Miss World Beauties: From Europe to Latin America

I can’t understand why European women performed miserably at the Miss Universe pageant this year. Miss Sweden, one of the strongest countries, didn’t participate, and the other European women failed to place in the top 10. Well, the Miss World pageant is a different story. It’s a haven for Europeans. This year, there are plenty of European delegates who have what it takes to win the Miss World crown. Christine Reiler, the delegate from Austria, has the face of an angel.



This woman has to be a model. Actually, most of the delegates are probably models. Anyway, Christine may not be as stunning as Miss Russia, but she has a very natural beauty, which has won over several bloggers and pageant aficionados.



I mean, just look at her. She’s a winner. I think she’ll be a serious contender for the “Queen of Northern Europe” title. Look out Lithuania and Russia.



Yendi Phillipps is the delegate from Jamaica. There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Yendi. Some have compared her to Beyonce. Yeah, I can see it.



Does Yendi have what it takes to win the Miss World crown? To be honest, I don’t think she stands a chance. Interestingly, her biggest rival is also from the Caribbean. She’s going to have to give the performance of her life, if she wants to win the title of “Queen of the Caribbean.” The Miss World crown may be too elusive for this lovely Jamaican.



What pageant would be complete without a delegate from Venezuela? Seriously, Venezuelan women have been a force to be reckoned with for decades. Claudia Paola Suarez Fernandez, the Venezuelan delegate, is photogenic, but there’s something about her that just doesn’t sit well with me.



I remember my reaction to a friend’s comment regarding Shandi Ren Finnessey, Miss USA 2004. My friend said that Shandi looked like a porn star. Now, I love Shandi, but I couldn’t completely disagree with my friend. Anyway, let’s get back to Paola. I think she looks like a porn star. I’m sorry, but she is not Miss World material. Better luck next time Venezuela.



Mexico’s current success in the pageant world has been something of a mystery to me. After Lupita Jones won the Miss Universe title in 1991, everything went downhill for Mexico. Of course, a handful of Mexican delegates performed well in both the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants. But Mexico was far from being a pageant powerhouse. Then, something magical happened. Within the past few years, Mexico has consistently placed in the top 15.



This year, Carolina Moran Gordillo will represent Mexico in the Miss World pageant. I can’t say I’m a fan of this Mexican beauty, but I suspect she’ll perform very well on December 1st. She’s a very attractive woman and seems to know how to work it on stage. Can she win the “Queen of the Americas” title? It’s possible, but Carolina has to be flawless.



Puerto Rico’s success in the Miss Universe organization is quite remarkable. This small island has produced some of the most beautiful women in the history of the Miss Universe pageant. Jennifer Guevara Campos will represent Puerto Rico in the Miss World pageant this year.



She’s lovely, but I just don’t see her winning the Miss World crown. I don’t even think she has what it takes to win the “Queen of the Caribbean” title. I know that sounds harsh, but the competition is just too intense. Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago will be her biggest rivals.



When I saw pictures of Abigail McCary, the delegate from the USA, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Finally, an American delegate with some promise! Unfortunately, delegates from the US haven’t been a strong force in the Miss World organization. Well, things may change starting this year.



Abigail is quite photogenic and she has a great body. I really think she has what it takes to win the “Queen of the Americas” title. Or . . . maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part. Either way, Abigail is a great delegate.

Congratulations, Salma

Ah, Salma Hayek. You and I have had an interesting relationship. There were times when I thought you were a brainless little tease. Women would kill to have your looks and curvaceous body. But then you did something quite unexpected. You produced and starred in the surprisingly good film Frida. It was a labor of love for you and everyone involved, and it showed. Now, you're a successful TV producer. You managed to create a hit comedy, Ugly Betty, against all odds. I mean, who knew Americans would respond so positively to a story you borrowed from a popular Latin American novela.

