Police probe beauty contestant dinner (Shanghai Daily) Updated: 2006-08-21 07:18 Police in Nanjing are
probing a news report that Chinese candidates for the Miss Earth beauty pageant
were arranged to serve as restaurant hostesses on the sidelines of the contest
in the Jiangsu provincial capital.
Officers said they would investigate who arranged the service and whether the
beauty candidates offered sex services, the Modern Express newspaper reported
yesterday.
Thirty contestants for the East China final of the beauty pageant reportedly
entertained patrons at Shijiyuan restaurant and hotel for dinner and an
after-meal chat in VIP rooms on Wednesday.
Shijiyuan set the minimum price for each diner in a VIP room at 1,500 yuan
(US$188), the news report said.
The 30 beauty candidates stood in the lobby as customers selected their
dining partner. In less than 30 minutes, all orders were placed, the
Nanjing-based newspaper said.
Six women reportedly served a table of seven diners in a VIP room. The seven
property company executives reportedly paid more than 20,000 yuan (US$2,500) for
dinner.
A 17-year-old contestant from Jiangsu said shortly before the dinner an
official of the contest's East China organizing committee told the participants
to dress up. The official then led them to the restaurant lobby.
A restaurant executive told the newspaper that the organizing committee
agreed some of the dinner money would cover the cost of rooms for the candidates
and the committee. Diners reportedly paid tips directly to the restaurant.
Diners were allowed to take pictures with beauty contestants, but no body
contact was allowed, according to a deal between Shijiyuan and the organizers,
the report said.
One beauty contestant withdrew from the pageant after the dinner.
Zhang Bei, vice director of the organizing committee, reportedly said the
candidates "overreacted," as two others withdrew on Friday.
|