a tough year," Jackson told Roberts, in excerpts posted on ABC News' website on Monday. "You have your days where it's just really -- it's hard to believe. And a day doesn't go by that I don't think about him."
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Latin beauties are Miss Earth 2009 faves
Continuing the fight of international beauties in Ms Earth 2009, the third largest beauty pageant in the world. Top favorites came from the Latin America.
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Nicole Kidman has loved experimenting with "strange sexual fetish stuff."
The "Nine" actress - who divorced Tom Cruise in 2001 following a 10-year union and is now married to country singer Keith Urban - says she has enjoyed exploring with the different aspects of love, sex and relationships over the years.
She explained: "My life has been about exploring types of love. I've explored obsession, I've explored strange sexual fetish stuff, I've explored the mundane aspect of marriage and monogamy. But I'm still on that journey."
Despite the fascination people have with her love life, the 42-year-old beauty has vowed to take the details of her past relationship with Cruise to her grave.
She told Britain's GQ magazine: "I have never discussed the intricacies of it and I never will. I burned most of my journals after I remarried. You're only going to find out bad things. You can't read somebody's diary. You shouldn't read it.
"I know I live inside some rose-colored cloud but I'll never waver on it. I am not writing a book. I will go to the grave with all my secrets, all my stories."
While together, Cruise and Kidman adopted children Isabella, now 17, and Connor, now 14.
Kidman also has 15-month-old daughter Sunday Rose with Urban and Cruise is father to Suri, 3, his daughter with wife Katie Holmes.
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Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin to co-host Oscars
Veteran funnyman Steve Martin and actor Alec Baldwin will be the co-hosts of next year's 82nd Academy Awards, producers of the movie industry extravaganza announced Tuesday.
Martin, who has hosted the show twice before, and Baldwin, nominated for an Oscar in 2003 for his performance in "The Cooler," will take over the hosting duties from Australian heart-throb Hugh Jackman.
"We think the team of Steve and Alec are the perfect pair of hosts for the Oscars," show producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic said in a statement.
"Steve will bring the experience of having hosted the show in the past and Alec will be a completely fresh personality for this event."
Martin, 64, most recently seen playing Inspector Clouseau in a "Pink Panther" remake, said he was looking forward to teaming up with Baldwin.
"I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin," Martin said.
Baldwin, 51, meanwhile referenced Martin's musical talents -- he is currently touring with bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers -- while describing his appointment as "the opportunity of a lifetime."
"I don't play the banjo, but I'm thrilled to be hosting the Oscars," Baldwin said in the statement.
Baldwin and Martin follow in the footsteps of "Wolverine" star Jackman, who hosted a revamped Oscars show earlier this year that met with positive reviews.
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Lindsay Lohan was threatened by a gunman on holiday at the weekend
The “Mean Girls” actress was left shaken following the terrifying encounter during a break to Morocco - only to discover the weapon being brandished was fake.
She revealed on her Twitter page: "Umm-OMFG! I was walking ahead with the security guard and some guy was following me, then pulled up in his car and pointed a GUN at me!
"I was on the phone w/my mum and i screamed and ducked and the guy started laughing and pushed the trigger and it was a fake gun..I was crying..he scared me. (sic)"
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Lindsay's father Michael has demanded she go into rehab, insisting she needs help for an addiction to painkillers.
Speaking after the actress branded him a "lunatic" over his addiction claims, Michael told X17 online: "As far as Lindsay is concerned, if she retracts her statement and goes into a rehab, I will stop. But if the lies continue and prescription drug use don't stop. Neither will I.
"As for me. I am sorry I had to talk this root, but I have tried and tried to help Linds, and I been lied about long enough. Lindsay has two weeks to get herself into a LONG TERM rehab. (sic)"
Michael's comments came after Lindsay branded him a "lunatic" and said she wanted to change her name.
She said: "My father is a lunatic and doesn't even deserve such a title since he's never been around in my life other than when he'd threaten me and my family. He should be where he has always put himself after verbally abusing and physically abusing people all my life, behind bars.