A few days ago, you gave birth to a lovely girl, Valentina Paloma Pinault. Congratulations! I really love your daughter's first name, and I also love the name Paloma. However, I don't think they go well together, but that's just me. Anyway, I wish you and your significant other, François-Henri Pinault, the very best. It was rumored that he had something to do with Tom Ford's decision to leave Gucci. Someone actually reported that Mr. Pinault refused to renew my beloved Tom's contract. But don't worry, Salma; let's forget about that and move on. Actually, we can discuss that later. Anyway, I've posted a little clip of you in a commercial for Campari. You are gorgeous!

Long Live Japanese Beauty

Hey, Marius, I heard you watched the 56th annual Miss Universe Pageant on Monday. Were the ethnic festivities to your liking? Oh, and one more thing, if you wanna make it right? Then when you go to Nationals... bring it.

Yes, Gabrielle Union, I really enjoyed the 2007 Miss Universe pageant. Of course, I love pageants. Thanks for asking. Also, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Nationals? Hm, you must have me confused with Kirsten Dunst.

Anyway, I think what the lovely Ms. Union was trying to say is: it sucked to be a white woman in the Miss Universe Pageant this year. That is, delegates of (mostly) European descent, if you don’t count some of the Hispanic women, didn’t do so well this year. Problems started when Miss Sweden decided to drop out of the competition. This was a big blow for Europe, as Sweden was a pageant powerhouse for many years, winning the MU crown on three occasions. And although Sweden is no longer the pageant powerhouse that it was back in the day, Swedish delegates always seem to perform well at the Miss Universe Pageant.



At the outset, four European women made it to the top 15. The show started with the swimsuit presentation, and Tjasa Kokalj, Miss Slovenia, lead the way. Lucie Hadasova, Miss Czech Republic; Zaklina Sojic, Miss Denmark; and Lyudmilla Bikmullina, Miss Ukraine were the remaining three. Unfortunately, all 4 of these delegates, as well as Farung Yuthithum, Miss Thailand, failed to move on to the next round—the top 10.





This year was full of surprises. In fact, only four Latin delegates made it to the top 15. Fortunately, all of them also placed in the top 10. They were Natalia Guimaraes (Brazil), Ly Jonaitis (Venezuela), Rosa Maria Ojeda (Mexico), and Xiomara Blandino (Nicaragua). Of these four delegates, Brazil and Venezuela were clearly the judges’ favorites. Asia was well represented by Riyo Mori (Japan), Honey Lee (Korea), Puja Gupta (India), and Farung Yuthithum (Thailand), who was the only delegate who didn’t place in the top 10. Rachel Smith (USA) looked amazing and easily advanced to the top 10 group. Africa was represented by two amazing delegates—Flaviana Matata (Tanzania) and Micaela Reis (Angola). The judges loved these African beauties and they made it to the top 10.



Brazil looked sensational in her swimsuit, and the judges awarded her the second highest score. Interestingly, she reminded me a lot of Rafeala Zanella, last year’s Miss Brazil. Rafeala made it to the top 15, but didn’t impress the judges. Although Natalia looked a little like Rafeala, she was clearly a stronger delegate. She’s more sensual and has a body to die for.



However, the judges awarded the highest score to Japan’s Riyo Mori. Riyo isn’t as curvaceous as Natalia, but her thinner body was well proportioned and almost flawless. She narrowly defeated Natalia by delivering a phenomenal catwalk performance. This dancer turned beauty queen sure knows how to work it.



The one thing that really bugged me was that the judges were just all over the place with their scores. They disliked delegates who, on the surface, seemed very similar to other delegates they seemed to like a lot. For example, they weren’t crazy about Thailand, but they sure did love Korea. The judges also had some unusual preferences. They weren’t too crazy about Mexico or India, but they did love Tanzania, who had obvious flaws that the judges seemed to overlook. Mexico performed much better than Tanzania, but the judges consistently gave Mexico lower scores.

The evening gown presentation is my favorite part of the night. Mexico picked a red gown that showed off her fantastic body. She simply had an unconventional beauty that doesn’t sit well with judges. I’m not surprised she didn’t make it to the top 5. Unlike Mexico, Angola had a fighting chance. She looked lovely, and she delivered a solid performance. However, the judges weren’t as impressed as I was.


