Miss Universe

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Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest, and the title for the winner of the contest, founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills. The pageant became part of Kayser-Roth and then Gulf and Western Industries, before being acquired by Donald Trump in 1996. Despite its historical rivalry with the Miss World contest, Miss Universe retains unparalleled prestige in many parts of the world, particularly Latin America. The current holder is Natalie Glebova, representing Canada, though she was born in Russia.

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History

The winner of 1950's "Miss America 1951" pageant, Yolande Betbeze, refused to pose in a swimsuit from major sponsor Catalina swimwear. As a result, the brand's manufacturer Pacific Mills withdrew from Miss America and set up the Miss USA and Miss Universe contests. The first Miss Universe Pageant was first held in Long Beach, California in 1952. It was won by Armi Kuusela from Finland, who gave up her title to get married to a Filipino tycoon shortly before her year was complete. Until 1958 the Miss Universe title (like Miss America) was post-dated, so at the time Ms. Kuusela's title was Miss Universe 1953.

The pageant was first televised in 1955. CBS began broadcasting the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants combined from 1960, and separately from 1965. In 2003, NBC took over the television rights.

The main pageant was held in the United States until 1972, when it was hosted by Dorado, Puerto Rico. Since then it has usually been held in a different city each year, though Manila, Miami, Las Vegas, Bangkok and Panama City have each hosted it twice. The 2005 Miss Universe Pageant was held in Bangkok, Thailand on May 31 2005, to help the tsunami-struck nation win tourists back to the area. China and Chile also bid, but failed, to host the contest. Miss Universe Canada, Natalie Glebova was crowned Miss Universe 2005 by Miss Universe 2004, Jennifer Hawkins of Australia. Miss Puerto Rico was first runner up while Miss Dominican Republic was the second runner up.

The Miss Universe 2006 pageant will take place in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, July 23rd in the Shrine Auditorium.

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The contest today

The Miss Universe Organization, a New-York-based partnership between NBC and Donald Trump, has run the contest since June 20, 2002. The current president is Paula Shugart. The Organization sells television rights to the pageant in other countries, and also produces the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA contests. The winner of Miss USA represents the USA in Miss Universe.

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Candidate selection

Each year, bids are received by the Miss Universe organizers from organizations who wish to select the Miss Universe contestant for a country. This allows competition between different pageants to hold a country's license, as happened for Miss Italy and Miss France for example when the licenses for their respective traditional organizations were revoked (the usual Miss France competition returned in 2004).

Usually a country's candidate selection involves pageants in major cities, with the winners competing in a national pageant, but this does not always occur. For example, in 2000 Australia's competition was abolished as a relic of a bygone era, with Australian delegates instead chosen by a modelling agency. Such "castings" are generally discouraged by the Miss Universe Organization, which prefers national pageants that preserve an aura of respectability and competition. Despite the "casted" Australian delegate, Jennifer Hawkins, being chosen as Miss Universe in 2004, Australia resumed its national pageant to choose Michelle Guy as Miss Universe Australia 2005.

Among the most important national pageants in the world are Miss India, Miss Philippines (which is actually known as Binibining Pilipinas in the Philippines, because another organization called Carousel Productions has since put up a pageant called Miss Philippines to represent the country in the environment-centered Miss Earth, the third biggest beauty pageant in the world, after their organization stopped producing Miss Asia-Pacific Quest), Miss USA, Miss Colombia, Miss Peru, Miss Puerto Rico, and Miss Venezuela Universe contests, which command consistently high interest and television ratings in their respective countries. Organizations attempting to build themselves up to the level of these established contests include Nuestra Belleza Mexico (Miss Mexico), Miss Universe Japan, and the triumvirate of Miss Bolivia, Miss Paraguay, and Miss Uruguay (all directed by Gloria de Limpias). Recent arrivals in the pageant include China (2002), Albania (2002), Vietnam (2004), Georgia (2004), Ethiopia (2004), and Latvia (2005); there have also been efforts to revive strong national pageants in Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Canada, and the Caribbean, among other regions. There are continually efforts to expand the pageant, but the participation of some countries such as Indonesia and Algeria has proven difficult due to cultural barriers to the swimsuit competition, while others such as Mozambique, Armenia and Nepal have balked at sending representatives due to the cost. As of 2005, only four countries have been present at every Miss Universe since its inception in 1952: Canada, France, Germany, and the USA.