"So much for having a 'dad'... I'm going to spend some time with the ones that love me and i love now . The next shopping spree I'm going on is for a new last name!!!"
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Miss Earth 2009 National costume
The National Costume Competition of Miss Earth 2009 Beauty Pageant was held on November 4 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Grand Theater in Pasay City. All the candidates wore a fabulous costume that each represented their own country. But Miss Tanzania, Evelyn Almasi who won the Best in National Costume Award.
In the same event, Miss Guam, Maria Luisa Santos was awarded as Miss Pasigandahan. And Miss Puerto Rico, Dignelis Taymi Jimenez Hernandez was named as the Face of New Placenta.
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Miss Earth 2009 Press presentation
On November 4, 2009, the delegates from various countries were presented to the local and international media at Mader’s Garden, Pasig City, Philippines. The ladies shared their environmental camapaigns and expressed their cause on Mother Nature, a continuous campaign they have been waging as "Beauties for a Cause".
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Jay-Z wants to be a wedding DJ
The multimillionaire rapper said he would put on an extravagant show, using a pre-recorded set-list rather than employing professional skills.
He said: "I've got a whole plan. I'm gonna get me a little Serato set, some DJ software. I'm gonna work on that for six months, then I'm gonna find out which DJ makes the most and charge double and tour, do bar mitzvahs, weddings."
The 39-year-old star - who is married to Beyonce Knowles - admits his services won't come cheap, but promises he will be worth the money, and advises people to approach him early to get even better value.
He added: "I'm gonna have video behind me and dancers. I'm gonna have people just go out and pour champagne when I get to a certain song. I'm going to make a whole show of this thing.
"If you want to book me, book me early, because the prices will be a little better because when I get good, I'm really going to go for it."
The rapper - whose real name is Shawn Carter - also said he'd think up a DJ name for his shows to wow guests.
He said: "I'm definitely going to go by a different name. I want people to hear it and be like, ‘Wow!'. It's got to look good in lights."
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Kate Hudson found it hard to give up alcohol
The blonde actress had to lose 20 lbs to play a terminally ill woman in new movie "Earthbound" and says the only way to do it was by cutting out drinking, even though it's something she enjoys.
She said: "I love my glass of wine. I love tequila. To be in New York for two weeks and not have one beverage, I'm not sure I've ever done that!"
Hudson - who is dating New York Yankees baseball star Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez - also spoke of her joy at being a woman and the power she feels it gives her.
She told Britain's Elle magazine: "I love being a girl. I love clothes and I love the rituals of facials and body treatments, all the stuff girls get, make-up, scarves, hats.
"And we're like a tribe. That's just our nature. You get a group of women together and, somehow, we keep it together. I love that we can be that powerful, as a group. Men, you know, it's survival of the fittest."
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Mariah Carey's dogs have their own entourage.
The singer insisted having assistants on hand for her Jack Russell pooches Cha Cha and JJ while filming a recent commercial, but insists she is not a diva.
She told Britain's Hello! magazine: "My puppies are starring in this ad with me, too. I had my team with me but the pups had a mini entourage of their own, of course! And why wouldn't they? It was a big shoot and even my entourage had an entourage - my stylist had an assistant, my security had extra security.
"The shoot was based on the fact that some people think I'm a demanding diva. I have no idea why people have that impression!"
The "Fantasy" singer has previously admitted to feeling baffled by her "demanding" reputation.
She said: "I am baffled, shocked and appalled when I am called a diva. I've never done one diva-ish thing in my life. The actual definition of a diva is a woman who sings well.
"The secondary definition is a woman who is difficult to deal with. I hope I am the first, but I really don't think I am the second. I don't believe I am truly nasty and act in a bad way."
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Miss Earth 2009
Miss Earth 2009, the 9th edition of Miss Earth beauty pageant, will be held at the Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center, in the Island of Boracay, Philippines on November 22, 2009. The Miss Earth winner serves as the spokesperson for the Miss Earth Foundation, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other environmental organizations. The pageant has a total of 80 delegates from various countries and territories competing for the crown. At the conclusion of the competition, outgoing titleholder Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry of the Philippines will crown her successor.
