This week on Weird and Wacky Wednesdays: The Law of the Crown
The pageant world provides a strange mix of glamour, glitter, and legal grief. This week the Miss Universe competition made headlines again for all the wrong reasons. It is a reminder that when the lights go out and the tiaras are boxed up, the contracts remain and the world of beauty pageants can also be Weird and Wacky.
The Miss Universe Meltdown
The Miss Universe 2025 pageant in Bangkok turned chaotic after police raided the venue in connection with alleged promotion of illegal online gambling. News stories and videos I’ve seen on TikTok indicate an ugly public clash between contestants and the pageant’s executive director, who insulted Miss Mexico during a rehearsal. This has become a public relations disaster.
The legal problems are easy to spot. If any contestant’s conduct breached Thai law or the pageant’s licensing terms, the organizers could face fines, loss of sponsorships, or breach of contract claims from sponsors and partners. Defamation or workplace mistreatment claims could follow if the comments toward contestants are found to have crossed a line. The behaviour of the organizer is likely inconsistent with the terms set out in the sponsorship agreements.
Beauty pageants depend on reputation. Once that reputation is damaged, the financial consequences can be huge.
A Crown Lost to Contract
In April, Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand, the third runner-up at Miss Universe 2024, was stripped of her title. The organizers said she breached her contract by entering another pageant before her Miss Universe obligations had ended. Her name was promptly removed from official listings.
The is a classic example of how exclusivity clauses operate. Contestants sign agreements giving the pageant control over their public appearances and endorsements. Competing elsewhere without permission is a likely violation. The organizer typically enforce these rules consistently or risk later claims of unfair treatment. Even in a world of sequins and smiles, contract terms are strict.
The Five-Million-Dollar Beauty Queen
Back in 2012, Sheena Monnin, Miss Pennsylvania USA, resigned and accused the Miss USA pageant of being rigged. The organizers, then owned by Donald Trump, sued her for defamation and won a five-million-dollar arbitration award after she foolishly failed to appear at the hearing.
It was an extraordinary price to pay for speaking out. Her contestant contract contained a mandatory arbitration clause that made the dispute private and binding. By skipping the process, she gave up her chance to defend herself. The case became a lesson in both media restraint and the importance of reading what you sign before you pick up the crown. Bearing in mind what we now know about Trump’s distance from honesty, it’s unfortunate that she found herself in this position. But, as we see often enough, courts get things wrong and injustice is a feature of the justice system, not simply an anomaly.
A Final Word
This week’s stories all turn on the same point. Beneath the lights are detailed legal issue with real consequences. Whether it is a cancelled crown, a careless remark, or a public accusation, every word and every clause matters when expectations are high.
If you ever find yourself on stage under hot lights, remember one thing. The right to silence applies even when you are asked to describe the perfect day.
See you next Wednesday.
