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CNN Saturday Morning News
Miss World Pageant Finale Gets Under Way Tonight
Aired December 07, 2002 - 09:31 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on now to -- I guess you could call it a rough assignment, but somebody has to do it, Richard Quest standing by in London for today's finale of the Miss World Pageant. Hello, Richard.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, good morning.
Rarely can there have been such an absolute coming-together of international politics, religious tensions and violence, rioting, deaths, all mixed up into the combustible mixture of the Miss World competition.
Now, this is a competition that is traditionally controversial. Of course, feminists and women's rights organizations have for years said that it's a disgrace, that it shouldn't be take place, and they -- and there have been protests.
Of course, this year's Miss World contest has moved into a completely different league because of the riots that took place in northern Nigeria where -- the contest was due to be held in Nigeria. It was only after some 200 people left dead between rioting, between religious violence, that ultimately they decided to move the contest to London.
And here we are. This is Alexandra Palace, northern London. It's cold. It's miserable. But just behind me, Miss World is now under way.
And let me give you a little taste. This is the brochure, Catherine, from this morning -- this year's Miss World competition. The organizers, the chief organizer says, "So many things happened which caused us to finish the contest in London." If there was ever an understatement, that has to be it.
You're talking about the article that was in a Nigerian newspaper that said the Prophet Muhammad would probably have married one of the Miss World contestants. That led to mass rioting between Muslims and Christians, that led to hundreds being left dead or injured, which eventually led to them deciding to move the whole thing to Britain.
But, Catherine, the contest is under way. They say that it has still got the spirit of Nigeria. The truth be told, they're in a very difficult position. They're holding a beauty pageant, which many people feel are repugnant, after an event which many people believe should have led to its cancellation. That's the background. CALLAWAY: Hey, Richard, you said the phrasing was many things, certainly that encompasses a lot in this case. Any protests at all in London since it -- the pageant has moved there?
QUEST: No. What has happened over the years with Miss World is that it's almost become the wrong thing to do to protest. It's -- the protests on feminist rights are clearly so well known that they just don't bother. They feel they give it too much publicity.
The police did tell me that there were protesters were allowed to stand outside. I have to tell you, it's drizzly, miserable, foggy, and cold. Now, you know, you pays your money, you take your choice if you want to go and protest out there. But the police did make provision for those who did want to protest outside. So far, none have turned up.
There have been three members of the -- of national teams that have boycotted it this year. Otherwise, the contest is under way. We're waiting to find out from the original 92 how they go down to the latest 20. Incidentally, no swimsuits. They were abandoned some years ago, well, I mean, not abandoned, you know what I mean, they were not shown -- they're not shown live here. Instead, the only -- what you get...
Well, you know what I'm saying, Catherine. The only swimsuits we're going to see will be on videotape, and they were shot in Nigeria some months ago.
CALLAWAY: All right. Put as only Richard can put it. Richard Quest, thank you very much He's covering the Miss World Pageant for us there in London.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 7, 2002 - 09:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on now to -- I guess you could call it a rough assignment, but somebody has to do it, Richard Quest standing by in London for today's finale of the Miss World Pageant. Hello, Richard.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, good morning.
Rarely can there have been such an absolute coming-together of international politics, religious tensions and violence, rioting, deaths, all mixed up into the combustible mixture of the Miss World competition.
Now, this is a competition that is traditionally controversial. Of course, feminists and women's rights organizations have for years said that it's a disgrace, that it shouldn't be take place, and they -- and there have been protests.
Of course, this year's Miss World contest has moved into a completely different league because of the riots that took place in northern Nigeria where -- the contest was due to be held in Nigeria. It was only after some 200 people left dead between rioting, between religious violence, that ultimately they decided to move the contest to London.
And here we are. This is Alexandra Palace, northern London. It's cold. It's miserable. But just behind me, Miss World is now under way.
And let me give you a little taste. This is the brochure, Catherine, from this morning -- this year's Miss World competition. The organizers, the chief organizer says, "So many things happened which caused us to finish the contest in London." If there was ever an understatement, that has to be it.
You're talking about the article that was in a Nigerian newspaper that said the Prophet Muhammad would probably have married one of the Miss World contestants. That led to mass rioting between Muslims and Christians, that led to hundreds being left dead or injured, which eventually led to them deciding to move the whole thing to Britain.
But, Catherine, the contest is under way. They say that it has still got the spirit of Nigeria. The truth be told, they're in a very difficult position. They're holding a beauty pageant, which many people feel are repugnant, after an event which many people believe should have led to its cancellation. That's the background. CALLAWAY: Hey, Richard, you said the phrasing was many things, certainly that encompasses a lot in this case. Any protests at all in London since it -- the pageant has moved there?
QUEST: No. What has happened over the years with Miss World is that it's almost become the wrong thing to do to protest. It's -- the protests on feminist rights are clearly so well known that they just don't bother. They feel they give it too much publicity.
The police did tell me that there were protesters were allowed to stand outside. I have to tell you, it's drizzly, miserable, foggy, and cold. Now, you know, you pays your money, you take your choice if you want to go and protest out there. But the police did make provision for those who did want to protest outside. So far, none have turned up.
There have been three members of the -- of national teams that have boycotted it this year. Otherwise, the contest is under way. We're waiting to find out from the original 92 how they go down to the latest 20. Incidentally, no swimsuits. They were abandoned some years ago, well, I mean, not abandoned, you know what I mean, they were not shown -- they're not shown live here. Instead, the only -- what you get...
Well, you know what I'm saying, Catherine. The only swimsuits we're going to see will be on videotape, and they were shot in Nigeria some months ago.
CALLAWAY: All right. Put as only Richard can put it. Richard Quest, thank you very much He's covering the Miss World Pageant for us there in London.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
