Here She Comes, America's Perfect Teen, From Wales
Filed under: News, In The News, Weird But True, New In Pop Culture
Can a Welsh girl be America's perfect teen? Credit: NBC
The not-so-secret life of America's perfect teen? She's a British schoolgirl from Wales.
The crowning of 16-year-old Anysha Panesar, who was allowed to enter the America's Perfect Teen beauty pageant as an international contestant, is causing waves on both sides of the pond.
A former Miss Teen Wales, she beat out 80 others for the title, winning $2,000 and an $18,000 scholarship in the process. Panesar, who hails from Llangan, Wales, some 3,500 miles from U.S. shores, says she found out about the contest while on a family vacation in Kissimmee, Fla.
Families of aspiring American beauties are furious about the snub to their U.S. girls, pageant founder Michael Galanes tells London's Daily Mail.
"Yes, her win caused a bit of a stir because she is British. But that is perfectly within the rules of the competition and those people are just nay-sayers," Galanes, whose toddler's pageant, Little Miss Perfect, has become a big hit. "One of the judges told me she liked Anysha because she was just a breath of fresh air."
Speaking live on "Today" from London this morning, Panesar says she didn't receive any flack from the American contestants as she competed in and eventually won "their" pageant over the course of four days.
"They didn't say anything nasty to me whatsoever; I was having the best week of my life, to be honest," she tells the morning show.
Her mother sees it differently.
Caroline Panesar, 41, says anyone who thinks a British contestant should not have won is simply jealous.
''I did not hear anyone say anything nasty about her being British when we were there, but I have heard it since and it is sour grapes," she tells London's Telegraph. ''You are always going to get that, it is the nature of competition. For every person who says 'well done' there will be someone who complains behind her back."
Related: Teen Aspires to Become a Beauty Queen ... and an Undertaker
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
Recently Asked
- HICKMAN, DERIAN DOUGLAS PLAINTIFF PRO SE & INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE Defendant Service: Summons Issued Method: Service Issued
- Why should anyone listen to a _____, what makes her an expert? Harpo is jus an actress, all she does is sit on her tush & claim she knows it all. ...
- Divorce reasons wife does not want IVF, Donor Sperm











ReaderComments (Page 1 of 12)
9-22-2010 @ 2:12PM
mike said...I think it is rediculous first of all there are sooo many beautiful people here in america and there are so mant people here that need that scholarship money and they give away u a european, DISCUSTING
Reply
9-22-2010 @ 3:43PM
Julias said...Great just what we need for our teens another someone to cut, bleed, and starve themselves to look or act like. Do you know how many of our teens are going to be buying Hannah Montana crap into the future? Ugh. We are all going to have poor kids wasting money on whatever they are told is the latest greatest. I am teaching mine now to save money, using sites like Http://www.savecreatively.com and others
9-22-2010 @ 4:43PM
Kelly said...Wow, way to sound like an ignorant, illiterate American jerk. Two thumbs way up Mike.
People: this is seriously NOT A BIG DEAL. How about we worry about more important things than beauty pageants?
9-22-2010 @ 5:19PM
Riccardo said...I think we should give you the scholarship so that you can go to school and learn how to spell the words.....RIDICULOUS, MANY and DISGUSTING. You also need to learn English grammar. Very sad! A true commentary on the state of education in the U.S.
9-22-2010 @ 6:11PM
Lisa W Palmer said...OMG i earned 121$ per day FREE with this Http://bit.ly/iearned as i am housewife it really helped me to repay all my bills and have financial freedom.
9-22-2010 @ 6:34PM
bapstko said...Mike is correct! It's not about having something more importatnt to worry about, of course there is always something more important. But to the "Teenage American Girls" this pageant was important and I agree with Mike! If the pageantis a Miss Teenage American Pageant than non US Citizens should not be allowed to win! We have pleanty of Beautiful Young Teenagers who need scholarship money right here in the good old USA! There are pageants for international contestant's the British girl should have enetred one of those. Shame on the Founder of this Miss so called American Teen Pageant!
9-22-2010 @ 6:35PM
pope said...@Kelly: Ever heard of principles? It's not only the 'big deals' that matter in life - all the little things add up. This girl is gorgeous, but it was a Miss AMERICA pageant. I fail to see how they could have picked someone who doesn't even have a Green Card.
9-22-2010 @ 7:06PM
Jenn said...That's just so D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G Mike that you can't seem to find it in your heart to think of other's needs.
How many of America's Teens really care about being literate?
