PARIS, France (AFP) — Two women who competed for the Miss France crown at the weekend have been removed from the organization after a video emerged of them insulting fellow beauty queens, organizers announced on Tuesday.
Miss Provence and Miss Aquitaine, representing areas in the south and southwest of France, saw their titles withdrawn by their regional committees after they were caught calling their rivals for the national award “fat bitches.”
A video filmed by Miss Aquitaine Ainhoa Lahitete backstage at Saturday’s televised event was posted online on Sunday, fracturing the image of an organization that seeks to promote the idea of sisterhood between contestants.
Lahitete can be seen talking into her phone criticizing the choice of the 12 semi-finalists, leading Miss Provence Julie Zitouni to interject and call them “fat bitches.”
Lahitete adds: “Not all, but a lot of them.”
“These offensive remarks and this behavior runs completely contrary to the values that our committees strive to uphold,” the regional committees of Provence and Aquitaine said in a joint statement.
“The role of a regional Miss is to be an ambassador for her region, a figure of seriousness, respect, and responsibility,” their statement added, saying that their decision had the support of the Miss France organization.