Miss Universe 2010 Contestants' Naked Pictures -- with Body Paint

The Miss Universe Pageant annually presents to the world some of the most beautiful women on the planet. But sometimes that isn't enough to get viewers to follow the selection process or watch the broadcasted final event, so there are myriad ways that promoters attempt to draw attention to the contest. This year Miss Universe 2010 is drawing some heat from offering pictures of the contestants naked -- sort of. Their nakedness is somewhat "covered" with body paint. But the knowledge that there is a little body paint on a naked body is an alluring image, and some believe, according to The Hollywood Gossip, that the Miss Universe Organization has gone too far.
Angie Meyer, who used to work for the Miss Universe Pageant, told Fox News, "It's alarming that this has been turned into a Playboy-esque masquerade. By implementing topless photos as part of the pageant process, they're putting applicants in an extremely compromising position."

Such arguments fly in the face of the obvious evidence of the contestants being placed in the accepted "compromising positions" of bathing suit and evening gown competitions. Still, it must be noted that, as alluring and provocative as the Miss Universe contestants may be in their bathing suits and evening gowns, they are not as accessibly naked as they are under a smear of vivid body paint, which only gives the thin illusion of coverage.

"The contestants who compete at Miss Universe are diverse," Lark-Marie Anton, vice president of marketing and public relations for the organization, said in rebuttal to charges of inappropriateness, "as they represent more than 82 countries around the globe. Many of their cultures embrace nudity... We feel the images captured are fashionable and cutting edge!"

The "inappropriate" body paint pictures seem to be a natural extension of the sexy Miss USA 2010 photos that caused such an uproar earlier this year. The 51 contestants posed provocatively in lingerie and in various stages of undress that many found too risque and not appropriate for the Pageant or its image.

Appropriate or not, the body paint pictures got the attention of the media. As pageants have learned over the years, controversy can be an effective promotion tool.

The Miss Universe Organization announced August 3 that the Miss Universe 2010 Pageant will be held Monday, August 23 on NBC Television. The show will be broadcast from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. NBC's "Today Show" host Natalie Morales and rocker Bret Michaels will host the event.

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Sources:

Fox News via TheHollywoodGossip.com
MissUniverse.com