Pageant News Bureau - Maria Menounos

You saw her here first: Recent PNB cover girl Maria Menounos has been hired as a Los Angeles-based anchor of Channel One. It's the position formerly held by Lisa Ling, now of "The View." Ms. Menounos will be traveling the world reporting for Channel One, which broadcasts news and features to millions of American high school students. Ms. Menounos is a film producer and Massachusetts pageant veteran who was first runner-up to Miss Massachusetts USA in 1999.

Maria Menounos has the face of a movie star, but she has the heart of a movie producer. And she's following her heart.

In her early 20s, at an age when many young women are taking their first steps into acting, this Massachusetts pageant standout has already produced a feature film. It's a musical fantasy titled "George's Auto," and the Boston Phoenix called it a "Gen-X Wizard of Oz." It was written and directed by former MTV head writer Kevin Indigaro.

What does a movie producer do, anyway? The really important, non-glamorous stuff. Finding the money to finance a movie, hiring a crew to make the movie, arranging for a time and place to film the movie. Making everything come together. It's not the kind of work that gets a person recognized on the street or chased by paparazzi, but it's challenging and gratifying, she says.

With director Kevin Indigaro on the set of "George's Auto."

With director/writer Richard Linklater of "Dazed and Confused" and "Slackers."

Ms. Menounos knows what it's like to be in the spotlight. She was Massachusetts' Perfect Teen 1995, finishing as third runner-up to America's Perfect Teen, and she was Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1996. She has also modeled extensively, appeared in commercials, worked as a news anchor at a college TV station and hosted her own radio program in two languages (Greek and English).

But the challenge and the involvement of producing have become her first love. She is currently at work on a syndicated TV series, to be shown on PBS, about short films around the world. She will be the host as well as the producer.

Ms. Menounos is not leaving the pageant world behind (a big relief to us). She was first runner-up to Miss Massachusetts USA 2000, and she's going back to try for the 2001 title. She would like to win the Miss USA crown because of the opportunities it would give her in Hollywood.

We warned her that success in the Miss USA system has been known to turn women into movie stars, so she had better be careful. She said she's willing to take her chances.

Photos courtesy of Maria Menounos

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