Many European countries allow 17-year-old contestants, while Miss Universe's minimum age is 18, so national titleholders often have to be replaced by their runners-up. Miss Universe also prohibits transsexual applicants and age fabrication.

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The main pageant

The main Miss Universe Pageant is held in May or June each year, with the winner being crowned by the previous year's titleholder. According to the organisers, the Miss Universe contest isn't won just on looks. Women who aspire to become Miss Universe must be intelligent, well-mannered and cultured. Often a candidate has lost because she did not have a good answer during the question-and-answer round.

Currently, the final placement of the finalists is determined by a ranked vote, where each judge ranks each of the final three/five candidates, with the contestant posting the lowest cumulative score becoming the winner. If there is a tie, which often happens when there are even members of the jury, the higher semifinal scores become decisive. The winner is assigned a one-year contract with the Miss Universe Organization, travelling to several countries to spread messages about the control of diseases, peace, and public awareness of AIDS.

Aside from the main winner and her runners-up, special awards are also given to the winners of the best National Costume, Miss Photogenic, and Miss Congeniality. Miss Congeniality is chosen by the delegates themselves, while Miss Photogenic is chosen by popular Internet vote.

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Titleholders

Year National title Miss Universe Country Venue
1952 Suomen Neito Armi Kuusela Finland Long Beach, USA
1953 Miss France Christiane Martel France Long Beach, USA
1954 Miss USA Miriam Stevenson USA Long Beach, USA
1955 Fröken Sverige Hillevi Rombin Sweden Long Beach, USA
1956 Miss USA Carol Morris USA Long Beach, USA
1957 Miss Peru Gladys Zender Peru Long Beach, USA
1958 Señorita Colombia Luz Marina Zuluaga Colombia Long Beach, USA
1959 Miss Japan Universe Akiko Kojima Japan Long Beach, USA
1960 Miss USA Linda Bement USA Miami Beach, USA
1961 Miss Deutschland Marlene Schmidt Germany Miami Beach, USA
1962 Belleza Argentina Norma Nolan Argentina Miami Beach, USA
1963 Miss Brasil Ieda Maria Vargas Brazil Miami Beach, USA
1964 Star Hellas Corinna Tsopei Greece Miami Beach, USA
1965 Miss Thailand Apasra Hongsakula Thailand Miami Beach, USA
1966 Fröken Sverige Margareta Arvidsson Sweden Miami Beach, USA
1967 Miss USA Sylvia Hitchcock USA Miami Beach, USA
1968 Miss Brasil Martha Vasconcellos Brazil Miami Beach, USA
1969 Binibining Pilipinas Gloria Maria Diaz Philippines Miami Beach, USA
1970 Miss Puerto Rico Marisol Malaret Puerto Rico Miami Beach, USA
1971 Miss Lebanon Georgiana Rizk Lebanon Miami Beach, USA
1972 Miss Australia Kerry Anne Wells Australia Dorado, Puerto Rico
1973 Binibining Pilipinas Maria Margarita Moran Philippines Athens, Greece
1974 Miss España Amparo Muñoz Spain Manila, Philippines
1975 Suomen Neito Anne Marie Pohtamo Finland San Salvador, El Salvador
1976 Malket Hayofi Rina Messinger Israel Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1977 Miss Trinidad & Tobago Janelle Commissiong Trinidad and Tobago Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
1978 Miss South Africa Margaret Gardiner South Africa Acapulco, Mexico
1979 Miss Venezuela Maritza Sayalero Venezuela Perth, Australia
1980 Miss USA Shawn Weatherly USA Seoul, South Korea
1981 Miss Venezuela Irene Sáez Venezuela New York City, USA
1982 Miss Canada Karen Dianne Baldwin Canada Lima, Peru
1983 Miss New Zealand Lorraine Downes New Zealand St. Louis, USA
1984 Fröken Sverige Yvonne Ryding Sweden Miami, USA
1985 Miss Puerto Rico Deborah Carthy-Deu Puerto Rico Miami, USA
1986 Miss Venezuela Bárbara Palacios Teyde Venezuela Panama City, Panama
1987 Miss Chile Universo Cecilia Bolocco Chile Singapore, Singapore
1988 Miss Thailand Porntip Nakhirunkanok Thailand Taipei, Taiwan
1989 Miss Nederland Angela Visser Netherlands Cancún, Mexico
1990 Frøken Norge Mona Grudt Norway Los Angeles, USA
1991 Señorita Mexico Lupita Jones Mexico Las Vegas, USA
1992 Miss Namibia Michelle McLean Namibia Bangkok, Thailand
1993 Miss Puerto Rico Dayanara Torres Puerto Rico Mexico City, Mexico
1994 Femina Miss India Sushmita Sen India Manila, Philippines
1995 Miss USA Chelsi Smith USA Windhoek, Namibia
1996 Miss Venezuela Alicia Machado Venezuela Las Vegas, USA
1997 Miss USA Brook Mahealani Lee USA Miami Beach, USA
1998 Miss Trinidad & Tobago Wendy Fitzwilliam Trinidad and Tobago Honolulu, USA
1999 Miss Universe Botswana Mpule Kwelagobe Botswana Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago
2000 Femina Miss India Lara Dutta India Nicosia, Cyprus
2001 Miss Puerto Rico Denise Quiñones Puerto Rico Bayamon, Puerto Rico
2002 Miss Russia Oxana Fedorova Russia San Juan, Puerto Rico
Señorita Panama Justine Pasek Panama
2003 Miss Republica Dominicana Amelia Vega Dominican Republic Panama City, Panama
2004 Miss Universe Australia Jennifer Hawkins Australia Quito, Ecuador
2005 Miss Universe Canada Natalie Glebova Canada Bangkok, Thailand
2006 Los Angeles, USA
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Statistics

