The story serves as the first instalment in a planned three-part series, and introduces readers to the glamorous-yet-gritty world of 1980s high fashion through the eyes of its compelling protagonist, Josaphina Brinkley.
Brinkley’s journey takes us behind the velvet curtain of runway shows and glossy magazine covers, revealing a raw, emotionally charged narrative that explores the intense pressures, fleeting fame, and personal sacrifices of life at the top. Gardiner expertly weaves themes of ambition, vulnerability, and resilience into a tale that feels both nostalgic and strikingly relevant.
Originally from South Africa, Gardiner made history when she became the first South African to win the Miss Universe title in 1978. For over three decades, she has called Los Angeles home, where she successfully transitioned from the modeling world into a respected career in entertainment journalism. Her insightful interviews and Hollywood coverage have earned her a reputation for depth and empathy—qualities that now shine through in her fiction writing.
With Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar, Gardiner marks a bold new chapter in her multifaceted career. The book not only showcases her storytelling talent but also signals an exciting new direction as she embraces life as a novelist. Readers and critics alike are eager to see what comes next in this emotionally resonant and stylish new series.
What prompted you to write the book?
There are recurring themes people don’t talk about in a consequential way like self-care, mental health, societal framing, unhealthy coping patterns, friendship, loving the wrong person, and personal pain. I put that into one person and set it against a backdrop of glamour, movies, premieres, love triangles and photo shoots. It makes people want to dive into the pages and protect Joey from herself.
How would you describe it?
It’s the book you want your friend to read so you can talk about it together. It’s the book that allows you to say the things you’ve never said. The structure appears to be random and chaotic, but as you get into it, you have to reflect on your initial responses, and they change as the mystery unpacks. People don’t like Joey at the beginning. They want to protect her from herself in the middle. Readers have asked for more of her at the end. It’s a psychological mystery of how Joey became Joey Superstar and it’s going to surprise you and break your heart. I think a lot of people relate to it because it’s about good girls who get treated badly, and eventually fight back.
How much of yourself is in Joey Superstar?
Not too much. But she is fed by a lot of the injustices I’ve witnessed. Seeing young actresses and models flame out while the world delights, never asking why she’s acting like she is or being given healthy tools as she self destructs in the spotlight. Think Kate Moss’s recent confession that she had something like a nervous breakdown after being exposed naked on billboards as a 17 year old. Think Johnny Depp trashing his hotel room early in his fame. Think Brittney Spears as she is today, or Demi Levato’s recent documentary on what its like to be young and famous.
What do you want readers to take away from it?
If you are in a cycle of trauma, change something, get healthy coping tools, ask for help, disrupt your norm.
Like Joey, beauty was your currency although you’re well-regarded as a journalist and now author…
Well, I’d challenge that statement. My currency has been my courage. To lean in and master, to rise in the face of obstacles, to succeed when others hoped I wouldn’t. My currency is my resilience. My currency has been to never rely on what others fixate on about my outsides. To not be limited by other’s expectation of who I should be. Ultimately, I’d say my currency has been my brain.
You were called ‘the most beautiful girl in the world at 18’, what was that like? As a former beauty queen, how much does beauty and appearance mean to you now?
Beauty is a big deal to people who aren’t labeled beautiful. People want it. People want to exploit it. People want to break it down or make it insignificant while imbuing it with a luster that is about image and not about reality. I don’t focus too much on my outsides. No more than the average woman. What I know is that I usually don’t choose to be my best physical me. Sometimes I do. But I can never be my best physical me if I do not own my centre with utter confidence. I think that’s my secret sauce. And honestly, it makes me uncomfortable to talk about myself as though I think I’m beautiful. I have to answer the questions that make the assumption that I think I’m beautiful. I’m not being disingenuous. I try to be my best me. However you label it, that’s about you. Not me. What I can talk about is what I learned from the experience of having that label applied, as a psychological observation of human behaviour.
The idea of beauty pageants in 2025 for many people are sexist, outdated etc. What’s your view?
Sexist? Why? Cos you participate in open judging? Everyone is judged all the time. On where they come from, how they sound, their connections, job, power base, friends, how they eat blah blah. Why pretend that’s not true? If we are judged at work for ability, if there’s an Olympics for sport. If there’s a best dressed, Nobel prize for the smartest, whatever, why is beauty the one thing that is held to a different standard and not allowed to be judged? All involve reverberating natural genetic predispositions. Sexist how? Do you look at another woman and judge her according to sexual bias or your own woman bias? By willingly agreeing to be judged on criteria that is acknowledged, if you win, you are given a platform and power to reach millions and advocate change and a voice that someone who is ambitious in a field, may never reach no matter the degree they have, nor the effort they exert. Being in a pageant is a little more honest than real-life pretend.
Even now at age 65, 47 years after I was crowned, being a former pageant winner has still opened doors, so people can hear of ‘Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar’, and consider that with my background I might actually have something to say that hasn’t been said before on modeling, beauty, psychology – and give the book a chance. They will be entertained but they might also acquire tools that help them navigate their world. That you are reading this is because of the title I won when I was 18. I don’t feel exploited.
You travelled to Australia during your tenure as Miss Universe – what do you remember about that time?
Loved it. The people are no BS. Smart. Capable. Practical. Beautiful country. Desperately want to go back. Channel 7 did a documentary on me: I’m a Beauty Queen; Not a Politician. When I visited after it was shown, everyone was in love with my dad, cos whenever an opportunity arose that led to me leaning into an opportunity like going to Paris to model at 16, or entering a pageant, he said, ‘No – don’t do it!’ Coming from a family of women, he had three daughters – he never stood a chance. He was outvoted and Australia loved him for it. I won’t comment on the rugby. I’m South African. Enough said.