For the first time, 18 semi-finalists will be chosen for the ninth edition of the pageant and will compete in the swimsuit round. Then, the delegates will be trimmed to 12 and will compete in the long gown competition until only eight 8 delegates would remain to compete for the following titles: Miss Earth, Miss Earth-Air, Miss Earth-Water and Miss Earth-Fire.
[edit]Coronation venue
The pageant will take place for the first time outside the Island of Luzon. The venue for Miss Earth 2009 final night was first planned to be held in Cebu City, Philippines, but the mayor declined due to the financial cost of sponsoring the pageant. Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center won the rights to host the coronation night of the 2009 edition of the pageant.
The convention center is a private ecotourism venue intended for trade events, industry conventions, corporate functions, concerts, and international exhibitions. It is one of the landmarks of the Island of Boracay, which was declared by the British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach and topped the 2007 Yahoo! Travel list of World’s Most Popular Beach.
The new crown to be worn by the winner of Miss Earth 2009 with the preservation of the planet Earth as its primary consideration. The crown was designed by an environmentalist jewelry designer from Florida, Ramona Haar, the official jeweller of the Miss Earth pageant. The new crown is made of 100% recycled precious metals comprising of 14kt gold and argentums sterling silver. What sets the Miss Earth crown apart is the fact that the gemstones used both precious stone and semiprecious stone were donations from over 80 different participating countries. These are gemstones that each country is known for either as the origin or source. The gemstones were sent in various forms: faceted, cabochons, beads or rough. The designer travelled to Jaipur, India to have these gemstones individually trim and faceted to the required cut and sizes.
The flower in the center of the crown represents Mother Earth, as inspired by the statement of an American poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson's "The earth laughs in flowers." The recurring spiral motif has always been associated with "maternal power" and "feminine prestige" which is the essence of Miss Earth. The gentle curves in the crown symbolize "unity" and the "spirit of cooperation."
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Michael Jackson laid to rest
The massive marble and concrete Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park was slightly accessible by the public before Michael Jackson was entombed somewhere in its maze of floors and hallways.
The ceremony was made private. No fans, no paparazzi, and so far no one trying too hard to steal a glimpse of the vault containing Jackson's golden casket.
The exact location may forever remain unknown to all but a select few: A guest who attended the Jackson ceremony told The Associated Press the casket had not been put into the vault by the time mourners left.
The funeral began Thursday night nearly two hours after its scheduled 7 p.m. time. Some 200 mourners, including 77-year-old Elizabeth Taylor and other celebrities associated with Jackson, showed up promptly, only to wait at the outdoor seating area, under a withering late-summer sun that pushed temperatures to 90 degrees even as it was going down.
The ceremony began with remarks and song after the family arrived to fill the front five rows of white folding chairs.
Mourners then followed Jackson's brothers as they carried the casket into the mausoleum. The singer's daughter, 11-year-old Paris, cried and was comforted by her aunt, LaToya.
More than 400 media credentials were issued to reporters and film crews who were kept behind barricades. The few clusters of fans who gathered around the secure perimeter encircling the cemetery entrance struggled to see.
Glendale police said all went smoothly and there were no arrests.
Jackson will share eternity at Forest Lawn with the likes of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and W.C. Fields, entombed alongside them in the Great Mausoleum. The level of security and secrecy about the location of Jackson's vault all but guaranteed it won't be turned into a shrine or tourist stop.
The entombment also ends months of speculation that the singer's body would be buried at Neverland Ranch, in part to make the property a Graceland-style attraction.
The King of Pop died a drug-induced death June 25 at age 50 as he was about to embark on a comeback attempt. Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal physician, told detectives he gave the singer a series of sedatives and the powerful anesthetic propofol to help him sleep.
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Megan Fox calls Transformers director 'a terror'
Megan Fox starred in the biggest movie of the summer, the Michael Bay-directed "Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen," but according to the actress, the director almost killed her and co-star Shia LaBeouf with his "Napoleon" and "Hitler" tendencies.