As of the 2005 contest, there have been seven US American, four Puerto Rican, four Venezuelan, and three Swedish Misses Universe. Many other countries have won the contest once or twice.

Venezuela has enjoyed the most successful overall performance of the last decade at Miss Universe (and in the world pageant circuit): from 1983 to 2003 its representatives placed in the semifinals without interruption, and for the last decade every Miss Venezuela reached the finalist (top five/top six) position. In 2004, this pattern was broken by Ana Karina Anez's failure to place in the top 15 in Ecuador. Although Venezuela is tied for second with Puerto Rico for the most crowns won, it has had a far superior record in terms of overall placement. While Alicia Machado has been the only Venezuelan Miss Universe in the last decade, of the nine pageants that have followed her victory, four have seen Venezuela's representative come in second.

The countries that made the semi-finals most often is the USA, who only missed the cut three times with one disqualification in 1957, then Venezuela (33), Sweden and Brazil (both 27), Colombia (26), Germany (21), England and Israel (both 19), Finland and Greece (both 18), Norway and India (both 17), Peru and South Africa (16 each), and Canada, Japan, and Puerto Rico (15 each). England, the Philippines and Puerto Rico all have won the Miss Photogenic award 5 times.

Four Black contestants have won the pageant: Janelle Penny Commisiong of Trinidad and Tobago in 1977, Chelsi Smith from the USA in 1995, Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago in 1998, and Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana in 1999.

A new trend of delegates representing countries they were not born in has developed. Miss Universe 2002 Justine Pasek was born in Kharkiv Ukraine. Miss Israel 2005, Elena Ralph was also born in Ukraine and moved to Israel when she was 8 years old. The most famous country-swapper was probably Natascha Borger. After placing 12th in the 2000 Miss Venezuela pageant she moved to Germany where she easily won the crown of Miss Germany Universe. Other notable contestants who represent countries other than their birth place include the Canadian Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova who is Russian by birth.