Miss USA looked radiant in her black gown, a better choice than the gown she wore for the Miss USA pageant. Unfortunately, that special moment was cut short when she slipped and fell on her tush. My heart almost stopped. I was worried that that would decrease her chances of placing in the top 5. It didn’t! She recovered nicely and managed to place in the top 5 by the skin of her teeth.



I wasn’t surprised that Korea and Venezuela made it to the next round (top 5). Interestingly, Korea reminded me of Laura Elizondo, Miss Mexico 2004. Both women seemed unstoppable at first. They could do no wrong. The judges just loved them. To be honest, Korea’s hip-to-waist ratio just seemed off the mark. I thought this flaw would keep her from advancing to the top 5. However, the judges were just hypnotized by her beauty. Yes, much like Laura before her, Honey’s striking beauty was her ticket to the top 5. Venezuela delivered a strong performance; no surprise there. I wasn’t crazy about her gown, but she looked fabulous. The judges also gave her one of the highest scores and she made it to the top 5.



Riyo (Japan) wore a lovely Gucci gown. The judges gave her a somewhat lower score, but she delivered another great performance. Her confidence set her apart from the other delegate. She just has such a commanding presence. She placed in the top 5 and proved, once again, that Japan is slowly but surely becoming a pageant powerhouse.



But the star in evening gown was without a doubt Brazil. Natalia was perfection. She looked gorgeous—just the right amount of sensuality, beauty, and glamour. Although she lacked Japan’s aggression, she delivered a performance that was flirtatious and effective. She earned the highest score in the evening gown competition.



The final five—Venezuela, Korea, Brazil, USA, and Japan—all deserved to be in the top 5. I was disappointed with last year’s top 5. And this year, I think Angola should have been given a shot, but, I guess she just didn’t wow the judges enough. USA was asked a fair question and she delivered a good answer. However, she clearly wasn’t one of the judges’ favorites. She ended the evening as 4th runner-up. I had predicted that she would dominate the pageant, like she did a few months ago in the Miss USA pageant. I was wrong. Korea was asked a silly final question, and I’m sure that hurt her chances of winning the crown. However, I was expecting more from Honey. I was disappointed. The judges awarded her the 3rd runner-up position. Interestingly, Laura Elizondo was also the 3rd-runner up in 04. Venezuela delivered a strong performance throughout. Her final question was reasonable and her answer was good. However, Venezuela usually sends delegates that are well prepared and kind of superficial. Ly had pageant pattie written all over her face, and I’m sure that hurt her chances of winning the crown. She ended the evening as 2nd runner-up. Brazil really did an exceptional job this year. She answered her question without any hesitation. It just didn’t seem possible for any of the other delegates to top her final answer. Well, it was possible and it happened. The moment Riyo opened her mouth it became clear that she wasn’t going down without a fight. Like Natalia, Riyo answered her question without flinching. However, she answered her question with a confidence that impressed the audience and, more importantly, the judges. She was also quite unconventional, a personality trait that earned Kurara Chibana, last year’s Miss Japan, the first runner-up position. Well, Riyo managed to win over the judges and she became the second Japanese woman in history to win the Miss Universe crown.



Some bloggers and pageant aficionados have made some very negative comments about Riyo. They’ve said that she didn’t deserve the crown, while others believe that Kurara was more deserving. And, of course, many were not pleased that Brazil’s textbook performance was not rewarded by the judges. Clearly, Brazil did everything right. She was flawless. However, I think Riyo deserved the crown. She wasn’t my favorite delegate, but her unconventional performance and impressive confidence won me over. There are plenty of pageant patties in the world of beauty pageants. That's for sure. What we need is more women like Riyo who have beauty, brains, and real personality.

Meet the 2007 Miss Universe Delegates

Thank goodness for youtube. I managed to find a few Miss Universe videos. Most were pretty useless, but a few are actually worth watching. Below is one such video. It appears that someone filmed the 77 delegates either practicing the opening number for the final or maybe that's just part of the preliminary competition. Anyway, this is a great opportunity to see these lovely ladies before the final on Monday. I think Brazil, Japan, Greece, Spain, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and the USA really stood out from the rest. These women sure know how to work it. Enjoy!

