talkturkey

Didn't Recognize You

So many of the same people adorned the red carpet yesterday. If you weren't aware, it was the Emmy Awards day/night here in Los Angeles for the best of TV.But seeing people live is a lot different than seeing them on TV or the big screen. For one thing, they do get older just as fast as us. And they look it, no matter how hard they (and their surgeons) try. Hair extensions and all. However, some are so 'different' than the way I remember them. Even I have a hard time recognizing them. The women are the worst. Some of them should just age gracefully. They would look a lot better. And I would still recognize them. Even with my glasses.

I presume we all know this joke: A middle-aged woman has a heart attack and is taken to the hospital. While on the operating table, she has a near-death experience. Seeing God, she asks if this is it. God says: "No, you have another 40 years, 4 months, 4 days and 4 hours to live." Upon recovery, the woman decides to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast augmentation, and a tummy tuck. Since she has so much more time to live, she figures she might as well make the most of it. She leaves the hospital after the last operation, and while crossing the street is killed by an ambulance speeding to the hospital. Arriving in front of God, she demands: "I thought you said I had another 40 years?" "Sorry," God replies: "I didn't recognize you."

Miss Universe and Ramadan

Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete is the new Miss Universe. Miss Turkey Gizem Memic did not make it past the first round. Deliberate, political conspiracy, or just a simple case of 'subjective' judging of beauty? Believe what you will, but even Miss USA was not among the 15 semi-finalists.

As you might remember, Miss Michigan Rima Fakih, a Muslim-Arab-American, was chosen as Miss USA back in May. She is a great 'model' (no pun intended) for what I call, the next-generation Islam. Quite contrary to the perception Muslims have been plastered with lately. She is comfortable with her Islamic background while embracing her own version of modernity as it relates to women everywhere. My kind of woman!

Case in point: "I am fasting," Rima Fakih said, referring to Ramadan. "It's part of my religion. I wanted to be respectful." At the same time she said the racy photo shoot last week involving body paint was "pure art ... It was a great experience. But it was something that I felt comfortable with and chose to do it myself."

Need I say more?

Miss Universe 2010 and Gizem Memic

UPDATE: Miss Universe 2010 Chosen

Miss Universe 2010 will be held in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay on Monday, August 23. The NBC Universal and Donald Trump joint venture will be televised on NBC at 9PM with Bret Michaels (the current 'Celebrity Apprentice') as co-host.

Among the 83 contestants, Turkey will be represented by Miss Gizem Memic. You can find out a little about her on this Miss Universe YouTube video. And here are some official pageant pictures. How do you think Miss Turkey will fare? Will she make it past the first round? We hope so, and we wish her the best of luck.

Interesting side note: Dar Be Dar (sounds Turkish, doesn't it?) is the swimsuit sponsor of Miss Universe. The company is headed by Tala Raassi, the famous Persian designer who once received 40 lashes in Iran for wearing a mini skirt on her 16th birthday. Here's a look at the swimsuits as worn by the contestants.

She Makes Me A Better Person

He was a serial womanizer. He now proclaims, "she makes me want to be a better person." It's British x-bad boy Robbie Williams speaking of his new bride, Ayda Field. The recent wedding was limited to just 60 close family and friends.

According to this article, "another person missing from the wedding was the bride's estranged father. But hours before she walked, solo, down the aisle, Field is said to have made an emotional phone call to her father Haldun Evecan at his Turkish home in a bid to make peace.The tearful reunion has sparked plans for a second wedding celebration, to which Robbie has reportedly given his full backing. Istanbul-based advertising executive Evecan left the U.S. in 1982 after splitting with Ayda's mother Gwen Field."

My best wishes to the newlywed couple. And here's hoping that Ayda and her father can come to terms with 'time heals all wounds.'

I'm Baaack!

Now that I have my head screwed on straight... I'm back. And if you still can't get enough of me, and miss me between posts, you may follow me on Twitter.