PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE


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PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Thu Aug 01, 2019 8:23 pm

    

| PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY |
| THE DUCHESS TAKE |




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Yes, my children. Your hypocrisy has gotten us to this point in which some of you need to be brought down a few pegs. To a point in which if I don’t say something, I will never get it out of my chest, and it NEEDS to be said. It needs to be said because the world will keep having cases like these because the world is changing. The world is evolving, it is mixing and the meaning of certain things is evolving and changing. And yes I am saying changing a lot because it appears we are very much afraid of that little word, apparently terrified. And one would think that being involved in pageantry gives us a special perspective and view into subjects like national identity and pride. We would think that by following pageants and engaging in conversations with people from other parts of the world we would be able to do more that bicker and fight. And most importantly, we would be able to have a better idea what really is cultural and national identity. Yet apparently many have not, many seem to completely ignore these concepts and become gatekeepers to their own nationalities. So I HAVE to take this time to at least put my piece out there to be either accepted, destroyed or simply read. Because honestly, enough is enough. How we say in Puerto Rico: Si no lo digo, exploto.




This is the only time I will be talking about the controversy of Madison Anderson’s participation and crowning because:



I believe it is a non-issue. Period.


I think one thread is enough to handle all my feelings on this so any time you all need to be reminded I will just redirect you to this thread.




Oh and before we start I want to make sure that you, non-Puertorrican that is reading this, understand that while I am focusing on Madison’s case… ALL countries are guilty of this. So before you all start saying “Buajaja, shame on you ricans, buajaja” I suggest you take a look at yourself and the behavior of your countrymen.

OH and also, fellow Puertorrican that is reading this, before you come at me with pitchforks and torches to come and insult me please understand that I don’t care. Not because I don’t care about my fellow man thing but because


1) I have heard all the arguments for weeks and

2) I DO NOT respond to insults. If you would like to debate coherently and objectively you can do so in the comments below or my PM.



And before someone starts hammering me about how I shouldn’t voice this opinion on this forum because we should never point out the bad things about one’s countries… understand that this isn’t just about you. So if you will slam me on social media and other forums, like I have seen you done sometimes, remember I don’t honestly care for insults.



So, let’s begin with some of the misconceptions surrounding Madison Anderson Berrios’ participation and eventually win. I am doing this because a lot of BS has been spewed and spread out as if it was true about not only Madison but Denise, and even the Anderson-Berrios family which is just simply petty. I am also going to address a couple of um… let’s call them “worries” that certain candidates of the MUPR 2019 have had over the last few weeks.




A) THAT MADISON HAS NEVER VISITED OR EVEN BEEN IN PUERTO RICO.


You see... if people did their work as they should and would find receipts for the things that go against their point as effectively as they talked BS, you could avoid embarrassment. Madison and her family have said multiple times that she has spent some summers and holidays in Puerto Rico. But you need receipts? Great. There is quite hefty documentation of Madison not only visiting Puerto Rico throughout her life but also making mention of her roots. In the form of hashtags and pictures ect where she speaks about how Boricua she is and her island. Even before she became Top Model of the World Puerto Rico in 2015, so yes you cannot go around saying she is just boricua when she wants to. Children of Boricuas who are raised in the diaspora are usually very open to call themselves boricua, same as the rest of latino children. If you had done at least a smidge of homework you could have known this, you wouldn’t look like such a full going into forums saying she doesn’t know where the island even is. And it honestly looks so INCREDIBLY embarrassing to see so many people walking around passing around information that is wrong. Because it is better to try to throw shade at a girl with unfounded accusations than to speak with facts because it goes against your point. Petty. Next.






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B) THAT MADISON HAD TO LIVE 10 YEARS OR 6 MONTHS IN PUERTO RICO IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE



This is simply what happens when you do not follow rules amendments in new pageants organizations, and most importantly when you DON’T watch the live videos the organization constantly puts out. In those made during the inscription process they go through the rules each year, in depth and answering questions. The rules of MUPR pageant have changed multiple times as it is expected for a new organization, they evolve constantly. Let me remind you where they began as an organization in the first draft of the rules back about 2 years ago. Does ANYONE remember that in their first draft the ORG. didn’t allow transgenders, non-blood puerto ricans nor women over 25? And guess what happened? LGBT+ communities and non-blood puerto ricans (such as Catalina Morales) posted content in defend these two groups and eventually the changes were made. The age limit was lifted because the Org. wanted to be in line with the MUO. Then it went through plenty of changes including the 10-Year rule which is what has been explained constantly. As of the auditions period this year these were the rules and for your own benefit, I will explain them to you as they have been explained to us in live videos by Denise herself. But since we are obviously still in doubt, and for the benefit of our non-spanish speaking friend… let’s go one by one:

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1. BEING BORN IN PUERTO RICO OR HAVE EITHER A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT THAT WAS BORN IN PUERTO RICO.

This has been explained to us multiple times that this is pretty simple, if you were born in our beautiful island or have direct blood relation with Puerto Rico… you can participate. No problem. Move on to rule #3, and yes I will explain why.




2. IN CASE OF HAVING BEING BORN OUTSIDE OF PUERTO RICO, TO HAVE LIVED 10 YEARS IN THE ISLAND.

I actually blame the organization for this same issue every time there’s a live video, this is a wording issue and they NEED to change it. What they actually mean is that if you do not qualify with rule #1 then you NEED to participate using this rule. Is what I call the Koehler-Morales clause, and this was not a clause that was included in the first ever draft of rules because they weren’t accepting non-blood puerto ricans. The problem is the way they word it, it is as if it included women who qualify in rule #1. And this has been told to us multiple times because everytime they put a photo with the rules, everyone asks. Moreover, in one of the last lives they made they even said the 10 years didn’t have to be continuous. So if you lived I don’t know a couple years once then 4 more years later ect, you could participate. As long as you fill the quota of 10 years in the island. But they honestly HAVE to fix the wording on this damn rule because every year, we have the same problem. It should specify that if you qualify in the 1st rule then this one is not even about you… so in this case yeah I blame the ORG.




3. TO BE 18-27 AT THE START OF THE PAGEANT.


I don’t need to explain this one… right? Ok good.



4. TO BE STUDYING OR HAVE A HIGHSCHOOL DIPLOMA (OR EQUIVALENT).


Again… no need to explain.



5. TO HAVE A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH.



Okay so here it NEVER says you have to be fluent in neither one of these languages, and what is fluent? Fluent is being able to read, speak and write a language, basic knowledge of a language is enough to have a conversation. Basic knowledge of how it is written or spoken, a candidate doesn’t need to know enough of either language to make a thesis. The majority of girls we have crowned are fluent in spanish and decent in english, but not fluent either.



6. TO NOT BE MARRIED, DIVORCED OR PREGNANT (OR FORMERLY PREGNANT)

Self-Explanatory.




7.TO HAVE GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.

Again, ya’ll know what this is about.



8. TO BE AT LEAST 5’5”, IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION AND WITH WEIGHT PROPORTIONATE TO YOUR HEIGHT.

Honestly, I personally don’t need you to be skinny to be Miss Puerto Rico as long as that body looks proportionate. I have seen plenty of skinny girls whose bodies just don’t look proportionate or pretty, and vice versa. But for better or worse in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico pageant weight does tend to have relevancy. I mention this because this will be relevant later on this thread.




9. TO BE RESPONSIBLE, DISCIPLINED, READY TO WORK.

Emphasis on DISCIPLINED.




10. TO WANT TO BE MISS UNIVERSE.

I love this rule and I kinda love that many people don’t understand it, but it’s actually quite simple. You don’t go to the Miss Universe pageant to hang out and get nice pictures, you also don’t go there out of obligation. You HAVE to want this crown, Denise is not here for queens who are just there to hang out, and I love that. I see SO many, well we all see, SO MANY girls who honestly could care LESS if they win or not. And to me that’s unfair, I want girls in those sashes that want that crown and want to bring that glory to their country. I want the Kiaras and H’hens of the world making us fall in love with them and their passion for this pageant.




So now that we have read the rules again as explained in the many live videos done by the organization in the last 2 years, do we have any more questions? In summary, Madison qualified for rule #1 ergo she didn’t need to live 10 years in Puerto Rico to participate in this pageant. Most importantly, Denise literally said on a live video that the girls of the Diaspora COULD send their application and that they would be notified if they had to come to the callback. She even said that they could come as long as they paid for their own ticket ect. Because obviously the organization is not going to pay for every girl from the diaspora to come and stay here without even been sure she will be a candidate. So tell me how would the diaspora girls needs to have a 10-year residency when the national director is telling them they can apply… FROM THE DIASPORA?!

Now this was a VERY special little misconception that it appears even Miss San Juan, Adriana Collazo seems to have. Surprising that some of these ladies don’t even read or listen to the rules that they have to abide by. Let me quote and translate a status (which I have screenshotted for you, you are welcome) that she wrote after Madison won from her private personal account:

“So you can keep writing down… another fact that people have ignored and have commented … it is that by requisite to be in the pageant, if you were not born in Puerto Rico you have to reside for a period of 10 years. There’s a lot of fabric to cut (Puertorrican saying sort of like “there’s more where that came from”. Sweetie… please reread the rules and watch the live feeds from the woman you hope will be your future boss before you are talking badly from an organization. Because if you had you would have seen the live video where she explained exactly why you are wrong, my dear. Now if you really felt so strongly about this “obvious” breach of the rules… why didn’t you drop out? Why didn’t you speak out of gossip shows like Bayamon has? Why haven’t you posted actual concrete proof that you were in a disadvantage during the competition? I can’t deal with some of you, honestly.





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C) THAT MADISON WAS SHIPPED FROM FLORIDA BY DENISE TO WIN MUPR



This one makes me laugh because anyone with at least one connection or with even a couple visits to certain forums would know Madison was far from Denise’s favorite. Everyone in the puertorrican pageant circuit by now heard the rumors about San Sebastian, so I don’t even know where this came from. And that one would also know that Madison didn’t have an easy breezy time on this competition, far from it. Specially with this batch of candidates whom from what we have been able to see these past few weeks… are not an easy batch. Madison received bashing from plenty of people because of her look, place of birth, language ect. In away than the rest of the girls didn’t. I wasn’t as easy for her to get into the official candidates rooster, hell… the fact that she was the only one booed on national television for the dumbest reason ever should tell you. And if these past few weeks have been ANY indication of this batch’s attitude towards Madison… trust me, this was not easy for anyone in Madison’s position. So no, she wasn’t shipped by nobody from the organization; and if the team really wanted her so badly… why wait until AFTER she participated in the Miss Florida USA? Why wait until her haters would have the ridiculous ammunition of “ShE wAnTeD tO bE mIsS uSa!” to THEN give her the crown here. Ya’ll are such… geniuses.





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D) THAT DENISE CHANGED THE RULES SO MADISON COULD PARTICIPATE

Again… if YOU, candidate/candidate’s family or fan that is reading this, have concrete proof that there was a conversation between Madison’s Team and the local Organization. Find me proof that the Organization made one of their MANY constant changes in their rules exclusively for Madison to participate in Puerto Rico. Until then, I’m afraid you are nothing more than a gossip with zero receipts on what you are saying.





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E) THAT MADISON’S FATHER HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DOWNFALL OF OUR ECONOMY AND BOUGHT HER CROWN

Now to me this is the lowest point of the whole controversy to me because people, some who are literally family members of candidates, decided to go after Madison’s family. So people decided to try to imply that since Adam Anderson, the father of Madison, manages the Caribbean Investment Summit and other investment groups, suddenly he is not only a “multimillionaire” but is also directly guilty for the economic debacle of Puerto Rico. Now I’m not going to see here and go in depth about all the guilty parties and the reasons we are stuck in the situation we are in because it’s honestly irrelevant to this. But I will say one thing: Not every person or group that invests in Puerto Rico is out to destroy Puerto Rico. That is all I will say about that. Now for those who do not understand where Adam Anderson works right now, he manages the Caribbean Investment Summit. What is the Caribbean Investment Summit? It’s quite literally a summit which connects investment (and others) groups with different countries in the carribbean, it’s a summit where you can present and make those connections ect. Mandataries from the Caribbean speak in the summit as well as different people from the industry and they even have like some sort of get together-ish type of event afterwards. He also founded Open Interactive, which basically work with marketing from my understanding. And Open Interactive is the one that presents this Summit, or it’s like the company who organized it. I found this all on the internet and even saw videos of all types of people speaking at this event, from all over the world. This company works mainly out of St. Kitts and Nevis not Puerto Rico which many have falsely reported. Madison herself spent 4 months in a marketing internship given that’s what she is studying, because those are the headquarters.

Now I have ZERO evidence that Adam Anderson is associated or is a direct “vulture” investors, yet you all (including candidate’s family members) have insulted both Madison and her father with false claims. People keep asking why is her father so reserved? Why don’t they interview him? Ya’ll have SOME nerve. Ya’ll insult her father, his dna contribution to her daughter, his job and call him names and say her daughter is not Puertorrican… yet you want him to do interviews and photo ops? Ya’ll have some nerve. He has stepped back from the spotlight for two very important reasons: 1) his daughter should be the focus not him and 2) He is not participating in the pageant for him to even be reported on. I have NEVER seen this much interest and attacks in and towards the local queen’s family. Actually I have, I remember plenty people researching as much as they could about Robert Koehler family so people could say “See, he’s Dutch. She doesn’t have Boricua blood”. Oh and when we wanted to find out about the Vicentes because Mariana “didn’t look Puerto Rican”, gee… wonder what they all have in common.

Now let’s say her father was an investor working in the island, important to know that’s not a crime, why should Madison pay for her father’s job? That shouldn’t matter. No person should be judged by their parent’s life, mistakes or choices, these women are their own independent person aside from their family. And this is not about Madison but no contestant should be subject to attacks because of whatever job her father or mother does. I’m not religious but I remember Matthew 7:1-5 and it seems many have forgotten that before we judge others we should look at ourselves.






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F) THAT MADISON WANTS TO REPRESENT PUERTO RICO BECAUSE THE US DOES NOT WANT HER.



I blame a lot of the media for this part because even though now you see all of them making articles about Madison and been so nice to her, they were the first ones that perpetuated this allegation. I still remember the articles only making mention of Madison’s participation in the Miss Florida USA without ANY mention of her previous pageant experience. I still remember the wording on articles talking as if we were Madison’s second thought. Not that I expect the media to be accurate 100% of the time but as usual it’s strikes me as funny how they all now want to talk about her “puertoricanness”. But for the pleasure of anyone asking, c’mere, sit down while I give you a small rundown on her pageant career. Now I know most people who follow pageants actually know about her pageant career because of us do our homework, so I did that bit of homework for you.

Madison Sara Anderson Berrios has been in pageants since she was a teenager, she is actually a third-generation pageant queen. Belinda Berrios Gonzalez, Madison’s mother, was crowned Miss Puerto Rico National Teenager 1984 and Miss Tourism Puerto Rico 1985. From Madison’s IG we are informed that apparently she won 4 more pageants but I honestly don’t know which they are. I haven’t been able to find out much about her participation because I actually think these two particular pageants are extinct, so it’s kinda hard. They have similar versions of these pageants, but these ones specifically have gone to pageant heaven so I have not much to go on with. I do know that she won Miss Congeniality in the National Teenager family and from what everyone tells me it’s a quality Madison inherited. Now her grandmother Norma Gonzalez may have participated in a pageant but all I could find was this STUNNING modeling picture from when she was young.







Now back to Madison, she was actually chosen last minute to be Miss Kissimmee Teen USA (not sure how city pageants work) and she went on to participate in the Miss Florida Teen USA 2014 pageant. This was during my pageant blackout years so I didn’t even know Madison Anderson existed, I saw very few pageants these years, but she actually achieved the position of 4th Runner-Up. The next year she participated in the Miss Latin International US 2015, a multi-age/multi-crown pageant were women like Gabriela Berrios, Keysi Vargas, Vivianie Diaz, Jailenne Rivera, Sussete Rivera, Franceska Toro and many others have participated. She won the Top Model of the World Puerto Rico title and eventually went to Egypt to participate in the international pageant where she placed 4th Runner-Up. But of course most of know her from the Miss Gwand International 2016 pageant (as Miss Puerto Rico) where she started our 3rd Runner-Up streak, to many of us she (or Cordoves) should have won. After that she spend around a year working with the MGI organization and eventually crowned Brenda Azaria as her successor. Then she went to the internship mentioned above and then in January of 2019, she participated in the Miss Florida USA pageant representing Windermere where she placed 1st Runner-Up to Nicollete Jennings. Then as we know she moved to Puerto Rico to FINALLY (we have asked for years) win the pageant she truly belongs in. And I say that because this girl has to go to the Miss Universe pageant with our team not the US’ team… recent years will tell you why. Anyways that is her pageant history: 2 State in Florida, 1 national pageant in Puerto Rico and 2 (soon to be 3) International pageants representing Puerto Rico; yet her haters only see the 2 state pageants.














Why do we talk about as if Madison was the first one to compete in a US state pageant before or after competing in a national pageant? You were ALL celebrating when Genesis Davila and Mariela Pepin were doing great in the Miss USA pageant “Putting Puerto Rico on the top”. Are we going to trash Kimberly Jimenez if she wins Miss Universe Dominican Republic after participating in MUPR 2017? Are dominicans going to act like some puerto ricans have if Genesis Suero wins after participating in the Miss USA pageant? I didn’t hear this much of a fuzz after Maureen Montange participated in Miss World Philippines after participating in both Miss USA and Miss World America. Or are we going to deny Natascha Borger her german pride because she participated in Miss Venezuela first? If Natalie Glebova or Justine Pasek had participated in their birth countries first before going for Canada and Panama… does it really make them any less canadian or panamanian? What you people infer, whether on purpose or not, when you say “because this country didn’t want her, she came here” says more about your view about your country than about the girl.



I understand this is an unpopular but since we are being completely honest here, they are girls of 2 (sometimes more) more countries. Both countries are part of them, both make a part of them, and they should be able to be proud of both without being chastised. Catriona should be able to say she is both Australian and Filipina (if she wishes) without so many people making her choose. Same with Justine Pasek, Pia Wurtzbach, Natalie Glebova, Madison Anderson, the big chunk of euroasian queens, the Canadian queens and so many others should too. They shouldn’t be questioned as to why they represented or wanted to represent one of the two countries they belong to.



Are we really that possessive of our queens that we need them to publicly only acknowledge one side? And this is not only related to pageantry. Talk to bi-racial or multi-cultural children, they know exactly what I am talking about. You’re too much Nationality 1 for Nationality 2 and vice versa. It’s ridiculous. The reality is that (using our example case) Madison qualifies to represent both countries that are part of her heritage. Why should she only participate for one? Most importantly, for the one YOU want.

Every comment I read makes me understand Peter Morales (Madison’s promoter) apprehensions and doubts about Madison competing in MUPR.










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G) THAT PUERTO RICO IS A CONSOLATION PRIZE

This is honestly one of the stupidest phrases I have EVER heard in my life and I have mostly heard it when we talk about athletes and beauty queens. We had the same issue when Charles Flaherty decided to participate for Puerto Rico in the Winter Olympics. I heard plenty people criticizing that we allowed Seth “Quaterrican” Lugo to play for Team Rubio in the 2017 WBC. And it is honestly so disrespectful to hear people saying phrases like “our country is a consolation prize” or “this person chose us because is easier to qualify/win/succeed in our country. And I not only hear this on my island, I’ve heard in a bunch of countries that go through something like this, and to me it is disrespectful. Because I don’t know about you but I don’t think my country is either “the easy way out” or “the consolation prize”, I think quite the opposite actually. I think phrases like that speaks of insecurity and your own deep denial of your feelings for your country. So yes, when you speak about a queen like that, especially with no evidence (actually with evidence that deny your allegations), that tells me you have some type of insecurity that makes you this defensive. The sad thing is I have heard this coming from so many people in so many nationalities, not just from my country men.










