Olivia O'Neil Loses Her Beauty Pageant Crown in New Zealand 2010-08-09 12:01:03

This Beauty Queen Lost Her Crown For Dyeing Her Hair

August 9, 2010

We're already not enamored of beauty pageants, but this news is just ridiculous. Fifteen-year-old Kiwi Olivia O'Neil has been stripped of her Miss Teen Wanganui crown. Her offense? She dyed her hair from blond to dark brown. When the pageant organizer, Barbara Osborne, saw it, she asked, "Is that a wig? I hope it is. Don't give me heart failure."

Our plucky pageant queen declared that it was indeed her real hair color, and that if Osborne didn't approve, then beauty pageantry might not be the right world for her. That's when things got crazy, with Osborne saying, "Well, you better decide, miss. Hand over your crown with an attitude like that. I'm sure someone will step into your place with manners." So Olivia did just that, at which point the organizer told the teenager that she "would not go far in this world." (What a nice lady!) Do you think Olivia should have been able to keep her crown, or is hair dye a serious offense?

16 Comments

2 years 36 weeks

Olivia didn't lose her crown because she dyed her hair. It was because of what she said in public. The organisor was right to ask her if she was wearing a wig - that question isn't offensive. Telling her she wouldnt make it far in this world - with an attitude like that, and she right. If u have a crap attitude u aint making it far! So in essence, this story is fake people!!! I WAS THERE WHEN THIS HAPPENED!!!

2 years 40 weeks

I'm with you gearhead! Olivia didn't grovel at this control freak's feet, so she's "unmannerly"? Olivia sounds like she's just being true to herself. Too bad that's seen as an offense in too many circles these days.

zeze 2 years 40 weeks

I don't think the issue is natural vs unnatural hair color, it is more about keeping the same exact image you had when you won - so whatever real or fake hair color you had when you won, you must keep it for the entire term you are the winner - and in that case it seems a little ridiculous.

2 years 40 weeks

I think Olivia already knows exactly who she is.By throwing it back in their faces she's already shown me she's her own person and doesn't answer to some crotchety old B*tch. You go Olivia! Never let ANYONE discourage you or make you feel bad about who you are.If they don't like it too bad! And who said she didn't speak in a mannerly way? I didn't read that. Osborne didn't like it because Olivia said that maybe pageant life wasn't for her.So you and Osborne can both bend over and pull the sticks out of each others butts.

Kiki tee 2 years 41 weeks

But in the video her hair is clearly brown when she wins :?

Rjs baby girl 2 years 41 weeks

They have fake tans, tons of makeup on, but changing their hair color is not ok? That's crazy. I watched the show on TLC about little 3 year olds having to compete in these shows and I swore if I have a daughter one day I'll never do that to her. Relying on being fake and having no personality to go further in life are not what I want to teach my kids as good values.

2 years 41 weeks

the lady took away her crown cos Olivia didn't speak in a mannerly way.. not cos she changed her hair color

postmodernsleaze 2 years 41 weeks

I'm with Jessiebanana. Pageantry as a whole is ludicrous..

Florida Snow 2 years 41 weeks

Hm. It depends. If the rules of the pageant explicitly said that you must have your natural hair color to be in the pageant, then yes, she broke the rules and needed to be disqualified. But if there was no such rule, then the judge was being an uptight bitch and the girl deserved to keep her crown.

Jessiebanana 2 years 41 weeks

This has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of. Pageantry truly is not one of the prouder things women accomplish.

POPSUGAR Beauty 2 years 41 weeks

I'm not crazy about beauty pageantry in general, so I might not be the most impartial person. But even within the confines of pageantry, I don't think it's fair to come down on her for dyeing her hair brown. (It's not like she showed up looking like a Blatz groupie.) Certainly, the organizer didn't handle things well. (She has since resigned, the newspaper reported.) Hopefully Olivia learned something about herself in the process.

POPSUGAR Beauty 2 years 41 weeks

roma18 2 years 41 weeks

wow, I think they were really harsh on her!! But models and beauty pageants sometimes have to keep the same certain look that organizers and agents have approved!

2 years 41 weeks

wow. that's really stupid. rules are stupid. so are beauty pageants. if she enters a superficial contest she should be prepared to lose superficially too.

2 years 41 weeks

It's not a serious offense. That's the world of beauty. It's fickle. I have read about models being fired for gaining weight, having acne, etc...It is very external so I'm not surprised. I hope the 15 year old didn't take the "would not go far in this world" comment seriously. Good luck to her.

2 years 41 weeks

As crazy as it sounds, if it's against pageant rules, I see nothing wrong with them taking her crown away for that reason. It wouldn't be fair to the other contestants who followed the rules by only going by their natural hair color.

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