Former Beauty Queen Jenni Mortimer Confesses

Aucklander Jenni Mortimer, a digital producer at the New Zealand Herald, and former beauty queen, offers up ten confessions about life on the pageant circuit. And she says it’s not all about “big hair, tiaras and YouTube fail compilations waiting to happen.”

“Being on the pageant circuit wasn’t glamorous and it wasn’t easy, but it was one of the best times of my life,” Mortimer, once Miss Auckland, writes.

You’ve got to be tough she says.

“Being a beauty queen in New Zealand is hard. Because most New Zealanders do not like pageants. And that’s okay. But as a contestant, you’ll need to be tough, have a sense of humour, and be willing to forgo the largest portion of your dignity in order to succeed.

“In an attempt to sabotage me, a fellow competitor stole all of my left shoes. Upon looking under her bed and discovering what can only be described as a hoard of left-footed hooker heels, I made a pact to never let myself get that crazy.

“Everything you say in a pageant will probably be a lie. Why? Because you’re expected to be perfect when, in fact, you’re only human. So you will rehearse all the questions the judges could possibly ask you and invent the best possible answer. Observe:

“Charity work? ‘I’ve done loads of it.’ War? ‘Hate it.’ World peace? ‘Love the stuff.’

“It’s hard to put yourself out there to be judged and you need to be confident enough to know that while you are beautiful just as you are, you may not be the judge’s favourite on the night. That is totally okay. You are still awesome and worthy.”

Original article by Jenni Mortimer, NZ Herald, May 21, 2017.