Nothing typical about Miss Asia-USA

By Katherine Nichols
Advertiser Staff Writer

Feilani Bennett, clad in nothing more than black bikini bottoms and a strategically placed fur on top, is lying on what appears to be black satin, her legs and lips slightly apart, one arm draped over her head. She is gazing at the camera. Her long hair — which she actually dyed even darker — falls around her. On her right hip is a small tattoo of an ankh, or eternity sign, that invites closer examination. Even scrutiny.

Feilani Bennett is Miss Asia-USA. "If you feel sexy, you don't have to stop that to show other people that you're intelligent," she says. Photo courtesy of Feilani Bennett

"If you feel sexy, you don't have to stop that just to show other people that you're intelligent," she said. "You don't have to change anything about yourself.

"To me, a modern woman just has to be honest with herself. (The photographers) proposed that they wanted to do something really sexy and fun, and I thought, 'Why not?'"

Her unique version of a Hawaiian name hints that Feilani Bennett is never quite what anyone expects. In every aspect of her life, she gives the impression that whatever happens is exactly what she wanted.

Her mother had visited Hawai'i and "loved the name Leilani, but wanted all the girls' names in the family to start with the letter F," after her mother's own name, Florence. Hence, Feilani.

The youngest of four children, she was born Feilani Ombac (she uses her mother's last name, Bennett, "because I wanted to honor my Mommy") in Seattle. She lived there until age 9, when her family moved to Hawai'i Kai. She attended St. Patrick's School. Four years later, her family moved to the Philippines.

"Experiencing life in a different culture totally changed my whole outlook," she said. "It makes you appreciate little things. Like Foodland." She laughed.

But she also believes the sojourn helped her get in touch with her Filipina roots. Her father is Filipino-Chinese; her mother Filipina-German. Bennett speaks fluent Tagalog, and cooks an array of Filipina foods. "I'm full Filipina at heart," she said.

While attending school in the Philippines, she traveled frequently to Seattle and Hawai'i. Eventually, she returned to Seattle, where she earned her associate of arts degree with honors at Seattle Highline College.

Then it was back to Hawai'i again before she decided to move to Los Angeles and live with her older brother Edwin, who works in feature production at Paramount. Her goals: to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, and become an actress.

To support herself, she began working part-time with Educating Young Minds, a tutoring center, where she assists children from grades 1 to 12, and volunteers about four unpaid hours every week. She also teaches English as a second language to adults.

Feilani Bennett celebrated her win at the Miss Asia-USA pageant with her parents, Florence and Eddie Ombac. Photo courtesy of Feilani Bennett

She recalled that a "sassy gay guy was staring at me." Monet Lu, who, unbeknownst to Bennett was the "undisputed queen-maker" and is now a close friend, offered to train her for an upcoming beauty contest, the Miss U.S. Philippines Expo. The beauty salon owner volunteered to do her hair and makeup, have a gown made, teach her the pageant walk. Said Bennett: "Right away I got a really positive vibe from him."

She won.

Soon after, she won Miss Philippines Tourism. And in her third competition in three months, she competed with 34 Asian-American women from all over the United States and was crowned Miss Asia-USA, which is considered by many to be the premier pageant for Asian-American women.

"Ever since I started watching beauty pageants," she said, "I thought these girls had a lot of guts to go up there." She also believes people's stereotypical attitudes toward pageants are changing: "I think people are more open these days. It's about your grace and your femininity, and what you have to say when they ask you questions. If anyone stumbles over one question, they won't win.

"What really made me win was not being sexy, but the question-and-answer portion. Because I answered really honestly, and I stayed positive." Instead of turning a query about problems with today's kids into a discussion about drugs and violence, she spoke about the values of education and how it can prevent many of these problems.

When not competing, she stays positive by laughing ("at the silliest things"), eating ("mom and pop's cooking"), practicing yoga ("I like to stretch my body"), walking, attending church ("my grandma Vida helped me get in touch with my spirituality") and staying single ("that doesn't mean I don't date!").

Yet the upbeat innocence never entirely conceals Bennett's wild side. The discussion wandered back to her tattoos.

"I got (the eternity sign) . . . with Eddie O.," the on-air name of Edgar Ombac, her 34-year-old brother who is program director and morning host for KBIG 107 JAMS. When did she get it? "A long time ago, when I was, ohhhh. . . ." — she giggled before her voice trailed off — "underage.

"I guess I was feeling risky. You know what? I don't regret it. I was smart enough to pick something that wasn't outrageous." Because she was born in the year of the dragon, she also has a two-inch Chinese dragon inked on the small of her back.

When asked how she was dressed at the moment, she said she was wearing "a grandma-looking robe." Her favorite outfit includes jeans and a tank top or T-shirt. But as in the photo shoot, she enjoys exploring her options.

Ombac recalled one of his sister's Hawai'i visits, when they were preparing to go out. "Lani had these short shorts; I would not let her out of the house!"

Ombac also remembered stories that demonstrated Bennett's confidence and resilience. As she prepared to attend her high school prom in the Philippines, Bennett approached the top of the staircase at home, greeted by her family's "oohs and ahhs." She took one step and slid all the way down the flight of stairs on her gown. But she "just picked herself up like nothing happened," said Ombac.

She reacted the same way when she lost her skirt while performing a hula in the Philippines, and her bathing suit top at Hapuna Beach on the Big Island. Ombac confirmed that Bennett is comfortable with her mistakes — and herself. "She's not at all one of those girls that her hair has to be perfect before she leaves the house." He paused. "Feilani blows all of us away. We're just amazed and so proud of what she's accomplished."

Bennett welcomes her Miss Asia duties, which include the standard list of parades, awards presentations and interviews. Though she admitted that she'll probably cry when she has to pass the crown to her successor, at events "I just wear the sash," she said. "I skip the crown. Might be overdoing it."

Does she see herself as a role model for young Asian-American women? "Yeah, definitely," she said. "Because I wear skimpy bikinis in magazines!" She laughed at her self-deprecating joke, then grew serious. Her greatest asset, she believes, is her down-to-earth demeanor.

She said that many Asian-American women tend to wear a look that says, "'I'm all that.' It doesn't look good." Instead, she tries to smile, be nice and friendly and open. "No attitude going on."

Her long-term objectives include continuing her tutoring and acting classes, volunteering to hold unwanted, drug-addicted babies at hospitals and visiting the Islands as soon as possible. Several times during the conversation Bennett exclaimed, "I miss Hawai'i so much!"

But she is fairly sure she is done with the tattoos.