The 2009 Miss Hawai'i USA and Miss Hawai'i Teen USA were crowned in a pageant last night at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.

The new Miss Hawai'i USA is Aureana Tseu, 25, of Mililani. She is a model and professional hula dancer.

The Miss Hawai'i Teen USA crown went to Ashley Moser, 17, of Hawai'i Kai, a senior at Punahou School.

Tseu will compete in the Miss USA pageant April 19 at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, which airs live on NBC-TV.

The location of the Miss Teen USA pageant has not yet been announced.

LENNON FORGIVEN FOR JESUS QUIP

VATICAN CITY — Vatican media are praising the Beatles' musical legacy and sounding philosophical about John Lennon's boast that the British band was more popular than Jesus.

Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano recalls that Lennon's comment outraged many when he made it in 1966.

But it says in its Saturday edition that the remark can be written off now as the bragging of a young man wrestling with unexpected success.

The newspaper as well as Vatican Radio last week noted the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' "White Album."

It said the album demonstrated how creative the Beatles were, compared with what it called the "standardized, stereotypical" songs being produced today.

KANYE GRABS HIS FIRST AMAS

LOS ANGELES — Kanye West had nothing to complain about yesterday, as he picked up his first-ever American Music Award and delivered a flawless, if subdued, performance of his new single, "Heartless."

West won twice, collecting trophies for favorite male rap/hip-hop artist and favorite rap/hip-hop album for his CD, "Graduation."

The evening's big winner was Chris Brown, who won three awards, including artist of the year honors.

Besides West, other double winners included Rihanna and Alicia Keys. Keys' CD, "As I Am," was the favorite pop/rock and soul/R&B album. Rihanna was named favorite female artist in both the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories; Brown won favorite male artist in the same categories.

'TWILIGHT' BITES BIG AT BOX OFFICE

LOS ANGELES — Audiences found the vampire romance "Twilight" infectious in its opening weekend, pushing the movie to a take of $70.6 million.

Catherine Hardwicke's film also enjoyed the biggest opening ever for a female director, blowing away the previous standard of $41.1 million set by Mimi Leder's "Deep Impact" in 1998.

Drawing from its huge fan base of teenage girls, who fell for Stephenie Meyer's novel of forbidden love between brooding vampire Edward Cullen and bookish high schooler Bella Swan, "Twilight" made a whopping $20,636 per theater, according to estimates yesterday.

"Quantum of Solace," came in second with $27.4 million.