Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Reporter Discusses Buying Beauty Contest

Aired March 21, 2002 - 08:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: In Spain now, beauty pageants are something of a national obsession. Just this week it was revealed that the competition for the coveted title of Miss Spain 2002 was fierce, but it wasn't pretty. Remember the movie "Miss Congeniality," with Sandra Bullock? I wasn't a particular fan of the movie, but there's some video of it. Now, Sandra Bullock played a cop going undercover to expose corruption in a beauty pageant. It seemed farfetched.

Well, in Spain now, life is imitating art. Posing as a contestant, investigative report Gema Garcia paid off pageant officials to win a regional competition -- that's the reporter right there -- and be named Miss Alicante. Her hidden camera investigation is causing a national scandal in Spain.

And Gema Garcia of El Mundo TV joins us this morning from Madrid.

Thanks for being with us, Gema.

GEMA GARCIA, JOURNALIST, EL MUNDO TV: Thank you very much.

COOPER: How did you come up with the idea...

GARCIA: How are you?

COOPER: How did you come up with the idea of investigating beauty pageants?

GARCIA: Oh, no, it was not my idea. It was the idea of the El Mundo TV team. I just make my role to be like a maze. I have to act like a maze. But the idea was of the El Mundo TV team.

COOPER: Now, how did you go about doing this? Did you use hidden cameras? Did you have a big team helping you? How did you set up this sting operation?

GARCIA: Yes, yes, yes, we work on this project a big team. It wasn't just me, of course. They were working with me, the whole team of El Mundo TV. And, of course, I have a hidden camera.

COOPER: Well, now to become Miss Alicante, I understand you actually bribed the judges. How much did you pay them and tell us how you went about doing this?

GARCIA: They paid from me four million and a half of pesetas. I don't know how much is it in dollars. Excuse me, but I don't know.

COOPER: It's about, I'm told it's about $23,000 is what you paid.

GARCIA: They paid that to the judge.

COOPER: I'm told you...

GARCIA: OK. Thank you.

COOPER: I'm told it was about $23,000. And we're showing video now of you actually paying the bribe?

GARCIA: I beg your pardon? Would you please repeat the question? I can't hear you very well.

COOPER: OK. Were you surprised that you got as far as you did in the world of pageants?

GARCIA: If I was surprised?

COOPER: Yes, were you surprised...

GARCIA: I can't hear you.

COOPER: ... at how well -- were you -- sorry. There's a long delay here. Were you surprised at how well you were able to do in these pageants?

GARCIA: Yes, I was very, it was surprising for everything. The first thing I was very surprised of is that I'm 31 years old and you can't be the miss if you are 31 years old because the limit of age here is 24. And I'm a journalist. And if I was, it was very amazing because we can show the whole country that if you have enough money you can become a queen of beauty.

COOPER: So you're saying you are seven years older than the age limit for these pageants. I understand you also had like a torn dress?

GARCIA: That's it.

COOPER: And that you tripped on stage but you still won the pageant anyway?

GARCIA: Well, I have my -- then my original and my passport. So the problem wasn't the organization of mine. I just say that I'm 24 years old and they didn't see if it was true or not.

COOPER: All right, Gema Garcia, thank you very much for joining us this morning. It's a fascinating investigation. It's caused a big scandal in Europe...

GARCIA: Thanks for you.

COOPER: And we appreciate you being with us. Thanks very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com