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H) THAT MADISON DOES NOT LOOK PUERTORRICAN



Exactly what the hell does a Puertorrican look like? I kinda understand this misconception more foreigners that Puertorricans have a certain look because they don’t live here. But I cannot get through my head how some puerto ricans have this idea that we have a look. That we only come in one specific set of features, only one combination. Walking our streets everyday, seeing the mosaic of mixes in our day to day life makes me wonder if you ever get out at ALL. There is NO specific look for a puertorrican, we are not a “one size fits all” kind of deal, okay? We come in all shades, eye color, hair color, face shapes, eye shape, lip shape, sizes… do I really need to go on? Puertorricans have such a mix you walk through the streets or even someone’s family tree and you will see the mosaic that is the puertorrican DNA. 99% of people that walks around talking this crap all have the famous “look” and try to alienate everyone who doesn’t fit said look. You don’t see our black or blonde barbies going around saying they are the only or true “Puertorrican look”, their message is “we are also part of the puertorrican look”.


And let’s say that there was “look” that Madison doesn’t fit, for the sake of YOUR argument. But guess what? That doesn’t make her any less Puertorrican nor qualified to be a Miss Universe Puerto Rico. Just like Ariana Miyamoto, with her beautiful skin tone and face, is still Japanese and qualified to be a Miss Japan. Just like asian looking Francesca Hung is just as Australian and qualified to be Miss Australia as blonde bombshell Jennifer Hawkins. I told some of you here in this forum to not even suggest Angelina Flor Pua wasn’t not Belgian enough to go to Miss World, even though she was raised in Belgium. So don’t come to me with that golpe de pecho of “I look like the real deal, this person doesn’t”.


Get off your high horse.






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I) THAT MADISON’S LOOKS ARE “EXOTIC” BECAUSE THEY ARE AMERICAN


I’m only going to say that Madison’s beauty genes do not come from the Anderson line but from the Berrios-Gonzalez line, my dear. Again, Puerto Rico, a simple research could have told you that even without having seen the rest of the Berrios clan. I actually saw a bunch of family members of her at the final and they were all honestly very good looking people.









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J) THAT MADISON CANNOT CLAIM TO BE PUERTORRICAN

I just want to ask a general question to the audience because it appears that some of you actually are a little too high on that horse.



Who exactly do you think you are to gatekeep other people’s claims to your nationality?



Is it okay for athletes, singers, actors and other celebrities to claim being puertorrican but not Madison? Or does Madison need the Mikimoto for some of you to stop being hypocritical about this whole situation? Like what are your requirements to “allow” someone to be of said nationality, if you believe you have that authority? Which you don’t you know, but let’s pretend. Does Madison become Puertorrican if she wins Miss Universe? Is she gonna be Puertorrican during the three hour telecast and if she loses at the end, she goes back to being American? My point is that you don’t get to determine who gets to claim a nationality and who doesn’t. You don’t get to say Catriona is not filipino, you don’t get to say Paweensuda is not Thai, you don’t get to say Rima is not American, you don’t get to say Natalie is not Canadian and you definitely don’t get to say that Madison is not Puertorrican.


And this is an issue that transcends the pageantry world and it transcends borders, because for some reason many of us feel the need to police our nationality. I don’t get to tell ANYONE that they are not puertorrican because they were born elsewhere, or because they are mixed, or because they haven’t lived here as long. Because national identity is not that simple, and it’s not my place to tell you that you are this or that. I remember nobody could tell Catalina Morales or her father that they weren’t ricans, you couldn’t even try to tell Tony Croatto he wasn’t anything other that rican. So I would suggest my country men and even my fellow pageant followers to do some examination of themselves and feel happy and proud of ALL the women that want to represent you. If you don’t believe they know enough of your country to be from that country, educate them. If you believe she needs to “prove herself”, allow her. Girls like Madison are literally telling you “Give me a chance to show you not only that I want this, but that I am willing to improve myself to do it”. It’s not about disqualifying someone from the club and moving on, it’s about helping her improve herself in order to get in. Personally I educate myself each year as much as I can about as many candidates as I can, so I know that Madison has always had a genuine desire to represent my island. If it were up to me, she wouldn’t even have to prove you jack, but yet there she is showing you the progression of her training. Getting her body in shape, fortifying that spanish, going to activities to meet her people, all those things. But if you won’t even give her a chance, it’s literally a you problem that you are so blinded by nationalism.


And this is not to say that you cannot have a way of thinking, because one thing is saying “Look, I don’t feel represented by this person nor I do believe she should call herself this or that.” and another is saying “No, she isn’t this. I am the real this, and she cannot call herself that.”








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K) THAT SHE IS A RECYCLED QUEEN THEREFORE NOT GOOD ENOUGH

You really want to get into this conversation? I’m just going to put a list of names and I want you to ask for each girl the same question, can you do it? Okay.


Is this recycled queen good enough?


Michelle McLean, Miss Universe 1992 (also Miss World Namibia 1991)

Dayanara Torres Delgado, Miss Universe 1993 (also Miss PR International 1992)

Silvia Priscilla Perales Elizondo, Miss International 2007 (also Miss Mexico Universe 2006)

Anna Gabriela Espinoza Marroquin, Miss International 2009 (also Miss World Mexico 2008)

Catriona Elisa Magnayon Grey, Miss Universe 2018 (also Miss World Philippines 2016)



And considering plenty of countries along with Puerto Rico repeat and swap queens through pageants all the time I’d suggest you re-examine that ridiculous statement.









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L) THAT PEOPLE FROM THE DIASPORA SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN MUPR



SAYS WHO?
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M) THAT “HALFSIES” ARE LESS PUERTORRICAN THAN “FULL” PUERTORRICANS

More than 20 Miss Universe PR winners
Multiple winners in the Binibining Circuit, ⅞ last Miss World Philippines winners among others
A big number of Miss Canadas
A couple Miss USAs
And many more...

Are just as much of that nationality as any “Pure-Blood” who has an issue with their DNA, this isn’t Hogwarts… blood purity stopped being a thing a long time ago. And this is not me speaking about “white-washing” or none of those things, I am speaking about people who legitimately look down of what they call “halfsies” simply because of the content of their DNA. They are not less than, not as, or more this than that… because of the contents of their DNA. You are not more than, much more than or more this than them because your family is all Rican/American/Canadian/Pinoy/Chinese/You name it.

So I will not address this ridiculousness much longer than this pages because it should go without saying.

Madison is NOT any less Puerto Rican nor does it disqualifies her from BEING Puerto Rican because her father is American and the mere suggestion of it speaks from a place of discrimination. Whether you have noticed it in yourself or not. Same goes for Catriona or anyone else and you all know that while I may not love her I have always defended her Pinoy identity.






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N)THAT IF YOU DON’T SPEAK SPANISH YOU CANNOT BE PUERTORRICAN/MUPR


Um, take SEVERAL seats. First of all, let’s make it very clear that Madison is not ignorant to the Spanish language nor is this the first time she is using it. It is completely false that Madison got to the MUPR without speaking nor understanding a lick of english. I have heard this a lot from people who are trying (and failing) to “prove” that Madison’s participation is illegitimate. And I have actually seen this coming from a couple people around the world with specific candidates in some pageants So I’m going to get away from Madi’s case for a second. And while I understand that language is a very important part of a country and a culture, believe me I understand, I believe it is not the only way to be part of a culture. Look I love my language… hell, I defend my language with tooth and nail, but my culture is not JUST Spanish. My culture is far more complex, far deeper and most importantly far more welcoming that what some people are displaying. While in a perfect world I would want everybody to speak multiple languages, including their mother tongues, I understand that not everyone has the same opportunities. We saw a Miss USA, Australia and Colombia speaking about Cambodia’s inability to speak English. We even saw her mocking Miss Vietnam for “pretending” to understand English. And many people around this forum has said once or twice “oh but all candidates should speak English in this day and age. But in reality not everybody has the resources nor the life experiences to be able to learn such complicated languages. So I believe we have to be a little bit more welcoming and understanding as to why certain people don’t speak the languages coming from the countries their families come from. Some Mexican-Americans are never put in classes to learn Spanish, others are literally indoctrinate to forgo their family’s cultures. As a person who had the privilege of learning English at 13 years old, I realized that not everyone has the privilege of having the resources not the opportunities that I had. I would never make the children of the diaspora feel bad because they have trouble with Spanish because again it doesn’t disqualify them from being boricua.

My point is, culture is more than a language. My point is give people the opportunity to improve in that language, or in any part of the culture they feel they fall behind. Do not condemn them or pretend we are physics and know their intentions or their plans. Now coming back to Madison, she has accepted Spanish is something she needed to improve and that she will continue to work with. And she started training even before coming to Puerto Rico. She started taking classes whether she won the MUPR crown or not, and she got so much better in just a few months. And even after winning the crown, knowing full well that the Miss Universe is in english, she is still taking classes with Panamerican Language (Panamerican Language gives you as a prize English Classes but given she is Fluent in English, they switch to Spanish Classes). And she is already SO MUCH better. To my belief, by listening to her, she understands what you are saying and can write pretty well. What she needs to work on is certain words and their genders, and sure she has an accent but honestly who cares. Not everyone would be trying to improve a language she doesn’t need to win the Miss Universe, yet here she is. LET PEOPLE ROOM TO GROW AND SHOW YOU WHAT THEY ARE HERE TO DO.





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O) THAT MADISON HAD ADVANTAGES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMPETITION





Now this part is going to be dedicated to two very specific individuals that have pushed this narrative against not only Madison Anderson Berrios but also the Miss Universe Puerto Rico organization. And those two individuals I will speak of separately are the famous and beautiful Laihany Ponton Ortiz and Carlos Valentin. And I will take them separately because I have very different feelings about both, and some have even subsided. I even considered not posting this because my annoyance have subsided but then the latter individual has honestly displaced SUCH hypocrisy that I cannot. And given the mood I have had for the last two weeks, that you know what… let’s do it. So let’s start with Laihany because this was a behavior that was honestly one that surprised me given I was actually a fan.




For those of you who need an update Laihany Ponton is Miss Bayamon 2016 and 2019, one of the MOST sought after models and one of the most requested misses. She ended up 3rd Runner-Up in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2016 where Kristelee won, at the young age of 17 or 18. She has been asked every year to come back and last year she indulge us but ultimately had to withdraw of the audition process before the official announcement. THEN she came back this year, and became an official candidate. Now as you may have read in my final list, I had noticed certain attitudes from her when there was controversy coming when she showed up in the preliminary with a dress, catwalk and look very similar to another queen. The way she decided to respond to said controversy was to either delete messages, answer passive aggressively, or just completely ignoring the situation. But then the final night came along and I should have foreseen the behavior that was going to be displayed in the following days. Not only did her fans participated in the booing which Madison was subjected to, everyone who saw pictures and spoke to people with a full view of the stage, knows that Laihany did not want to congratulate Madison. Not only that most many of us saw her making gestures, some interpreted as her saying the pageant was bought, personally I didn’t interpret them as anything specific at that time. While it rubbed me the wrong way I attributed it to the high emotions everyone was feeling and went home.




But then less than 24 hours passed and then she took to an instagram live in which she answered a question “Did the best one win?” by saying:



“We all know that yesterday was not her best show, her best presentation, so no the best one did not win. You guys know, you guys saw it. Nothing to say.”



Now it could have stopped there, it could have been brushed away as an angry contestant in a passionate moment ect, and it would have died out in a couple weeks. But after days of pageant fans in the island sending her messages insulting her and calling her a bad winner, instead of going to a respectable reporter… she went to a gossip show to talk about the pageant. Sure, it’s the most famous gossip program in Puerto Rico and most of the times brings rumors that are true… but it’s the same program that got dropped by WAPA years ago. WAPA is the channel who owns MUPR, and yes it is important to note that.



[youtube]RAwhhOyiBDA[/youtube]




The things discussed in that interview and my thoughts on them:

- She was asked if she was jealous, she says no and that she even asked everyone to support Madison.



I don’t understand the point of her saying we should support her after literally talking about how illegitimate her win is. Like why are you trashing someone’s win and even laughing when people trash her yet you say “no, we have to support her”? If you really didn’t want hate thrown to her then why did you (and your family) started it. Your fans have become famous because of how forward, passionate yet aggressive they are, some even went after Madison’s family. Even your own family members have gotten into several fights all over the internet, with Madison’s family. You have put laughing reactions on memes about Madison’s victory so forgive me if I don’t find this statement honest.




- She says that she won’t participate again no matter who is in charge of the franchise because she is disillusioned and disappointed.



Now this is coming from an honest and real place in my heart, I don’t think Laihany should participate in any more pageants. Atleast in a few years, and she has time. But this scandal was very much alive in the puertorrican pageant circuit, and I don’t think many national directors would like to have her right now. The only pageant that truly enjoys this kind of attitude from their queens is MGI but I am not sure how she will audition when Nicole Colon already showed her support to Madison. And Nicole has Supra and International too, as well as Intercontinetal and Top Model… Vanessa de Roide has Miss Earth but I don’t think they will want scandals like this. Also I’m not sure Laihany has a strong ecological platform, atleast not yet. And I CAN ASSURE YOU, things like this won’t fly in Miss World. So right now I think she needs to lay low, let the waters calm and train to participate in another pageant that isn’t MUPR.




- She actually says on National Television that she is speaking for all 26 other candidates, that they all think basically the same thing. Then she slightly backtracks and says that she speaks for at least the majority of them, but that she is in the program for them.



Now this is very important because to me this was a very irresponsible thing for her to say without actually talking to the rest of the girls. While she may not have an interest in pageantry anymore, but the other girls may want to… out of the “at least 20” girls the following have showed support to either Madison and/or the org in different way:


Arecibo, Aguada, Caguas, Canovanas, Carolina, Corozal, Dorado, Gurabo, Guaynabo, Lares, Morovis, Penuelas, Salinas, Toa Alta, Trujillo Alto, Villalba.


And no, I am not including Vega Baja because even she posted this very touching picture and message we also noticed how unhappy she was reacting to Madison’s crowning.


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Now this is not me saying that all of those girls are being honest, because trust me there’s enough in the rumor mill and groups to know many of them are just being smart. It is the smart decision to not trash the organization you just participated in and might want to participate in again. NOW, I hope this is a teachable moment for Laihany to know never to include people that may not show up to support you. For whatever reasons that may be.




- She is asked directly about San Sebastian’s reaction to Madison’s win and she says she didn’t get a chance to speak to her about it but that she looked very happy ect.




-She answers to a question about when they realized Madison would win (as in when they noticed it was “fixed”) that they knew what was gonna happen during the days. After the shows ect it was “obvious” to them it was going to happen.

My question is simple, if the knew it was fixed and that Madison was going to win, why wait until after the coronation to say something? Why not drop out or go into La Comay before the final night? Was it only bearable that there was an alleged preference with Madison by the organization as long as she didn’t won? Unfortunately, I notice this is the new thing in several national pageants and even international pageant… now everytime a girl wins it was bought by someone. You know who also knew Madison was going to win after shows like the Preliminary? The majority of the world, she aced it every time she took on that catwalk and that’s just a fact.





- They ask her about rumors that the Ponton family is a family of money, and she says that it is incorrect and that she never heard the other girls talking about it.


Now I am going to talk about the Ponton family from a much calmer place than I was almost 2 months ago. I was ready to search high and wide for every single screenshot to put here and put names ect., I was going to go all Duchess circa 2013 on ya’ll full of annoyance. But I realize that directing my annoyance at this issue in that way won’t even help people understand the underlying issue. The reality is that the whole Ponton family, both Laihany and everyone else, NEED to grow a thicker skin if they want to pursue pageantry. I’m not saying that 80% of the hate directed towards you has not crossed the line, what I am saying is that unfortunately your family and yourself defending your honor the way they do only hurts your chances. And your image. Your parents have threatened people on groups, have laughed and shared memes about the winner you are saying we gotta support (your quote). Your brother shared plenty of comments mocking Madison with comments like “Miss USA part 2” and “I knew it was fixed from the Top 10” which is also NOT supporting the Miss.



And even somebody allegedly from your team telling this to Adam Anderson, the father of Madison:

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I can understand defending your children against ill-intentioned people but is it acceptable for someone from your team (or even a fan) to go after her father and say she doesn’t represent us? Unfortunately you all need to grow a slightly thicker skin if your intention is to continue in social media. Madison and many other queens have had to handle worse comments and you don’t see them or most of their families behaving this way.




- The host of the show asks if any of the candidates talked to the final judges, to which Laihany says no and specifies that the interview is with the Preliminary judges only.



- She is asked if any of the girls doubted the judges to which Laihany says she didn't until she was disappointed with the results.



So you were only publicly doubting the judges until after followed the actual format of Miss Universe Puerto Rico which dictates that what will get you into the Top 3 is the combined scores of SS + EG + Question. And that after that the score goes to zero and then it’s the Top 3 Question + Final Question to determine the winner? In which, like last year, the Q&A wasn’t the deal breaker because the winner’s other scores were massively superior? Okay...





- They start talking about how judges shouldn’t be making comments online about candidates ect., specifically talking about Sixto Nolasco. They basically accused him of having favoritism towards Madison because he has comments complimenting her beauty. They also show Laihany a comment from Sixto Nolasco saying that through her controversy he has learned she is a sore loser. Also that she is trying to discredit 11 judges, that he thinks her body didn’t let her go through, that a pretty face is not everything and that she needs to learn how to lose AND win. Also that many missosologists agree she needed projection, and better styling. She says this is the first time seeing it and the host is giving her a whole speech about how judges should behave. They complement Laihany on her body and say that it’s probably that attitudes like this are the reasons she is retiring from pageants at 21.




While I do not agree with Sixto Nolasco speaking directly to Laihany nor do I approve of any judge commenting on contestants they will judge on social media… He didn’t only complement Madison. He has complemented a couple candidates through the weeks before the pageant, it wasn’t something exclusive to Madison. So La Comay doesn’t really have a point here.






- The last question for her was that if she was the victim of harassment, pressures ect while participating in this or the other pageant. She says no, but that she knows of some girls that have been victims of this. The host says “In the pageants that Wapa has produced?” she says “Yes” and the host pushes and says “Those that Denise has been in charge of?” to which Laihany says no. YET he again PUSHES by saying that if those that have fallen victim to these things have being targeted by members of the organization. To which she chuckles (obviously knowing the point of this question) and she repeats clearly “No, from Wapa”.



This is where you truly see the motivations and the lack of imparcial attitude of this interview, it is very obvious that La Comay/Kobbo Santarosa are trying to just direct the controversy to Wapa. He just wants to make the controversy bigger and more serious than it already is to try to discredit his former employer.





- But wait, the co-host wants to ask her if she was one of the girls who jumped and celebrated when Madison won. To which she laughed and said no. To which he said “Well I ask cause you said they weren’t happy but they were jumping”. The host asks if they are asked to rehearse the celebration to which she says they don’t force them to celebrate but that they are supposed to stay on stage.




In this other part of this show clear (again) vendetta against Wapa, the hosts says (you can confirm this with anyone who speaks Spanish) that Denise is hiding and he wants to ask her how she found Madison (as if she was unknown to pageantry) and who brought her after losing FOUR TIMES in the United States. He asks Denise directly on that show if Denise or Wapa brought her and who is calling the shots in the pageant. He is saying that Denise did not take pictures nor answered question after Madison won, and defiantly asks her how can a candidate go through without answering the questions. He even goes as far as accusing Madison of not speaking spanish. He goes as far as to actually demand Denise or Wapa to say why it was necessary to ask a Top 3 question. And he even suggested in an accusatory manner that the Top 3 question was created and GIVEN to Madison so she could get ahead since “Madison didn’t know Spanish in the first question”. He even goes farther, saying that it is not Madison’s fault that she was brought in by WAPA and/or Denise; and saying that the reason there’s no longer 78 candidates it’s because no one trusts her. The co-host even goes as far as saying that the late Billy Faurnet says that you can’t say thanks after answering the question and what not.

