Miss Brouhaha Universe 2011

No, I'm not going to create my own version of beauty pageants. It just so happened that on Tuesday, 13th of September, will be the 60th version of the universal beauty pageant happens here in our planet, Miss Universe.

The Miss Universe official logo
(courtesy of Miss Universe)

I don't understand myself but whenever the months of May to September, I am so glued to the television just to watch Miss Universe. It was always being televised on RPN 9 (good old days, right?) every morning, since it was live via satellite from the United States. What I always want in the whole scenario of the beauty pageant was the parade of candidates from 70 to 80 countries (excluded nations who were Muslims; they were not allowed to join these kinds of pageants because of... Well, I don't know!). They will say something about themselves: their names, age and where do they live, and they will wholeheartedly broadcast the name of their country. You have to wait for at least ten minutes just to see these gorgeous ladies from around the world. Before, they do the parade per continent, starting with the North America, down last to Africa. Right now, they were doing it alphabetically, starting with Albania down to either Zambia or Zimbabwe or Yugoslavia (oh, sorry, this country never exists nowadays).

Aside from the shouting of their personal information is the sashaying of their national costumes. With that, you would know the beauty of their country by the way they muse themselves with different designs and colors of their costumes. What I always love are the national costumes from Asian and Latin American candidates, specifically China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, India, Thailand and of course, the Philippines, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. Other candidates from Europe and the Americas were always the same design and costume every year, especially in Europe. There were some candidates, in their national costumes, have used their own flag colors, just to represent it. Like France (with the colors blue, white and green), United Kingdom, U.S.A., and many more, they were using their flag colors just to flaunt their country. Nowadays, the Miss Universe gives credit for the women who have bestowed their culture as Best in National Costume.

Venus Raj, 22, Philippines
(courtesy of wallyibong,blogspot.com)

Another thing that I love about watching Miss Universe is choosing their Top 15. In the good old days, they were choosing 10, then they made it to 12, and they had also reached Top 20. Everybody is glued in the boob tube to witness who will make to the top, just a mile away to the crown. Last year, after eleven years, the Philippines was able to put herself in the Top 15. The whole nation were really in happiness, because the day before the pageant, a very sorrowful hostage taking had happened in Manila that shocked not only the whole country, but the whole world. Good thing, Little Miss Sunshine here, named Venus, tilted the Philippines into another dimension by bringing home the bacon. Even though she only lasted as 4th runner-up, putting again the Philippines into the map of beauty queens steered our girl and gay friends of hoping and vying for the crown.

Speaking of runners-up, there were Filipinas, who joined Miss Universe, had able to land in one of the winners of the said beauty pageant. Recently, it was Venus who became 4th runner-up. Eleven years before her designation, Miriam Quiambao became 1st runner-up in Miss Universe 1999. Desiree Verdadero became 3rd runner-up in Miss Universe 1984, same goes with the late Rosario "Chat" Silayan who was awarded as 3rd runner-up. In the 1970s, Rosemarie "Chiqui" Brosas chosen as 4th runner-up in Miss Universe 1975.

Waaaaah!!! I won! I won! I won! - Mpule
(courtesy of tpmum.com)

The choosing of who will become Miss Universe terrifies me a lot. To be so honest, I am always getting nervous for the announcement of winners, for no reason at all. If five has been chosen, there will be of course, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st runners-up. The last name that will be called will be the 1st runner-up and automatically, the last candidate on stage will be the newly-crowned Miss Universe of that year. Before they announce it, the host will tell the most important note, which is if possible the current Miss Universe did not fulfill her duties, the 1st runner-up will takeover. In short, the winner will be dethroned (think of abduction). Different kind of emotions have been shown by the winners, either by shouts or no reaction at all. I remember in 1999, the year when Miriam Quiambao fought her country in the pageant. She was named 1st runner-up and automatically, the last candidate is declared Miss Universe, and that is Mpule Kwelagobe from Botswana. Interestingly enough, it was the first time the country of Botswana swooned into the pool of Miss Universe and luckily, they won! The very funny scene of shouting and distorted face of the queen has been shown to almost all of the crowd in the venue. Despite her not-so-glamorous emotion towards her win, she became a titleholder, a history-maker and of course, Miss Universe.

And who could not forget, two beauties from the Pearl of the Orient, were crowned as Miss Universe. In 1969, Gloria Diaz, known for her petite body and witty answer (it was the same year when Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin historically landed via Apollo 11 on the Earth's moon.) was chosen to become Miss Universe. After four years, in 1973, Margarita Moran was also hailed as that year's Miss Universe. Since then, we were waiting for the third Filipina who will become the one. It has been four decades when we won our last championship in beauty pageants. Well, patience is definitely a virtue.

The Folk Arts Theater, now known as Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas
(courtesy of designkultur.wordpress.com)

Being a venue for the Miss Universe is as grand as the Olympics. I heard from some reliable sources that the Miss Universe Organization, the owner of the said pageant bearing its name too, were also choosing the best city or country to become the official venue of the pageant. In 1974 and again in 1994, the Philippines was able to become host of the pageant. History told us that former First Lady Imelda Marcos asked the construction firm of the once-glamorous Folk Arts Theater to finish it as early as possible. It took only 90 days, or three months to finish the said venue. The pageant also held in the morning, to make way for the evening broadcast of the pageant in the United States. This kind of opportunity have shown to the world how beautiful the host country is, telling the audience about some tourist spots and the culture and people inhabiting the place.

They are so into it...
(courtesy of iamapv.blogspot.com)

Watching Miss Universe is like watching a Manny Pacquiao bout, or a UAAP championship. I, myself, am counted as one of the traditional viewers of the beauty pageant. It really makes me happy seeing gorgeous women in their national costumes, swimwear and evening gown. It also makes me realize that the Miss Universe is not only about the perfect vital statistics, the perfect walk and the perfect beauty on the outside but also about the talent, intelligence and congeniality of the candidates. Since then, I always look forward to watch an episode of Miss Universe from start to finish. Last year, I was really excited to go home just to watch the primetime telecast of the pageant. I saw how great Venus Raj was in the pageant. The moment she was called in the Top 15 was made me outstanding and a bit nervous. And these girls, I mean boys, showed that the Filipino are not only into basketball and boxing, but also to beauty pageants. When Venus Raj was called by the host, they jumped into the air, shouted their lungs out and cried with happiness. Two of the greatest designers in our country today were part of these viral video that had 3 million hits on YouTube, and they were Veejay Floresca (who does Bianca Gonzalez's gowns) and Martin Bautista (who does gowns of Kris Aquino and Charlene Gonzales). For them, it was an annual tradition to watch Miss Universe together with their friends and last year's version was the most thrilling, exhilarating and tremendous outcome they had shown to all. Well, they are only four of the millions of viewers of the pageant around the planet. Imagine Miss Universe being televised in some of the moviehouses, coliseums, stadiums and even open areas, just like the Manny Pacquiao fights? Who will be mostly of the members of the audience? Of course, you know who they are!

Let us do hope that our candidate, Shamcey Supsup, would surely bring home the crown from Brazil. Yes, aside from her extraordinary beauty, she has 100% fully-loaded wit to inspire the judges (Lea Salonga happens to be one of the judges for this year) and choose her to be the next Miss Universe. I have a work on Tuesday so probably I could ask my bosses in my company I am working to excuse me because I will watch Miss Universe! Haha, I'm just kidding.

Good luck and toodles!!!

photos courtesy of Google