TORONTO – The first-ever transgender contestant to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant strutted the runway Saturday night, making it to the penultimate round before losing her bid to win the title.
Jenna Talackova, 23, competed with 61 contestants and was among the final 12 contestants before failing to make the final five in the glitzy pageant.
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Sahar Biniaz, 26, claimed the crown and advances to the international Miss Universe competition in December.
Talackova, who was one of four contestants named Miss Congeniality, was born a male and underwent sex reassignment surgery four years ago.
The Vancouver, British Columbia, native was initially denied entry to Canada’s pageant because she was not born female. Donald Trump, who runs the Miss Universe Organization, overruled that decision last month.
The 6-foot-1 blond beauty garnered most of the attention Saturday night, soliciting loud cheering and howls each time she appeared on stage.
Talackova’s involvement in the pageant has drawn international attention since she was denied entry and hired high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred to represent her in her battle to be readmitted.
The rules of the contest run by Trump’s New York City-based organization say entrants must be “naturally born” females.
But shortly after Talackova announced a news conference in Los Angeles with Allred, the Miss Universe Organization said in a statement that Talackova could compete “provided she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions.”
Miss Universe organizers have not elaborated on the statement.
Allred said during Saturday’s pageant that Talackova shouldn’t feel too disappointed.
“She won a ‘herstoric’ civil rights victory, and that I think is frankly more important than anything, any victory she would win,” Allred said.
Miss Universe publicity director Brenda Mendoza has said transgender competitors are now welcome at all of its pageants around the world. But she says it’s being left to the individual franchises to determine if the recent policy change is carried out.
Wiig wells up at musical ‘SNL’ sendoff
NEW YORK – Kristen Wiig got a musical sendoff on the season finale of “Saturday Night Live” as the popular, versatile cast member made her exit after seven years.
In the show’s final sketch, guest host Mick Jagger played the principal at a high school graduation and brought up Wiig, in cap and gown, as “one particular student who is leaving this summer.”
She danced in turn with Jagger, cast members and executive producer Lorne Michaels to the tune of the Rolling Stones classic “She’s a Rainbow.” Then the ensemble sang another Stones hit, “Ruby Tuesday,” with its line, “still I’m gonna miss you.”
Wiig appeared to be holding back tears.
Though NBC had made no prior announcement of her departure, it comes as no surprise. She starred in and co-wrote the hit comedy “Bridesmaids” and had notable roles in other films.
Wiig’s range of characters on “SNL” has included neurotic attention-seeker Penelope; Kat, half of the musical duo Garth and Kat; and such real-life notables as Bjork and Kathie Lee Gifford.
Three charged in attack on pastor-singer
DETROIT – Three young men were arraigned Sunday in the assault and carjacking of popular Detroit pastor and gospel singing icon Marvin Winans, 54.
The office of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy identified the suspects as Detroit residents Montoya Givens and Christopher Moorehead, both 20, and Brian K. Young, 18, of Clinton Township. They are charged with carjacking, unarmed robbery and conspiracy.
The charges carry up to life in prison.
The men were ordered held on $200,000 bonds. Their preliminary examinations, in which a judge decides where there’s enough evidence for the case to go to trial, are June 1.
A prosecutor’s spokeswoman said Sunday she didn’t think the defendants had lawyers yet.
— From news service reports
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