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Arab American's Miss USA Win Sparks Predictable Ranting
By
John Del Signore
Published May 17, 2010
Modified May 17, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published May 17, 2010
Modified May 17, 2010
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Despite almost tripping in her evening gown (video below), a 24-year-old Arab American woman from Dearborn, Michigan won the Miss USA crown last night in Las Vegas. (New York's contestant, Davina Reeves, didn't even make the semis.) Rima Fakih, a Lebanese immigrant who was brought to the U.S. as a baby, bested runner-up Morgan Elizabeth Woolard of Oklahoma, who was asked by "The Office" star Cesar Nunez where she stood on Arizona's SB 1070. The crowd immediately started booing, and naturally some right-wingers are blaming liberal bias on her loss.
"Let me finish the question," Nunez implored the crowd, who erupted again during Woolard's response. "I'm a huge believer in states' rights. I think that's what's so wonderful about America," said Woolard. "So I think it's perfectly fine for Arizona to create that law." Now some see a conspiracy in the questioning, and wonder if it cost Woolard the crown. Daily News commenter Hadar leads the pack: "The overwhelming majority of REAL AMERICANS support the ARIZONA law and the SOVEREIGNTY of this great nation that LaRaza and the criminal illegal aliens are trying to destroy. I believe this winner was a setup from the start."
But Fakih didn't get a softball question either; during the interview portion, she was asked whether she thought birth control should be paid for by health insurance. She said yes, explaining, "I believe that birth control is just like every other medication even though it's a controlled substance." After receiving the title, which comes with a rent-free apartment in the Trump Tower in NYC for a year plus an undisclosed salary, Fakih was asked how she felt and replied, "Ask me after I've had a pizza."
Now FOX News is now reporting that she was once in a "stripping" contest... that didn't involve her taking off her clothes. But will it cost her her crown? A Detroit morning show that put the photos of the fully-clothed stripping online has just been contacted by representatives of Miss Universe "requesting more photographs and information regarding Miss USA Rimah Fakih's involvement in the 'Stripper 101 contest."
For now at least, the crown still belongs to Fakih, and Arab Americans in Michigan were elated last night. Imad Hamad, regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, tells the Detroit Free Press, "This is historic. This shows the greatness of America, how everyone can have a chance to make it." As long as your really really ridiculously good looking and define "making it" as being a paid shill for Donald Trump.
Tagged
miss universe
miss usa
rima fakih
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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