Madison has never “lost 4 times in the US” nor did she “represented the US in some and PR in others”, anyone who knows pageantry knows this. So I would tell Kobbo Santarosa to either investigate properly OR discard whoever is in charge or preparing him for interviews. Denise is seeing after the pageant taking pictures with Madison and even hugging her so I don’t know how that is hiding. And most importantly, where is the evidence that Madison was shipped from the US by Denise or Wapa? Or the evidence that Madison was given the question so she could win?









Now I am going to redirect my attention to someone else because as opposed to Laihany, he is actually a person much older than her and has not acted more maturely. I personally think that Laihany needs a change of attitude and a tougher skin, hopefully it will happen with age. This dude, at this point has ZERO salvation, redemption or credibility at this point. And that gentleman is called Carlos Valentin, and I call him by name because he himself has said he wants to be quoted, named ect. This gentleman has spent WEEKS accusing Wapa, the MUPR (both new and old), Denise Quinones, and Madison Anderson of the following:





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- That Madison does not have authorization to participate in Miss Universe because she participated in two IMG pageants in the same year. Therefore, making her local participation, local win and international participation illegitimate because she participated in a Florida (state) and Puerto Rico (national). (#1 and #4)



Carlos let me show you the rule you are referring to:

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Now my question is: “Since when is Miss Universe Puerto Rico considered a state pageant?” which are the pageants that the rule is referring. MUPR is a national pageant and it’s not even necessarily an IMG pageant, Madison participated ONCE in a national pageant this year. Do you REALLY think Madison’s team did not already asked for clearance on this issue the moment she came to PR? Or Denise when Madison when she auditioned? DO YOU REALLY think that they would risk accepting a candidate who would eventually get dethroned because she didn’t comply with the rules?

Okay, next.





- He has also accused Denise Quinones of just being the image of the MUPR organization and that basically she has no power. That Jimmy Arteaga is who is hiding behind Denise running the show and making the decisions, in a newer post even accusing Madison’s manager of having a meeting with him. (#2 and #3)



First off, That’s disrespectful. Two, if you have evidence of Denise being this face of the pageant while making no decisions then I suggest you provide evidence. I suggest you also provide damning evidence of not only Diana Montero meeting with Jimmy Arteaga but also the contents of that meeting. Plenty of national directors and candidates have even documented their visits to the MUO and even pictures with Paula Shuggart. So are you saying that does should be doubted to? I really hope you were in that room to know what was spoken then given you’re so sure this was a cooking show.






- On point #5 he is giving a whole lot of sass asking why has there not been a press conference from Denise Quinones, Jimmy Arteaga and Javier Maunulet to “Explain” to the people and the country.



Only thing I’m going to say is that the moment we hold a press conference to address every little tantrum that angry pageant fans throw to give them explanation… that will be the moment we had been taking pageant to personal. Should the Miss Universe or Miss World hold a press conference every time someone has a problem with the winner? Please







- On point #6 he is asking Wapa (the network) if they are again using ex-queens, television programs and media puppets to trick Puerto Rico like he alleges Wapa did with Kristelee Caride. He also says that the real reason Caride couldn’t represent us in Miss Universe was because she was an employee of Desiree Lowry.



Personally I do not have enough information on the accusation about Caride and honestly I’m not going to mix the issues with Lowry with the issues with Quinones. I will say that you are literally accusing former queens and television personalities of participating in a ruse to “trick” the country. I also want to make sure people know that Puertorricans honestly have bigger problems to deal with right now than to feed this person’s delusions.

I have to wonder if you literally have nothing better to do with your time than to try to damage the reputation of not only Madison but also Denise Quinones. I understand you have a vendetta against Desiree Lowry, given your FB is 80% politics 20% Desiree Lowry hate posts. Like I get that you don’t like her, but exactly why transmit that attitude and bs to Denise Quinones who has proven to be a heavy improvement from Lowry? You have provided zero evidence to prove that Denise has been hiding, when she didn’t, nor have you provided a contract or something on the kind that proves Madison is not eligible to participate. Are you really willing to ruin her career because your girl didn’t make it?





That reminds me. How come, if Madison’s participation is something you are so against, you had Madison in your favorites in June 9th and 10th?

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How come before her win you didn’t seem to have a problem with her participation? Because I couldn’t find a single post in your profanity infested facebook that pointed me to you having an issue with Madison until now. How come you allow your favorites to participate in a pageant you consider corrupt? I didn’t see you making a huge video titled “Don’t participate in MUPR because they accepted Madison” talking in the third person. If you hate WAPA so much how come you even accepted a banner from them (in your own fb we can see it) given they are so corrupt in your mind. On a post on Dec. 16th, 2018 you admit to have told Caride 3 days after she was crown that they were going to dethrone her.


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So how come you didn’t tell every girl that participated in this edition not to do so because MUPR is corrupt? Because I bet that if your favorite won, the pageant was not going to be corrupt in your eyes. I didn’t go or follow various MUPR pageants precisely because I thought it was not worth it to participate under Desiree. Did you do the same this year? No haha. On that same post you admit to calling MUO in NY to say that Desiree had violated her contract (in regards to Caride) and given you even go into David Begnaud’s livestreams to comment on it talking smack about MUPR when he is talking about government corruption… I have to wonder…

Have you become one of those crazy pageant fans who call the MUO with their conspiracy theories to try and tarnish the reputation of your own local org.?

I really hope not because you do know that is called “Defamation”, right? For example I am not participating in Defamation because all of this is part of your public facebook and it is written by you, I am hoping you have the same amount of receipts in future times you accuse anyone of mishandling.

Now I lack the patience and class that Denise Quinones has, so since you want attention and “pauta” then I am giving to you. Now I cannot wait for you to get all up in arms and accuse me of being on the payroll of either the Anderson-Berrios family or the MUPR. I actually I got a chance to work with queens who could potentially bring glory to PR in an international stage, but I am just a normal pageant fan who is honestly fed up with your constant whining. I cannot wait for your usual “DON’T MAKE ME PUBLISH THE EVIDENCE!!!” like you say EVERY TIME someone tells you to do it. I cannot wait. But I will leave you with a very simple question:




How dare you… or in spanish CON QUE CARA… do you go around talking about bad, corrupt and negligent national directors… when you constantly promote and defend the one and only Magaly Febles?




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Goodnight, My dears.


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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby TheGenuineBeauty » Fri Aug 02, 2019 2:57 am

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OH MY...DUCHESS!!!!! You did an OUTSTANDING job with this. Soooo totally worth the wait. I am actually going to print this and give it a more in depth read because I skimmed some parts, plus I need to see that La Comay video, but seriously Duchess you need to give yourself a pat on the back cause this is a MASTERPIECE!!!

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PUERTO RICO REBORN

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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby hauteegirl » Fri Aug 02, 2019 3:05 am

i certainly didnt read it but i got your point. it's an all day read. haha :%))

you should write a book.
:%))
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Fri Aug 02, 2019 3:18 am

hauteegirl wrote:i certainly didnt read it but i got your point. it's an all day read. haha :%))

you should write a book.
:%))


Oh don't worry =;)) =;)) =;)) it was a good relieve of annoyance regardless of who reads it =;)) =;)) =;)) sometimes writing its just the best therapy
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby manoypoe » Fri Aug 02, 2019 9:46 am

IT IS A LONG READ, I DONT HAVE TIME TO FINISH IT. BUT KUDOS TO YOUR EFFORTS. I THINK, NINA CLEOPATRA STARTED THIS KIND OF ISSUE. :%)) :%))
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby Virginia Dalisay » Fri Aug 02, 2019 1:08 pm

WOW..... you really pour all your heart out ... Bravo =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> :=p

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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby Geeyourhair » Fri Aug 02, 2019 3:57 pm

I can't believe I read everything you have written. It is so freaking long but I learned somehow how the pageant system works now in Puerto Rico. Not really a fan of the winner but I think I understand your point. I didn't know there is such an issue in Puerto Rico. It is as chaotic as the Philippines when one doesn't accept the winner. Philippines is not so alone afterall when it comes to bashing their own winners hahaha.

I would read this kind of article anytime however long it is than read a short message from your compatriot that sows a lot of hatred in this forum. Good job, Duchess.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby maypuson anderson » Fri Aug 02, 2019 6:41 pm

The Duchess wrote:
| PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY |
| THE DUCHESS TAKE |




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Yes, my children. Your hypocrisy has gotten us to this point in which some of you need to be brought down a few pegs. To a point in which if I don’t say something, I will never get it out of my chest, and it NEEDS to be said. It needs to be said because the world will keep having cases like these because the world is changing. The world is evolving, it is mixing and the meaning of certain things is evolving and changing. And yes I am saying changing a lot because it appears we are very much afraid of that little word, apparently terrified. And one would think that being involved in pageantry gives us a special perspective and view into subjects like national identity and pride. We would think that by following pageants and engaging in conversations with people from other parts of the world we would be able to do more that bicker and fight. And most importantly, we would be able to have a better idea what really is cultural and national identity. Yet apparently many have not, many seem to completely ignore these concepts and become gatekeepers to their own nationalities. So I HAVE to take this time to at least put my piece out there to be either accepted, destroyed or simply read. Because honestly, enough is enough. How we say in Puerto Rico: Si no lo digo, exploto.




This is the only time I will be talking about the controversy of Madison Anderson’s participation and crowning because:



I believe it is a non-issue. Period.


I think one thread is enough to handle all my feelings on this so any time you all need to be reminded I will just redirect you to this thread.




Oh and before we start I want to make sure that you, non-Puertorrican that is reading this, understand that while I am focusing on Madison’s case… ALL countries are guilty of this. So before you all start saying “Buajaja, shame on you ricans, buajaja” I suggest you take a look at yourself and the behavior of your countrymen.

OH and also, fellow Puertorrican that is reading this, before you come at me with pitchforks and torches to come and insult me please understand that I don’t care. Not because I don’t care about my fellow man thing but because


1) I have heard all the arguments for weeks and

2) I DO NOT respond to insults. If you would like to debate coherently and objectively you can do so in the comments below or my PM.



And before someone starts hammering me about how I shouldn’t voice this opinion on this forum because we should never point out the bad things about one’s countries… understand that this isn’t just about you. So if you will slam me on social media and other forums, like I have seen you done sometimes, remember I don’t honestly care for insults.



So, let’s begin with some of the misconceptions surrounding Madison Anderson Berrios’ participation and eventually win. I am doing this because a lot of BS has been spewed and spread out as if it was true about not only Madison but Denise, and even the Anderson-Berrios family which is just simply petty. I am also going to address a couple of um… let’s call them “worries” that certain candidates of the MUPR 2019 have had over the last few weeks.




A) THAT MADISON HAS NEVER VISITED OR EVEN BEEN IN PUERTO RICO.


You see... if people did their work as they should and would find receipts for the things that go against their point as effectively as they talked BS, you could avoid embarrassment. Madison and her family have said multiple times that she has spent some summers and holidays in Puerto Rico. But you need receipts? Great. There is quite hefty documentation of Madison not only visiting Puerto Rico throughout her life but also making mention of her roots. In the form of hashtags and pictures ect where she speaks about how Boricua she is and her island. Even before she became Top Model of the World Puerto Rico in 2015, so yes you cannot go around saying she is just boricua when she wants to. Children of Boricuas who are raised in the diaspora are usually very open to call themselves boricua, same as the rest of latino children. If you had done at least a smidge of homework you could have known this, you wouldn’t look like such a full going into forums saying she doesn’t know where the island even is. And it honestly looks so INCREDIBLY embarrassing to see so many people walking around passing around information that is wrong. Because it is better to try to throw shade at a girl with unfounded accusations than to speak with facts because it goes against your point. Petty. Next.






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B) THAT MADISON HAD TO LIVE 10 YEARS OR 6 MONTHS IN PUERTO RICO IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE



This is simply what happens when you do not follow rules amendments in new pageants organizations, and most importantly when you DON’T watch the live videos the organization constantly puts out. In those made during the inscription process they go through the rules each year, in depth and answering questions. The rules of MUPR pageant have changed multiple times as it is expected for a new organization, they evolve constantly. Let me remind you where they began as an organization in the first draft of the rules back about 2 years ago. Does ANYONE remember that in their first draft the ORG. didn’t allow transgenders, non-blood puerto ricans nor women over 25? And guess what happened? LGBT+ communities and non-blood puerto ricans (such as Catalina Morales) posted content in defend these two groups and eventually the changes were made. The age limit was lifted because the Org. wanted to be in line with the MUO. Then it went through plenty of changes including the 10-Year rule which is what has been explained constantly. As of the auditions period this year these were the rules and for your own benefit, I will explain them to you as they have been explained to us in live videos by Denise herself. But since we are obviously still in doubt, and for the benefit of our non-spanish speaking friend… let’s go one by one:

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1. BEING BORN IN PUERTO RICO OR HAVE EITHER A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT THAT WAS BORN IN PUERTO RICO.

This has been explained to us multiple times that this is pretty simple, if you were born in our beautiful island or have direct blood relation with Puerto Rico… you can participate. No problem. Move on to rule #3, and yes I will explain why.




2. IN CASE OF HAVING BEING BORN OUTSIDE OF PUERTO RICO, TO HAVE LIVED 10 YEARS IN THE ISLAND.

I actually blame the organization for this same issue every time there’s a live video, this is a wording issue and they NEED to change it. What they actually mean is that if you do not qualify with rule #1 then you NEED to participate using this rule. Is what I call the Koehler-Morales clause, and this was not a clause that was included in the first ever draft of rules because they weren’t accepting non-blood puerto ricans. The problem is the way they word it, it is as if it included women who qualify in rule #1. And this has been told to us multiple times because everytime they put a photo with the rules, everyone asks. Moreover, in one of the last lives they made they even said the 10 years didn’t have to be continuous. So if you lived I don’t know a couple years once then 4 more years later ect, you could participate. As long as you fill the quota of 10 years in the island. But they honestly HAVE to fix the wording on this damn rule because every year, we have the same problem. It should specify that if you qualify in the 1st rule then this one is not even about you… so in this case yeah I blame the ORG.




3. TO BE 18-27 AT THE START OF THE PAGEANT.


I don’t need to explain this one… right? Ok good.



4. TO BE STUDYING OR HAVE A HIGHSCHOOL DIPLOMA (OR EQUIVALENT).


Again… no need to explain.



5. TO HAVE A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH.



Okay so here it NEVER says you have to be fluent in neither one of these languages, and what is fluent? Fluent is being able to read, speak and write a language, basic knowledge of a language is enough to have a conversation. Basic knowledge of how it is written or spoken, a candidate doesn’t need to know enough of either language to make a thesis. The majority of girls we have crowned are fluent in spanish and decent in english, but not fluent either.



6. TO NOT BE MARRIED, DIVORCED OR PREGNANT (OR FORMERLY PREGNANT)

Self-Explanatory.




7.TO HAVE GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.

Again, ya’ll know what this is about.



8. TO BE AT LEAST 5’5”, IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION AND WITH WEIGHT PROPORTIONATE TO YOUR HEIGHT.

Honestly, I personally don’t need you to be skinny to be Miss Puerto Rico as long as that body looks proportionate. I have seen plenty of skinny girls whose bodies just don’t look proportionate or pretty, and vice versa. But for better or worse in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico pageant weight does tend to have relevancy. I mention this because this will be relevant later on this thread.




9. TO BE RESPONSIBLE, DISCIPLINED, READY TO WORK.

Emphasis on DISCIPLINED.




10. TO WANT TO BE MISS UNIVERSE.

I love this rule and I kinda love that many people don’t understand it, but it’s actually quite simple. You don’t go to the Miss Universe pageant to hang out and get nice pictures, you also don’t go there out of obligation. You HAVE to want this crown, Denise is not here for queens who are just there to hang out, and I love that. I see SO many, well we all see, SO MANY girls who honestly could care LESS if they win or not. And to me that’s unfair, I want girls in those sashes that want that crown and want to bring that glory to their country. I want the Kiaras and H’hens of the world making us fall in love with them and their passion for this pageant.




So now that we have read the rules again as explained in the many live videos done by the organization in the last 2 years, do we have any more questions? In summary, Madison qualified for rule #1 ergo she didn’t need to live 10 years in Puerto Rico to participate in this pageant. Most importantly, Denise literally said on a live video that the girls of the Diaspora COULD send their application and that they would be notified if they had to come to the callback. She even said that they could come as long as they paid for their own ticket ect. Because obviously the organization is not going to pay for every girl from the diaspora to come and stay here without even been sure she will be a candidate. So tell me how would the diaspora girls needs to have a 10-year residency when the national director is telling them they can apply… FROM THE DIASPORA?!

Now this was a VERY special little misconception that it appears even Miss San Juan, Adriana Collazo seems to have. Surprising that some of these ladies don’t even read or listen to the rules that they have to abide by. Let me quote and translate a status (which I have screenshotted for you, you are welcome) that she wrote after Madison won from her private personal account:

“So you can keep writing down… another fact that people have ignored and have commented … it is that by requisite to be in the pageant, if you were not born in Puerto Rico you have to reside for a period of 10 years. There’s a lot of fabric to cut (Puertorrican saying sort of like “there’s more where that came from”. Sweetie… please reread the rules and watch the live feeds from the woman you hope will be your future boss before you are talking badly from an organization. Because if you had you would have seen the live video where she explained exactly why you are wrong, my dear. Now if you really felt so strongly about this “obvious” breach of the rules… why didn’t you drop out? Why didn’t you speak out of gossip shows like Bayamon has? Why haven’t you posted actual concrete proof that you were in a disadvantage during the competition? I can’t deal with some of you, honestly.





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C) THAT MADISON WAS SHIPPED FROM FLORIDA BY DENISE TO WIN MUPR



This one makes me laugh because anyone with at least one connection or with even a couple visits to certain forums would know Madison was far from Denise’s favorite. Everyone in the puertorrican pageant circuit by now heard the rumors about San Sebastian, so I don’t even know where this came from. And that one would also know that Madison didn’t have an easy breezy time on this competition, far from it. Specially with this batch of candidates whom from what we have been able to see these past few weeks… are not an easy batch. Madison received bashing from plenty of people because of her look, place of birth, language ect. In away than the rest of the girls didn’t. I wasn’t as easy for her to get into the official candidates rooster, hell… the fact that she was the only one booed on national television for the dumbest reason ever should tell you. And if these past few weeks have been ANY indication of this batch’s attitude towards Madison… trust me, this was not easy for anyone in Madison’s position. So no, she wasn’t shipped by nobody from the organization; and if the team really wanted her so badly… why wait until AFTER she participated in the Miss Florida USA? Why wait until her haters would have the ridiculous ammunition of “ShE wAnTeD tO bE mIsS uSa!” to THEN give her the crown here. Ya’ll are such… geniuses.





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D) THAT DENISE CHANGED THE RULES SO MADISON COULD PARTICIPATE

Again… if YOU, candidate/candidate’s family or fan that is reading this, have concrete proof that there was a conversation between Madison’s Team and the local Organization. Find me proof that the Organization made one of their MANY constant changes in their rules exclusively for Madison to participate in Puerto Rico. Until then, I’m afraid you are nothing more than a gossip with zero receipts on what you are saying.





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E) THAT MADISON’S FATHER HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DOWNFALL OF OUR ECONOMY AND BOUGHT HER CROWN

Now to me this is the lowest point of the whole controversy to me because people, some who are literally family members of candidates, decided to go after Madison’s family. So people decided to try to imply that since Adam Anderson, the father of Madison, manages the Caribbean Investment Summit and other investment groups, suddenly he is not only a “multimillionaire” but is also directly guilty for the economic debacle of Puerto Rico. Now I’m not going to see here and go in depth about all the guilty parties and the reasons we are stuck in the situation we are in because it’s honestly irrelevant to this. But I will say one thing: Not every person or group that invests in Puerto Rico is out to destroy Puerto Rico. That is all I will say about that. Now for those who do not understand where Adam Anderson works right now, he manages the Caribbean Investment Summit. What is the Caribbean Investment Summit? It’s quite literally a summit which connects investment (and others) groups with different countries in the carribbean, it’s a summit where you can present and make those connections ect. Mandataries from the Caribbean speak in the summit as well as different people from the industry and they even have like some sort of get together-ish type of event afterwards. He also founded Open Interactive, which basically work with marketing from my understanding. And Open Interactive is the one that presents this Summit, or it’s like the company who organized it. I found this all on the internet and even saw videos of all types of people speaking at this event, from all over the world. This company works mainly out of St. Kitts and Nevis not Puerto Rico which many have falsely reported. Madison herself spent 4 months in a marketing internship given that’s what she is studying, because those are the headquarters.

