Familiar Faces, Miss World 2007

The 2007 Miss World pageant is just days away. There are various events leading up to the finale, which will take place on Saturday, December 21. Honestly, I don’t know the detailed history of the Miss World pageant. In the states, it’s all about Miss Universe. The Miss World organization is based in the UK, and it differs from Miss Universe in a lot of ways.

Now, let’s discuss the delegates. I’d like to start with some familiar faces. Tatiana Kotova is the delegate from Russia. She competed in the Miss Universe pageant a few months ago.



Unfortunately, Tatiana didn’t do so well; she didn’t even place in the top 15. Still, this woman is drop dead gorgeous.



She wasn’t able to win the Miss Universe crown, but is the Miss World crown within her reach? I’m not entirely sure. However, European women seem to do very well in Miss World pageants. Tatiana is certainly Miss World material.



Natalia Zabala Arroyo also competed in the Miss Universe pageant this year. She represented Spain, and, like Tatiana, she failed to place in the top 15.



I was devastated that she wasn’t even given a chance at winning the crown. She was my favorite delegate. Oh, well. That’s the nature of the competition. She just didn’t impress the judges.



Natalia will always have my support, but other bloggers have noted her less than stellar performance at the Miss Universe pageant.



I think she may have a shot at winning the title of “queen of Southern Europe.” But her chances of winning the Miss World crown are slim.



Miss Angola. Micaela Reis, also participated in the Miss Universe pageant. And of the three women mentioned in this post, she delivered the best performance. She placed in the top 10.



In the 2006 Miss World pageant, Angola managed to win the “Queen of Africa” title, and I think Micaela has what it takes to win that title again for her country.



Before the most recent Miss Universe pageant, I had overlooked Micaela. But after watching her light up the stage a few months ago, I became a believer in the power of Micaela. This woman is a great representative of African beauty. I wish her the very best. If she wins the Miss World crown, I'll be one very happy blogger.

El Mundo De Top Chef (Top Chef 3, Episode 5)

Don’t worry; I’m not going to bitch and complain about this episode of Top Chef: Miami. I did that last week, but the Gods of reality television didn't hear my prayers. Yep, another woman was eliminated. Surprise, surprise. Anyway, in this episode, the cheftestants had to create something tasty using frozen pie crusts for the quickfire challenge. Dale’s reaction to the news was priceless.

Fuck you!

Oh, Dale, please behave. Actually, Dale considered this a great opportunity to redeem himself after a disappointing showing last week. He was quite confident with his final dish for the quickfire challenge—a spinach and salmon dish accompanied by a strawberry tart. He even stated that those two dishes were some of the best dishes he had made in the entire competition thus far. Well, Maria Frumkin, the guest judge, wasn’t impressed. She also didn’t seem to like Hung’s and Lia’s dishes. Oh, well, you can’t win them all. She was very pleased with Joey, Sara M., and Tre. However, she was most impressed by Joey’s trio of tarts. She even suggested that he had future in tarts. I loved how Joey looked into the camera and confessed that he had some experience making pastries, which he failed to mention to Maria. I’m sure Dale was pissed.



For the elimination challenge, the cheftestants were instructed to prepare Latin dishes for the cast and crew of Dame Chocolate, a telenovela that airs on Telemundo. Joey was all smiles; he described his reaction to this particular challenge,

I get excited . . . All hot Latina women . . . I get all happy.

Yes, Joey, I know exactly what you mean. We’ll get to that later. Anyway, the cheftestants were given $125 and 30 minutes to shop for ingredients and all that other good stuff. Some of them complained, of course, but everyone managed to buy all the necessary things. They were also told that they would have 3 hours to cook. However, Padma included an important caveat—the show’s schedule is constantly being adjusted. No one seemed to listen or they heard and just didn’t care.

In the kitchen, things were going smoothly until Tom walked in and announced that the lunch had been pushed up. The chefs’ time had been cut in half to 1 ½ hours.

Oh. My. God.

Oh, calm down, Brian. You always end up making some seafood dish anyway; I’m sure you can rely on one of your many recipes. Just put some salsa on it and I’m sure they’ll love it. I just have to say, Brian is the hottest chef in the kitchen. Hm, I think I should dedicate an entire post to him. Yeah, he deserves that. Ok, sorry, let’s move on.

As usual, Howie never works well under pressure. His sweat glands were on overdrive, and Ted had something to say about that in his blog. Seriously, I’d prefer a Howie dish without sweat as the key ingredient, thank you very much. Hung giggled uncontrollably as he talked about his Dish with Tom. Then he ran around the kitchen like a mad man with a knife in hand. He almost cut poor Casey who was busy making some kind of mole sauce that no one seemed to like.

