Our Reigning Queens:
Venezuelan Wins Miss Universe 2008 Crown
Twenty-two year-old Caracas native Dayana Mendoza clinched the most sought after title for women in the world. Dayana, representing Venezuela, cried as Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori placed a crown on her head. Riyo wore a tuxedo making her as the first Miss Universe to relinquish her gown not wearing a gown.
The pageant was full of colors and beautiful sceneries of Vietnam were used as a backdrop ranging from an ancient temple to Halong Bay to bamboos. Fifteen women were first called to compete at the swimsuit competition. They include the delegates from Venezuela, Kosovo, Mexico, Vietnam, South Africa, Australia, Japan, Dominican Republic, Italy, Colombia, Russia, Hungary, Czech Republic, USA and Spain.
The next round saw the delegates from Vietnam, South Africa, Japan, Hungary and Czech Republic being eliminated. The remaining delegates then competed in gown competition. In what was seem as a repeat of the last year’s event, Miss USA Crystle Stewart slipped onstage while making initial steps to the runway.
Dayana impressed the judges by her smart answer. “…men think that the faster way to go to a point is to go straight. Women, no. The faster way to go to a point is to go through curves and fixing every curve," Dayana responded to a question by judge Louis Licari.
Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas finished as the first runner while. Miss Dominican Republic Mariann Cruz is second runner while Miss Russia Vera Krasova finished third runner-up and Miss Mexico Elisa Najera, fourth runner-up.
When asked later by Missosology on what she thinks about the fact that many pageant-related websites predicted her win, she jokingly blurted, “I think you guys are cheating!” She however continued by thanking the support that her fans have given to her.
Dayana is the 5th Venezuelan Miss Universe dashing the hopes of Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas and millions of Colombians for a second title. The Latinas ruled this year’s edition clinching 4 of the Top 5 spots.
Dayana wins various prizes including supplies of beauty products plus the new USD 120, 000 crown featuring white and yellow gold. Special awards were also given where Miss El Salvador Rebecca Moreno won as Miss Congeniality while Miss Thailand Gavintra Photijak won the Best in National Costume Award.
What To Expect on July 14 8 a.m. Vietnamese Time
A few hours by now the new Miss Universe will be crown and every pageant fanatic is excited and restless. As of this moment everyone is anxious to know whose going to bring the following back home: a tiara created by CAO Fine Jewelry (a division of PNJ) designed by Mrs. Dang Thi Kim Lien and Rosalina Lydster., a year-long salary as MISS UNIVERSE, a New York City apartment for the year of her reign including living expenses, a two-year scholarship from The NY Film Academy in New York City valued at up to $100,000 plus a long list of beauty products and services provided by Miss Universe sponsors.
But of course, don’t forget that the runners-up will take something home as well. The FIRST RUNNER UP - $3,000 cash award and a crystal trophy from Rogaska SECOND RUNNER UP - $2,000 cash award and a crystal trophy from Rogaska THIRD RUNNER UP - $1,000 cash award and a crystal trophy from Rogaska FOURTH RUNNER UP - $1,000 cash award and a crystal trophy from Rogaskal TEN SEMI-FINALISTS - $500 cash award and a crystal trophy from Rogaska
Extra awards include the Best in National Costume Award and Miss Congeniality where the winners will receive $ 1, 000 each.
The people who will determine all of the new Miss Universe will always have the biggest the burden. They include world famous fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, Donald Trump, Jr., the Executive Vice President at the Trump Organization, Actress Nadine Velazquez star of the NBC smash hit sitcom "My Name is Earl", hair stylist to the stars Louis Licari, Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins of Australia, luxury shoes creator Taryn Rose, Than Nien newspaper Editor-in-Chief Mr. Nguyen Cong Khe, The Surf Club and The Crane Club owner Joseph Cinque and Indian-born actress and singer Eesha Koppikhar.
As of this moment beauty experts and pageant related websites mainly predict that the contest will go all the way with Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza as the winner. The Latinas a heavily favored this year. Consider Tom’s Page of Miss Universe Mania who thinks Venezuela will be triumphant. However not all of these experts agree. Critical Beauty for example thinks Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas will take the plum prize. But things could dramatically change in the finals paving way for an upset. Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas is under pressure to finally win another crown for her country. Miss Mexico Elisa Najera is also poised to take all the spotlights. Whatever the case will be, millions of people will surely be glued to their television as the new beauty queen is hailed. And the real winner of all these glitz and glamour is the host country Vietnam which has now earned the attention of the world. Pageant fans, media people and tourists came in droves filling the hotels to their capacities and making airline and bus reservations difficult.
An Official Statement from Miss Egypt Organization (Face to Face)
Nha Trang - July 12, 2008
The real story behind the gossip:
Miss Egypt Organization (Face To Face) is shocked by the article recently posted on Ines Ligron's blog concerning Miss Egypt Yara Naoum.
The National Director, Mr. Youssef Spahi contacted Ms. Naoum immediately after the story appeared on the web and she denied all the allegations. We highly suspected that this actually happened because we are constantly in contact with Miss Universe Organization and they wouldn't accept such a behavior from any contestant towards the others, not to mention towards Miss Universe!