Miss Universe 2007: You Decide

The Miss Universe 2007 pageant is days away. And I predict Rachel Smith, Miss USA, will win the crown. Click here to find out why I think Rachel will go home victorious. So, who do you think deserves to win the coveted Miss Universe crown?

Do you have a favorite Miss Universe 2007 delegate? Vote for your favorite delegate here!
	Micaela Reis, Miss Angola
	Natalia Guimaraes, Miss Brazil
	Ning Ning Zhang, Miss China
	Eileen Roca Torralvo, Miss Colombia
	Massiel Taveras, Miss Dominican Republic
	Viktoria Azovskaja, Miss Estonia
	Doukissa Nomikou, Miss Greece
	Puja Gupta, Miss India
	Valentina Massi, Miss Italy
	Riyo Mori, Miss Japan
	Honey Lee, Miss Korea
	Rosa Maria Ojeda, Miss Mexico
	Anna Theresa Licaros, Miss Philippines
	Uma Blasini, Miss Puerto Rico
	Tatiana Kotova, Miss Russia
	Megan Coleman, Miss South Africa
	Natalia Zabala Arroyo, Miss Spain
	Rachel Smith, Miss USA
	Ly Jonaitis, Miss Venezuela
	Other
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Thanks for your participation.

CLICK HERE TO MEET THE DELEGATES (VIDEO)!

Miss Universe: True Beauty Queens

Don’t forget to mark your calendars. The 2007 Miss Universe pageant will be televised live from Mexico City (on NBC) on Monday, May 28th—that’s just around the corner. Latin hunk Mario Lopez and the lovely Vanessa Minnillo will host this annual celebration of . . . beauty or whatever it is you want to call it. I love Mario, but I’m a little disappointed that Carson Kressley and Shandy Finnesey won’t be participating. Seriously, they were awesome last year.

So, this is my BIG post—my final predictions for the 2007 Miss Universe pageant. As I mentioned before, my predictions are based on a number of factors, including past delegates and current trends.


Rosa Maria Ojeda, Miss Mexico 2007, is one of the favorites, and for good reason. She’s one of the strongest delegates. She’s not drop dead gorgeous like Russia or Greece. However, she’s very pretty and seems like a sweet, down to Earth person, which should help her win over the judges. Rosa has an amazing body, and she knows how to work it. She has it all. I predict she will make it to the semi-finals (top 10), and she should have no problem placing in the top 5. It’s hard to say whether she really has a shot at winning the crown. She’s not as polished as Venezuela and she lacks USA’s powerful presence, but she’s a strong delegate. As mentioned before, her biggest rivals are going to be Spain and Russia. If she manages to place in the top 5, I think she’ll end up as 3rd or 4th runner-up.


Doukissa Nomikou, Miss Greece 2007, is the woman to beat; well, that’s what many bloggers and pageant aficionados seem to think. I predict she’ll place in the top 5. There are two things working in her favor: she’s gorgeous and sexy. And she has a lovely figure. Yep, I’m sure she’ll place in the top 5. However, I don’t think she’ll win the crown. She certainly has what it takes and her chances are better than Mexico’s, but USA and Venezuela aren’t going down without a fight. I think she’ll end up as 3rd runner-up, but the 1st or 2nd runner-up positions are not out of reach for her.


Honey Lee, Miss Korea 2007, deserves to be on this list. Opinions vary, but it’s safe to say that she’s one of the strongest Asian delegates. Japan has been receiving a lot of attention lately, but my vote is still for Honey. I predict she will make it to the semi-finals (top 10), and I’m cautiously optimistic that she’ll place in the top 5. She has strong communication skills, an understated confidence that’s charming, and a natural beauty. She is the epitome of femininity. Honestly, I think she deserves the Miss Universe crown, and it is within her reach. However, I predict that she will end up as 1st or 2nd runner-up. Let’s face it; Asian delegates aren’t always evaluated fairly. If Honey wins the crown, I will be one happy camper.