Fortunately, the cheftestants finished their dishes, packed their things, and headed to the set of Dame Chocolate. As soon as they arrived, Joey and I were on the same page, so to speak. He was looking forward to seeing hot Latin women; while I was hoping to catch a glimpse of as many hot Latin men as possible, especially one of the biggest male soap stars in Latin America and the male protagonist in Dame Chocolate. Can you say Carlos Ponce? Yes, Joey and I were like bird watchers, waiting patiently for a glimpse of the ever elusive Latin hottie.

After the chefs set up their tables, some guy announced that it was lunch time, and the cast and crew made their way to the food. First, let me just say that I suspect that most of the people there were crew members. I didn’t see many ridiculously hot Latin women or men. Thanks a lot, Bravo. Then, just when I had given up hope, a mysterious woman approached Sara N’s table. Finally! A sexy Latin vixen! This histrionic woman had to be the show’s promiscuous she-devil. You know the one I’m talking about—the whore who sleeps with every rich man in town and tries to murder anyone who gets in her way.



Oh, wait, it was just Gail.



But, then, I spotted another lovely lady. Surely, she must play the part of the indigenous girl from a rural town in Mexico who moves to Miami in search of a better life (and love), I thought to myself. Then, I spotted a man with more rico suave than Ricky Martin. Hm, that must be Carlos Ponce or his chubby older brother, I wondered.



No, I was wrong again. The lovely indigenous girl was none other than Padma, and the rico suave guy was our very own Tom Colicchio.



Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, Joey’s dream came true. He saw former Venezuelan beauty queen Natalia Streignard. Yep, this hot Latin woman is the real deal. Of course, there were other lovely ladies. And I’m sure Joey was very happy. I waited faithfully for Carlos Ponce, but he never showed up. Yeah, I was a little disappointed, but I was pleased to see some random hot Latin guy (probably a crew member); he was sitting next Gail. Muy caliente!



So, after Tom and Gail asked the cast a few questions like "who plays the bitch" and "have any of the women had sex with Carlos Ponce," everyone starts to talk about the food. They loved Sara M’s Chiles Rellenos, Howie’s Pork with Yuca Sour Orange Mojo, and Joey’s Bean Stew with Lobster. Most weren’t impressed with Hung’s Arroz con Pollo. Nope, not even Hung’s surprisingly good Spanish speaking skills could save him. Most agreed that Sara N’s Avocado Ceviche didn’t really qualify as Ceviche. Lia’s dish was also one of the least favorites, and Casey’s dish was a total miss.



Howie ended up winning the elimination challenge, and he graciously gave his prize, a bottle of Argentine wine, to his new bff Joey. That was really sweet. Of course, one of the chefs had to be eliminated. That’s the nature of the game. And the judges asked Lia to pack her knives and go.



You know, I really like Lia. It took a while, but she won me over with her professionalism and down-to-earth personality. She was never manipulative; she always spoke directly and honestly. She has earned my respect and admiration. It’s sad to see her go, but the show must go on. She offered the following words before she left,

I’m definitely going to keep on cooking. It’s what I love to do. I love being in a kitchen. I love food. I love feeding people; it’s fun!

Good luck, chef. We enjoyed watching you on the show.

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.

Miss Universe 2007: Riyo Mori

Well, the Miss Universe pageant officially ended about an hour ago and I'm still here scratching my head. The judges were all over the place this year, which was a good thing, really. It kept everyone one their toes.



Although I had issues with Riyo Mori, Miss Japan 2007, she made it to the top 5 and impressed the judges (and me, too) enough to win the crown. So, congratulations Riyo. Also, I'll post a recap of the final some time within the next few days.

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: Magnificent Beauties

In the previous post, I listed the delegates I think have a good chance of making it to the finals of the 2007 Miss Universe pageant. This post is all about winners. Yes, the women listed here are simply magnificent for various reasons. I think most should make it to the finals (top 15) without even trying. I predict these women will also make it to the semi-finals (top 10), but it’s not going to be a walk in the park for some of these girls.


I know what you’re thinking; what is Eileen Roca Torralvo, Miss Colombia 2007, doing on this list? Actually, she was on my previous list of delegates with potential, but there’s something about her that screams beauty queen. She is the perfect South American beauty. In fact, she reminds me a lot of past Venezuelan beauties, and that’s why she’s on this list. She’s not a favorite among bloggers or pageant aficionados, but I think she will do very well. Again, she’s a great pageant pattie, and I hope she does well. Unfortunately, she’s not the greatest speaker, and that can be a problem. So, I predict she’ll make it to the finals, and I am cautiously optimistic that she will also be one of the semi-finalists. However, if she fails to impress the judges, she’ll leave the door wide open for South Africa and Brazil. I doubt she’ll win the crown. If she ends up in the top 5, I’ll be surprised. Clearly, Eileen is the weakest delegate on this list.