In her latest e-mail with Mr. Spahi, Annette Cammer thanked him for sending "such a wonderful girl". Miss Egypt Organization highly suspects the genuienity of the story coming from a source that already spread suspicious rumors about other delegates. We also highly suspect that these are Ms. Ligron’s words as Mr. Spahi personally knows her and knows this is not the attitude of a National Director who already produced a Miss Universe. So what actually happened?
Regarding the incident with Miss Universe 2007, Riyo Mori, Ms. Noum assured us that this did not happen during the preliminary competition or in the backstage as the article suggests, it happened on the day of the gala dinner almost a week ago!
“While all the girls were standing in lines outside their rooms getting ready to go down to the gala dinner, Miss Russia stepped on my dress by mistake and I couldn’t turn around, I just kept saying: My dress, my dress! And I leaned on someone behind me trying not to fall on the ground and to my shock that someone turned out to be Riyo Mori! We laughed it out and I apologized to her, of course I didn’t slap her or anyone else, this is not my attitude, absolutely ridiculous!
I met Riyo again during the preliminaries and apologized once again, even though knowing I did nothing wrong, but out of courtesy to a Miss Universe titleholder and she was very nice to me and told me to take care because a lot of this will happen in the backstage”
According to this we highly suspect it is Ms. Ligron who wrote the article because although the story bares some truth it wouldn’t come from someone in her position and who is constantly in contact with Ms. Mori, unless that Ms. Ligron is no longer allowed to spend that much time with Riyo as her director or as a friend!
The second incident with Miss Canada also bares some truth and lots of lies. According to the Miss Universe Organization’s Rules and Regulations, contestants should specify if they are smokers or non-smokers before they get to the host country, and Ms. Naoum specified in her application that she is a smoker and so the organizers accommodated her with Miss Canada, who is also a smoker, however she did not specify that in her application. It is also in the Organization’s rules that smoking contestants must not smoke outside their rooms!
“There was no problem with Miss Canada about smoking; she is also a smoker despite not mentioning that in her application! I always smoke in the bathroom only and I’m not a heavy smoker as well, but Miss Canada was not in the mood one day and she told the supervisor who later found cigarettes with Miss Canada herself and the whole thing came to an end, you can ask her yourself, we are good friends after all. It is normal to have such feelings out of stress and I understand what happened, believe me, there are lots of things that happen in the backstage!” said Ms. Naoum
Again the correct story highly conflicts with what actually happened. It is just funny to read what the blog said about the whole situation “Miss Canada asked her kindly to pls go outside when she wishes to smoke. She turned around and said: “why? This is MY room?!” It makes you wonder if Ms. Ligron was actually with them in the room? The organizers are now planning to send a letter to Miss Universe Organization to investigate the incident and as Mr. Spahi was not able to go to Vietnam this year for personal reasons, MUO should not allow such a behavior to occur especially from a respectable National Director.
“I have been training the Egyptian representatives for ten years now, and as far as I know, our girls are known to be some of the most charming girls both on and back stage and there is no way that I would send a girl with such an attitude to Miss Universe even if I think she could win it all simply because she is representing my organization, name and country” said Mr. Spahi. Miss Egypt Organization (Face To Face)
The Plot So Far
Nha Trang - July 12, 2008
Yesterday, the media were allowed to take photos of the delegates while rehearsing onstage for the finals on 14th. Just across the highway, photos were taken for a group of delegates as well. This time around it is for the promotional photo for Miss Universe 2008. Rumors have it that this is actually a sign that the selected delegates will be on the top 15! If so, the lucky delegates are Miss Thailand Gavintra Photijak, Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza, Miss Tanzania Amanda Ole Sulul, Miss Belgium Alizee Poulicek, Miss Japan Hiroko Mima, Miss Israel Shunit Faragi and Miss Panama Carolina Dementiev.
A lot of speculations are flying here and there as the finals approaches. Some said that Miss Vietnam Nguyen Thuy Trang will make it to the top 15 out of gratitude to the host country. But admittedly, 30 more delegates performed well than the local girl. Some claimed that Miss Philippines Jennifer Barrientos will be given a slot to compensate for the misspelled sash that enraged a lot of Filipino fans! And Miss Puerto Rico Ingrid Rivera is now virtually hanging on the balance as her chances for top 15 remains hazy.
Another speculation says that Asians will be blanked out this year for after all they had it all last year.
Whatever the case may be, the rumors and speculations all lead to one thing – the Miss Universe 2008 is heating towards the finals!
Early Faves Shine at Prelims
July 8-Nha Trang
The preliminary competition for Miss Universe 2008 produced some rather predictable results. What stood out that night were the delegates that are considered by many pageant observers as favorites. In the swimsuit competition, Miss Elisa Najera of Mexico showed class and poise telling the audience that she won the Swimsuit Mini-Contest earlier fair and square. Miss India, Miss Kosovo, Miss Colombia, Miss Panama and Miss Venezuela are the other stand outs in the swimsuit competition. Meanwhile, Miss Taliana Vargas of Colombia wowed the audience by constantly twirling her gown. Other attention-grabbing delegates are Miss South Africa, Miss India, Miss Belgium, Miss Trinidad and Tobago and Miss Switzerland. Miss Venezuela showed that she can rule both the swimwear and the gown segments.