Now I have ZERO evidence that Adam Anderson is associated or is a direct “vulture” investors, yet you all (including candidate’s family members) have insulted both Madison and her father with false claims. People keep asking why is her father so reserved? Why don’t they interview him? Ya’ll have SOME nerve. Ya’ll insult her father, his dna contribution to her daughter, his job and call him names and say her daughter is not Puertorrican… yet you want him to do interviews and photo ops? Ya’ll have some nerve. He has stepped back from the spotlight for two very important reasons: 1) his daughter should be the focus not him and 2) He is not participating in the pageant for him to even be reported on. I have NEVER seen this much interest and attacks in and towards the local queen’s family. Actually I have, I remember plenty people researching as much as they could about Robert Koehler family so people could say “See, he’s Dutch. She doesn’t have Boricua blood”. Oh and when we wanted to find out about the Vicentes because Mariana “didn’t look Puerto Rican”, gee… wonder what they all have in common.

Now let’s say her father was an investor working in the island, important to know that’s not a crime, why should Madison pay for her father’s job? That shouldn’t matter. No person should be judged by their parent’s life, mistakes or choices, these women are their own independent person aside from their family. And this is not about Madison but no contestant should be subject to attacks because of whatever job her father or mother does. I’m not religious but I remember Matthew 7:1-5 and it seems many have forgotten that before we judge others we should look at ourselves.






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F) THAT MADISON WANTS TO REPRESENT PUERTO RICO BECAUSE THE US DOES NOT WANT HER.



I blame a lot of the media for this part because even though now you see all of them making articles about Madison and been so nice to her, they were the first ones that perpetuated this allegation. I still remember the articles only making mention of Madison’s participation in the Miss Florida USA without ANY mention of her previous pageant experience. I still remember the wording on articles talking as if we were Madison’s second thought. Not that I expect the media to be accurate 100% of the time but as usual it’s strikes me as funny how they all now want to talk about her “puertoricanness”. But for the pleasure of anyone asking, c’mere, sit down while I give you a small rundown on her pageant career. Now I know most people who follow pageants actually know about her pageant career because of us do our homework, so I did that bit of homework for you.

Madison Sara Anderson Berrios has been in pageants since she was a teenager, she is actually a third-generation pageant queen. Belinda Berrios Gonzalez, Madison’s mother, was crowned Miss Puerto Rico National Teenager 1984 and Miss Tourism Puerto Rico 1985. From Madison’s IG we are informed that apparently she won 4 more pageants but I honestly don’t know which they are. I haven’t been able to find out much about her participation because I actually think these two particular pageants are extinct, so it’s kinda hard. They have similar versions of these pageants, but these ones specifically have gone to pageant heaven so I have not much to go on with. I do know that she won Miss Congeniality in the National Teenager family and from what everyone tells me it’s a quality Madison inherited. Now her grandmother Norma Gonzalez may have participated in a pageant but all I could find was this STUNNING modeling picture from when she was young.







Now back to Madison, she was actually chosen last minute to be Miss Kissimmee Teen USA (not sure how city pageants work) and she went on to participate in the Miss Florida Teen USA 2014 pageant. This was during my pageant blackout years so I didn’t even know Madison Anderson existed, I saw very few pageants these years, but she actually achieved the position of 4th Runner-Up. The next year she participated in the Miss Latin International US 2015, a multi-age/multi-crown pageant were women like Gabriela Berrios, Keysi Vargas, Vivianie Diaz, Jailenne Rivera, Sussete Rivera, Franceska Toro and many others have participated. She won the Top Model of the World Puerto Rico title and eventually went to Egypt to participate in the international pageant where she placed 4th Runner-Up. But of course most of know her from the Miss Gwand International 2016 pageant (as Miss Puerto Rico) where she started our 3rd Runner-Up streak, to many of us she (or Cordoves) should have won. After that she spend around a year working with the MGI organization and eventually crowned Brenda Azaria as her successor. Then she went to the internship mentioned above and then in January of 2019, she participated in the Miss Florida USA pageant representing Windermere where she placed 1st Runner-Up to Nicollete Jennings. Then as we know she moved to Puerto Rico to FINALLY (we have asked for years) win the pageant she truly belongs in. And I say that because this girl has to go to the Miss Universe pageant with our team not the US’ team… recent years will tell you why. Anyways that is her pageant history: 2 State in Florida, 1 national pageant in Puerto Rico and 2 (soon to be 3) International pageants representing Puerto Rico; yet her haters only see the 2 state pageants.














Why do we talk about as if Madison was the first one to compete in a US state pageant before or after competing in a national pageant? You were ALL celebrating when Genesis Davila and Mariela Pepin were doing great in the Miss USA pageant “Putting Puerto Rico on the top”. Are we going to trash Kimberly Jimenez if she wins Miss Universe Dominican Republic after participating in MUPR 2017? Are dominicans going to act like some puerto ricans have if Genesis Suero wins after participating in the Miss USA pageant? I didn’t hear this much of a fuzz after Maureen Montange participated in Miss World Philippines after participating in both Miss USA and Miss World America. Or are we going to deny Natascha Borger her german pride because she participated in Miss Venezuela first? If Natalie Glebova or Justine Pasek had participated in their birth countries first before going for Canada and Panama… does it really make them any less canadian or panamanian? What you people infer, whether on purpose or not, when you say “because this country didn’t want her, she came here” says more about your view about your country than about the girl.



I understand this is an unpopular but since we are being completely honest here, they are girls of 2 (sometimes more) more countries. Both countries are part of them, both make a part of them, and they should be able to be proud of both without being chastised. Catriona should be able to say she is both Australian and Filipina (if she wishes) without so many people making her choose. Same with Justine Pasek, Pia Wurtzbach, Natalie Glebova, Madison Anderson, the big chunk of euroasian queens, the Canadian queens and so many others should too. They shouldn’t be questioned as to why they represented or wanted to represent one of the two countries they belong to.



Are we really that possessive of our queens that we need them to publicly only acknowledge one side? And this is not only related to pageantry. Talk to bi-racial or multi-cultural children, they know exactly what I am talking about. You’re too much Nationality 1 for Nationality 2 and vice versa. It’s ridiculous. The reality is that (using our example case) Madison qualifies to represent both countries that are part of her heritage. Why should she only participate for one? Most importantly, for the one YOU want.

Every comment I read makes me understand Peter Morales (Madison’s promoter) apprehensions and doubts about Madison competing in MUPR.










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G) THAT PUERTO RICO IS A CONSOLATION PRIZE

This is honestly one of the stupidest phrases I have EVER heard in my life and I have mostly heard it when we talk about athletes and beauty queens. We had the same issue when Charles Flaherty decided to participate for Puerto Rico in the Winter Olympics. I heard plenty people criticizing that we allowed Seth “Quaterrican” Lugo to play for Team Rubio in the 2017 WBC. And it is honestly so disrespectful to hear people saying phrases like “our country is a consolation prize” or “this person chose us because is easier to qualify/win/succeed in our country. And I not only hear this on my island, I’ve heard in a bunch of countries that go through something like this, and to me it is disrespectful. Because I don’t know about you but I don’t think my country is either “the easy way out” or “the consolation prize”, I think quite the opposite actually. I think phrases like that speaks of insecurity and your own deep denial of your feelings for your country. So yes, when you speak about a queen like that, especially with no evidence (actually with evidence that deny your allegations), that tells me you have some type of insecurity that makes you this defensive. The sad thing is I have heard this coming from so many people in so many nationalities, not just from my country men.










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H) THAT MADISON DOES NOT LOOK PUERTORRICAN



Exactly what the hell does a Puertorrican look like? I kinda understand this misconception more foreigners that Puertorricans have a certain look because they don’t live here. But I cannot get through my head how some puerto ricans have this idea that we have a look. That we only come in one specific set of features, only one combination. Walking our streets everyday, seeing the mosaic of mixes in our day to day life makes me wonder if you ever get out at ALL. There is NO specific look for a puertorrican, we are not a “one size fits all” kind of deal, okay? We come in all shades, eye color, hair color, face shapes, eye shape, lip shape, sizes… do I really need to go on? Puertorricans have such a mix you walk through the streets or even someone’s family tree and you will see the mosaic that is the puertorrican DNA. 99% of people that walks around talking this crap all have the famous “look” and try to alienate everyone who doesn’t fit said look. You don’t see our black or blonde barbies going around saying they are the only or true “Puertorrican look”, their message is “we are also part of the puertorrican look”.


And let’s say that there was “look” that Madison doesn’t fit, for the sake of YOUR argument. But guess what? That doesn’t make her any less Puertorrican nor qualified to be a Miss Universe Puerto Rico. Just like Ariana Miyamoto, with her beautiful skin tone and face, is still Japanese and qualified to be a Miss Japan. Just like asian looking Francesca Hung is just as Australian and qualified to be Miss Australia as blonde bombshell Jennifer Hawkins. I told some of you here in this forum to not even suggest Angelina Flor Pua wasn’t not Belgian enough to go to Miss World, even though she was raised in Belgium. So don’t come to me with that golpe de pecho of “I look like the real deal, this person doesn’t”.


Get off your high horse.






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I) THAT MADISON’S LOOKS ARE “EXOTIC” BECAUSE THEY ARE AMERICAN


I’m only going to say that Madison’s beauty genes do not come from the Anderson line but from the Berrios-Gonzalez line, my dear. Again, Puerto Rico, a simple research could have told you that even without having seen the rest of the Berrios clan. I actually saw a bunch of family members of her at the final and they were all honestly very good looking people.









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J) THAT MADISON CANNOT CLAIM TO BE PUERTORRICAN

I just want to ask a general question to the audience because it appears that some of you actually are a little too high on that horse.



Who exactly do you think you are to gatekeep other people’s claims to your nationality?



Is it okay for athletes, singers, actors and other celebrities to claim being puertorrican but not Madison? Or does Madison need the Mikimoto for some of you to stop being hypocritical about this whole situation? Like what are your requirements to “allow” someone to be of said nationality, if you believe you have that authority? Which you don’t you know, but let’s pretend. Does Madison become Puertorrican if she wins Miss Universe? Is she gonna be Puertorrican during the three hour telecast and if she loses at the end, she goes back to being American? My point is that you don’t get to determine who gets to claim a nationality and who doesn’t. You don’t get to say Catriona is not filipino, you don’t get to say Paweensuda is not Thai, you don’t get to say Rima is not American, you don’t get to say Natalie is not Canadian and you definitely don’t get to say that Madison is not Puertorrican.


And this is an issue that transcends the pageantry world and it transcends borders, because for some reason many of us feel the need to police our nationality. I don’t get to tell ANYONE that they are not puertorrican because they were born elsewhere, or because they are mixed, or because they haven’t lived here as long. Because national identity is not that simple, and it’s not my place to tell you that you are this or that. I remember nobody could tell Catalina Morales or her father that they weren’t ricans, you couldn’t even try to tell Tony Croatto he wasn’t anything other that rican. So I would suggest my country men and even my fellow pageant followers to do some examination of themselves and feel happy and proud of ALL the women that want to represent you. If you don’t believe they know enough of your country to be from that country, educate them. If you believe she needs to “prove herself”, allow her. Girls like Madison are literally telling you “Give me a chance to show you not only that I want this, but that I am willing to improve myself to do it”. It’s not about disqualifying someone from the club and moving on, it’s about helping her improve herself in order to get in. Personally I educate myself each year as much as I can about as many candidates as I can, so I know that Madison has always had a genuine desire to represent my island. If it were up to me, she wouldn’t even have to prove you jack, but yet there she is showing you the progression of her training. Getting her body in shape, fortifying that spanish, going to activities to meet her people, all those things. But if you won’t even give her a chance, it’s literally a you problem that you are so blinded by nationalism.


And this is not to say that you cannot have a way of thinking, because one thing is saying “Look, I don’t feel represented by this person nor I do believe she should call herself this or that.” and another is saying “No, she isn’t this. I am the real this, and she cannot call herself that.”








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K) THAT SHE IS A RECYCLED QUEEN THEREFORE NOT GOOD ENOUGH

You really want to get into this conversation? I’m just going to put a list of names and I want you to ask for each girl the same question, can you do it? Okay.


Is this recycled queen good enough?


Michelle McLean, Miss Universe 1992 (also Miss World Namibia 1991)

Dayanara Torres Delgado, Miss Universe 1993 (also Miss PR International 1992)

Silvia Priscilla Perales Elizondo, Miss International 2007 (also Miss Mexico Universe 2006)

Anna Gabriela Espinoza Marroquin, Miss International 2009 (also Miss World Mexico 2008)

Catriona Elisa Magnayon Grey, Miss Universe 2018 (also Miss World Philippines 2016)



And considering plenty of countries along with Puerto Rico repeat and swap queens through pageants all the time I’d suggest you re-examine that ridiculous statement.









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L) THAT PEOPLE FROM THE DIASPORA SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN MUPR



SAYS WHO?
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M) THAT “HALFSIES” ARE LESS PUERTORRICAN THAN “FULL” PUERTORRICANS

More than 20 Miss Universe PR winners
Multiple winners in the Binibining Circuit, ⅞ last Miss World Philippines winners among others
A big number of Miss Canadas
A couple Miss USAs
And many more...

Are just as much of that nationality as any “Pure-Blood” who has an issue with their DNA, this isn’t Hogwarts… blood purity stopped being a thing a long time ago. And this is not me speaking about “white-washing” or none of those things, I am speaking about people who legitimately look down of what they call “halfsies” simply because of the content of their DNA. They are not less than, not as, or more this than that… because of the contents of their DNA. You are not more than, much more than or more this than them because your family is all Rican/American/Canadian/Pinoy/Chinese/You name it.

So I will not address this ridiculousness much longer than this pages because it should go without saying.

Madison is NOT any less Puerto Rican nor does it disqualifies her from BEING Puerto Rican because her father is American and the mere suggestion of it speaks from a place of discrimination. Whether you have noticed it in yourself or not. Same goes for Catriona or anyone else and you all know that while I may not love her I have always defended her Pinoy identity.






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N)THAT IF YOU DON’T SPEAK SPANISH YOU CANNOT BE PUERTORRICAN/MUPR


Um, take SEVERAL seats. First of all, let’s make it very clear that Madison is not ignorant to the Spanish language nor is this the first time she is using it. It is completely false that Madison got to the MUPR without speaking nor understanding a lick of english. I have heard this a lot from people who are trying (and failing) to “prove” that Madison’s participation is illegitimate. And I have actually seen this coming from a couple people around the world with specific candidates in some pageants So I’m going to get away from Madi’s case for a second. And while I understand that language is a very important part of a country and a culture, believe me I understand, I believe it is not the only way to be part of a culture. Look I love my language… hell, I defend my language with tooth and nail, but my culture is not JUST Spanish. My culture is far more complex, far deeper and most importantly far more welcoming that what some people are displaying. While in a perfect world I would want everybody to speak multiple languages, including their mother tongues, I understand that not everyone has the same opportunities. We saw a Miss USA, Australia and Colombia speaking about Cambodia’s inability to speak English. We even saw her mocking Miss Vietnam for “pretending” to understand English. And many people around this forum has said once or twice “oh but all candidates should speak English in this day and age. But in reality not everybody has the resources nor the life experiences to be able to learn such complicated languages. So I believe we have to be a little bit more welcoming and understanding as to why certain people don’t speak the languages coming from the countries their families come from. Some Mexican-Americans are never put in classes to learn Spanish, others are literally indoctrinate to forgo their family’s cultures. As a person who had the privilege of learning English at 13 years old, I realized that not everyone has the privilege of having the resources not the opportunities that I had. I would never make the children of the diaspora feel bad because they have trouble with Spanish because again it doesn’t disqualify them from being boricua.

My point is, culture is more than a language. My point is give people the opportunity to improve in that language, or in any part of the culture they feel they fall behind. Do not condemn them or pretend we are physics and know their intentions or their plans. Now coming back to Madison, she has accepted Spanish is something she needed to improve and that she will continue to work with. And she started training even before coming to Puerto Rico. She started taking classes whether she won the MUPR crown or not, and she got so much better in just a few months. And even after winning the crown, knowing full well that the Miss Universe is in english, she is still taking classes with Panamerican Language (Panamerican Language gives you as a prize English Classes but given she is Fluent in English, they switch to Spanish Classes). And she is already SO MUCH better. To my belief, by listening to her, she understands what you are saying and can write pretty well. What she needs to work on is certain words and their genders, and sure she has an accent but honestly who cares. Not everyone would be trying to improve a language she doesn’t need to win the Miss Universe, yet here she is. LET PEOPLE ROOM TO GROW AND SHOW YOU WHAT THEY ARE HERE TO DO.





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O) THAT MADISON HAD ADVANTAGES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMPETITION





Now this part is going to be dedicated to two very specific individuals that have pushed this narrative against not only Madison Anderson Berrios but also the Miss Universe Puerto Rico organization. And those two individuals I will speak of separately are the famous and beautiful Laihany Ponton Ortiz and Carlos Valentin. And I will take them separately because I have very different feelings about both, and some have even subsided. I even considered not posting this because my annoyance have subsided but then the latter individual has honestly displaced SUCH hypocrisy that I cannot. And given the mood I have had for the last two weeks, that you know what… let’s do it. So let’s start with Laihany because this was a behavior that was honestly one that surprised me given I was actually a fan.




For those of you who need an update Laihany Ponton is Miss Bayamon 2016 and 2019, one of the MOST sought after models and one of the most requested misses. She ended up 3rd Runner-Up in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2016 where Kristelee won, at the young age of 17 or 18. She has been asked every year to come back and last year she indulge us but ultimately had to withdraw of the audition process before the official announcement. THEN she came back this year, and became an official candidate. Now as you may have read in my final list, I had noticed certain attitudes from her when there was controversy coming when she showed up in the preliminary with a dress, catwalk and look very similar to another queen. The way she decided to respond to said controversy was to either delete messages, answer passive aggressively, or just completely ignoring the situation. But then the final night came along and I should have foreseen the behavior that was going to be displayed in the following days. Not only did her fans participated in the booing which Madison was subjected to, everyone who saw pictures and spoke to people with a full view of the stage, knows that Laihany did not want to congratulate Madison. Not only that most many of us saw her making gestures, some interpreted as her saying the pageant was bought, personally I didn’t interpret them as anything specific at that time. While it rubbed me the wrong way I attributed it to the high emotions everyone was feeling and went home.




But then less than 24 hours passed and then she took to an instagram live in which she answered a question “Did the best one win?” by saying:



“We all know that yesterday was not her best show, her best presentation, so no the best one did not win. You guys know, you guys saw it. Nothing to say.”



Now it could have stopped there, it could have been brushed away as an angry contestant in a passionate moment ect, and it would have died out in a couple weeks. But after days of pageant fans in the island sending her messages insulting her and calling her a bad winner, instead of going to a respectable reporter… she went to a gossip show to talk about the pageant. Sure, it’s the most famous gossip program in Puerto Rico and most of the times brings rumors that are true… but it’s the same program that got dropped by WAPA years ago. WAPA is the channel who owns MUPR, and yes it is important to note that.



[youtube]RAwhhOyiBDA[/youtube]




The things discussed in that interview and my thoughts on them:

- She was asked if she was jealous, she says no and that she even asked everyone to support Madison.



I don’t understand the point of her saying we should support her after literally talking about how illegitimate her win is. Like why are you trashing someone’s win and even laughing when people trash her yet you say “no, we have to support her”? If you really didn’t want hate thrown to her then why did you (and your family) started it. Your fans have become famous because of how forward, passionate yet aggressive they are, some even went after Madison’s family. Even your own family members have gotten into several fights all over the internet, with Madison’s family. You have put laughing reactions on memes about Madison’s victory so forgive me if I don’t find this statement honest.