At first, I thought Teodora Marcic, Miss Serbia 2007, was just like South Africa, Slovenia, and Estonia—just another blond beauty. However, there’s something about her that makes her stand out. She’s confident, that’s one reason, but the thing I love most about her is that, unlike most of the other delegates, she doesn’t feel the need to laugh uncontrollably like a school girl—like Miss Slovenia. I’m not saying she’s the best speaker. I’m just saying that she will easily make it to the finals (top 15), and I predict she will be a semi-finalist (top 10). Although Teodora has a better shot than Miss Colombia, she’s still vulnerable. I doubt she’ll place in the top 5.


Flaviana Matata, Miss Tanzania 2007, has a smile that just lights up any room. She’s a natural (unadulterated) beauty that will win over the judges. I think she’ll make it to the finals (top 15), and, of course, she deserves a spot in the semi-finals (top 10). I can’t say she deserves a spot in the top 5. I think she can do it, but there are a number of things that may work against her. She’s not as polished as some of the other delegates, and she lacks experience. Seriously, she’s no match for women like Venezuela and Dominican Republic. These women know exactly what to say and do to win any crown. Flaviana will probably win over the judges with her exotic beauty at the outset, but her chances of winning the crown are slim.


Tatiana Kotova, Miss Russia 2007, is gorgeous. She’s not just beautiful and photogenic; she’s the type of woman who stops traffic. She looks a little like Michelle Pfeiffer. I predict she will be a semi-finalist (top 10). I’m not sure if she has what it takes to place in the top 5. She looks wonderful in her evening gown, but she doesn’t have a killer body. That’s her biggest weakness. If she ends up in the top 5, which is not beyond her reach, her chances of winning the crown are not very good. Tatiana may be a stunning woman, but she’s not a great speaker.


Natalia Zabala Arroyo, Miss Spain 2007, is my personal favorite. If I ruled the world, I would personally place the tiara on her beautiful head and declare her woman of the year—Miss Universe 2007. Natalia is a great representative of Iberian beauty. She stands out for several reasons. I think she’s very photogenic, as are other girls, of course. But she’s special in other ways. She doesn’t look or act like most of the other women. She’s poised and confident; not the greatest speaker but effective. And her biggest strength is her presence—just looking at her one gets the impression that she’s a cultured woman. That has to count for something. Unfortunately, like Miss Russia, she doesn’t have the best body. I predict she will be a semi-finalist (top 10). She definitely has what it takes to place in the top 5 (and maybe even win the crown), but it won’t be easy. Russia and Mexico will be her biggest rivals.

These are some of my predictions for the upcoming Miss Universe pageant. I’m working on one more post—it’s the big one. My predictions are based on a number of factors, including past finalists and current trends. But the truth of the matter is that everything depends on the judges. Their collective tastes and dislikes will decide who will go home with the crown. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to post this stuff. Well, I actually enjoy sharing my thoughts with people who love beauty pageants. So, that’s why I’m posting this.

I’ll post a recap of the final some time after Monday, May 28th. If you liked this post, you may want to check out some of my other MU posts:
Beauties with Great Potential
True Beauty Queens (Final Predictions)

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE DELEGATE!

CLICK HERE TO MEET THE DELEGATES (VIDEO)!

Miss Universe 2007: Beauties with Great Potential

This year, the Miss Universe organization has decided to select 15 finalists for the big night. After much deliberation, I’ve managed to generate a list of delegates that I think have a shot at making it to the finals. It wasn’t an easy task, but someone had to do it.


I wish I could tell you that Puja Gupta, Miss India 2007, will be one of the finalists. India always sends impressive women to international pageants. Unfortunately, Puja isn’t one of the favorites. I like Puja because she’s an intelligent woman, and I think delegates should get extra points for being smarter than the average pageant pattie. Of course, that doesn’t usually happen; there’s a reason these contests are called beauty pageants. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if she makes it to the finals.


I must say, Japan has hit a home run again. Ines Ligron deserves a raise. Riyo Mori, Miss Japan 2007, is a lovely delegate. She’s very photogenic, and it’s tempting to say that she will be one of the 15 finalists. However, I can’t say that with much confidence. She’s no Kurara Chibana. Now, if she delivers a killer catwalk performance, I think her chances increase exponentially. I wish her the best.