Asians are surprisingly weak this year even the local bet. Miss Japan and Miss Korea tried to grab attention with their gowns but they virtually missed the top 15 train in the swimsuit competition. In the European side, Miss Belgium is the strongest while Miss South Africa is Africa’s strongest bet. Miss USA Crystle Stewart did perform well and should land at the semifinals easily. Other delegates that did perform well are Miss Norway and Miss Australia.
Funny facts about the delegates on the voiceovers made the competition interesting especially at the gown segment. Miss Hungary for example elicited laughter when the voiceover said that she once played as a vampire in a play. The voiceover was done both in English and in Vietnamese.
Fans are up in arms to cheer their delegates. Flag waving fans from Trinidad and Tobago are present, complete with whistles. A Miss Ghana fan keeps on shouting despite having a hoarse voice. A kimono-clad Japanese fan did her best to cheer her delegate but of course the local girl received the loudest ovation.
With tickets that can fetch up to thousands of dollars price, the Crown Convention Center nevertheless was full-packed. Media outlets from all over the world are present with the local media and the press from Latin America dominating the list. Missosology.Org is the only pageant-related website with press credentials sitting elbow-to-elbow with media giants from NHK (Japan), El Nuevo Diario (Puerto Rico), RCN (Colombia) and ABS-CBN (The Philippines). The Convention Center in itself requires a few finishing touches but nevertheless the overall show was great. The stage sported a red backdrop with a large yellow form of a woman wearing a conical hat mimicking the colors of the Vietnamese flag.
Miss Universe Confirms Top Fifteen
July 4
Since NBC.com reported that only the top ten will be selected for the finals night, fans began pouring their queries on us about it. But in an e-mail sent by Joyce Lee of Miss Universe Organization dated July 4, 2008, she confirmed that a top fifteen will be selected during the preliminaries and will be announced on the final telecast.
Missosology.Org is a credentialed media outlet authorized to cover the pageant. The following schedules for the media will be followed starting at the preliminaries:
TUESDAY, JULY 8TH **THE PRELIMINARY COMPETITION** The first round of the competition begins when the 2008 MISS UNIVERSE contestants participate in the Presentation Show hosted by Riyo Mori, Miss Universe, and local Vietnamese personality, Kelvin (Khac Nguyen), where the contestants will compete in the Swimsuit and Evening Gown competitions. Media Arrival: 7:00 PM Time: 8:00 PM Location: Crown Convention Centre of Diamond Bay Resort & Golf: Song Lo, Phuoc Ha, Phuoc Dong, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam **Media will have the chance to shoot FIVE minutes of footage from either the Swimsuit OR Evening Gown portions of the Preliminary Competition.** **All media planning to cover event must be credentialed by MUO.**
July 9th: Round robin interview sessions with contestants at Media Center **All interview request forms are due at the Media Center by 4:00 PM on July 8th. Media will not be allowed to participate part in round robins if forms are not submitted. Only 5 requests are permitted per outlet. July 14th: 2008 Miss Universe Live Telecast
Online Voting for Best in National Costume to Open Soon
July 4
NBC, the official TV station of Miss Universe 2008 in the United States recently announced on its website that the online voting for Best in National Costume will commence on Monday July 9th 9 am U.S. Pacific Time. It also announced the judges for the finals night, which includes TV series My Name is Earl star Nadine Velasquez, Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins, Donald Trump Jr., Italian designer Roberto Cavalli and hairstylist Louis Licari. For more information please visit www.nbc.com/Miss_Universe_2008
Riyo Mori and Miss Universe 2008 Delegates Continue Charity Tour
July 3-Nha Trang
Miss Universe 2008 delegates visited the SOS Village in Nha Trang City as part of their charity tour. The delegates enjoyed meeting the kids in the center which was built to help disadvantaged children. Meanwhile Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori visited the Green Nha Trang - AIDS Center. As the reigning Miss Universe, it is a part of Riyo's responsibility to help AIDS victims. The Miss Universe Organization through Riyo then handed over a check worth VND 100, 000, 000 (approx. USD 6, 000).
Mexico Wins Swimwear Award
July 2-Nha Trang
Miss Mexico Elisa Najera (second from right) won the Best in Swimsuit Award in an event held in Amphitheatre of the Vinpearl Resort, Vinpearl Land, Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang. The award includes a trophy and USD$2, 000 as her prize. The other four delegates were also named as runners-up and they include Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas, Miss India Simran Kaur Mundi, Miss Spain Claudia Moro, and Miss USA Crystle Stewart.
This contest is one of the Mini-Contests leading to the finals. The other mini-contests are the Ao Dai Fashion Show and National Costume Presentation. Surprisingly, Miss Puerto Rico Ingrid Rivera and Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza did not won in the swimsuit contest. Also, Miss Spain which is largely ignored, was one of the top five putting her now on the spotlight. The contest however will not serve as a basis for the final outcome but would certainly sway some opinions.
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