- She says that she won’t participate again no matter who is in charge of the franchise because she is disillusioned and disappointed.



Now this is coming from an honest and real place in my heart, I don’t think Laihany should participate in any more pageants. Atleast in a few years, and she has time. But this scandal was very much alive in the puertorrican pageant circuit, and I don’t think many national directors would like to have her right now. The only pageant that truly enjoys this kind of attitude from their queens is MGI but I am not sure how she will audition when Nicole Colon already showed her support to Madison. And Nicole has Supra and International too, as well as Intercontinetal and Top Model… Vanessa de Roide has Miss Earth but I don’t think they will want scandals like this. Also I’m not sure Laihany has a strong ecological platform, atleast not yet. And I CAN ASSURE YOU, things like this won’t fly in Miss World. So right now I think she needs to lay low, let the waters calm and train to participate in another pageant that isn’t MUPR.




- She actually says on National Television that she is speaking for all 26 other candidates, that they all think basically the same thing. Then she slightly backtracks and says that she speaks for at least the majority of them, but that she is in the program for them.



Now this is very important because to me this was a very irresponsible thing for her to say without actually talking to the rest of the girls. While she may not have an interest in pageantry anymore, but the other girls may want to… out of the “at least 20” girls the following have showed support to either Madison and/or the org in different way:


Arecibo, Aguada, Caguas, Canovanas, Carolina, Corozal, Dorado, Gurabo, Guaynabo, Lares, Morovis, Penuelas, Salinas, Toa Alta, Trujillo Alto, Villalba.


And no, I am not including Vega Baja because even she posted this very touching picture and message we also noticed how unhappy she was reacting to Madison’s crowning.


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Now this is not me saying that all of those girls are being honest, because trust me there’s enough in the rumor mill and groups to know many of them are just being smart. It is the smart decision to not trash the organization you just participated in and might want to participate in again. NOW, I hope this is a teachable moment for Laihany to know never to include people that may not show up to support you. For whatever reasons that may be.




- She is asked directly about San Sebastian’s reaction to Madison’s win and she says she didn’t get a chance to speak to her about it but that she looked very happy ect.




-She answers to a question about when they realized Madison would win (as in when they noticed it was “fixed”) that they knew what was gonna happen during the days. After the shows ect it was “obvious” to them it was going to happen.

My question is simple, if the knew it was fixed and that Madison was going to win, why wait until after the coronation to say something? Why not drop out or go into La Comay before the final night? Was it only bearable that there was an alleged preference with Madison by the organization as long as she didn’t won? Unfortunately, I notice this is the new thing in several national pageants and even international pageant… now everytime a girl wins it was bought by someone. You know who also knew Madison was going to win after shows like the Preliminary? The majority of the world, she aced it every time she took on that catwalk and that’s just a fact.





- They ask her about rumors that the Ponton family is a family of money, and she says that it is incorrect and that she never heard the other girls talking about it.


Now I am going to talk about the Ponton family from a much calmer place than I was almost 2 months ago. I was ready to search high and wide for every single screenshot to put here and put names ect., I was going to go all Duchess circa 2013 on ya’ll full of annoyance. But I realize that directing my annoyance at this issue in that way won’t even help people understand the underlying issue. The reality is that the whole Ponton family, both Laihany and everyone else, NEED to grow a thicker skin if they want to pursue pageantry. I’m not saying that 80% of the hate directed towards you has not crossed the line, what I am saying is that unfortunately your family and yourself defending your honor the way they do only hurts your chances. And your image. Your parents have threatened people on groups, have laughed and shared memes about the winner you are saying we gotta support (your quote). Your brother shared plenty of comments mocking Madison with comments like “Miss USA part 2” and “I knew it was fixed from the Top 10” which is also NOT supporting the Miss.



And even somebody allegedly from your team telling this to Adam Anderson, the father of Madison:

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I can understand defending your children against ill-intentioned people but is it acceptable for someone from your team (or even a fan) to go after her father and say she doesn’t represent us? Unfortunately you all need to grow a slightly thicker skin if your intention is to continue in social media. Madison and many other queens have had to handle worse comments and you don’t see them or most of their families behaving this way.




- The host of the show asks if any of the candidates talked to the final judges, to which Laihany says no and specifies that the interview is with the Preliminary judges only.



- She is asked if any of the girls doubted the judges to which Laihany says she didn't until she was disappointed with the results.



So you were only publicly doubting the judges until after followed the actual format of Miss Universe Puerto Rico which dictates that what will get you into the Top 3 is the combined scores of SS + EG + Question. And that after that the score goes to zero and then it’s the Top 3 Question + Final Question to determine the winner? In which, like last year, the Q&A wasn’t the deal breaker because the winner’s other scores were massively superior? Okay...





- They start talking about how judges shouldn’t be making comments online about candidates ect., specifically talking about Sixto Nolasco. They basically accused him of having favoritism towards Madison because he has comments complimenting her beauty. They also show Laihany a comment from Sixto Nolasco saying that through her controversy he has learned she is a sore loser. Also that she is trying to discredit 11 judges, that he thinks her body didn’t let her go through, that a pretty face is not everything and that she needs to learn how to lose AND win. Also that many missosologists agree she needed projection, and better styling. She says this is the first time seeing it and the host is giving her a whole speech about how judges should behave. They complement Laihany on her body and say that it’s probably that attitudes like this are the reasons she is retiring from pageants at 21.




While I do not agree with Sixto Nolasco speaking directly to Laihany nor do I approve of any judge commenting on contestants they will judge on social media… He didn’t only complement Madison. He has complemented a couple candidates through the weeks before the pageant, it wasn’t something exclusive to Madison. So La Comay doesn’t really have a point here.






- The last question for her was that if she was the victim of harassment, pressures ect while participating in this or the other pageant. She says no, but that she knows of some girls that have been victims of this. The host says “In the pageants that Wapa has produced?” she says “Yes” and the host pushes and says “Those that Denise has been in charge of?” to which Laihany says no. YET he again PUSHES by saying that if those that have fallen victim to these things have being targeted by members of the organization. To which she chuckles (obviously knowing the point of this question) and she repeats clearly “No, from Wapa”.



This is where you truly see the motivations and the lack of imparcial attitude of this interview, it is very obvious that La Comay/Kobbo Santarosa are trying to just direct the controversy to Wapa. He just wants to make the controversy bigger and more serious than it already is to try to discredit his former employer.





- But wait, the co-host wants to ask her if she was one of the girls who jumped and celebrated when Madison won. To which she laughed and said no. To which he said “Well I ask cause you said they weren’t happy but they were jumping”. The host asks if they are asked to rehearse the celebration to which she says they don’t force them to celebrate but that they are supposed to stay on stage.




In this other part of this show clear (again) vendetta against Wapa, the hosts says (you can confirm this with anyone who speaks Spanish) that Denise is hiding and he wants to ask her how she found Madison (as if she was unknown to pageantry) and who brought her after losing FOUR TIMES in the United States. He asks Denise directly on that show if Denise or Wapa brought her and who is calling the shots in the pageant. He is saying that Denise did not take pictures nor answered question after Madison won, and defiantly asks her how can a candidate go through without answering the questions. He even goes as far as accusing Madison of not speaking spanish. He goes as far as to actually demand Denise or Wapa to say why it was necessary to ask a Top 3 question. And he even suggested in an accusatory manner that the Top 3 question was created and GIVEN to Madison so she could get ahead since “Madison didn’t know Spanish in the first question”. He even goes farther, saying that it is not Madison’s fault that she was brought in by WAPA and/or Denise; and saying that the reason there’s no longer 78 candidates it’s because no one trusts her. The co-host even goes as far as saying that the late Billy Faurnet says that you can’t say thanks after answering the question and what not.

Madison has never “lost 4 times in the US” nor did she “represented the US in some and PR in others”, anyone who knows pageantry knows this. So I would tell Kobbo Santarosa to either investigate properly OR discard whoever is in charge or preparing him for interviews. Denise is seeing after the pageant taking pictures with Madison and even hugging her so I don’t know how that is hiding. And most importantly, where is the evidence that Madison was shipped from the US by Denise or Wapa? Or the evidence that Madison was given the question so she could win?









Now I am going to redirect my attention to someone else because as opposed to Laihany, he is actually a person much older than her and has not acted more maturely. I personally think that Laihany needs a change of attitude and a tougher skin, hopefully it will happen with age. This dude, at this point has ZERO salvation, redemption or credibility at this point. And that gentleman is called Carlos Valentin, and I call him by name because he himself has said he wants to be quoted, named ect. This gentleman has spent WEEKS accusing Wapa, the MUPR (both new and old), Denise Quinones, and Madison Anderson of the following:





ImageImage






- That Madison does not have authorization to participate in Miss Universe because she participated in two IMG pageants in the same year. Therefore, making her local participation, local win and international participation illegitimate because she participated in a Florida (state) and Puerto Rico (national). (#1 and #4)



Carlos let me show you the rule you are referring to:

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Now my question is: “Since when is Miss Universe Puerto Rico considered a state pageant?” which are the pageants that the rule is referring. MUPR is a national pageant and it’s not even necessarily an IMG pageant, Madison participated ONCE in a national pageant this year. Do you REALLY think Madison’s team did not already asked for clearance on this issue the moment she came to PR? Or Denise when Madison when she auditioned? DO YOU REALLY think that they would risk accepting a candidate who would eventually get dethroned because she didn’t comply with the rules?

Okay, next.





- He has also accused Denise Quinones of just being the image of the MUPR organization and that basically she has no power. That Jimmy Arteaga is who is hiding behind Denise running the show and making the decisions, in a newer post even accusing Madison’s manager of having a meeting with him. (#2 and #3)



First off, That’s disrespectful. Two, if you have evidence of Denise being this face of the pageant while making no decisions then I suggest you provide evidence. I suggest you also provide damning evidence of not only Diana Montero meeting with Jimmy Arteaga but also the contents of that meeting. Plenty of national directors and candidates have even documented their visits to the MUO and even pictures with Paula Shuggart. So are you saying that does should be doubted to? I really hope you were in that room to know what was spoken then given you’re so sure this was a cooking show.






- On point #5 he is giving a whole lot of sass asking why has there not been a press conference from Denise Quinones, Jimmy Arteaga and Javier Maunulet to “Explain” to the people and the country.



Only thing I’m going to say is that the moment we hold a press conference to address every little tantrum that angry pageant fans throw to give them explanation… that will be the moment we had been taking pageant to personal. Should the Miss Universe or Miss World hold a press conference every time someone has a problem with the winner? Please







- On point #6 he is asking Wapa (the network) if they are again using ex-queens, television programs and media puppets to trick Puerto Rico like he alleges Wapa did with Kristelee Caride. He also says that the real reason Caride couldn’t represent us in Miss Universe was because she was an employee of Desiree Lowry.



Personally I do not have enough information on the accusation about Caride and honestly I’m not going to mix the issues with Lowry with the issues with Quinones. I will say that you are literally accusing former queens and television personalities of participating in a ruse to “trick” the country. I also want to make sure people know that Puertorricans honestly have bigger problems to deal with right now than to feed this person’s delusions.

I have to wonder if you literally have nothing better to do with your time than to try to damage the reputation of not only Madison but also Denise Quinones. I understand you have a vendetta against Desiree Lowry, given your FB is 80% politics 20% Desiree Lowry hate posts. Like I get that you don’t like her, but exactly why transmit that attitude and bs to Denise Quinones who has proven to be a heavy improvement from Lowry? You have provided zero evidence to prove that Denise has been hiding, when she didn’t, nor have you provided a contract or something on the kind that proves Madison is not eligible to participate. Are you really willing to ruin her career because your girl didn’t make it?





That reminds me. How come, if Madison’s participation is something you are so against, you had Madison in your favorites in June 9th and 10th?

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How come before her win you didn’t seem to have a problem with her participation? Because I couldn’t find a single post in your profanity infested facebook that pointed me to you having an issue with Madison until now. How come you allow your favorites to participate in a pageant you consider corrupt? I didn’t see you making a huge video titled “Don’t participate in MUPR because they accepted Madison” talking in the third person. If you hate WAPA so much how come you even accepted a banner from them (in your own fb we can see it) given they are so corrupt in your mind. On a post on Dec. 16th, 2018 you admit to have told Caride 3 days after she was crown that they were going to dethrone her.


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So how come you didn’t tell every girl that participated in this edition not to do so because MUPR is corrupt? Because I bet that if your favorite won, the pageant was not going to be corrupt in your eyes. I didn’t go or follow various MUPR pageants precisely because I thought it was not worth it to participate under Desiree. Did you do the same this year? No haha. On that same post you admit to calling MUO in NY to say that Desiree had violated her contract (in regards to Caride) and given you even go into David Begnaud’s livestreams to comment on it talking smack about MUPR when he is talking about government corruption… I have to wonder…

Have you become one of those crazy pageant fans who call the MUO with their conspiracy theories to try and tarnish the reputation of your own local org.?

I really hope not because you do know that is called “Defamation”, right? For example I am not participating in Defamation because all of this is part of your public facebook and it is written by you, I am hoping you have the same amount of receipts in future times you accuse anyone of mishandling.

Now I lack the patience and class that Denise Quinones has, so since you want attention and “pauta” then I am giving to you. Now I cannot wait for you to get all up in arms and accuse me of being on the payroll of either the Anderson-Berrios family or the MUPR. I actually I got a chance to work with queens who could potentially bring glory to PR in an international stage, but I am just a normal pageant fan who is honestly fed up with your constant whining. I cannot wait for your usual “DON’T MAKE ME PUBLISH THE EVIDENCE!!!” like you say EVERY TIME someone tells you to do it. I cannot wait. But I will leave you with a very simple question:




How dare you… or in spanish CON QUE CARA… do you go around talking about bad, corrupt and negligent national directors… when you constantly promote and defend the one and only Magaly Febles?




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Goodnight, My dears.


Bravo!!!!!!!!!
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Fri Aug 02, 2019 7:09 pm

Geeyourhair wrote:I can't believe I read everything you have written. It is so freaking long but I learned somehow how the pageant system works now in Puerto Rico. Not really a fan of the winner but I think I understand your point. I didn't know there is such an issue in Puerto Rico. It is as chaotic as the Philippines when one doesn't accept the winner. Philippines is not so alone afterall when it comes to bashing their own winners hahaha.

I would read this kind of article anytime however long it is than read a short message from your compatriot that sows a lot of hatred in this forum. Good job, Duchess.


You know what Is the most annoying part? That the huge majority of people who create this kind of hatred for queens in this situation don't even follow pageants, they only watch their national and Miss Universe. I still remember when Rima won in Miss USA how the comment sections of the news in American newspapers were SININE; and don't even ask me about the comment section of the Venezuelan livefeed where I was watching Miss Venezuela last night.... like really? It's insane
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby bcdf1930 » Sat Aug 03, 2019 8:05 am

I GAVE YOU A +1 REPUTATION POINT WITHOUT EVEN READING THE WHOLE THREAD! YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST SENSIBLE FORUMERS HERE AND I KNOW WHAT YOU WRITE SHOULD BE RIGHT...WILL READ IT FULLY ONCE I AM BACK AFTER SHOPPING :-* :-* :-*
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby sharronstoned » Sat Aug 03, 2019 10:21 pm

I like your articles and how sensible you are.

Having said that, I remain a non-supporter of Puerto Rico’s FAKE Puerto Rican candidate who can’t even make up her mind which land to represent — and in the same year at that! She’s a carpetbagging contestant who’s obviously exploiting the Puerto Rico connection to have another shot at the crown that she lost as a Florida USA contestant.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Sat Aug 03, 2019 10:30 pm

sharronstoned wrote:I like your articles and how sensible you are.

Having said that, I remain a non-supporter of Puerto Rico’s FAKE Puerto Rican candidate who can’t even make up her mind which land to represent — and in the same year at that! She’s a carpetbagging contestant who’s obviously exploiting the Puerto Rico connection to have another shot at the crown that she lost as a Florida USA contestant.


1) I respect that we have diferrent opinions.
2) Having said that, do you believe any contestant of a bi/multi cultural background should only be proud and represent one thing? That they have to choose only one side?

She has the right to represent both the US and PR just like Catriona had the right to represent Philippines and Australia. A potential Miss Dominican Republic is half Dominican and half puertorrican (having participate in both national pageants) and she very clearly and openly identifies as both. She can represent both. Like Natalie can represent Canada and Russia, Justine Panama and Ukraine. If they chose to only represent one because they identify as one, that's their choice and their right, then great. But there's also several people who identify as both parts of their culture, Miss Ireland was part of the Miss DC USA 2018 pageant, Maureen Montaugne was part of both Miss USA 2015 and Miss America World 2016.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby sharronstoned » Sat Aug 03, 2019 10:43 pm

The Duchess wrote:
sharronstoned wrote:I like your articles and how sensible you are.

Having said that, I remain a non-supporter of Puerto Rico’s FAKE Puerto Rican candidate who can’t even make up her mind which land to represent — and in the same year at that! She’s a carpetbagging contestant who’s obviously exploiting the Puerto Rico connection to have another shot at the crown that she lost as a Florida USA contestant.


1) I respect that we have diferrent opinions.
2) Having said that, do you believe any contestant of a bi/multi cultural background should only be proud and represent one thing? That they have to choose only one side?

She has the right to represent both the US and PR just like Catriona had the right to represent Philippines and Australia. A potential Miss Dominican Republic is half Dominican and half puertorrican (having participate in both national pageants) and she very clearly and openly identifies as both. She can represent both. Like Natalie can represent Canada and Russia, Justine Panama and Ukraine. If they chose to only represent one because they identify as one, that's their choice and their right, then great. But there's also several people who identify as both parts of their culture, Miss Ireland was part of the Miss DC USA 2018 pageant, Maureen Montaugne was part of both Miss USA 2015 and Miss America World 2016.


The major difference between Madison and the Philippines’ Catriona Gray is that while Catriona acknowledged her Australian heritage, she NEVER represented — or even attempted to represent — Australia in any pageant meant for international representation. She officially identified herself as Filipino and PICKED the Philippines from the first moment she went into pageantry (Miss World Philippines).

And she was consistent. She didn’t flip-flop and go to Australia to make up for her “loss” at Miss World out of desperation for a crown. And when she decided to go for Miss Universe, she kept her commitment to the Philippines and became more Filipino than ever.

Can’t say the same for Madison, who even changed her last name just to sound Puerto Rican. Everything about her is so staged.

You’re correct, though, in that it is not uncommon. Anea Garcia couldn’t be bothered to respect her runner-up status at Miss USA and in the same year magically became Miss Dominican Republic for a joke pageant that left her crownless afterwards.

You’re also correct that they’re certainly entitled to run for any spot they’re officially eligible for, but if I were a judge, I’d certainly question as well their integrity in representing whatever place they’re supposed to be representing if the motive is obviously just to exploit their background and hop from one pageant to the next just to get the prize.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:12 pm

sharronstoned wrote:
The Duchess wrote:
sharronstoned wrote:I like your articles and how sensible you are.

Having said that, I remain a non-supporter of Puerto Rico’s FAKE Puerto Rican candidate who can’t even make up her mind which land to represent — and in the same year at that! She’s a carpetbagging contestant who’s obviously exploiting the Puerto Rico connection to have another shot at the crown that she lost as a Florida USA contestant.


1) I respect that we have diferrent opinions.
2) Having said that, do you believe any contestant of a bi/multi cultural background should only be proud and represent one thing? That they have to choose only one side?

She has the right to represent both the US and PR just like Catriona had the right to represent Philippines and Australia. A potential Miss Dominican Republic is half Dominican and half puertorrican (having participate in both national pageants) and she very clearly and openly identifies as both. She can represent both. Like Natalie can represent Canada and Russia, Justine Panama and Ukraine. If they chose to only represent one because they identify as one, that's their choice and their right, then great. But there's also several people who identify as both parts of their culture, Miss Ireland was part of the Miss DC USA 2018 pageant, Maureen Montaugne was part of both Miss USA 2015 and Miss America World 2016.


