Frolic Mills (founder of the Miss SL Universe Organization and The Best of SL Magazine) worked with artists, architects, designers, sim owners, SL business owners, RL companies and media to ensure that this would be the most amazing spectacle to hit SL. And, he was overwhelmingly successful. Prizes for Miss SL Universe reached over L$260,000 in cash, services, products and real estate. Over a thousand women from all over SL submitted pictures and applications to be contestants, making choosing the 12 contestants a task that would not be envied by many.
Yours truly was lucky enough to have been asked to do the color commentary with Duckyfresh Watanabe for SLCN.TV and also the sim manager for Galveston Island (the location of the pageant). Being privy to some of the inside and backstage action has allowed me to bring you a unique view of the Miss SL Universe Pageant.This was the first time that I have been in a room full of some of the most powerful people in SL. I knew many of them personally, however, to see everyone in the same place gave me pause. As I looked around and saw Scope Cleaver, Dane Zander, Ally Geer, Raven Pennyfeather, Callie Cline, Nicky Ree, Frolic Mills, Kirk Claymore and countless other members of SL royalty; it made me realize that not only is SL coming of age, but so are it’s inhabitants. It was exciting for me to see some of the most gifted and connected people inside SL talking, laughing and getting to know each other (if they didn’t already). I personally feel that yesterday was not only milestone for the way events are held in SL, but for networking in general. Who knows the connections that were formed yesterday that will impact SL down the road. But, I digress…
The first leg of the pageant was the introduction of the contestants wearing ensembles that were re-creations of clothing worn from the country they were representing. It was stunning. All of the costumes, gowns and bathing suits were custom made for the event. As the ladies paraded down the runway flawlessly (which is a HUGE achievement given the amount of lag we were all facing) it was clear that this was going to be a grand spectacle. Victorian gowns, Asian ensembles, Mediterranean, European, Native American and African motifs represented the countries of origin in a breathtaking show of pride, dignity and style. I have never seen such a display in my entire second life. It hammered home to me that these were not just people showing up to win a prize, they were also expressing their personalities and allowing us to see a deeper glimpse of who they are in one of the most public venues in SL history.
Next was the swimsuit competition. What would a pageant be without a swimsuit competition? However, per the usual, Frolic managed this with class and dignity. All of the contestants were given the same bathing suit, leveling the playing field. It was a lovely gold two piece bikini with a matching sarong. Each of the girls were challenged to accessorize the ensemble to show their personal style.
After the bathing suit competition, Yman Juran put on a particle and acrobatic show of the likes that has never been seen before in SL. It was absolutely amazing. She put together some of the most gifted scripting for that type of performance that any of us had ever seen.
Then the ladies came out in some of the most breathtaking evening gowns you can imagine. Some were sleek and sexy, while others were more traditional with full skirts and head pieces. Regardless of the style, they were all flawless and set off each of the girls with elegance and style.
Nail biting time........
“We have now decided the top five finalists! And they are: Elisne Allen, Miss Israel; Isabel Brocco, Miss Spain; Summer Deadlight, Miss USA; Babyhoney Bailey, Miss Greece; Mui Mukerji, Miss Hong Kong.”
As they each took their place in the circle in front of the judges, cheers, applause and people shouting out their favorites filled the room. The other girls left the stage and all eyes were on the final five.
The ladies were then asked, one at a time, to choose a judge to as them a question. Can you imagine? Some of the most accomplished people in SL asking you a question that will help decide whether or not you win a competition you’ve spent over a month preparing for and being expected to come up with an answer in front of the panel, 82 people, reporters and television crews. I would have passed out. But, proving that they were truly fit for the competition, they all answered with intelligence and grace. One of the answers actually moved Ducky to tears and she had to excuse herself for a moment. Again, each of these contestants allowed the public to have a look inside of them, and it turned out to be one of the more moving parts of the entire evening.
It was then time for the judges to decide who would be the first Miss SL Universe. As they did that, Starr Singer perfomed beautifully singing live. She had such an amazing voice and did justice to the songs that she performed.
After she finished, the judges finally came back with their decision.
“4th Runner Up: Miss Hong Kong, Mui Mukerji!”
“3rd Runner Up: Miss USA, Summer Deadlight!”
“2nd Runner Up: Miss Spain, Isabel Brocco!”
Then… SIM CRASH!! Yes! OMG… When I hurriedly logged back on, SL said that the sim was not available! I got Guy Linden from concierge support who, after a couple of minutes, brought the sim back up and we all flew back to the Miss SL Universe Auditorium. After we all assembled, they continued…
“1st Runner Up: Miss Israel, Elisne Allen!”
