It’s a bit different, Katharine Rene says as she picks away at a giant vegan cookie.
There are men and women. Some have dyed hair, some break dance and others practice martial arts. And just as you would expect on the West Coast, everyone has a diverse background.
“The pageant is very different,” the Britannia Beach resident reiterates.
Rene saw the ad for the Ms. And Mr. Vancouver Pageant online. She sent in some photos and shortly afterward received an email from the event producer. The next week she was interviewed and shortly afterward found herself in front of the cameras.
“I was nervous, but mostly excited,” Rene said. “I didn’t know what to expect. It actually turned out that I forgot about the camera.”
Rene and a cast of 11 started filming what has become a series along with the finale. Filming runs until November. The show is a bit reality TV-meets-documentary with a slice of pageant mixed in.
In the run-up to the final event, which will include 25 contestants, the participants are put through the paces in a number of different activities that deal with healthy living. It’s about more than outside beauty, Rene said. The contest delves into who the people are and how they live.
“We also have a week of grooming for the stage,” Rene said, noting contestants are taking public speaking lessons.
That will come in handy for the winners. First place includes a one-year internship as an on-air host for Vancouver Television. Rene has her fingers crossed for the top prize. Besides being an educational assistant at Squamish Elementary School, Rene keeps a blog about healthy living. A vegetarian since she was a teenager, Rene became a vegan in her 20s. On her website - www.KatharineRene.com - Rene bites into everything from health food recipes to her regular fitness regime.
Having tripped upon diet choices and a workout that works for her through trial and error, Rene wants to share her story to help others. At the same time, she’s promoting her eco-friendly ideas.
The pageant is airing this week. It will appear on Shaw TV on Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. For the full schedule visit www.vtvvancouver.com.
“There is a big ‘Miss Congeniality’ perception of pageants. People think of hair spray and fake everything. This is not that. I am excited because it lets us be ourselves.”
