When a Queensland accent is just not good enough
April 25th 2009 23:43
You can take the girl out of Queensland ...
And now for the latest developments from that font of wisdom and common sense, the Miss Universe community.
The winner of the Australian section, Townsville native Rachael Finch, has been enjoying her first week of responsibilities, including playing with her $25,000 worth of prizes.
"She's stunning inside and out," Sunshine Coast radio announcer Angus O'Loughlin told Brisbane's Courier Mail newspaper yesterday. He should know, he's her boyfriend.
Meanwhile, Miss Universe Australia president Deborah Miller, is making the most of recent publicity by adding to her growing list of foolish statements. Miller made headlines by defending the emaciated appearance of one contestant in the Australian final by saying she was of Macedonian extraction.
"This girl has Macedonian heritage and if you had been there you would know it is a Macedonian body type," she said. "They have long, lithe bodies and small bones. It is their body type."
Not quite true, said nutritionist Susie Burrell. There is no such Macedonian body type. "There is no evidence published anywhere to back up that assertion," she said.
In response to Burrell's claims, which seem to suggest that the beauty pageant organiser is happy to employ fabrication and fiction in the name of operational expedience, Miller decided on a shrewd tactical manoeuvre made popular by politicians. It's called deflection.
Instead of supporting her assertions about the Macedonian body type, Miller changed tack and criticised Rachael Finch's accent.
"We've got to work on the walk, so people go 'wow' when she comes out," Miller said. "She's also very Queensland, and Queensland has a bit of a different accent. So, I think it's about just trying to refine her accent a little."
One wonders what Miller has in mind. If Townsville Queensland is not good enough, what is? Sydney gay? Melbourne Collingwood? Pentridge patois? Byron plummish? Perth patter? Alice strine? Canberra double-speak?
Australia has provided two Miss Universe World winners, Kerry Anne Wells in 1972 and Jennifer Hawkins in 2004. We are uncertain what sort of accents they had.
image: models.com
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Comment by Norm
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Comment by Norm
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It's a beautifully poised question.
Do you now what they call a Big Mac in Northern Greece?
An Alexander the Great Burger.
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Comment by Anonymous
She's clearly talking about FYROM...not the Greek region. Haha, I'm sure FYROM does have a McDonald's and no, I wouldn't say that is the 'body type' there. Then she's talking about a Queensland accent, honestly, this industry is full of uneducated people!
Comment by Justicia
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I do it all the time too. Good comment, thanks, whether made anonymously or not.
Comment by Norm
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With an Alexander of Macedon Burger.
No cheese.
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Dear Deborah Miller,
We refer to the comment above by our esteemed colleague Morgan Bell and hope it will prove illuminatory.
With, um, cheers,
Vyoos
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