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 During the swimsuit competition, Margie topped this event again because of her sexy figure and her smooth moves. She was only five-foot-six (5’6”) and yet she looked taller on screen than in person because of her lean, proportionate figure and regal stance.
The final event of the pageant was the evening gown competition. Here, Margie sported another Auggie Cordero number, which consisted of a white sleeveless V-neck gown with a “cabbage rose”, pinned to her left shoulder. The cut was so simple with no frills, slits or trails whatsoever but the drama was on the bottom-waist part of the gown which had some intricate, Filipiniana geometric designs that accentuated the “rose” on her shoulder. It was such a very simple gown that its construction and composition were quite a huge contrast from the evening gown that her predecessor, Armi Barbara Crespo, wore in the previous pageant. Margie gave justice to this ensemble by her unassumed fluidity, poise and effortless grace. Again, she topped this final event.
When Bob randomly announced the “final five” who would continue with the competition, Margie was called second. The rest of the finalists were Amanda Jones (USA), Aina Walle (Norway), Limor Schreibman (Israel), and Maria Martin Madrigal (Spain). The arena was filled with great tension at this time and the finalists were asked to pick a card from Bob’s hand which contained the nerve-wracking questions.
Miss Israel, who was sick and stricken with a common cold during the pageant, was asked the question, “If you had to stop being you and become somebody else, who would you want to be and why?” At first, she begged to answer the question in Hebrew so that Bob had to step her aside in the meantime while the gaffers and “runners” of the pageant had to search for a Hebrew interpreter. Bob went on his interview with the four other ladies before he came back to her. When the Hebrew Interpreter showed up and Bob reiterated the question to her for translation, Miss Israel suddenly grabbed the mic from Bob’s hand and said, “I understand now. Thank you,” while indirectly implying to the interpreter that help wasn’t needed at all. She gave away her answer in English with Bob’s expression looking a little bit pissed. At any rate, Bob still graciously thanked the Hebrew Interpreter for showing up. Thus, a Fourth Runner-up finish for Miss Israel.
Miss USA was asked this question, “You’ve been away from home for ten days. What is the first thing you’re going to do and why?” She said that the people of Greece had made her feel at home that she would “take them with her” when she heads back home to her folks.
Miss Norway’s question was: “You had a chance to see how the people of Athens lived. How did it differ from the way people lived in your hometown?” She started alright in her answer by saying that the people in Greece were warm and were not afraid to talk to strangers on the streets which most Norwegians were not accustomed to doing. She wanted to add something to her answer but somehow became fragmented in her train of thought. She apologized to Bob that she got “lost in translation”.
Miss Spain had an interpreter. Her question was, “If your little sister or a friend were to enter this pageant next year, what advice would you give them?” She answered that she would encourage her little sister or friend to participate in the pageant because it was an enriching experience when she joined it.
What about Miss Philippines? Well, here was the verbatim account of that final interview:
BOB: “Let’s make believe that all of a sudden . . . well, this is a perfect question for her! (addressing the audience) Let’s make believe that all of a sudden you had a million dollars. (The audience was laughing and reacting when Bob said this due to the parallel relation of Margie’s prior interview with him that dealt on the subject of “money management”.) What’s the first thing you would buy and why would you buy it?”
MARGIE: “A house and lot because it’s the most important thing and I can’t afford it. If I had a million bucks, I’d buy a house and lot and live by myself and other people, of course.” (At this point, she started to sound very nervous but still managed to maintain her composure.)
BOB: “Thank you, Miss Philippines!”
Proceed to the next part of the story here: MORE >>
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