The Archive

It’s the taking part

Congratulations to Tenzin Nyima, the high-score-in-scrabble named winner of this year’s prestigious Miss Tibet competition.

Miss Nyima survived three rounds of presentations including a talk, a dance and a wander around the stage in traditional Tibetan togs to take the title, beating all the other competitors.

Or at least she would have, had there been any other competitors. As it was Miss Nyima was the only entrant.

Now I am a big admirer of heroic failure, so I have to say I doff my cap to the Miss Tibet organisers. Imagine the scene.

Organiser 1. "Shit. Only one bird’s turned up. What are we going to do?"
Organiser 2. "Don’t worry. If Chinese occupation has taught us anything, it’s how to brutalise and subjugate a nation."
Organiser1. "What the fuck? How does that help?"
Organiser 2. "Oh, it doesn’t sorry. But it also teaches us that even the most extravagant failure can be denied with an upbeat statement in a tightly-controlled press."
Organiser 1. "Aha. Now you’re talking. Get Alistair Campbell on the phone now."

You have to be impressed. Obviously nobody wants this event. But did our plucky organisers give up? No. Last year’s winner was too busy ‘studying’ in London (aka pissed out of her head on Mad Dog 2020 at the Student’s Union bar trying to forget about Tibet) to come along and hand over the tiara. Even God himself was apparently against it, sending a devastating earthquake and a hailstorm before the event. But still, did they surrender? No.

They pressed on, forcing Tenzin (isn’t that a bit of a sherpa’s name, incidentally) through the whole rigmarole, regardless of the fact that she must have been fairly confident of victory from the off.

The scale of the event is nicely illustrated by the photo gallery offered by the webpage. Click on it and you go to a page which simply says, "Miss Tibet Photo Gallery. No albums. No image."

Genius.

So, I am pleased to award this week’s Talking to Women in Nightclubs Award for Persistence in the Face of Obvious Failure to the Miss Tibet organisers.

Oh, and a special mention for use of irony in the winner’s speech. "This crown comes with a huge responsibility. I will try my best to show that I deserve it and be an example for other girls."

Other girls. Ha! Good one.

And finally, I’ve noticed that I can apparently volunteer to "organise tours for Miss Tibet if she comes to my town" through the I love Miss Tibet link at the bottom of the page.

Rest assured, I’ll be giving that a go.

Watch this space.

posted by Peter The Great @ 10:22 AM