Let me just start by saying that I am not a fan of Uma Blasini, Miss Puerto Rico 2007. No I am not! She’s not very photogenic. She kind of looks anemic. And there’s nothing really special about her—she doesn’t seem to stand out in any way. Well, that’s not entirely true; she is one of the tallest delegates. At first, I was going to exclude her from this list, but then a little voice in my head kept saying, “never under estimate the power of the boricua!” Yes, the small Island nation of Puerto Rico has become a pageant powerhouse. I should also note that Uma seems to be a very outgoing and secure young woman. She may win over the preliminary judges and secure a spot in the top 15. I doubt that will happen, but it’s possible.


Natalia Guimaraes, Miss Brazil 2007, reminds me of Rafeala Zanella, last year’s Miss Brazil. Rafeala made it to the finals in 06, but she wasn’t able to secure a spot in the top 10. I like Natalia, and I have a strong feeling she will be one of the finalists. The big question is: does she have what it takes to make it to the semi-finals. She clearly has potential, but she’s going to have to deliver a performance of a lifetime to wow the judges.


Massiel Taveras, Miss Dominican Republic 2007, has a lot going for her. She’s an attractive woman who has a very nice figure. But, to be honest, she’s not one of my favorites. However, two things seem to be working in her favor. Dominican women have been doing very well in international pageants for the past few years. Massiel is a confident speaker, and I’m sure the judges will notice that. In fact, I think she is the perfect pageant pattie. Unfortunately, there’s nothing particularly great about her.


Tjasa Kokalj, Miss Slovenia 2007, is a beautiful woman. There’s no doubt about that. I think she deserves to be a finalist. However, there’s one thing that bugs me about this lovely gal. She’s not a very impressive speaker. Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up annoying half of the judges. She’s not very energetic; she’s just . . . there, taking up space. I really like this girl, but she needs to get with the program.


Viktoria Azovskaja, Miss Estonia 2007, is also a lovely woman. She’s not as stunning as Tjasa. Nor does she have Riyo Mori’s natural beauty. The one thing I love about Viktoria is her understated confidence. And I think that makes her special. Let’s hope the judges agree and give her a spot in the finals.


Megan Coleman, Miss South Africa 2007, is very photogenic and she has an amazing body. This woman has what it takes to make it to the finals. She’s not one of my favorites, but she’s definitely one to watch. I suspect she’ll impress the judges. She may even have a shot at making it to the semi-finals.

I’ll conclude this post by saying that these women are all lovely. However, I don’t think any of them have what it takes to win the coveted Miss Universe crown.

I’ll post a recap of the final some time after Monday, May 28th. If you liked this post, you may want to check out some of my other MU posts:

Magnificent Beauties (Top 10)
True Beauty Queens (Final Predictions)

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)!

American Super Babes

This (old) post is my contribution to Nat's Action Heroine Blog-A-Thon. Click here to go to Nat's (not so) secret headquarters over at the Film Experience Blog.

If this blog were a living thing, its blood estrogen levels would be dangerously high, which usually occurs around this time of year. That’s right; the Miss Universe Pageant is just around the corner. It will air on Monday, May 28th at 9 PM on NBC. Seventy or so women will be vying for a crown that is both a blessing and a curse. Mark your calendars.

The U.S. has always been a power house in the pageant world. We have the most Miss Universe wins, and the level of competition here is amazing. Although many people may despise the Miss USA pageant system, there’s no denying its contribution to the entertainment industry. For example, desperate housewife Eva Longoria participated in the Miss Texas pageant in 1998; she represented Corpus Christi. Sadly, most beauty queens never achieve Eva’s level of success.

There are two former American beauty queens that have achieved a level of success in the entertainment industry that most can only dream of. Interestingly, these two women have so much in common.



Lynda Carter (Arizona) represented the U.S. in the Miss World pageant in 1972; she was a finalist. Halle Berry (Ohio) also represented the U.S. in the Miss World pageant in 1986; she was a semi-finalist.



The similarities don’t end there; both women were born into nontraditional families. Specifically, Lynda’s father is of Anglo-Saxon descent and her mother is Mexican-American. Halle was born to an African-American father and Anglo-Saxon mother.



Wait, it gets better. As most of you probably know, Lynda went on to portray Wonder Woman on the small screen in the late 70’s. And not to be outdone, Halle portrayed not one, but two superheroes, Storm and Catwoman.



Now, I’m sure Halle would prefer that I not mention Catwoman, but you can’t run from your past. Also, Halle looks really hot in her Catwoman costume. So that’s something to be proud of.



