Pageant News Bureau

Lena Yada doesn't blow her own horn. It's a dreadful pun, assuming you get it, but it's absolutely true.

She's not a self-promoter. She likes to talk, but not about her own achievements. If you ask her about her days in teen pageants, she says, "I wasn't prepared." If you ask her about being a Venus Swimwear model, she swears it was mostly an accident.

So there you have it. She doesn't need to say much. Her beauty does the talking. Sometimes it shouts to the rooftops.

During the Venus Swimwear international finals in September 2001, there was this Lena Yada moment. If you were there, you remember. She came onstage in a dress that was clinging to her body like icing to a cake. How sweet it is!

In a world of prima donnas, you almost wouldn't notice Lena Yada. Except you can't take your eyes off her.

She started out in Hawaii (where she has a special dressmaker). She has lived a few other places, including the chilly Great Lakes region. But now she's in just the right place, Los Angeles. The fame factory.

There's one slight problem. Ms. Yada's modest attitude may hold her back. With her fashion background, she's interested in advertising and public relations. She would like to be a TV host. But she's not focused on becoming an actress. She's not hungry to be a star.

Well, she's young. She has a lot to learn. Anyone who looks at her knows fame is her destiny.

If the people in L.A. can recognize beauty, they won't let this girl get away. They'll give her an audition, they'll give her a screen test. They'll even give her a talk show if that's what she prefers.

And they won't dare change her name.

Note: This is the first of five special PNB profiles of Venus Swimwear models. Look for other profiles in the months ahead.

To be or not to be (famous)