You don't seem to care.
If she were against all the bratty, illiterate, sex-driven girls who can't even remember how to spell out "Laugh Out Loud," "Best Friends Forever" and really have no originality, I would vote for the girl who hails from Wales or Africa, Haiti, or dare I say Mexico!
Perhaps Mike, you should enter a pageant so you can obtain a free scholarship!
9-22-2010 @ 9:44PM
Kristen said...I think it is RIDICULOUS that someone is trying to be insulting while being illiterate. I also think it is ridiculous that every time someone is idolized who happens to be skinny they just get ripped on and told they are anorexic. She's 16!!! Ripping on someone for being skinny is just as bad as ripping on someone for being fat. We all have different body types! Get over it! But yes, Julias, teach your children to let money rule their happiness. That's a MUCH better lesson!!!
9-22-2010 @ 7:38PM
Rod said...The owner of the pageant can have whatever rules he wants. It's not like it's a government sponsored event, where the debate of citizen vs. non-citizen would be a legal matter. He can open it up to boys, non-Americans, or whoever he wants. He should probably change the name of the pageant to reflect that it's open to people outside the U.S., though, but again, it's his pageant to do whatever he wants.
9-22-2010 @ 8:05PM
katie said...i agree that since she doesnt live in the usa she should not have been allowed to partake in the pagent. it has nothing to do with her looks its just that this is an american pagent therefore she should be disqualified also in the article she already held the title miss wales it should go to the first runner up . i dont care if the winner would be a citizen or not just a resident
9-22-2010 @ 8:12PM
kim said...@everyone- Don't take it out on the girl, the rules didnt say citizen, they said own land. She was within the rules so she has as much right to win as any American. Maybe take it out on the person who wrote the rules because whining and bad-talking a teenager who did nothing against the rules makes us look way worse than having a foreigner win an contest with "American" in the title.
9-22-2010 @ 8:37PM
Jeff Simmons said...Hello Everyone! I have a been a Chief Judge for Miss America Prelims for years. Considering the title of the competition is America's Perfet Teen I am a bit lost in the crowning? When you are confronted w/ issues as this you must ask the purpose of the pageant? As an advocate for Miss America, I know this pageant goes beyond beauty and talent and takes into consideration their goodwill to represent an honorable platform. I am not familiar enough w/ this competition as I have to question if it is a For-Profit Pageant which rarely represents good standing because the judges are not educated to adequately judge. I am sure the winner is absolutely delightful, but does she really represent the title? Give me a call if you decide you need a level headed judge. By the way, we all do love accents don't we? Charming, I must say!!! Thank you so much!
9-22-2010 @ 8:50PM
NoReasoningWhatsoever said...I see no reason why she can't win. Not her fault that the pageant was idiotic enough to not include rules about citizenship. Plus, she seems like a darling little thing. Good for her. Maybe we should make it "Worlds Best Teen". Might be a bit more fair, in my opinion. Or just revise the damnable rules...
9-23-2010 @ 10:28AM
Code said...I see someone who could use a scholarship, Mike.
Considering you just butchered your own language, I suggest you find a nice-fitting bikini and join the pageant next time.
9-22-2010 @ 2:14PM
mike said...the persons who wrote the rules are the ones to blame. the rule stated that you had to own property in the u.s. all that was needed was to say that you had to have been born in the u.s. more of a error on the rule writers, not the contestant who followed all the rules and still won.
Reply
9-22-2010 @ 5:40PM
DJ said...Yeah i agree mike! Its the people WHO wrote the rules that their fault. Plus we should be worrying more about the economy and finding a way to fix the crap WE PUT OURSELVES IN!!
9-22-2010 @ 6:18PM
Catmoves said..."Kelly said...
People: this is seriously NOT A BIG DEAL. How about we worry about more important things than beauty pageants?"
Kelly, you really don't have a clue, do you? This is just one more little stroke attacking the national pride of America. It is part of the design to turn us into "one world". Check it out, hon.
9-22-2010 @ 7:57PM
dugandob said...This is response to (CATMOVES) First I had to laugh at what you said, so you think that this pageant is trying to take over the world. I guess that would be ok if the USA were the one to take it over. Now calm down catmoves, that was a joke, or was it? What a dumb azz
9-22-2010 @ 9:19PM
Sapez12 said...Dugandob...ever heard of communism? Thats what it's coming down to. It's such a shame that people are forgetting the thousands of American soldiers who died in Vietnam to protect us, and your ungrateful toosh, from communism.