The major difference between Madison and the Philippines’ Catriona Gray is that while Catriona acknowledged her Australian heritage, she NEVER represented — or even attempted to represent — Australia in any pageant meant for international representation. She officially identified herself as Filipino and PICKED the Philippines from the first moment she went into pageantry (Miss World Philippines).

And she was consistent. She didn’t flip-flop and go to Australia to make up for her “loss” at Miss World out of desperation for a crown. And when she decided to go for Miss Universe, she kept her commitment to the Philippines and became more Filipino than ever.

Can’t say the same for Madison, who even changed her last name just to sound Puerto Rican. Everything about her is so staged.

You’re correct, though, in that it is not uncommon. Anea Garcia couldn’t be bothered to respect her runner-up status at Miss USA and in the same year magically became Miss Dominican Republic for a joke pageant that left her crownless afterwards.

You’re also correct that they’re certainly entitled to run for any spot they’re officially eligible for, but if I were a judge, I’d certainly question as well their integrity in representing whatever place they’re supposed to be representing if the motive is obviously just to exploit their background and hop from one pageant to the next just to get the prize.


Because Catriona IDENTIFIES as Pinay, and that is a choice she has a right too. Just as it Is a choice of multi-cultural/bi-racial people to identify as more than one thing, because they are more than one thing.

That is your perception about Madison, I cannot change that, but I obviously don't share it. I see a girl who didn't try to hide that she participated in Miss Florida or the fact that she needs to improve her Spanish, she had the balls to come to one of the most competitive and hostile pageant circuits willing to improve for us. She shouldn't feel ashamed for wanting to represent the other half of her, that is also a part of her, it would be incredibly selfish and ignorant (as a person who is monocultural) of ME to shame her for doing so.

But why do they have to "pick" only one place? It shouldn't be this competition between two countries like "HA! She picked ME". It's not that simple for bi-racial, multi-racial, bi-cultural or multi-cultural and a judge that questions how people in this position choose to identify and showcase that identity its usually because they don't go through a situation like that. Or if they are in that situation, somehow (with no reason) he/she feels somehow superior or more belonging to his chosen identity because he chose only one. As the world keeps changing and evolving issues like this will become more and more common, there's a pretty significant number of mixed beauties this year... most who are very proud and vocal about being both parts
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:15 pm

TheGenuineBeauty wrote:
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OH MY...DUCHESS!!!!! You did an OUTSTANDING job with this. Soooo totally worth the wait. I am actually going to print this and give it a more in depth read because I skimmed some parts, plus I need to see that La Comay video, but seriously Duchess you need to give yourself a pat on the back cause this is a MASTERPIECE!!!

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Let me know if you get to read it dear, love you
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:18 pm

manoypoe wrote:IT IS A LONG READ, I DONT HAVE TIME TO FINISH IT. BUT KUDOS TO YOUR EFFORTS. I THINK, NINA CLEOPATRA STARTED THIS KIND OF ISSUE. :%)) :%))


I actually don't agree because I have seen treatement like this happening towards candidates (and even outside of pageantry) since even before this whole PR-Phil started, unfortunally this is just an instance or example of a much more bigger problem
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:20 pm

Virginia Dalisay wrote:WOW..... you really pour all your heart out ... Bravo =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> :=p


Because people had me THAT annoyed =;))
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:21 pm

maypuson anderson wrote:
The Duchess wrote:
| PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY |
| THE DUCHESS TAKE |




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Yes, my children. Your hypocrisy has gotten us to this point in which some of you need to be brought down a few pegs. To a point in which if I don’t say something, I will never get it out of my chest, and it NEEDS to be said. It needs to be said because the world will keep having cases like these because the world is changing. The world is evolving, it is mixing and the meaning of certain things is evolving and changing. And yes I am saying changing a lot because it appears we are very much afraid of that little word, apparently terrified. And one would think that being involved in pageantry gives us a special perspective and view into subjects like national identity and pride. We would think that by following pageants and engaging in conversations with people from other parts of the world we would be able to do more that bicker and fight. And most importantly, we would be able to have a better idea what really is cultural and national identity. Yet apparently many have not, many seem to completely ignore these concepts and become gatekeepers to their own nationalities. So I HAVE to take this time to at least put my piece out there to be either accepted, destroyed or simply read. Because honestly, enough is enough. How we say in Puerto Rico: Si no lo digo, exploto.




This is the only time I will be talking about the controversy of Madison Anderson’s participation and crowning because:



I believe it is a non-issue. Period.


I think one thread is enough to handle all my feelings on this so any time you all need to be reminded I will just redirect you to this thread.




Oh and before we start I want to make sure that you, non-Puertorrican that is reading this, understand that while I am focusing on Madison’s case… ALL countries are guilty of this. So before you all start saying “Buajaja, shame on you ricans, buajaja” I suggest you take a look at yourself and the behavior of your countrymen.

OH and also, fellow Puertorrican that is reading this, before you come at me with pitchforks and torches to come and insult me please understand that I don’t care. Not because I don’t care about my fellow man thing but because


1) I have heard all the arguments for weeks and

2) I DO NOT respond to insults. If you would like to debate coherently and objectively you can do so in the comments below or my PM.



And before someone starts hammering me about how I shouldn’t voice this opinion on this forum because we should never point out the bad things about one’s countries… understand that this isn’t just about you. So if you will slam me on social media and other forums, like I have seen you done sometimes, remember I don’t honestly care for insults.



So, let’s begin with some of the misconceptions surrounding Madison Anderson Berrios’ participation and eventually win. I am doing this because a lot of BS has been spewed and spread out as if it was true about not only Madison but Denise, and even the Anderson-Berrios family which is just simply petty. I am also going to address a couple of um… let’s call them “worries” that certain candidates of the MUPR 2019 have had over the last few weeks.




A) THAT MADISON HAS NEVER VISITED OR EVEN BEEN IN PUERTO RICO.


You see... if people did their work as they should and would find receipts for the things that go against their point as effectively as they talked BS, you could avoid embarrassment. Madison and her family have said multiple times that she has spent some summers and holidays in Puerto Rico. But you need receipts? Great. There is quite hefty documentation of Madison not only visiting Puerto Rico throughout her life but also making mention of her roots. In the form of hashtags and pictures ect where she speaks about how Boricua she is and her island. Even before she became Top Model of the World Puerto Rico in 2015, so yes you cannot go around saying she is just boricua when she wants to. Children of Boricuas who are raised in the diaspora are usually very open to call themselves boricua, same as the rest of latino children. If you had done at least a smidge of homework you could have known this, you wouldn’t look like such a full going into forums saying she doesn’t know where the island even is. And it honestly looks so INCREDIBLY embarrassing to see so many people walking around passing around information that is wrong. Because it is better to try to throw shade at a girl with unfounded accusations than to speak with facts because it goes against your point. Petty. Next.






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B) THAT MADISON HAD TO LIVE 10 YEARS OR 6 MONTHS IN PUERTO RICO IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE



This is simply what happens when you do not follow rules amendments in new pageants organizations, and most importantly when you DON’T watch the live videos the organization constantly puts out. In those made during the inscription process they go through the rules each year, in depth and answering questions. The rules of MUPR pageant have changed multiple times as it is expected for a new organization, they evolve constantly. Let me remind you where they began as an organization in the first draft of the rules back about 2 years ago. Does ANYONE remember that in their first draft the ORG. didn’t allow transgenders, non-blood puerto ricans nor women over 25? And guess what happened? LGBT+ communities and non-blood puerto ricans (such as Catalina Morales) posted content in defend these two groups and eventually the changes were made. The age limit was lifted because the Org. wanted to be in line with the MUO. Then it went through plenty of changes including the 10-Year rule which is what has been explained constantly. As of the auditions period this year these were the rules and for your own benefit, I will explain them to you as they have been explained to us in live videos by Denise herself. But since we are obviously still in doubt, and for the benefit of our non-spanish speaking friend… let’s go one by one:

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1. BEING BORN IN PUERTO RICO OR HAVE EITHER A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT THAT WAS BORN IN PUERTO RICO.

This has been explained to us multiple times that this is pretty simple, if you were born in our beautiful island or have direct blood relation with Puerto Rico… you can participate. No problem. Move on to rule #3, and yes I will explain why.




2. IN CASE OF HAVING BEING BORN OUTSIDE OF PUERTO RICO, TO HAVE LIVED 10 YEARS IN THE ISLAND.

I actually blame the organization for this same issue every time there’s a live video, this is a wording issue and they NEED to change it. What they actually mean is that if you do not qualify with rule #1 then you NEED to participate using this rule. Is what I call the Koehler-Morales clause, and this was not a clause that was included in the first ever draft of rules because they weren’t accepting non-blood puerto ricans. The problem is the way they word it, it is as if it included women who qualify in rule #1. And this has been told to us multiple times because everytime they put a photo with the rules, everyone asks. Moreover, in one of the last lives they made they even said the 10 years didn’t have to be continuous. So if you lived I don’t know a couple years once then 4 more years later ect, you could participate. As long as you fill the quota of 10 years in the island. But they honestly HAVE to fix the wording on this damn rule because every year, we have the same problem. It should specify that if you qualify in the 1st rule then this one is not even about you… so in this case yeah I blame the ORG.




3. TO BE 18-27 AT THE START OF THE PAGEANT.


I don’t need to explain this one… right? Ok good.



4. TO BE STUDYING OR HAVE A HIGHSCHOOL DIPLOMA (OR EQUIVALENT).


Again… no need to explain.



5. TO HAVE A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH.



Okay so here it NEVER says you have to be fluent in neither one of these languages, and what is fluent? Fluent is being able to read, speak and write a language, basic knowledge of a language is enough to have a conversation. Basic knowledge of how it is written or spoken, a candidate doesn’t need to know enough of either language to make a thesis. The majority of girls we have crowned are fluent in spanish and decent in english, but not fluent either.



6. TO NOT BE MARRIED, DIVORCED OR PREGNANT (OR FORMERLY PREGNANT)

Self-Explanatory.




7.TO HAVE GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.

Again, ya’ll know what this is about.



8. TO BE AT LEAST 5’5”, IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION AND WITH WEIGHT PROPORTIONATE TO YOUR HEIGHT.

Honestly, I personally don’t need you to be skinny to be Miss Puerto Rico as long as that body looks proportionate. I have seen plenty of skinny girls whose bodies just don’t look proportionate or pretty, and vice versa. But for better or worse in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico pageant weight does tend to have relevancy. I mention this because this will be relevant later on this thread.




9. TO BE RESPONSIBLE, DISCIPLINED, READY TO WORK.

Emphasis on DISCIPLINED.




10. TO WANT TO BE MISS UNIVERSE.

I love this rule and I kinda love that many people don’t understand it, but it’s actually quite simple. You don’t go to the Miss Universe pageant to hang out and get nice pictures, you also don’t go there out of obligation. You HAVE to want this crown, Denise is not here for queens who are just there to hang out, and I love that. I see SO many, well we all see, SO MANY girls who honestly could care LESS if they win or not. And to me that’s unfair, I want girls in those sashes that want that crown and want to bring that glory to their country. I want the Kiaras and H’hens of the world making us fall in love with them and their passion for this pageant.




So now that we have read the rules again as explained in the many live videos done by the organization in the last 2 years, do we have any more questions? In summary, Madison qualified for rule #1 ergo she didn’t need to live 10 years in Puerto Rico to participate in this pageant. Most importantly, Denise literally said on a live video that the girls of the Diaspora COULD send their application and that they would be notified if they had to come to the callback. She even said that they could come as long as they paid for their own ticket ect. Because obviously the organization is not going to pay for every girl from the diaspora to come and stay here without even been sure she will be a candidate. So tell me how would the diaspora girls needs to have a 10-year residency when the national director is telling them they can apply… FROM THE DIASPORA?!

Now this was a VERY special little misconception that it appears even Miss San Juan, Adriana Collazo seems to have. Surprising that some of these ladies don’t even read or listen to the rules that they have to abide by. Let me quote and translate a status (which I have screenshotted for you, you are welcome) that she wrote after Madison won from her private personal account:

“So you can keep writing down… another fact that people have ignored and have commented … it is that by requisite to be in the pageant, if you were not born in Puerto Rico you have to reside for a period of 10 years. There’s a lot of fabric to cut (Puertorrican saying sort of like “there’s more where that came from”. Sweetie… please reread the rules and watch the live feeds from the woman you hope will be your future boss before you are talking badly from an organization. Because if you had you would have seen the live video where she explained exactly why you are wrong, my dear. Now if you really felt so strongly about this “obvious” breach of the rules… why didn’t you drop out? Why didn’t you speak out of gossip shows like Bayamon has? Why haven’t you posted actual concrete proof that you were in a disadvantage during the competition? I can’t deal with some of you, honestly.





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C) THAT MADISON WAS SHIPPED FROM FLORIDA BY DENISE TO WIN MUPR



This one makes me laugh because anyone with at least one connection or with even a couple visits to certain forums would know Madison was far from Denise’s favorite. Everyone in the puertorrican pageant circuit by now heard the rumors about San Sebastian, so I don’t even know where this came from. And that one would also know that Madison didn’t have an easy breezy time on this competition, far from it. Specially with this batch of candidates whom from what we have been able to see these past few weeks… are not an easy batch. Madison received bashing from plenty of people because of her look, place of birth, language ect. In away than the rest of the girls didn’t. I wasn’t as easy for her to get into the official candidates rooster, hell… the fact that she was the only one booed on national television for the dumbest reason ever should tell you. And if these past few weeks have been ANY indication of this batch’s attitude towards Madison… trust me, this was not easy for anyone in Madison’s position. So no, she wasn’t shipped by nobody from the organization; and if the team really wanted her so badly… why wait until AFTER she participated in the Miss Florida USA? Why wait until her haters would have the ridiculous ammunition of “ShE wAnTeD tO bE mIsS uSa!” to THEN give her the crown here. Ya’ll are such… geniuses.





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D) THAT DENISE CHANGED THE RULES SO MADISON COULD PARTICIPATE

Again… if YOU, candidate/candidate’s family or fan that is reading this, have concrete proof that there was a conversation between Madison’s Team and the local Organization. Find me proof that the Organization made one of their MANY constant changes in their rules exclusively for Madison to participate in Puerto Rico. Until then, I’m afraid you are nothing more than a gossip with zero receipts on what you are saying.





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E) THAT MADISON’S FATHER HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DOWNFALL OF OUR ECONOMY AND BOUGHT HER CROWN

Now to me this is the lowest point of the whole controversy to me because people, some who are literally family members of candidates, decided to go after Madison’s family. So people decided to try to imply that since Adam Anderson, the father of Madison, manages the Caribbean Investment Summit and other investment groups, suddenly he is not only a “multimillionaire” but is also directly guilty for the economic debacle of Puerto Rico. Now I’m not going to see here and go in depth about all the guilty parties and the reasons we are stuck in the situation we are in because it’s honestly irrelevant to this. But I will say one thing: Not every person or group that invests in Puerto Rico is out to destroy Puerto Rico. That is all I will say about that. Now for those who do not understand where Adam Anderson works right now, he manages the Caribbean Investment Summit. What is the Caribbean Investment Summit? It’s quite literally a summit which connects investment (and others) groups with different countries in the carribbean, it’s a summit where you can present and make those connections ect. Mandataries from the Caribbean speak in the summit as well as different people from the industry and they even have like some sort of get together-ish type of event afterwards. He also founded Open Interactive, which basically work with marketing from my understanding. And Open Interactive is the one that presents this Summit, or it’s like the company who organized it. I found this all on the internet and even saw videos of all types of people speaking at this event, from all over the world. This company works mainly out of St. Kitts and Nevis not Puerto Rico which many have falsely reported. Madison herself spent 4 months in a marketing internship given that’s what she is studying, because those are the headquarters.

Now I have ZERO evidence that Adam Anderson is associated or is a direct “vulture” investors, yet you all (including candidate’s family members) have insulted both Madison and her father with false claims. People keep asking why is her father so reserved? Why don’t they interview him? Ya’ll have SOME nerve. Ya’ll insult her father, his dna contribution to her daughter, his job and call him names and say her daughter is not Puertorrican… yet you want him to do interviews and photo ops? Ya’ll have some nerve. He has stepped back from the spotlight for two very important reasons: 1) his daughter should be the focus not him and 2) He is not participating in the pageant for him to even be reported on. I have NEVER seen this much interest and attacks in and towards the local queen’s family. Actually I have, I remember plenty people researching as much as they could about Robert Koehler family so people could say “See, he’s Dutch. She doesn’t have Boricua blood”. Oh and when we wanted to find out about the Vicentes because Mariana “didn’t look Puerto Rican”, gee… wonder what they all have in common.

Now let’s say her father was an investor working in the island, important to know that’s not a crime, why should Madison pay for her father’s job? That shouldn’t matter. No person should be judged by their parent’s life, mistakes or choices, these women are their own independent person aside from their family. And this is not about Madison but no contestant should be subject to attacks because of whatever job her father or mother does. I’m not religious but I remember Matthew 7:1-5 and it seems many have forgotten that before we judge others we should look at ourselves.






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F) THAT MADISON WANTS TO REPRESENT PUERTO RICO BECAUSE THE US DOES NOT WANT HER.



I blame a lot of the media for this part because even though now you see all of them making articles about Madison and been so nice to her, they were the first ones that perpetuated this allegation. I still remember the articles only making mention of Madison’s participation in the Miss Florida USA without ANY mention of her previous pageant experience. I still remember the wording on articles talking as if we were Madison’s second thought. Not that I expect the media to be accurate 100% of the time but as usual it’s strikes me as funny how they all now want to talk about her “puertoricanness”. But for the pleasure of anyone asking, c’mere, sit down while I give you a small rundown on her pageant career. Now I know most people who follow pageants actually know about her pageant career because of us do our homework, so I did that bit of homework for you.

Madison Sara Anderson Berrios has been in pageants since she was a teenager, she is actually a third-generation pageant queen. Belinda Berrios Gonzalez, Madison’s mother, was crowned Miss Puerto Rico National Teenager 1984 and Miss Tourism Puerto Rico 1985. From Madison’s IG we are informed that apparently she won 4 more pageants but I honestly don’t know which they are. I haven’t been able to find out much about her participation because I actually think these two particular pageants are extinct, so it’s kinda hard. They have similar versions of these pageants, but these ones specifically have gone to pageant heaven so I have not much to go on with. I do know that she won Miss Congeniality in the National Teenager family and from what everyone tells me it’s a quality Madison inherited. Now her grandmother Norma Gonzalez may have participated in a pageant but all I could find was this STUNNING modeling picture from when she was young.







Now back to Madison, she was actually chosen last minute to be Miss Kissimmee Teen USA (not sure how city pageants work) and she went on to participate in the Miss Florida Teen USA 2014 pageant. This was during my pageant blackout years so I didn’t even know Madison Anderson existed, I saw very few pageants these years, but she actually achieved the position of 4th Runner-Up. The next year she participated in the Miss Latin International US 2015, a multi-age/multi-crown pageant were women like Gabriela Berrios, Keysi Vargas, Vivianie Diaz, Jailenne Rivera, Sussete Rivera, Franceska Toro and many others have participated. She won the Top Model of the World Puerto Rico title and eventually went to Egypt to participate in the international pageant where she placed 4th Runner-Up. But of course most of know her from the Miss Gwand International 2016 pageant (as Miss Puerto Rico) where she started our 3rd Runner-Up streak, to many of us she (or Cordoves) should have won. After that she spend around a year working with the MGI organization and eventually crowned Brenda Azaria as her successor. Then she went to the internship mentioned above and then in January of 2019, she participated in the Miss Florida USA pageant representing Windermere where she placed 1st Runner-Up to Nicollete Jennings. Then as we know she moved to Puerto Rico to FINALLY (we have asked for years) win the pageant she truly belongs in. And I say that because this girl has to go to the Miss Universe pageant with our team not the US’ team… recent years will tell you why. Anyways that is her pageant history: 2 State in Florida, 1 national pageant in Puerto Rico and 2 (soon to be 3) International pageants representing Puerto Rico; yet her haters only see the 2 state pageants.














