Fifty things about Miss Universe 2009

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The final is only few hours away, for one month, the eight four beautiful girls from different countries around the world have been working hard for this moment. The whole world will be watching the rise of another beauty queen. Yes, I am talking about the grand finale of Miss Universe. It is one of the top beauty contests in the world and will be watched by thousands of people around the world. Here are some interesting facts I have collected about Miss Universe:

1. Miss Universe started as a local bathing beauty in Long Beach, California. It was organized by Catalina Swimwear. In time, it transformed into one of the most prestigious beauty contests in the world.

2. Since 2002, the Miss Universe Organization has been jointly owned by NBC and Donald Trump. Paula Shugart is the current president of Miss Universe Organization. It sells TV rights to the pageant in other countries. It also produces Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. The winner of Miss USA also participates in Miss Universe.

3. Each year, Miss Universe officials receive bids from various organizations that wish to select Miss Universe contestant from a particular country. Normally a country’s delegate is chosen through national pageant but there are exceptions. In 2000, Australia stopped its national pageant Miss Australia and decide to chose contestant by a modeling agency but such system was discouraged by the Miss Universe Organization.

4. Venezuela, USA, Puerto Rico are some of the most successful countries in Miss Universe contest.

5. Previously, Finlan, Germany, Sweden were the most successful countries in Miss Universe.

6. England is the most successfull non-winning country with nine top five positions.

7. Many countries shown interest to participate in the competition but some could not due to cultural and religious reason while others walked out due to expense. Country like Algeria does not participate in Miss Universe because of the swimsuit competition. Countries like Mozambique, Armenia and Nepal showed interest to participate in Miss Universe but did not do so because of the high franchise fee of Miss Universe.

8. Recent countries who sent delegates to the Miss Universe are: China (2002), Albania (2002), Vietnam (2004), Georgia (2004), Ethiopia (2004), Latvia (2005), Kazakhstan (2006), Tanzania (2007) and Kosovo (2008).

9. As of 2007, only four countries participated in Miss Universe since its inception in 1952. They are: Canada, France, Germany, and the United States.

10. Yolande Betbeze, Miss America 1951, refused to pose in a swimsuit from Catalina swimwear. As a result, the brand’s manufacturer, Pacific Mills, withdrew from Miss America and set up Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageant.

11. Armi Kuusela from Finland won the first beauty pageant in 1952 but she gave up her title to get married to Virgilio Hilario, a Filipino business tycoon.

12. Until 1958, the Miss Universe title was post-dated. So, Miss Kuusela was declared Miss Universe 1953.

13. Miss Universe was first televised in 1955. From 1960- 1965, CBS nationally broadcast Miss Universe and Miss USA. In 2003, NBC took over the television rights.

14. In the early years of Miss Universe, contestants were announced after they passed the preliminary competition. From 1965 till today, the semi-finalists were not announced until the night of the main event. The semi-finalists then once again compete in the evening gown, swimsuit segment and a top five were announced.

15. The interview portion was introduced in 1960 to determine the runners-up and winner.

16. From 1959 to 1963, there were no systems of choosing five finalists. The runners-up and winners were called from the fifteen semi-finalists. In 1964, the top fifteen became top ten. After a round of interview, the winner and runners-up were called from the 10 finalists.

17. Interestingly, from 1965-1989, the Miss Universe continued its old format of choosing a top five.

18. In Miss Universe 1969, a final question was posed to the top five contestants. Afterwards, the final question was sometimes included and excluded from the pageant. Finally from 1990, it became regular.

19. From 1990, the trend of choosing five finalists change and it came down to six finalists. Each contestants were randomly selected by a judge who later asked them one question. This was further narrowed down to three finalists.
20. In 1998, the number of finalists was reduced to five but they had to cut into the top three. This continued till 2001, where the final 5 format was re-instated.

21. The interview session was dropped in Miss Universe 2000 and the contestants competed in swimsuit and gown segment.

22. The Miss Universe 2003 saw the top fifteen re-instated instead of the top ten. Then it was further narrowed down to top five.