The box office bombshell unleashed on Bay in an interview with Britain's Wonderland magazine in its September/October issue.
And Megan's comparisons don't stop with just the 19th century dictator.
"He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. So he's a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he's not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he's so awkward, so hopelessly awkward," Megan continued. "He has no social skills at all. And it's endearing to watch him. He's vulnerable and fragile in real life and then on set he's a tyrant."
And according to Megan, Bay pushes his actors to the almost breaking point while filming.
"Shia and I almost die when we make a 'Transformers' movie," she told the mag. "He has you do some really insane things that insurance would never let you do."
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Lady Gaga Teams Up With Michael Bolton
Lady Gaga is known for her chart-topping pop songs and unusual stage attire but she's managed to shock fans again, teaming up with Michael Bolton.
Access Hollywood has confirmed that Gaga has co-written a ballad with the adult-contemporary singer, expected to land on his upcoming album, "One World Love," which is due out later this month. According to MTV News, the song is called "Murder My Heart."
Gaga may now be an international sensation, but the "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" singer apparently met her before she was famous.
"I was taking a break from production when my manager and the label tag-teamed me on the phone about writing with a young artist named 'Lady Gaga' who I had never heard of but they were raving about," Bolton recounted to London's Metro newspaper. "They said that she was a huge fan of mine and wanted to write with me."
Bolton was provided with a copy of her tunes and was quickly swept up in Gaga fever.
"No one I knew had heard of her," he continued. "Less than a minute into 'Just Dance,' I thought, 'This CD is gonna be huge,'" he said.
And Bolton revealed he predicted Gaga was about to go global.
"When I met her in the studio later that night, I realized she was not only about to have a big hit record but Gaga was a superstar about to launch -- energy was so high and her focus excited me," he said. "She reminded me of a young Madonna -- with more exuberance and emphasis on the art rather than the marketing."
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Megan Fox Feels "More Comfortable" Kissing Girls
The Transformer hottie didn't mind making out with costar Amanda Seyfried in their new horror flick Jennifer's Body.
"I feel much safer with girls, so I felt more comfortable kissing her in the movie than kissing any of the other people that I had to kiss," she said in an interview.
Seyfried was less at ease with the same-sex smooch.
"I think she was extremely uncomfortable. I don't think that -- I know that," she added. "She was not comfortable and there was a lot of laughing -- like, giggling fits that happened in between takes."
She called the film "so sexy" which is out on September 18, 2009, and she's pretty fond of her performance.
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Hilary Duff and Penn Badgley kissing scene in Gossip Girl
The show will start airing on September 14, 2009.
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Billboard Names Beyonce As 'Woman Of The Year'
Billboard names Beyonce as its 'Woman Of The Year' for its annual Women in Music event.
Past "Woman of the Year" honorees were Ciara and Reba McEntire.
Beyonce will be accepting her award at the Oct. 2 event in New York City. It's been yet another big year for the entertainer. She had the smash hit "Single Ladies," sang at President Obama's inauguration, had a No. 1 movie with "Obsessed" and embarked on an arena tour.
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Tyra Banks announced she would reveal her weave-free hair
Tyra Banks announced she would reveal her natural, weave-free hair on the September 8 season premiere of her talk show. Declaring it National Real Hair Day, she's encouraging viewers to "go natural" along with her.
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Photos of Hot Celebs at Nylon magazine's TV launch party
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Michael Jackson's death cause by homicide
The Los Angeles County coroner's findings about the death of Michael Jackson was a homicide could mean criminal charges for his doctor, who told investigators that he administered a mix of powerful drugs to treat the pop star's insomnia hours before his death.
The homicide ruling was based on forensic tests that found the anesthetic propofol combined with at least two sedatives to kill Jackson, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.
Jackson had been administered propofol, lorazepam and midazolam. Law enforcement officials are currently conducting a manslaughter investigation of his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, the Las Vegas cardiologist who was caring for Jackson when he died June 25 in a rented Los Angeles mansion.
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