Why do we talk about as if Madison was the first one to compete in a US state pageant before or after competing in a national pageant? You were ALL celebrating when Genesis Davila and Mariela Pepin were doing great in the Miss USA pageant “Putting Puerto Rico on the top”. Are we going to trash Kimberly Jimenez if she wins Miss Universe Dominican Republic after participating in MUPR 2017? Are dominicans going to act like some puerto ricans have if Genesis Suero wins after participating in the Miss USA pageant? I didn’t hear this much of a fuzz after Maureen Montange participated in Miss World Philippines after participating in both Miss USA and Miss World America. Or are we going to deny Natascha Borger her german pride because she participated in Miss Venezuela first? If Natalie Glebova or Justine Pasek had participated in their birth countries first before going for Canada and Panama… does it really make them any less canadian or panamanian? What you people infer, whether on purpose or not, when you say “because this country didn’t want her, she came here” says more about your view about your country than about the girl.



I understand this is an unpopular but since we are being completely honest here, they are girls of 2 (sometimes more) more countries. Both countries are part of them, both make a part of them, and they should be able to be proud of both without being chastised. Catriona should be able to say she is both Australian and Filipina (if she wishes) without so many people making her choose. Same with Justine Pasek, Pia Wurtzbach, Natalie Glebova, Madison Anderson, the big chunk of euroasian queens, the Canadian queens and so many others should too. They shouldn’t be questioned as to why they represented or wanted to represent one of the two countries they belong to.



Are we really that possessive of our queens that we need them to publicly only acknowledge one side? And this is not only related to pageantry. Talk to bi-racial or multi-cultural children, they know exactly what I am talking about. You’re too much Nationality 1 for Nationality 2 and vice versa. It’s ridiculous. The reality is that (using our example case) Madison qualifies to represent both countries that are part of her heritage. Why should she only participate for one? Most importantly, for the one YOU want.

Every comment I read makes me understand Peter Morales (Madison’s promoter) apprehensions and doubts about Madison competing in MUPR.










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G) THAT PUERTO RICO IS A CONSOLATION PRIZE

This is honestly one of the stupidest phrases I have EVER heard in my life and I have mostly heard it when we talk about athletes and beauty queens. We had the same issue when Charles Flaherty decided to participate for Puerto Rico in the Winter Olympics. I heard plenty people criticizing that we allowed Seth “Quaterrican” Lugo to play for Team Rubio in the 2017 WBC. And it is honestly so disrespectful to hear people saying phrases like “our country is a consolation prize” or “this person chose us because is easier to qualify/win/succeed in our country. And I not only hear this on my island, I’ve heard in a bunch of countries that go through something like this, and to me it is disrespectful. Because I don’t know about you but I don’t think my country is either “the easy way out” or “the consolation prize”, I think quite the opposite actually. I think phrases like that speaks of insecurity and your own deep denial of your feelings for your country. So yes, when you speak about a queen like that, especially with no evidence (actually with evidence that deny your allegations), that tells me you have some type of insecurity that makes you this defensive. The sad thing is I have heard this coming from so many people in so many nationalities, not just from my country men.










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H) THAT MADISON DOES NOT LOOK PUERTORRICAN



Exactly what the hell does a Puertorrican look like? I kinda understand this misconception more foreigners that Puertorricans have a certain look because they don’t live here. But I cannot get through my head how some puerto ricans have this idea that we have a look. That we only come in one specific set of features, only one combination. Walking our streets everyday, seeing the mosaic of mixes in our day to day life makes me wonder if you ever get out at ALL. There is NO specific look for a puertorrican, we are not a “one size fits all” kind of deal, okay? We come in all shades, eye color, hair color, face shapes, eye shape, lip shape, sizes… do I really need to go on? Puertorricans have such a mix you walk through the streets or even someone’s family tree and you will see the mosaic that is the puertorrican DNA. 99% of people that walks around talking this crap all have the famous “look” and try to alienate everyone who doesn’t fit said look. You don’t see our black or blonde barbies going around saying they are the only or true “Puertorrican look”, their message is “we are also part of the puertorrican look”.


And let’s say that there was “look” that Madison doesn’t fit, for the sake of YOUR argument. But guess what? That doesn’t make her any less Puertorrican nor qualified to be a Miss Universe Puerto Rico. Just like Ariana Miyamoto, with her beautiful skin tone and face, is still Japanese and qualified to be a Miss Japan. Just like asian looking Francesca Hung is just as Australian and qualified to be Miss Australia as blonde bombshell Jennifer Hawkins. I told some of you here in this forum to not even suggest Angelina Flor Pua wasn’t not Belgian enough to go to Miss World, even though she was raised in Belgium. So don’t come to me with that golpe de pecho of “I look like the real deal, this person doesn’t”.


Get off your high horse.






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I) THAT MADISON’S LOOKS ARE “EXOTIC” BECAUSE THEY ARE AMERICAN


I’m only going to say that Madison’s beauty genes do not come from the Anderson line but from the Berrios-Gonzalez line, my dear. Again, Puerto Rico, a simple research could have told you that even without having seen the rest of the Berrios clan. I actually saw a bunch of family members of her at the final and they were all honestly very good looking people.









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J) THAT MADISON CANNOT CLAIM TO BE PUERTORRICAN

I just want to ask a general question to the audience because it appears that some of you actually are a little too high on that horse.



Who exactly do you think you are to gatekeep other people’s claims to your nationality?



Is it okay for athletes, singers, actors and other celebrities to claim being puertorrican but not Madison? Or does Madison need the Mikimoto for some of you to stop being hypocritical about this whole situation? Like what are your requirements to “allow” someone to be of said nationality, if you believe you have that authority? Which you don’t you know, but let’s pretend. Does Madison become Puertorrican if she wins Miss Universe? Is she gonna be Puertorrican during the three hour telecast and if she loses at the end, she goes back to being American? My point is that you don’t get to determine who gets to claim a nationality and who doesn’t. You don’t get to say Catriona is not filipino, you don’t get to say Paweensuda is not Thai, you don’t get to say Rima is not American, you don’t get to say Natalie is not Canadian and you definitely don’t get to say that Madison is not Puertorrican.


And this is an issue that transcends the pageantry world and it transcends borders, because for some reason many of us feel the need to police our nationality. I don’t get to tell ANYONE that they are not puertorrican because they were born elsewhere, or because they are mixed, or because they haven’t lived here as long. Because national identity is not that simple, and it’s not my place to tell you that you are this or that. I remember nobody could tell Catalina Morales or her father that they weren’t ricans, you couldn’t even try to tell Tony Croatto he wasn’t anything other that rican. So I would suggest my country men and even my fellow pageant followers to do some examination of themselves and feel happy and proud of ALL the women that want to represent you. If you don’t believe they know enough of your country to be from that country, educate them. If you believe she needs to “prove herself”, allow her. Girls like Madison are literally telling you “Give me a chance to show you not only that I want this, but that I am willing to improve myself to do it”. It’s not about disqualifying someone from the club and moving on, it’s about helping her improve herself in order to get in. Personally I educate myself each year as much as I can about as many candidates as I can, so I know that Madison has always had a genuine desire to represent my island. If it were up to me, she wouldn’t even have to prove you jack, but yet there she is showing you the progression of her training. Getting her body in shape, fortifying that spanish, going to activities to meet her people, all those things. But if you won’t even give her a chance, it’s literally a you problem that you are so blinded by nationalism.


And this is not to say that you cannot have a way of thinking, because one thing is saying “Look, I don’t feel represented by this person nor I do believe she should call herself this or that.” and another is saying “No, she isn’t this. I am the real this, and she cannot call herself that.”








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K) THAT SHE IS A RECYCLED QUEEN THEREFORE NOT GOOD ENOUGH

You really want to get into this conversation? I’m just going to put a list of names and I want you to ask for each girl the same question, can you do it? Okay.


Is this recycled queen good enough?


Michelle McLean, Miss Universe 1992 (also Miss World Namibia 1991)

Dayanara Torres Delgado, Miss Universe 1993 (also Miss PR International 1992)

Silvia Priscilla Perales Elizondo, Miss International 2007 (also Miss Mexico Universe 2006)

Anna Gabriela Espinoza Marroquin, Miss International 2009 (also Miss World Mexico 2008)

Catriona Elisa Magnayon Grey, Miss Universe 2018 (also Miss World Philippines 2016)



And considering plenty of countries along with Puerto Rico repeat and swap queens through pageants all the time I’d suggest you re-examine that ridiculous statement.









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L) THAT PEOPLE FROM THE DIASPORA SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN MUPR



SAYS WHO?
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M) THAT “HALFSIES” ARE LESS PUERTORRICAN THAN “FULL” PUERTORRICANS

More than 20 Miss Universe PR winners
Multiple winners in the Binibining Circuit, ⅞ last Miss World Philippines winners among others
A big number of Miss Canadas
A couple Miss USAs
And many more...

Are just as much of that nationality as any “Pure-Blood” who has an issue with their DNA, this isn’t Hogwarts… blood purity stopped being a thing a long time ago. And this is not me speaking about “white-washing” or none of those things, I am speaking about people who legitimately look down of what they call “halfsies” simply because of the content of their DNA. They are not less than, not as, or more this than that… because of the contents of their DNA. You are not more than, much more than or more this than them because your family is all Rican/American/Canadian/Pinoy/Chinese/You name it.

So I will not address this ridiculousness much longer than this pages because it should go without saying.

Madison is NOT any less Puerto Rican nor does it disqualifies her from BEING Puerto Rican because her father is American and the mere suggestion of it speaks from a place of discrimination. Whether you have noticed it in yourself or not. Same goes for Catriona or anyone else and you all know that while I may not love her I have always defended her Pinoy identity.






--------------------------------------------------------------------
N)THAT IF YOU DON’T SPEAK SPANISH YOU CANNOT BE PUERTORRICAN/MUPR


Um, take SEVERAL seats. First of all, let’s make it very clear that Madison is not ignorant to the Spanish language nor is this the first time she is using it. It is completely false that Madison got to the MUPR without speaking nor understanding a lick of english. I have heard this a lot from people who are trying (and failing) to “prove” that Madison’s participation is illegitimate. And I have actually seen this coming from a couple people around the world with specific candidates in some pageants So I’m going to get away from Madi’s case for a second. And while I understand that language is a very important part of a country and a culture, believe me I understand, I believe it is not the only way to be part of a culture. Look I love my language… hell, I defend my language with tooth and nail, but my culture is not JUST Spanish. My culture is far more complex, far deeper and most importantly far more welcoming that what some people are displaying. While in a perfect world I would want everybody to speak multiple languages, including their mother tongues, I understand that not everyone has the same opportunities. We saw a Miss USA, Australia and Colombia speaking about Cambodia’s inability to speak English. We even saw her mocking Miss Vietnam for “pretending” to understand English. And many people around this forum has said once or twice “oh but all candidates should speak English in this day and age. But in reality not everybody has the resources nor the life experiences to be able to learn such complicated languages. So I believe we have to be a little bit more welcoming and understanding as to why certain people don’t speak the languages coming from the countries their families come from. Some Mexican-Americans are never put in classes to learn Spanish, others are literally indoctrinate to forgo their family’s cultures. As a person who had the privilege of learning English at 13 years old, I realized that not everyone has the privilege of having the resources not the opportunities that I had. I would never make the children of the diaspora feel bad because they have trouble with Spanish because again it doesn’t disqualify them from being boricua.

My point is, culture is more than a language. My point is give people the opportunity to improve in that language, or in any part of the culture they feel they fall behind. Do not condemn them or pretend we are physics and know their intentions or their plans. Now coming back to Madison, she has accepted Spanish is something she needed to improve and that she will continue to work with. And she started training even before coming to Puerto Rico. She started taking classes whether she won the MUPR crown or not, and she got so much better in just a few months. And even after winning the crown, knowing full well that the Miss Universe is in english, she is still taking classes with Panamerican Language (Panamerican Language gives you as a prize English Classes but given she is Fluent in English, they switch to Spanish Classes). And she is already SO MUCH better. To my belief, by listening to her, she understands what you are saying and can write pretty well. What she needs to work on is certain words and their genders, and sure she has an accent but honestly who cares. Not everyone would be trying to improve a language she doesn’t need to win the Miss Universe, yet here she is. LET PEOPLE ROOM TO GROW AND SHOW YOU WHAT THEY ARE HERE TO DO.





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O) THAT MADISON HAD ADVANTAGES THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMPETITION





Now this part is going to be dedicated to two very specific individuals that have pushed this narrative against not only Madison Anderson Berrios but also the Miss Universe Puerto Rico organization. And those two individuals I will speak of separately are the famous and beautiful Laihany Ponton Ortiz and Carlos Valentin. And I will take them separately because I have very different feelings about both, and some have even subsided. I even considered not posting this because my annoyance have subsided but then the latter individual has honestly displaced SUCH hypocrisy that I cannot. And given the mood I have had for the last two weeks, that you know what… let’s do it. So let’s start with Laihany because this was a behavior that was honestly one that surprised me given I was actually a fan.




For those of you who need an update Laihany Ponton is Miss Bayamon 2016 and 2019, one of the MOST sought after models and one of the most requested misses. She ended up 3rd Runner-Up in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2016 where Kristelee won, at the young age of 17 or 18. She has been asked every year to come back and last year she indulge us but ultimately had to withdraw of the audition process before the official announcement. THEN she came back this year, and became an official candidate. Now as you may have read in my final list, I had noticed certain attitudes from her when there was controversy coming when she showed up in the preliminary with a dress, catwalk and look very similar to another queen. The way she decided to respond to said controversy was to either delete messages, answer passive aggressively, or just completely ignoring the situation. But then the final night came along and I should have foreseen the behavior that was going to be displayed in the following days. Not only did her fans participated in the booing which Madison was subjected to, everyone who saw pictures and spoke to people with a full view of the stage, knows that Laihany did not want to congratulate Madison. Not only that most many of us saw her making gestures, some interpreted as her saying the pageant was bought, personally I didn’t interpret them as anything specific at that time. While it rubbed me the wrong way I attributed it to the high emotions everyone was feeling and went home.




But then less than 24 hours passed and then she took to an instagram live in which she answered a question “Did the best one win?” by saying:



“We all know that yesterday was not her best show, her best presentation, so no the best one did not win. You guys know, you guys saw it. Nothing to say.”



Now it could have stopped there, it could have been brushed away as an angry contestant in a passionate moment ect, and it would have died out in a couple weeks. But after days of pageant fans in the island sending her messages insulting her and calling her a bad winner, instead of going to a respectable reporter… she went to a gossip show to talk about the pageant. Sure, it’s the most famous gossip program in Puerto Rico and most of the times brings rumors that are true… but it’s the same program that got dropped by WAPA years ago. WAPA is the channel who owns MUPR, and yes it is important to note that.



[youtube]RAwhhOyiBDA[/youtube]




The things discussed in that interview and my thoughts on them:

- She was asked if she was jealous, she says no and that she even asked everyone to support Madison.



I don’t understand the point of her saying we should support her after literally talking about how illegitimate her win is. Like why are you trashing someone’s win and even laughing when people trash her yet you say “no, we have to support her”? If you really didn’t want hate thrown to her then why did you (and your family) started it. Your fans have become famous because of how forward, passionate yet aggressive they are, some even went after Madison’s family. Even your own family members have gotten into several fights all over the internet, with Madison’s family. You have put laughing reactions on memes about Madison’s victory so forgive me if I don’t find this statement honest.




- She says that she won’t participate again no matter who is in charge of the franchise because she is disillusioned and disappointed.



Now this is coming from an honest and real place in my heart, I don’t think Laihany should participate in any more pageants. Atleast in a few years, and she has time. But this scandal was very much alive in the puertorrican pageant circuit, and I don’t think many national directors would like to have her right now. The only pageant that truly enjoys this kind of attitude from their queens is MGI but I am not sure how she will audition when Nicole Colon already showed her support to Madison. And Nicole has Supra and International too, as well as Intercontinetal and Top Model… Vanessa de Roide has Miss Earth but I don’t think they will want scandals like this. Also I’m not sure Laihany has a strong ecological platform, atleast not yet. And I CAN ASSURE YOU, things like this won’t fly in Miss World. So right now I think she needs to lay low, let the waters calm and train to participate in another pageant that isn’t MUPR.




- She actually says on National Television that she is speaking for all 26 other candidates, that they all think basically the same thing. Then she slightly backtracks and says that she speaks for at least the majority of them, but that she is in the program for them.



Now this is very important because to me this was a very irresponsible thing for her to say without actually talking to the rest of the girls. While she may not have an interest in pageantry anymore, but the other girls may want to… out of the “at least 20” girls the following have showed support to either Madison and/or the org in different way:


Arecibo, Aguada, Caguas, Canovanas, Carolina, Corozal, Dorado, Gurabo, Guaynabo, Lares, Morovis, Penuelas, Salinas, Toa Alta, Trujillo Alto, Villalba.


And no, I am not including Vega Baja because even she posted this very touching picture and message we also noticed how unhappy she was reacting to Madison’s crowning.


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Now this is not me saying that all of those girls are being honest, because trust me there’s enough in the rumor mill and groups to know many of them are just being smart. It is the smart decision to not trash the organization you just participated in and might want to participate in again. NOW, I hope this is a teachable moment for Laihany to know never to include people that may not show up to support you. For whatever reasons that may be.




- She is asked directly about San Sebastian’s reaction to Madison’s win and she says she didn’t get a chance to speak to her about it but that she looked very happy ect.




-She answers to a question about when they realized Madison would win (as in when they noticed it was “fixed”) that they knew what was gonna happen during the days. After the shows ect it was “obvious” to them it was going to happen.

My question is simple, if the knew it was fixed and that Madison was going to win, why wait until after the coronation to say something? Why not drop out or go into La Comay before the final night? Was it only bearable that there was an alleged preference with Madison by the organization as long as she didn’t won? Unfortunately, I notice this is the new thing in several national pageants and even international pageant… now everytime a girl wins it was bought by someone. You know who also knew Madison was going to win after shows like the Preliminary? The majority of the world, she aced it every time she took on that catwalk and that’s just a fact.





- They ask her about rumors that the Ponton family is a family of money, and she says that it is incorrect and that she never heard the other girls talking about it.


Now I am going to talk about the Ponton family from a much calmer place than I was almost 2 months ago. I was ready to search high and wide for every single screenshot to put here and put names ect., I was going to go all Duchess circa 2013 on ya’ll full of annoyance. But I realize that directing my annoyance at this issue in that way won’t even help people understand the underlying issue. The reality is that the whole Ponton family, both Laihany and everyone else, NEED to grow a thicker skin if they want to pursue pageantry. I’m not saying that 80% of the hate directed towards you has not crossed the line, what I am saying is that unfortunately your family and yourself defending your honor the way they do only hurts your chances. And your image. Your parents have threatened people on groups, have laughed and shared memes about the winner you are saying we gotta support (your quote). Your brother shared plenty of comments mocking Madison with comments like “Miss USA part 2” and “I knew it was fixed from the Top 10” which is also NOT supporting the Miss.



And even somebody allegedly from your team telling this to Adam Anderson, the father of Madison:

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I can understand defending your children against ill-intentioned people but is it acceptable for someone from your team (or even a fan) to go after her father and say she doesn’t represent us? Unfortunately you all need to grow a slightly thicker skin if your intention is to continue in social media. Madison and many other queens have had to handle worse comments and you don’t see them or most of their families behaving this way.




- The host of the show asks if any of the candidates talked to the final judges, to which Laihany says no and specifies that the interview is with the Preliminary judges only.



- She is asked if any of the girls doubted the judges to which Laihany says she didn't until she was disappointed with the results.