Halle is currently one of the highest paid female actors in Hollywood, and in 2002, she won an Academy Award for her performance in the film Monster’s Ball. Life has been good to the beautiful Miss Berry. However, my favorite of the two will always be Lynda Carter. She just took my breath away the first time I saw her. What a stunning beauty! And she’s more than just a pretty face. She seems like an intelligent and good-natured person.



I think Lynda is one of the greatest American beauty queens in the history of the Miss USA pageant. There’s no question about that. She is amazing!

Miss USA 2007: Rachel Smith

Rachel Smith, the delegate from Tennessee, was crowned Miss USA 2007 a few hours ago. The favorite, Ashley Zais of South Carolina, failed to make it to the top 10. I have mixed feelings about this year’s pageant. For example, Helen Salas, Miss Nevada, did not deserve to be in the top 5. I think Lauren Bernette, Miss Virginia, should have done better; she’s a stunning beauty.



Rachel clearly deserved the title; she dominated the pageant from start to finish. She has a smashing body and the girl knows how to work it.



Tara Conner looked lovely (and sober) in her red gown; she's pictured below. She thanked Donald Trump on more than one occasion, which was kind of irritating. Tara, Donald is an ass. I’m sorry, but I hope Donald sells the Miss Universe Organization some time soon. I can’t stand him.



It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Rachel; the judges also seemed to like Danielle Lacourse, Miss Rhode Island. Both women are pictured below.



Rachel’s final answer was not impressive. She was asked, “if you could be a famous man, who would you be and why?” She replied, “Will Smith.” Ok, that was a lame answer, but the judges still gave her the crown. She was confident and poised—a real beauty queen. I think she will be a hit at the Miss Universe pageant.



By the way, one of the judges was Jonathan Antin. Yeah, that made me very happy.

Beauty Queens Gone Wild

On Project Runway Season 3,one of the challenges (episode #2) was to design an evening gown for Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006. I remember how excited Kayne was about making a pageant gown for Tara! Very cute! As expected, the judges picked his design. The most entertaining part was watching Vincent and Angela quarrel like children. Anyway, Tara wore Kayne’s gown in the 55th Annual Miss Universe Pageant and ended the evening as 4th runner-up. I had issues with that, but whatever. The judges liked her. Good for her.



After the Miss Universe pageant, Tara’s perfect little world was rocked by scandal. She was almost stripped of her crown, but Donald Trump, being the fair man that he is, decided to give her a second chance. His decision started one of the silliest feuds in Television history. Rosie mocked Donald on The View; Donald fired back by calling her a disgusting slob; and Anderson Cooper was speechless. By the way, I support Rosie on this all the way. Sit and spin, Donald. Sit and Spin.



One would think that Tara is the worst Beauty Queen ever. However, she faces some tough competition for that title from Alicia Machado, Miss Universe 1996. Let’s compare these two lovely ladies and settle this matter once and for all.

Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006

Charges:

• Underage drinking and cocaine use. Yep, Tara was 20 years old when she was busted for drinking alcohol. She admitted to Matt Lauer that she had a substance abuse problem.
• Inappropriate behavior at nightclubs and in bedrooms throughout NYC. She had a lot of sex with a lot of guys. Let’s just say her behavior made Paris Hilton look like an amateur.
• Corruption of a fellow minor. Apparently, Tara was spotted partying with Katie Blair, Miss Teen USA 2006. The girls were apparently spotted making out, drinking, and doing other naughty things.
  
  Alicia Machado, Miss Universe 1996
  
  Charges:
• Pissing off the Donald. Alicia’s problems started after she won the Miss Universe title in 1996. She told reporters that she didn't plan on following any diet after winning the MU crown. So, she started eating and eating and eating. You get the point. Forty pounds later, the Donald threatened to dethrone her. She agreed to workout and lose the weight.
• Arrogant and insensitive. Some have reported that Alicia was one of the least popular Beauty Queens of Venezuela. She’s pissed off a lot of people. For example, she insulted a fellow contestant on a popular reality show in Mexico. She was later forced to issue a public apology.
• Promiscuous. Alicia likes sex even more than Tara. She was filmed having sex with a fellow housemate in the Spanish reality show “La Granja”. I think the show is similar to "Big Brother". She was engaged to a famous Venezuelan baseball player at the time. He broke off their engagement as soon as he found out. Alicia also became the first Miss Universe to pose nude for Playboy, a decision that stirred up some controversy in Latin America.

I've always had issues with Alicia Machado. However, I always try to be as objective as possible. Back in the day, she was a fabulous pageant patty, and I acknowledge that she deserved the title of Miss Universe. I think Tara is a misguided girl who needs to grow up. I feel for her, but I hope she learns from this experience.