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Invited artists

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Trivia

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Locations

  • Miss Puerto Rico 2001, Denise Quiñones, is the first titleholder to win Miss Universe in her home country (outside the USA). The USA hosted the early years of the pageant (1952-1971), with 4 Miss USA's crowned on home turf (1954 and 1956 in Long Beach, CA, and 1960 and 1967 in Miami Beach, FL). In 1997, Miss USA Brook Mahealani Lee (a native of Hawaii) was crowned Miss Universe in Miami Beach.
  • Outside the USA, Mexico and Puerto Rico have hosted the most Miss Universe pageants, with three each. The various locations were:
    • Mexico: Acapulco (1978), Cancun (1985), Mexico City (1993).
    • Puerto Rico: Dorado (1972, the first pageant held outside the US), Bayamon (2001), San Juan (2002)
  • Apart from the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico, the only countries to host the pageant more than once were:
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Competing States

  • Before becoming states in 1959, Alaska and Hawaii both sent delegates to the pageant during the 1950s. In fact, Miss Hawaii was 1st runner-up in 1952 and 2nd runner-up in 1958, while Miss Alaska reached the semi-finals in 1957.
  • In 2004, Venezuela's streak of 21 consecutive appearances in the semi-finals (1983-2003) came to an end when Ana Karina Añez failed to reach the top 15 that year. This streak was one short of USA's record 22 consecutive appearances in the semifinals from 1977-1998.
  • The strong rivalry among Puerto Rico and Venezuela is so well-known in popular culture, that their struggle has been immortalized in several Spanish-language television commercials in the United States for such companies as MasterCard and Budweiser. In the latter, former Miss Universe winners Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico and Alicia Machado of Venezuela cause mayhem in a sports bar as they compete to win the admiration of the men present in a comical manner.
  • Despite the wide belief that Venezuela is the most successful country at Miss Universe, the United States has fared better, possessing seven winners, eight first runners-up, six second runners-up, one third runner-up, three fourth runners-up, six finalists, and seventeen semi-finalists. Venezuela, however, remains as the most successful overall beauty powerhouse, having won all of the major beauty pageants.
  • Miss USA has missed the semi-finals only three times: 1976 (Barbara Peterson), 1999 (Kimberly Pressler), and 2002 (Shauntay Hinton).
  • The nations that have competed every single year of competition (From 1952 to date) are France, Germany, USA and Canada.
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Delegates

  • Georgina Rizk, Angela Visser, and Mpule Kwelegobe were all Miss Universe title holders who did not even place in Miss World.
  • At 5'4" tall, Miss Thailand 1965, Apasra Hongsakula is the shortest Miss Universe ever crowned.
  • Mary Leona Gage, Miss USA 1957 was disqualified for being married, though she had qualified for the semi-finals. She was replaced by Miss Argentina.
  • Amparo Munoz of Spain, Miss Universe 1974, was dethroned shortly before her reign ended and did not crown her successor, but she was not formally replaced. Amparo's runner-up, Helen Morgan of Wales, went on to represent the United Kingdom in the Miss World pageant later that same year. She won, only to resign a few days later when she was revealed to be an unwed mother.
  • Trinidad & Tobago's Janelle Commissiong became the first woman of black descent to be crowned Miss Universe, this occurred in 1977 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The first Miss Universe of African descent was Mpule Kwelagobe, of Botswana, crowned in 1999 at Chaguaramas, Trinidad & Tobago.
  • Andrea Stelzer was Miss South Africa in 1985, but pulled out of Miss Universe because of anti-apartheid demonstrations. She competed in 1989 as Miss Germany, and was a top 10 semi-finalist.
  • Miss Lebanon 2001, Christina Sawaya, pulled out of the 2002 Miss Universe competition because of the participation of Miss Israel. She went on to win the rival Miss International competition in the same year.
  • 2002's winner, Oxana Fedorova of Russia, became the first Miss Universe who officially did not finish her reign, making first runner-up Justine Pasek the first Panamanian to hold the title. Fedorova was crowned in Puerto Rico in mid-May, and was replaced by Pasek in early August. It is unclear whether Fedorova was fired for failure to perform her duties (the official version), or chose to resign because she had not expected the heavy workload.
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See also

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External links

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