So you were only publicly doubting the judges until after followed the actual format of Miss Universe Puerto Rico which dictates that what will get you into the Top 3 is the combined scores of SS + EG + Question. And that after that the score goes to zero and then it’s the Top 3 Question + Final Question to determine the winner? In which, like last year, the Q&A wasn’t the deal breaker because the winner’s other scores were massively superior? Okay...





- They start talking about how judges shouldn’t be making comments online about candidates ect., specifically talking about Sixto Nolasco. They basically accused him of having favoritism towards Madison because he has comments complimenting her beauty. They also show Laihany a comment from Sixto Nolasco saying that through her controversy he has learned she is a sore loser. Also that she is trying to discredit 11 judges, that he thinks her body didn’t let her go through, that a pretty face is not everything and that she needs to learn how to lose AND win. Also that many missosologists agree she needed projection, and better styling. She says this is the first time seeing it and the host is giving her a whole speech about how judges should behave. They complement Laihany on her body and say that it’s probably that attitudes like this are the reasons she is retiring from pageants at 21.




While I do not agree with Sixto Nolasco speaking directly to Laihany nor do I approve of any judge commenting on contestants they will judge on social media… He didn’t only complement Madison. He has complemented a couple candidates through the weeks before the pageant, it wasn’t something exclusive to Madison. So La Comay doesn’t really have a point here.






- The last question for her was that if she was the victim of harassment, pressures ect while participating in this or the other pageant. She says no, but that she knows of some girls that have been victims of this. The host says “In the pageants that Wapa has produced?” she says “Yes” and the host pushes and says “Those that Denise has been in charge of?” to which Laihany says no. YET he again PUSHES by saying that if those that have fallen victim to these things have being targeted by members of the organization. To which she chuckles (obviously knowing the point of this question) and she repeats clearly “No, from Wapa”.



This is where you truly see the motivations and the lack of imparcial attitude of this interview, it is very obvious that La Comay/Kobbo Santarosa are trying to just direct the controversy to Wapa. He just wants to make the controversy bigger and more serious than it already is to try to discredit his former employer.





- But wait, the co-host wants to ask her if she was one of the girls who jumped and celebrated when Madison won. To which she laughed and said no. To which he said “Well I ask cause you said they weren’t happy but they were jumping”. The host asks if they are asked to rehearse the celebration to which she says they don’t force them to celebrate but that they are supposed to stay on stage.




In this other part of this show clear (again) vendetta against Wapa, the hosts says (you can confirm this with anyone who speaks Spanish) that Denise is hiding and he wants to ask her how she found Madison (as if she was unknown to pageantry) and who brought her after losing FOUR TIMES in the United States. He asks Denise directly on that show if Denise or Wapa brought her and who is calling the shots in the pageant. He is saying that Denise did not take pictures nor answered question after Madison won, and defiantly asks her how can a candidate go through without answering the questions. He even goes as far as accusing Madison of not speaking spanish. He goes as far as to actually demand Denise or Wapa to say why it was necessary to ask a Top 3 question. And he even suggested in an accusatory manner that the Top 3 question was created and GIVEN to Madison so she could get ahead since “Madison didn’t know Spanish in the first question”. He even goes farther, saying that it is not Madison’s fault that she was brought in by WAPA and/or Denise; and saying that the reason there’s no longer 78 candidates it’s because no one trusts her. The co-host even goes as far as saying that the late Billy Faurnet says that you can’t say thanks after answering the question and what not.

Madison has never “lost 4 times in the US” nor did she “represented the US in some and PR in others”, anyone who knows pageantry knows this. So I would tell Kobbo Santarosa to either investigate properly OR discard whoever is in charge or preparing him for interviews. Denise is seeing after the pageant taking pictures with Madison and even hugging her so I don’t know how that is hiding. And most importantly, where is the evidence that Madison was shipped from the US by Denise or Wapa? Or the evidence that Madison was given the question so she could win?









Now I am going to redirect my attention to someone else because as opposed to Laihany, he is actually a person much older than her and has not acted more maturely. I personally think that Laihany needs a change of attitude and a tougher skin, hopefully it will happen with age. This dude, at this point has ZERO salvation, redemption or credibility at this point. And that gentleman is called Carlos Valentin, and I call him by name because he himself has said he wants to be quoted, named ect. This gentleman has spent WEEKS accusing Wapa, the MUPR (both new and old), Denise Quinones, and Madison Anderson of the following:





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- That Madison does not have authorization to participate in Miss Universe because she participated in two IMG pageants in the same year. Therefore, making her local participation, local win and international participation illegitimate because she participated in a Florida (state) and Puerto Rico (national). (#1 and #4)



Carlos let me show you the rule you are referring to:

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Now my question is: “Since when is Miss Universe Puerto Rico considered a state pageant?” which are the pageants that the rule is referring. MUPR is a national pageant and it’s not even necessarily an IMG pageant, Madison participated ONCE in a national pageant this year. Do you REALLY think Madison’s team did not already asked for clearance on this issue the moment she came to PR? Or Denise when Madison when she auditioned? DO YOU REALLY think that they would risk accepting a candidate who would eventually get dethroned because she didn’t comply with the rules?

Okay, next.





- He has also accused Denise Quinones of just being the image of the MUPR organization and that basically she has no power. That Jimmy Arteaga is who is hiding behind Denise running the show and making the decisions, in a newer post even accusing Madison’s manager of having a meeting with him. (#2 and #3)



First off, That’s disrespectful. Two, if you have evidence of Denise being this face of the pageant while making no decisions then I suggest you provide evidence. I suggest you also provide damning evidence of not only Diana Montero meeting with Jimmy Arteaga but also the contents of that meeting. Plenty of national directors and candidates have even documented their visits to the MUO and even pictures with Paula Shuggart. So are you saying that does should be doubted to? I really hope you were in that room to know what was spoken then given you’re so sure this was a cooking show.






- On point #5 he is giving a whole lot of sass asking why has there not been a press conference from Denise Quinones, Jimmy Arteaga and Javier Maunulet to “Explain” to the people and the country.



Only thing I’m going to say is that the moment we hold a press conference to address every little tantrum that angry pageant fans throw to give them explanation… that will be the moment we had been taking pageant to personal. Should the Miss Universe or Miss World hold a press conference every time someone has a problem with the winner? Please







- On point #6 he is asking Wapa (the network) if they are again using ex-queens, television programs and media puppets to trick Puerto Rico like he alleges Wapa did with Kristelee Caride. He also says that the real reason Caride couldn’t represent us in Miss Universe was because she was an employee of Desiree Lowry.



Personally I do not have enough information on the accusation about Caride and honestly I’m not going to mix the issues with Lowry with the issues with Quinones. I will say that you are literally accusing former queens and television personalities of participating in a ruse to “trick” the country. I also want to make sure people know that Puertorricans honestly have bigger problems to deal with right now than to feed this person’s delusions.

I have to wonder if you literally have nothing better to do with your time than to try to damage the reputation of not only Madison but also Denise Quinones. I understand you have a vendetta against Desiree Lowry, given your FB is 80% politics 20% Desiree Lowry hate posts. Like I get that you don’t like her, but exactly why transmit that attitude and bs to Denise Quinones who has proven to be a heavy improvement from Lowry? You have provided zero evidence to prove that Denise has been hiding, when she didn’t, nor have you provided a contract or something on the kind that proves Madison is not eligible to participate. Are you really willing to ruin her career because your girl didn’t make it?





That reminds me. How come, if Madison’s participation is something you are so against, you had Madison in your favorites in June 9th and 10th?

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How come before her win you didn’t seem to have a problem with her participation? Because I couldn’t find a single post in your profanity infested facebook that pointed me to you having an issue with Madison until now. How come you allow your favorites to participate in a pageant you consider corrupt? I didn’t see you making a huge video titled “Don’t participate in MUPR because they accepted Madison” talking in the third person. If you hate WAPA so much how come you even accepted a banner from them (in your own fb we can see it) given they are so corrupt in your mind. On a post on Dec. 16th, 2018 you admit to have told Caride 3 days after she was crown that they were going to dethrone her.


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So how come you didn’t tell every girl that participated in this edition not to do so because MUPR is corrupt? Because I bet that if your favorite won, the pageant was not going to be corrupt in your eyes. I didn’t go or follow various MUPR pageants precisely because I thought it was not worth it to participate under Desiree. Did you do the same this year? No haha. On that same post you admit to calling MUO in NY to say that Desiree had violated her contract (in regards to Caride) and given you even go into David Begnaud’s livestreams to comment on it talking smack about MUPR when he is talking about government corruption… I have to wonder…

Have you become one of those crazy pageant fans who call the MUO with their conspiracy theories to try and tarnish the reputation of your own local org.?

I really hope not because you do know that is called “Defamation”, right? For example I am not participating in Defamation because all of this is part of your public facebook and it is written by you, I am hoping you have the same amount of receipts in future times you accuse anyone of mishandling.

Now I lack the patience and class that Denise Quinones has, so since you want attention and “pauta” then I am giving to you. Now I cannot wait for you to get all up in arms and accuse me of being on the payroll of either the Anderson-Berrios family or the MUPR. I actually I got a chance to work with queens who could potentially bring glory to PR in an international stage, but I am just a normal pageant fan who is honestly fed up with your constant whining. I cannot wait for your usual “DON’T MAKE ME PUBLISH THE EVIDENCE!!!” like you say EVERY TIME someone tells you to do it. I cannot wait. But I will leave you with a very simple question:




How dare you… or in spanish CON QUE CARA… do you go around talking about bad, corrupt and negligent national directors… when you constantly promote and defend the one and only Magaly Febles?




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Goodnight, My dears.


Bravo!!!!!!!!!


Thanks
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The Duchess
PAGEANT EXPERTS are MASTERS & PROFESSIONAL ANALYSTS of pageantry.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby TheGenuineBeauty » Sun Aug 04, 2019 2:42 am

The Duchess wrote:
TheGenuineBeauty wrote:
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OH MY...DUCHESS!!!!! You did an OUTSTANDING job with this. Soooo totally worth the wait. I am actually going to print this and give it a more in depth read because I skimmed some parts, plus I need to see that La Comay video, but seriously Duchess you need to give yourself a pat on the back cause this is a MASTERPIECE!!!

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Let me know if you get to read it dear, love you

Okay just read the whole thing and watched the La Comay video, and...wow, HYPOCRISY AT ITS FINEST!!!! Thank god that Laihany is not participating in pageants anymore. Even before the final night, she had an attitude, because people were criticizing her about her gown. If she didn't have a diva problem, I would have actually said that she should try out for MGI, Supra, or Intercontinental. But yeah, no one likes a sore loser. Also I agree that if you are even in the running to potentially be a judge for either preliminary or final night, you probably shouldn't be posting your opinion on social media because then you will be accused of being bias. And this Carlos Valentin....again hypocrisy at its finest.

But besides that, this is still a MASTERPIECE DUCHESS!!!! :-*
PUERTO RICO REBORN

2018: Kiara Ortega (Top 5)
2019: Madison Anderson (1st RU)
2020: Estefania Soto (Top 10)
2021: Michelle Colon (Top 10)
2022: Ashley Cariño (TBA)
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby TranniesRUs » Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:32 am

sharronstoned wrote:
The Duchess wrote:
sharronstoned wrote:I like your articles and how sensible you are.

Having said that, I remain a non-supporter of Puerto Rico’s FAKE Puerto Rican candidate who can’t even make up her mind which land to represent — and in the same year at that! She’s a carpetbagging contestant who’s obviously exploiting the Puerto Rico connection to have another shot at the crown that she lost as a Florida USA contestant.


1) I respect that we have diferrent opinions.
2) Having said that, do you believe any contestant of a bi/multi cultural background should only be proud and represent one thing? That they have to choose only one side?

She has the right to represent both the US and PR just like Catriona had the right to represent Philippines and Australia. A potential Miss Dominican Republic is half Dominican and half puertorrican (having participate in both national pageants) and she very clearly and openly identifies as both. She can represent both. Like Natalie can represent Canada and Russia, Justine Panama and Ukraine. If they chose to only represent one because they identify as one, that's their choice and their right, then great. But there's also several people who identify as both parts of their culture, Miss Ireland was part of the Miss DC USA 2018 pageant, Maureen Montaugne was part of both Miss USA 2015 and Miss America World 2016.


The major difference between Madison and the Philippines’ Catriona Gray is that while Catriona acknowledged her Australian heritage, she NEVER represented — or even attempted to represent — Australia in any pageant meant for international representation. She officially identified herself as Filipino and PICKED the Philippines from the first moment she went into pageantry (Miss World Philippines).

And she was consistent. She didn’t flip-flop and go to Australia to make up for her “loss” at Miss World out of desperation for a crown. And when she decided to go for Miss Universe, she kept her commitment to the Philippines and became more Filipino than ever.

Can’t say the same for Madison, who even changed her last name just to sound Puerto Rican. Everything about her is so staged.

You’re correct, though, in that it is not uncommon. Anea Garcia couldn’t be bothered to respect her runner-up status at Miss USA and in the same year magically became Miss Dominican Republic for a joke pageant that left her crownless afterwards.

You’re also correct that they’re certainly entitled to run for any spot they’re officially eligible for, but if I were a judge, I’d certainly question as well their integrity in representing whatever place they’re supposed to be representing if the motive is obviously just to exploit their background and hop from one pageant to the next just to get the prize.


Well said. It’s not a “It’s my right” issue; it’s an ethical one. These girls are not in it to showcase the best of their country. They’re using whatever is convenient to them for their own selfish reasons.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:54 am

TranniesRUs wrote:
sharronstoned wrote:
The Duchess wrote:
sharronstoned wrote:I like your articles and how sensible you are.

Having said that, I remain a non-supporter of Puerto Rico’s FAKE Puerto Rican candidate who can’t even make up her mind which land to represent — and in the same year at that! She’s a carpetbagging contestant who’s obviously exploiting the Puerto Rico connection to have another shot at the crown that she lost as a Florida USA contestant.


1) I respect that we have diferrent opinions.
2) Having said that, do you believe any contestant of a bi/multi cultural background should only be proud and represent one thing? That they have to choose only one side?

She has the right to represent both the US and PR just like Catriona had the right to represent Philippines and Australia. A potential Miss Dominican Republic is half Dominican and half puertorrican (having participate in both national pageants) and she very clearly and openly identifies as both. She can represent both. Like Natalie can represent Canada and Russia, Justine Panama and Ukraine. If they chose to only represent one because they identify as one, that's their choice and their right, then great. But there's also several people who identify as both parts of their culture, Miss Ireland was part of the Miss DC USA 2018 pageant, Maureen Montaugne was part of both Miss USA 2015 and Miss America World 2016.


The major difference between Madison and the Philippines’ Catriona Gray is that while Catriona acknowledged her Australian heritage, she NEVER represented — or even attempted to represent — Australia in any pageant meant for international representation. She officially identified herself as Filipino and PICKED the Philippines from the first moment she went into pageantry (Miss World Philippines).

And she was consistent. She didn’t flip-flop and go to Australia to make up for her “loss” at Miss World out of desperation for a crown. And when she decided to go for Miss Universe, she kept her commitment to the Philippines and became more Filipino than ever.

Can’t say the same for Madison, who even changed her last name just to sound Puerto Rican. Everything about her is so staged.

You’re correct, though, in that it is not uncommon. Anea Garcia couldn’t be bothered to respect her runner-up status at Miss USA and in the same year magically became Miss Dominican Republic for a joke pageant that left her crownless afterwards.

You’re also correct that they’re certainly entitled to run for any spot they’re officially eligible for, but if I were a judge, I’d certainly question as well their integrity in representing whatever place they’re supposed to be representing if the motive is obviously just to exploit their background and hop from one pageant to the next just to get the prize.


Well said. It’s not a “It’s my right” issue; it’s an ethical one. These girls are not in it to showcase the best of their country. They’re using whatever is convenient to them for their own selfish reasons.


Some people have more than one country, it is not your place to pretend to read their minds to know their reasons; some women can and have the right to want to showcase the best of either of their country. You don't know if she felt she didn't have the right to be MUPR, You don't know if she felt she should represent Puerto Rico (even though she had before).

I'm not saying there's not cases like this, I'm saying we cannot pretend to read minds and use those assumptions as if they are facts; they are just assumptions.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby Brent_Fargall » Sun Aug 04, 2019 9:27 pm

Anea Garcia also didn’t even bother to finish her duties as the reigning Miss Rhode Island. But Karma got to her.

I share Manmeat’s strong stand against carpetbagging. There should be pageant rules (at least for the Big Four) about this bad practice.
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby The Duchess » Mon Aug 05, 2019 6:14 am

Brent_Fargall wrote:Anea Garcia also didn’t even bother to finish her duties as the reigning Miss Rhode Island. But Karma got to her.

I share Manmeat’s strong stand against carpetbagging. There should be pageant rules (at least for the Big Four) about this bad practice.


So because Madison, who is half-American and half- Puerto Rican (yes, that's a thing), decided to participate in Miss Florida ONCE after multiple participation for Puerto Rico in multiple pageants... we should not allow her in a Big 5 pageant? That's her big sin? Wanting at some point to explore the possibility of representing that other half of her heritage?

Cultural Hybridity is a thing, not everyone who represented more than one country in her lifetime means she didn't care for either; are we really that defensive of our countries that the idea of a person sharing their national pride and identity between two places pisses us off THAT much? Madison, along with other candidates, have never disregarded either part of their heritages... so why should they competitively ignore one? So people don't see it defensively and call bs on their motives?
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Re: PAGEANTRY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY | THE DUCHESS' TAKE

Postby FutaKaNina » Mon Aug 05, 2019 6:34 am

TranniesRUs wrote:
sharronstoned wrote:
The Duchess wrote:
sharronstoned wrote:I like your articles and how sensible you are.

Having said that, I remain a non-supporter of Puerto Rico’s FAKE Puerto Rican candidate who can’t even make up her mind which land to represent — and in the same year at that! She’s a carpetbagging contestant who’s obviously exploiting the Puerto Rico connection to have another shot at the crown that she lost as a Florida USA contestant.


1) I respect that we have diferrent opinions.
2) Having said that, do you believe any contestant of a bi/multi cultural background should only be proud and represent one thing? That they have to choose only one side?

She has the right to represent both the US and PR just like Catriona had the right to represent Philippines and Australia. A potential Miss Dominican Republic is half Dominican and half puertorrican (having participate in both national pageants) and she very clearly and openly identifies as both. She can represent both. Like Natalie can represent Canada and Russia, Justine Panama and Ukraine. If they chose to only represent one because they identify as one, that's their choice and their right, then great. But there's also several people who identify as both parts of their culture, Miss Ireland was part of the Miss DC USA 2018 pageant, Maureen Montaugne was part of both Miss USA 2015 and Miss America World 2016.


The major difference between Madison and the Philippines’ Catriona Gray is that while Catriona acknowledged her Australian heritage, she NEVER represented — or even attempted to represent — Australia in any pageant meant for international representation. She officially identified herself as Filipino and PICKED the Philippines from the first moment she went into pageantry (Miss World Philippines).

And she was consistent. She didn’t flip-flop and go to Australia to make up for her “loss” at Miss World out of desperation for a crown. And when she decided to go for Miss Universe, she kept her commitment to the Philippines and became more Filipino than ever.

Can’t say the same for Madison, who even changed her last name just to sound Puerto Rican. Everything about her is so staged.

You’re correct, though, in that it is not uncommon. Anea Garcia couldn’t be bothered to respect her runner-up status at Miss USA and in the same year magically became Miss Dominican Republic for a joke pageant that left her crownless afterwards.

You’re also correct that they’re certainly entitled to run for any spot they’re officially eligible for, but if I were a judge, I’d certainly question as well their integrity in representing whatever place they’re supposed to be representing if the motive is obviously just to exploit their background and hop from one pageant to the next just to get the prize.


Well said. It’s not a “It’s my right” issue; it’s an ethical one. These girls are not in it to showcase the best of their country. They’re using whatever is convenient to them for their own selfish reasons.


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