23. In 2006, twenty semi-finalists were announced after competing in the swimsuit segment. The number was then cut to ten and these delegates competed in the evening gown section. After that, the final five contestants were announced. Then they compete in the interview round. Then the runners-up and the winner was announced.

24. The format again changed in Miss Universe 2007 where fifteen semifinalists compete in the swimsuit segment. From there ten contestants compete in the evening gown segment. From there five were chosen. Then the five contestants took part in the “final question” segment.

25. In Miss Universe 2009, for the first time, the preliminary competitions have been streamed online. Reigning Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza and Ed Fields, a local adio personality of the Bahamas hosted the preliminary competition.

26. For the first time, the Bahamas is hosting the Miss Universe pageant. Moreover, the country also had a semifinalist for the first time.

27. In Miss Universe 2009, Jewel Selver was supposed to represent the Turks and Caicos Islands but she withdrew from the pageant on August 22, 2009. She said that she was suffering from dehydration. Selver is the first delegate to withdraw during the preparations of the event.

28. Croatia was interested to participate in Miss Universe 2009 but could not do so due to economic problem and economic recession.

29. Investor Jonathan Westbrook was very much eager to bring the Miss Universe 2009 to Australia but all the possible venues did not show any interest.

30. Donald Trump, owner of Miss Universe organization was very much interested to hold the show in Dubai but he could not do so because of the poor relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

31. The grand finale of Miss Universe 2009 will take place at the Imperial Ballroom, Atlantis Paradise Island.

32. The Atlantis Paradise Island is a resort. It was created by South African hotel businessman Sol Kerzner and Kerzner International Limited. It is voted to be the best and most beautiful vacation spot in the world.

33. Previously, Atlantis was named Trump Plaza which was changed to Atlantis after building the Royal Towers.

34. Travel+Leisure magazine named the coral towers of the Atlantis to be the best hotel to stay in.

35. Atlantis Paradise Island has had a new edition added on, called the Cove and Reef Atlantis

36. Dean Cain a popular TV actor and producer of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.will be the judge in Miss Universe 2009.

37. Colin Andrew Wilkie Cowie is a lifestyle guru and party planner for big celebrities will be the judge of Miss Universe 2009.

38. Award-winning songwriter, producer, style guru, Gerry DeVeaux is going to be the judge of Miss Universe 2009.

39. Farouk Shami, a Palestinian-American businessman will be the judge of Miss Universe 2009.

40. Heather Kerzner, a philanthropist and ambassador for Kerzer is going to be the judge of Miss Universe 2009.

41. Richard LeFrak, Chairman, President and CEO of LeFrak Organization is going to be the judge of Miss Universe 2009.
42. George J. Maloof Jr. is the owner of the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento Monarchs, and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas is going to be the judge in Miss Universe 2009.
43. Valeria Raquel Mazza, an Argentinian supermodel is going to be the judge of Miss Universe 2009.
44. Matthew Russell Rolston, an American fashion photographer and music video director, is going to be the judge of Miss Universe 2009.
45. André Leon Talley, the American editor for Vogue Magazine is going to be in the judging panel of Miss Universe 2009.
46. Actress Tamara Lou Tunie, best known for her role as medical examiner Melinda Warner on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is going to be the judge in Miss Universe 2009.
47. Keisha Whitaker, a fashion maven and founder of the Kissable Couture lip gloss line will be in the judging panel of Miss Universe 2009.
48. From South Asia, India has been very successful in beauty pageant. This year, Ekta Choudhary is participating from India. Ekta is from Delhi. She is 5'9.5 and her vital statistics is 32-24-36.

49. Ekta Choudhary’s parents wanted to come to the Bahamas to support their daughter but they could not come as they were threatened by some local hooligans. They are afraid that their house would be attacked in their absence.

50. Miss Universe officials decided to release some topless photos of the outgoing Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza. Previously, such photos of the reigning beauty queen would have forced her to give up her title but this time Miss Universe officials made an exception. The photos were published in the September issue of the Maxim Magazine.

Useful links:

http://www.missuniverse.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Universe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Universe_2009