New Miss Universe gets slammed by Japanese media
Interesting news story from the online Japanese “red-top”, the Daily Mainichi. It seems that the newly crowned Miss Universe, Riyo Mori, has not gone down too well when back in her native Japan:
Arrogant and dumb: Local celeb hacks slam Miss Universe Riyo Mori
Riyo Mori, the 2007 Miss Universe, is copping a beating from the domestic media, according to Shukan Shincho (7/19).
“There were loads of reporters who saw her who said the first thing that came to mind was ‘How the hell did she become Miss Universe?’” an entertainment beat reporter tells Shukan Shincho. “I thought that making up her eyes to emphasize her ‘Oriental Exoticism’ isn’t a look that really appeals to Japanese.
“What really shocked me was the arrogant way she went about things. She used a microphone to point at the reporters asking her questions, and the way she stood with her hands on her hips as she talked created a bad impression. That might be the way they do things in America, but a female Japanese performer would never act that way. She looked down on Japan, too, by saying that she had no idea who her favorite Japanese performer was. And when one reporter asked her what it felt like to have been chosen as the world’s most beautiful women, she spat, ‘That’s a mistake. Miss Universe is not a beauty contest.’ That got most of the reporters tittering.”
Mori is apparently taking steps to try and gain some popular support.
“She’s contacting all the biggest talent agencies to find out if they’re interested in putting her on their books. Miss Universe has to spend a year traveling around the world and helping out with AIDS charities, so any concrete moves won’t be able to come out until the year after next,” a TV industry insider says.
Mori can take heart from the success of Kurara Chibana, the runner-up in last year’s Miss Universe contest who now works as a reporter for a TV current affairs program called “News Zero.”
Shukan Shincho (7/19)But the entertainment beat reporter is not too bullish about the 20-year-old beauty queen’s chances in Japan’s cutthroat entertainment world.
“Considering she won the title, she has fair grounds to think she’ll do better (than Chibana). But she’s not really the best speaker in the world and hasn’t got any of the intellect apparent in Chibana, a graduate of the prestigious Sophia University,” the showbiz reporter tells Shukan Shincho. “And with the arrogance that she’s got, it makes the average woman working on TV look a lot more attractive.” (By Ryann Connell)
Now regardless of what this says about Miss Mori herself, it is quite telling of the Japanese media and how they want to see their women. Mori was always going to be more popular abroad than she was back in her native Japan, and her time abroad has increased her confidence and westernized her much more (anyone who has met Japanese people who have only lived in Japan, compared to those who have lived abroad, will know what I mean). But, the Japanese look for the cutesy, bubbly, child-like (as opposed to childish), high-pitched voice, all-clothes-with-bows-on style of woman, and Mori just isn’t that. The fact is, the reason she has won the Miss Universe competition is that she’s not the Japanese ideal!
Since the French woman (I forget her name) got the leading role in choosing Japan’s candidate for Miss Universe, they have done well. Okinawa’s Kurara Chibana, and Riyo Mori have shown that the more mature look comes across so much better on the western stage. But these women will not be approved of back in their native Japan, where they are still expected to put on the high-pitched voice and be bowing at every opportunity.
It will be interesting to see if and how her career develops after she returns from her year traveling & working for charities.
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All the power to Mori!
I like the last bit of the article where it’s explained that not being the Japanese idol ‘role model’ actually made them win the title.
Thanks, and it’s very true. The typical Japanese guy likes the women to be cutesy and submissive, rather than beautiful and with a mind of their own.