“And the first Miss SL Universe is Miss Greece, Babyhoney Bailey!” Cheers, woots, applause and accolades errupted from the audience. It was amazing!I was able to talk to Miss SL Universe, 2008, Babyhoney Bailey and asked her what all of this meant to her. She said, “Working with the Miss SL Universe organization was a dream. The level of professionalism matched the level of fun and it was the first time I'd been a part of something so elaborate. It was incredibly innovative and I'm proud to have had the opportunity to be apart of it. The other contestants were amazing and, although I had hopes of placing, winning wasn't on my mind at all! I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity and extremely proud to be a part of an event and now an organization that will hopefully bring a wider cultural awareness to SL.”
"It moves me that a show can bring about so much attention that it can fill a sim and countless locations throughout SL for 5 straight hours. It really shows what can be done when a lot of great artists pull together. That's what Miss SL Universe is all about - showcasing talent and creativity. It was one of the most moving experiences of my second life,” said Frolic Mills, Founder of the Miss SL Universe Organization.
This was truly the most amazing event that I have ever been a part of and I am honored to have been able to share it with you.
Carter Giacobini
8 comments:
I wonder what my local newspaper would read like if advertisers were allowed to write the news. Something like this Miss SL Universe post. There is a more interesting story here. The reporter that was sent to cover this story was ejected from the sim just as the show started. Allegedly this was a mistake but for some reason she still wasn't allowed back in to the sim to cover the story. I have heard 2 sides to this story and both are plausible. But the fact that this fluff piece is published by someone associated with the event instead of a story by an independent observer that was mysteriously ejected, speaks volumes. If a newspaper masquerades articles as objective reporting when they are actually a kow tow to an influential contributor, then they lack all credibility.
Yes our reporter was ejected, when the sim was full and everytime an opening was made there were 5 Avs waiting to jump in - this 'fluff piece' was written by way of an apology to us so that we could still bring our readers the news of the event.
As for the rest - since this comment is anonymous and yes i could have just deleted it - I believe that our reporter was treated badly, that mistakes were made, but as anyone can see this is more than a fluff story but a genuine attempt to make restitution which I appreciate in the spirit it was offered.
I can clarify the mysterious ejections. Basically, it had a lot to do with SLCN.TV doing filming and a couple other necessary management people related to the event. There were simply some people (such as camera people, hosts, etc.) that *had* to get into the sim. We tried everything. There were 20 or 30 people lined up against the adjacent sim. Everytime somebody would voluntarily leave, five people would pounce on the opportunity. Everybody was panicing because there wasn't time and the event was going to start.
The sim managers didn't know what we do, neither did we. And, since things were laggy, IM conversations were going slow. Even after some of the people who agreed to leave left, there was still no way to get in. So.... with a lot of "omg we hate to do this" comments going on, some people were randomly ejected until the 3 or 4 necessary people got in.
I am sure everybody feels bad about this, and every attempt was made to avoid it. But, it was hectic and the event was near at hand and the risks were great that the event would suffer if it wasn't done.
Why the hell wasn't this mentioned when it happened? I am sure the ejectees would have been more understanding if they had to make room for the film crew. No, you waited several days to put this story out and it only allowed the bad feelings to fester. Of course we are assuming this latest spin is true. Come on! You have an obligation to communicate and the sooner you do it the less damage is done. The newspaper and the organizers of this event have just received a black eye over this and corresponding drop in credibility and respect.
FACT: I WAS ASKED BY DANA TO COVER THE MISS SL UNIVERSE PAGEANT AS SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
FACT: I ARRIVED AT THE GALVESTON SIM AT THE APPOINTED TIME
FACT: I WAS WEARING THE TAG PROVIDED BY THE ORGANIZATION, MISS SL UNIVERSE ORG
FACT: AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE THAT ALL UNAUTHORIZED PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE SIM. THAT THE ROOM WOULD BE SCANNED AND ALL THOSE FOUND WOULD BE EJECTED. THIS HAPPENED WITHIN THE FIRST 20 MINUTES I WAS THERE.
FACT: A SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE CONCERNING SIM CROWDING. IN ADDITION, A REQUEST WAS MADE TO REMOVE ALL SCRIPTED ATTACHMENTS. I COMPLIED
FACT: I WAS THERE MORE THAN AN 90 MINUTES PRIOR TO BEING EJECTED AND BANNED FROM THE GALVESTON SIM
FACT: THE FILMING OF THE EVENT BEGAN.
FACT: I WAS EJECTED AND LANDED IN KOREA.
FACT: I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO TELEPORT BACK. I RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT I DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SIM.
FACT: I SENT MY FIRST IM TO CARTER GIACOBINI, WHO DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. THIS COMMUNICATION CONTAINED WHO I WAS, AND WHAT MY BUSINESS WAS.
FACT: I SENT ANOTHER MESSAGE TO MR. GIACOBINI. IT TOO WENT UNANSWERED.
