Pretty Girls and Pepper Spray

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

28 Nov 2007 06:09 AM

In about an hour I will turn on NBC's "Today" show. I can't wait to see Matt Lauer's interview with newly crowned Miss Puerto Rico, Ingrid Marie Rivera. She's the beauty queen who endured an alleged pepper spray incident prior to gaining the title last week.

For those of you who know nothing of this "mystery" allow me to fill you in: Rivera is accusing "someone" of dousing her gowns and make up with pepper spray during last Saturday's show.

According to witnesses, Rivera was composed while appearing before the cameras and judges. However, once she was off-camera she immediately stripped off her gown and was forced to apply ice bags to her face and body, which twice swelled and broke out in hives, according to local news reports.

"We thought at first it was an allergic reaction, or maybe nerves," pageant officials told reporters. "But the second time, we knew it couldn't have been a coincidence."

Later, Rivera's garments and cosmetics tested positive for pepper spray. According to police, Rivera's bag containing her gowns, makeup and credit cards had been stolen before the pageant.

Sounds legit, right?

Maybe not.

News reports now say police are investigating just how Rivera was able to stop crying between camera appearances during the live pageant, if indeed her gown and makeup had been saturated with pepper spray. Apparently, some pageant insiders are saying Rivera's pepper-spray claim may have been imaginary.

As for 24-year-old Rivera, she maintains her tears were genuine and her ordeal took a lot of "sacrifice."

"At one point, I asked, 'Am I a masochist?' But I said regardless of the results, this is my goal. The more rocks there are in my path, the more thanks I will give to God for sustaining me."

Okay...

We'll just have to see how Rivera reacts after being peppered (sorry) with questions from Lauer.

What do you think? Was the pepper spray incident real or do you think Rivera made the whole thing up?

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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