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Subject: "THE AMERICAN GIRL" - The Amy Holbrook Nightmare Experience in Miss Tourism Queen International 2008

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[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 21:56:25 04/06/08 Sun THE AMERICAN GIRL - http://www.criticalbeauty.com/Journal_Apr_2008.html • THE AMERICAN GIRL : Amy Holbrook, left, the American representative to the Miss Tourism Queen International pageant taking place in China, decided to withdraw from the competition last Tuesday (April 1st) after the organizers discovered that she had been writing unfavorable comments about the pageant in her blog. Amy cites that the candidates were being subjected to 3 to 4 hours of sleep, to poor nutrition, to freezing temperatures without proper attire, to minimal security, and to poor medical care. She also wrote that one of the organizers, Jerome Too was rude to her and told her that vegetarian girls like herself would not be allowed to compete next year. The organizers even attempted to persuade her to take down her blog and also gave her the option to maintain her blog - but on the condition that she retract her statements. Holbrook decided to keep her blog as it is, citing freedom of expression. Global Beauties, which covers the pageant, published a comment written by its correspondent Thiago Castro in which Castro denounces Amy and calls her statements "baseless." Castro also posted an "official statement" from MTQI organizers that was supposedly sent to all the national directors: "We would like to inform you that Miss America's allegations and claims are not true and baseless. We'd like to say that this event is organized by the Henan Government and Henan TV station and their expectations are high for the contest as well as the contestants. They have spent millions in US$ in terms of round-trip fare for the candidates to come to their respective countries, international journalists as well their local journalists which include hotel stays and food and beverages. The China organizers have done their best to make all welcome both contestants and the 120 journalists from the international and national press that are currently with us. This event is high publicized. We provide sufficient and top grade meals for all contestants. We have big buffets spreads which consist of good food and in her case, plenty of vegetables, salads, fruits and soya based food. We do not feed bugs, dogs, cats and "Fear Factor" meals to our guests, journalists and contestants. There are sufficient security provide by both police and army. Last year alone, they activated 10,000 security personnel for the pageant. However sometimes there are occasional overzealous locals who tend to pull the contestants to snap photos with but usually this contestant who are being "harassed" will be ushered away by the chaperones. We have a trained doctor, paramedics and the ambulance are with us at all times during activities that the candidates are involved in. Should they be sick, they are immediately attended to. Other issues about phones cards of which this can be purchased at hotel concierge or gift stores. This will include feminine products as well. If the hotel do not have any available, they can approach the chaperones who will get the hotel to purchase for them on their behalf. Many of you have worked with us over the years and you know we are very strict and look after your girls well so we do not allow such things to happen. I have journalist here with us who can vouch that what was written in the blog mostly was a pack of lies. I will attach their comments in my next email for your judgment. Attached is also the Founder of Miss Tourism Queen International, Mr. Charlie See' wife who has given us her thoughts". MISS TOURISM QUEEN INTERNATIONAL TOP GRADE MEALS: FUNGUS MIXED WITH WALL NUTS! YUM YUM! Amy reposted the above statement in her blog and called it a "public relations nightmare." Notice that the statement insists that the pageant is highly publicized by "120 journalists from the international and national press." I just searched for "miss tourism queen," "miss tourism queen international," "miss tourism," and "mtqi" in the News section of Yahoo and Google and I didn't see any links to a coverage in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French - languages spoken by over a billion people. Global Beauties is the only pageant site that offers full coverage; the other sites could care less. Notice, too, how the writer admits to a lapse in security while referring to "occasional overzealous locals who tend to pull the contestants to snap photos." Sufficient security does not always translate to guaranteed security, as the contestants could get hurt especially if they were pulled aggressively. Imagine international athletes being treated like this when they come to China for the Summer 2008 Olympics. And why is there only one "trained doctor?" In her blog, Amy describes the substandard conditions in a local hospital to which she was taken after she had experienced stomach ache. It seems that there was not even one good doctor to examine a patient suffering from a simple stomach ache that, according to Amy, was caused "by lack of sleep and food poisoning." MTQI WORLD CLASS HOSPITAL... THE MTQI STANDARD What I'd like to know is who exactly wrote the so-called "official statement" from MTQI. Notice how the statement starts with the collective "We" and ends with a singular "I." Why weren't the names of the MTQI organizers Jerome Too and Alex Liu mentioned in the statement? And more importantly, why is the statement not even posted in the official MTQI website? The statement ends with a reference to an attachment - a letter supposedly written by Ann See, the widow of MTQI founder Charlie See. What exactly did Mrs. See say and why is her letter not posted on Global Beauties or MTQI websites? After being held "hostage" in China for a couple of days, Amy was finally able to fly out of China and returned safely in Los Angeles last Saturday. Another contestant, Miss South Africa Alyssa Revelo, also withdrew from the pageant "due to medical reasons," according to Global Beauties, although one would suspect that she had also gotten ill due to food poisoning. Reliable sources informed me that nearly twenty candidates also wanted to leave, but that their passports were being held by the organizers. It would be interesting to see new stories come out once the pageant is over on April 10th, that is if all the girls (except the winner and runners-up) get to leave safely! WHAT AMY HOLBROOK EXPERIENCES IN MTQI 2008: http://www.amylynneholbrook.com/wordpress/ [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]