The country has two newly-elected national beauty queens.
All right so the comparison might be more than a little inappropriate, but you could be excused for thinking that the world had been turned on it head somewhat (in France) given the amount of radio and television airtime that have been devoted to last weekend's election of Miss France and the rival Miss Nationale.
Perhaps a sign that someone was listening and watching the wrong programmes.
On Saturday more than 6.8 million viewers tuned in to TF1 to watch 19-year-old Laury Thilleman, Miss Bretagne, crowned Miss France 2011.
Miss France 2011, Laury Thilleman (screenshot from BFM TV)After a jury headed by actor Alain Delon had, with the help of the viewing public, whittled down the 33 regional candidates to just five finalists, it was left to those at home watching to cast their votes.
And Thilleman, a keen surfer and former volleyball player (yes you can learn a lot from listening to the seemingly endless round of interviews that followed her election) who in the future apparently wants to "pursue a career in the fields of communications or audio-visual" (in other words TV - don't they all?) was the public's choice with 35 per cent of the vote.
She'll now go on to represent France at the Miss World and Miss Universe competitions.
Meanwhile on Sunday it was the turn of another 19-year-old, Barbara Morel, Miss Provence, to be crowned Miss Nationale 2011, a rival contest launched this year by the former organiser of Miss France, Geneviève de Fontenay.
Miss Nationale 2011, Barbara Morel, being interviewed on Europe 1 national radio (screenshot from Marc-Olivier Fogiel's morning show)No mass audience for Miss Nationale as it wasn't transmitted on any of the major channels.
And even though the public had been able to choose which of the 25 regional representatives would be selected to appear among the final seven by voting online ahead of Sunday evening's decision, the choice of the eventual winner was left to a jury of seven.
Although Morel's turn to face the microphones came the day after her election, the real interest was focussed unsurprisingly on the woman who accompanied her, Geneviève de Fontenay.
She had been the doyenne of French beauty pageants for several decades and until earlier this year had been at the heart of the competition's committee.
After a very public falling out with official organisers, the Dutch TV production company Endemol, the 78-year-old set up her own rival pageant.
"We've achieved a lot," she said during an interview with Europe 1 national radio.
"There were times during the run-up to the final when I had been a little worried."
But the 78-year-old would not be drawn on the future of the competition (or its real value come to that).
"I hope there'll be another one," said the 78-year-old
"If I started, it's obvious I want to continue but sometimes in the morning you don't know what's going to happen in the evening."
Geneviève de Fontenay : "On revient de loin"
envoyé par Europe1fr. - Regardez les dernières vidéos d'actu.
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1 comment:
What a character this Genevieve de Fontenay is! I heard that she spent 60 000€ of her own money paying the hotel bills for the event she organized! I'll vote for her anytime!
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