Ly Jonaitis, Miss Venezuela 2007, is the queen of the pageant patties. In a world devoid of subjective feeling, Ly could easily win the Miss Universe crown. However, we don’t live in such a world; the real world is very different. Ly is a very impressive delegate—great body, beautiful, and sexy. But she isn’t really unique, which makes sense because pageant patties are all very similar. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. She can easily win the crown, but I predict that she will be the 1st runner-up. Of course, some pageant aficionados are worried that Ly will fade into obscurity just like some of her predecessors. To be honest, Venezuela hasn’t been doing well these past few years. I think Ly will turn things around for Venezuela. If she falters like Monica Spear in 04, she’ll leave the door wide open for Korea, Greece, and Mexico.


Rachel Smith, Miss USA 2007, has been losing support among bloggers and pageant aficionados these past few days. She’s not as photogenic as some of the other delegates, and some people think she’s just not as attractive as the other women on this list. She does have some qualities that are undeniable. For example, she has the perfect figure—just lovely. And although she lacks maturity, she’s a confident speaker. However, she has a secret weapon that very few delegates have—stage presence. This quality sets her apart from the rest. Alicia Machado had that same quality, and she easily took home the Miss Universe crown in 96. I predict Rachel will dominate this year, much like Alicia did in 96.

I wish I had detailed information about the judges—about their likes and dislikes. That would be very helpful. Now, all we can do is wait for the big night. In one week, 77 delegates will compete for the coveted Miss Universe crown. My personal favorite is Miss Spain; she is amazing. I have a gut feeling she will place in the top 5 by displacing Mexico, Greece, or Korea. Does she have what it takes to win the crown? We’ll have to wait and see. Miss Mexico has a killer body and a lovely face; she’s one the strongest delegates. I don’t think she’ll win the crown but she will surely deliver a strong performance. Korea may surprise everyone and steal the show; she’s one to watch. Greece will probably place in the top 5. She’s just gorgeous. Finally, although I think Miss USA will win the crown, Venezuela will challenge her to the very end. This promises to be an interesting year for the Miss Universe organization.

I’ll post a recap of the final some time after Monday, May 28th. If you enjoyed this post, you may want to check out some of my other MU posts:
Beauties with Great Potential
Magnificent Beauties (Top 10)

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE DELEGATE!

CLICK HERE TO MEET THE DELEGATES (VIDEO)!

Miss Universe 2007: Let the Games Begin

In a few weeks, millions of viewers around the world will be watching the 2007 Miss Universe Pageant. It’s not really a big deal here in the states, but in some countries, people go crazy for pageants. Of course, I’ll be commenting on various aspects of the pageant over the next few weeks, and I’d like to start by writing about past, present, and future pageant powerhouses: Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, Venezuela, and U.S.A.


Uma Blasini, Miss Puerto Rico 2007, has some very large shoes to fill. In fact, Zuleyka Rivera, last’s years Miss Puerto Rico, is the current Miss Universe. And Puerto Rican delegates always do well at international pageants. Well, I’m afraid Uma doesn’t stand a chance. It’s a shame because Puerto Rico usually sends amazing delegates. I guess this just isn’t their year.


Massiel Taveras, the delegate from the Dominican Republic, also comes from a country that has done very well over the years. Dominican Republic won the MU Crown in 2003, and their delegates have been impressing judges for the past few years. To be honest, I’m not that impressed with Massiel. However, some bloggers and pageant aficionados are crazy about this woman. She’s one to watch.


Puja Gupta represents India, and she is one of my favorite delegates. India is without question a pageant powerhouse. It’s interesting that Indian delegates haven’t been that successful these past few years; I’m not sure why. However, it’s never wise to underestimate this Asian powerhouse. I’m still not sure if she has what it takes to win the crown, but I’m cautiously optimistic.


Rosa Maria Ojeda is the delegate from Mexico, and she is a safe bet. She’s very pretty and she has an amazing body. She’s not as assertive as some of the other women, and she seems really inexperienced, which can be problematic. So, I don’t think she’ll win the crown, but anything is possible. Mexico has been doing very well for the past few years. And I think Rosa will go far (top 5, perhaps).


