'Survivor' winner persisted in Erie contest

By Jennifer Pierson
jennifer.pierson@timesnews.com

"Survivor" winner Jenna Morasca is no stranger to competitions. She's not just the winner of CBS's most recent edition of the popular reality television show — and the $1 million prize that goes with it.

She's also won Erie's Venus bikini contest — in both 2001 and 2002.

"It's great to be back here and not have to wear the bikini," Morasca, 21, said Sunday.

Morasca was in town to host the competition's finals on Sunday at the El Patio Motel, 2950 W. Eighth St., not to compete.

"It's a lot less stressful, that's for sure," Morasca said.

The 10 finalists, all standing around her, laughed.

In a couple of minutes they would change out of the eveningwear they wore for an earlier round of the finals and into their bikinis for the competition's grand finale.

A mostly male crowd of almost 300 had gathered to watch the finals despite Sunday's drizzling rain. By the time it all ended around 4 p.m., Christina Blanks was selected as the winner.

But is winning a bikini contest as hard as winning "Survivor"?

Is there any of the back stabbing at the competitions that is a staple of reality television shows?

"I would not say it's as bad as 'Survivor' because you can eat, but a lot of people who do these types of competitions don't eat. I've been to some pretty nasty (bikini competitions), not this one, but I've been to some pretty nasty ones," Morasca said.

Morasca has traveled to compete in bathing suit competitions and her "Survivor" biography lists bathing suit model as her occupation.

"I was just surfing the web one day and all these bikini contests came up," she said. "I remember Venus was one of them. I researched it and I noticed that some of the girls from their competitions were in commercials and on television now."

"I drove up to Erie from Pittsburgh a whole bunch of times," Morasca said. "I had never been up here before."

Before the final round of Sunday's competition, Morasca was in a private room to sign autographs.

Men clutching copies of her Playboy pictorial spread and wearing badges that said "VIP" waited politely for their turn.

On the magazine's cover, Morasca posed with her friend and fellow Survivor contestant Heidi Strobel. The two gained notoriety after stripping off all of their clothes for food on the television show.

"Last night was the Midnight Summer's Dream party at the (Playboy) mansion that I was invited to, but I already had plans to come here," Morasca said while in a dining room at the El Patio Motel.

"I'm invited to all the mansion parties from now until when I die, so I'm sure I'll make it to one," she said and laughed.

JENNIFER PIERSON can be reached at 870-1889 or by e-mail.

Last changed: August 04. 2003 5:56AM