FACT: I WROTE A NOTE CARD, IN CASE HIS IM’S WERE CAPPED. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, HE DECLINED MY INVENTORY OFFER.
FACT: WHEN HE FINALLY DID RESPOND, HE INFORMED ME THAT I WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO BE THERE. I INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS IN FACT WEARING MY TAG, AND WAS ALSO ON THE LIST OF INVITEES. HE SAID HE WOULD CHECK. A TIME LATER, AFTER CONFIRMING MY RIGHT OF ATTENDANCE, HE SAID HE WAS SORRY, AND ENABLED MY RETURN TO THE SIM. OF COURSE, THE SIM WAS FULL, AND NO TELEPORT WAS SUCCESSFUL.
FACT: I RECONTACTED MR. GIACOBINI. I REITERATED THAT I WAS REPRESENTING THE SL NEWSPAPER, AND THAT I WAS THERE TO COVER THE STORY AND I COULD NOT TELEPORT INTO THE SIM. HE SAID HE WOULD COVER THE EVENT FOR ME.
FACT: AT NO TIME DID MR. GIACOBINI TELL ME THAT HE NEEDED TO REMOVE PEOPLE BECAUSE AN SLCN TELEVISION CAMERA MAN HAD CRASHED AND NEEDED TO BE READMITTED. AT NO TIME WAS ANY EXPLANATION MADE OTHER THAN I WAS UNAUTHORIZED, EJECTED AND BANNED DUE TO THAT. MR. GIACOBINI TOOK PAINS TO TELL ME THAT HE WAS MUCH TO BUSY TO DEAL WITH THIS AT THIS TIME. HE DECLINED FURTHER CONVERSATION. ALTHOUGH HE CLAIMS THAT HE ”APOLOGIZED UP AND DOWN”, I ASSURE YOU, HE DID LITTLE TO ASSUAGE MY ANGER, OR IN ANY WAY ATTEMPT TO GIVE ME AN ACCEPTABLE EXPLANATION FOR HIS ACTIONS.
FACT: ALTHOUGH MR. GIACOBINI SAID HE WAS SORRY, HE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO GET ME BACK INTO THE SIM SO THAT I COULD DO THE JOB I WAS ASSIGNED TO DO.
FACT: IN NO TIME SINCE THEN HAS MR. GIACOBINI MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ME WITH ANSWERS. AT NO TIME HAS MR.GIACOBINI MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ME AT ALL.
FACT: MR. GIACOBINI LIED TO MY EMPLOYER AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT WEARING A TAG, AND THAT WAS THE REASON I WAS SELECTED FOR EJECTION.
FACT: I WAS WEARING THE TAG.
FACT: MR. GIACOBINI'S ARTICLE APPEARS HERE. THIS WAS WRITTEN BY HIM. MR. GIACOBINI IS A SPONSOR FOR THIS PUBLICATION. ADVERTISERS AND SPONSORS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TO CONTRIBUTE CONTENT.
FACT: BASED UPON MANAGEMENT'S DECISION TO PRINT MR. GIACOBINI'S ARTICLE, I HAVE TENDERED MY RESIGNATION WITH SL- NEWSPAPER.COM
Just one more thing. It bears repeating that at no time was I given any reason for my ejection other than not being authorized to be there, which I was. If I had been informed of the circumstances, I would have been more understanding. However, that information was withheld or even fabricated after the fact to cover wrongdoing.
Me, and anyone else that suffered this fate were treated very poorly indeed. I can assure you, Mr. Giacobini, that we are not just pixels on a computer screen, we are human beings, and deserve to be treated as such. Respect, Mr. Giacobini. Nothing more, and absolutely nothing less. The fact is, Mr. Giacobini, you dismissed me as a non-entity. That is simply unacceptable. At no time after this event did you take it upon yourself to contact me. At no time did you take it upon yourself to explain the circumstances that lead to the ejection. You were quick to IM Dana the next day and lie to her, but at no time did you even consider contacting me.
One hopes, Mr. Giacobini, that you treat people in rl better than you treat them here. I can assure you that had this happened in rl, we would be discussing this matter in a court of law.
Well who would have thought the potentially biggest beauty pageant in all of SL would be so clouded in such drama. I can envisage scenes with powder and brushes, nails and eyelashes flying about. Oh wait... no the drama isn't on the beauty it is about the FACT that Mr. Giacobini can't do anything right in some people's eyes.
I could imagine it would be infuriating to be ejected, I would also imagine it would be further annoying to be unable to get back into the sim. However, can YOU imagine what Mr Giacobini was dealing with that night. The IM's the TV, the full sim, the huge lag, the end to this wonderful pageant and you, having a hissy fit.
Yay for Trini
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