
Well now, this takes Red Carpet Victim to a whole new level. Ingrid Marie Rivera, a veteran beauty pageant contestant, was allegedly sabotaged during Puerto Rico’s 2008 Miss Universe competition last week. At one point during the pageant, a bag with Rivera’s clothing, makeup, and credit cards had mysteriously disappeared, perhaps allowing the bad guys to do their deeds.
So just what did they do? Tainted Rivera’s makeup and clothing with a chemical solution believed to be pepper spray, of course. Poor Rivera broke out in hives and her face and body swelled. Amazingly, Rivera remained composed in front of the judges and cameras, but fled backstage to peel off her clothes as soon as she could.
Rivera’s first observed reaction was thought to be allergic, or perhaps due to nerves. After a second incident, however, there was a definite need to investigate.
“We noted that when she finished applying makeup and went to get on stage, she began to get red in the face, on the back and shoulders - everywhere she had applied makeup,” said pageant spokesman Harold Rosario.
Rosario also speculates that the promoters and makeup artists of Rivera’s competition were behind the deed.
Evidently, beauty competitions in the U.S. Caribbean territory are fierce, garnering overtly-passionate audiences and spawning accusations of rigged results.
Rivera had the last laugh, however. She beat all 29 of the other contestants to take home the crown. So take that, big meanies!
Source: Associated Press