Ly Jonaitis, Miss Venezuela 2007, is the strongest delegate from Latin America. Venezuela is still considered a pageant powerhouse. However, Venezuelan delegates haven’t been doing very well for the past few years. Well, things are about to change. Ly is one of my favorite delegates. The Miss Venezuela organization got it right this time. I think she has what it takes to win.


Rachel Smith is the delegate from the U.S.A. And I’m not going to lie; Rachel is the clear favorite. The crown is hers for the taking. It’s not going to be easy, but if she follows the rules and doesn’t make any mistakes, I think she will be the next Miss Universe.

It’s really too early to be making predictions, but I’m just going with my gut feelings at this point in time. I’ll be writing more about these delegates within the next few days. Also, I’ve got my eye on Spain and Colombia. Let the games begin!

If you enjoyed this post, you may want to check some of my other MU posts:
Beauties with Great Potential
Magnificent Beauties (Top 10)
True Beauty Queens(Final Predictions)

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE DELEGATE!


CLICK HERE TO MEET THE DELEGATES (VIDEO)!

I love Kuno Becker

Kuno Becker

I was thrilled when I found out that Mexican actor Kuno Becker is participating in a GAP AD campaign for 2007. He’s one of my favorite young Mexican actors. No one can play a spoiled, rich Mexican like Kuno (see clip below).



Kuno isn’t the only hottie working for Gap Inc. these days. Chris O’donnell and Wentworth Miller are also participating.






Sex sells!

Mr. World 2007: Hotness on a global scale

Juan Garcia Postigo, Mr. Spain 2007

The Mr. World competition is just a few days away and pageant sites all over the world wide web are going crazy over the 63 hunks who are vying for the title of Mr. World. My pick is Juan Garcia Postigo. Of course, I love Spanish men; it wasn't a hard decision. My second pick is Lucas Gil from Brazil. He's the prototypical South American hunk.

Lucas Gil, Mr. Brazil 2007

I wish all the contestants the best of luck, and as they say, may the best man win. Below are pictures of some of the other very attractive contestants.

Diego Cedeno, Mr. Panama 2007
Diego is a real class act from Central America. He's apparently doing very well as a model in Europe.

Roman Demchenko, Mr. Russia 2007.
Roman is one of the hottest European contestants. He reminds me of James Dean.

Anthony Hakim, Mr. Lebanon 2007
Anthony gets extra points for being one of the hairiest contestants.

Mark Wilke, Mr. Germany 2007
Mark is a fine representative of the Northern European male!

David Camenzuli, Mr. Malta 2007
I love this picture. David is a beautiful man.

Johaney Albor, Mr. Dominican Republic 2007
Is he Venezuelan or Dominican? That's the question. Well, he was born in Venezuela and lived there for many years, but his parents are originally from DR. You decide.

Carlo Martellini, Mr. Italy 2007
I've always loved Mediterranean men.

Jorge Aceves, Mr. Mexico 2007
Jorge is cute, but I doubt he'll make much of an impression on the judges. Let's hope I'm wrong. He kind of looks like Gabriel Soto, Mr. Mexico 1996.

Gjorgi Filipov, Mr. Macedonia FYRO
This man is hot. He doesn't seem to be one of the favorites, but I hope he does well.

Old News: Christian Chavez is gay (and married)

Christian Chavez, member of RBD, a Mexican pop group, was forced out of the closet when pictures of his marriage to a man were posted on Latin Gossip . And shortly thereafter, he acknowledged on the group’s website that he is gay. Honestly, this wasn’t surprising—you can tell he’s gay just by looking at him (check out his picture above). What is surprising is that he wasn’t more careful. Will this have a negative impact on RBD’s continued success? Only time will tell. Apparently, the Mexican Catholic Church isn’t too happy with Christian’s actions. I, on the other hand, am very pleased that Christian decided to come out. This is a big step forward for gays in the Mexican entertainment industry. I wonder what Juan Gabriel has to say about all of this.