Raised in a very talented musical family to the sounds of the santur, zarb, tar and nay, Shally Zomorodi is a veritable picture of talent and beauty. Having become Mrs. California and earning many beauty pageant titles over the years, Shally is a recognizable face among Iranians all over Orange County. Her grace and intelligence can be seen every morning on a show called Daybreak OC. I had a chance ask her some questions recently.
Shally Zomorodi: I was born in Chico, California and spent most of my life in California. I have two amazing parents who have been married for more than 30 years and have taught me to love and reach for the stars. Being the first generation in my family to be raised in the United States my parents always supported me in pursuing goals that most people would say are impossible. My father, Mostafa Zomorodi, is a talented musician and inspired my two younger brothers, Arash and Aryaz, to learn how to play the zarb. I never learned how to play the instruments but instead learned how to bellydance when I was just four years old. You can imagine what our family gatherings are like. I am married to an amazing man and my best friend, Behrooz Entezam. We live in San Clemente, California with our two dogs.s when I was 16. Growing up in Orange County I was surrounded by people who did not look like me. I was not the most popular girl in school. My dark hair, big eyes and full eyebrows alienated me from the 'normal' crowd. I look back now and understand that I turned to pageants as a way to show the my peers that beauty comes in many different shapes, color and sizes. I placed in the finals or won every title I competed for giving me the platform to show beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Among my titles--Miss Orange County Teen USA, Miss Orange County USA and just recently Mrs. California Globe. Ironically, beauty pageants opened the door to the television broadcasting field. I won an journalism award from the producers of FOX/ Good day LA in Los Angeles and the rest is history.
Princesse de Cleves
