Angelica Mazua, a statuesque Angolan facing international drug smuggling charges, was voted Miss Penitentiary 2005 on Thursday after a six-hour contest pitting 40 female inmates from 10 prisons against each other in Brazil's largest city.

"People told me, 'You're tall. You should enter the contest,' so that's why I entered," said Mazua, who has been jailed for four months and could be sentenced to about five years behind bars if she's convicted. "I've always been interested in fashion."

I always wanted a beauty queen title. Seems I've been looking in the wrong place.

I want to say something in the negative about this article, like mentioning that it IS a prison, not a beauty contest, but apparently, it's both. As a female, however, in some twisted way, this seems like not an entirely bad thing. Let's face it, there isn't much in prison except boredom. Which breeds more boredom. Which leads to idle minds-and you know what they say about that. Perhaps this type of activity might be a lift in self esteem to some of the women, which just might, in turn, might lead to them wanting a better life for themselves, which might lead to them not committing these types of crime in the first place. Maybe not-but it's food for thought, at least.

The article also goes on to state that judges included "celebrities, soccer players and journalists, and there are prizes in three other categories, including writing, public speaking and congeniality." Wow. I can only imagine if the likes of J.Lo, David Beckham,and Soledad O'Brien showed up at one of these events. Talk about community service!!

In any case, it's an interesting concept. Does an activity like this increase self esteem amoung prisoners, thereby helping them, or, would it encourage jealousy, pettyness, and bad feelings amoung those who weren't chosen? It's hard to say. People say that beauty contests are demeaning to women. I would say that once in prison, you pretty much have been demeaned already, so you have no where to go but up. At least it would give the women something to look forward to. Besides their impending prison terms, that is.

I only hope that Donald Trump doesn't want to buy both the prison and the pageant, a la Ms. America. Now wouldn't THAT be the crown jewel in the Trump real estate empire!!

More likely though, this would be the basis for the next reality show. I can see it now-The Bachelorette 2006-from a South American Prison-not as pretty as a big mansion in L.A., but certainly more interesting.

I'm just waiting for it to happen. In the meantime, my congratulations to Angela Mazua. A message to the runner up as well. If some some reason, Ms. Penitentary " cannot fulfill her duties" I wonder if the runner up then gets the title?

Only time - well, jailtime, that is - will tell.