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Miss Universe 2007

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Miss Universe 2007
Date28 May 2007
PresentersVanessa Minnillo and Mario Lopez
EntertainmentRBD
VenueAuditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
BroadcasterNBC, Telemundo
DebutsMontenegro, Serbia, Tanzania
WithdrawalsCayman Islands, Chile, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Namibia, Northern Marianas, Sri Lanka, St. Martin, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom
ReturnsBarbados, Belize, Curacao, Honduras, Italy
WinnerRiyo Mori
Japan Japan
CongenialityNingning Zhang
 China
PhotogenicAnna Theresa Licaros  Philippines

Miss Universe 2007, the 56th Miss Universe pageant, was won by Riyo Mori of Japan. It took place on 28 May 2007 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico. 77 delegates competed for the title, previously held by Puerto Rico's Zuleyka Rivera.

The pageant was held almost two months prior to when it was held in 2006, although the event had generally been staged between late May and early June since 2001. Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera reigned for little more than ten months, one of the shortest in the history of the title. Contestants began to arrive in Mexico on 30 April 2007 and were to be involved in a number of appearances and events prior to the final competition.

This is the fourth time Mexico has been the host country and the second time Mexico City the host city of the Miss Universe pageant. Mexico first hosted the pageant in Acapulco in 1978. Miss Universe 1989 was then staged in Cancun and Miss Universe 1993 was held in Mexico City.

The pageant was co-hosted by Mario Lopez and Vanessa Minnillo, both first-time hosts of the Miss Universe pageant.[1] Minnillo, an Entertainment Tonight correspondent and former Miss Teen USA 1998, previously hosted the Miss Teen USA 2004 pageant. Lopez hosted the Miss Teen USA 1998 pageant (won by Minnillo) and also co-hosted Miss Teen USA 2003.

File:Miss Universe winning.jpg
Riyo Mori, Miss Japan 2007 is crowned as Miss Universe 2007 by Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006.

As Zuleyka Rivera was crowning Riyo Mori with the official Mikimoto crown, it slipped from her grasp and nearly fell to the floor. Mori was able to catch the crown, which is made of diamonds and pearls and is valued at over $250,000.

Areas of competition

Prior to the final telecast, all contestants competed in swimsuit and evening gown during the preliminary competition. They also participated in interviews with the judges.

During the final competition, the top fifteen contestants (based on their preliminary scores) competed in the swimsuit competition, and the top ten competed in evening gown. The final five contestants participated in a final round of on-stage interviews, before the runners-up were announced and the new Miss Universe named.

This was the first year since 2002 that the judges' average scores were shown on television.

Crowd response

Rachel Smith, Miss USA, was booed during and loudly jeered during her final interview.[2] As she answered her question, there were loud shouts of "Mexico! Mexico!", which continued until she answered in Spanish.[2] This followed a similar incident during Miss Universe 1993, when that year's Miss USA, Kenya Moore, was also booed.[3] This may have been due to Miss USA making it into the top five despite slipping and falling during the evening gown competition, and thus leaving Miss Mexico and other favorites behind. It has also been attributed to what is seen as U.S. unfriendliness toward illegal immigrants by some Mexicans. [4]

Smith had also been booed during the National Costume competition, an open-air event held prior to the final competition where admission was free to the public.

During all audience attended competitions, there were loud shouts of "Mexico, Mexico!" in support of Mexico's delegate Rosa María Ojeda, which was also similar to events in 1993.

Predictions

Every prediction made by pageant fanatics have always been similar to the actual semifinalists and eventual winner. During the past decades, it has always been known that the candidates from the American region (both North, Central and South) dominate the semifinals, as seen through the performances of countries like the United States, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada and other Latin regions among the other continents. Especially when a pageant is held at an American continent (particularly in the United States and Latin American regions), most delegates that end up entering the finals are mostly Latinas, and Northern Americans. Hovewer, in the scenario of the recently concluded Miss Universe 2007 Pageant, a boost in Asian delegates have risen to be the stunners of the contest, beating the Latin crowd, North American and European favorites, in a country held by an evolving pageant powerhouse, Mexico. This is one major contrast to a regular Miss Universe Pageant when most winners eventually end up as obvious favorites since the beginning. The result is a controversial outcome of the Miss Universe Pageant, with new and growing powerhouse Asians are set to conquer the scene, and was eventually won by an Asian delegate, Riyo Mori. Other Asian delegates who have won in the recently concluded pageant were India's Puja Gupta, China's Ningning Zhang, Farung Yuthithum of Thailand, Anna Theresa Licaros of the Philippines, and Korea's Honey Lee. [5]

Results

Placements

Scores

Placement List
Order Swimsuit Evening Gown Final Placement
01 Japan Brazil Japan
02 Brazil Colombia Brazil
03 Korea Korea Venezuela
04 Tanzania Japan Korea
05 Angola USA USA
06 USA Tanzania
07 Venezuela Angola
08 India Mexico
09 Mexico India
10 Nicaragua Nicaragua
11 Slovenia
12 Czech Republic
13 Denmark
14 Thailand
15 Ukraine
     The contestant was eliminated
     Miss Universe 2007
     First runner-up
     Second runner-up
     Third runner-up
     Fourth runner-up

Special Awards

Historical significance

  • Japan won the pageant for the first time since Akiko Kojima won Japan's first Miss Universe title in 1959.
  • Slovenia and Tanzania placed for the first time. This was the first year that Tanzania participated in the pageant.
  • Countries that made the semi-finals after a long period without placement were: Czech Republic (last placed in 2003), Nicaragua (1977), Korea (1988), and Angola (2003).
  • Denmark placed for the second consecutive year; this was their first pair of consecutive placements since the 1960s. Prior to 2006, no Danish contestant had placed since 1967.
  • Philippines won the Miss Photogenic award for the seventh time (it has won this award three years in a row since 2005).
  • China won the Miss Congeniality award for the first time.

Judges

The following celebrities judged the final competition.[1] Martel was added as a judge the day prior to the final competition.

Delegates

National competitions

Countries and territories which sent delegates.

Withdrawals

  • Cayman Islands, Chile, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Namibia, Northern Marianas, St. Martin, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey and United Kingdom will not compete in Miss Universe 2007 as the competition was held two months early and most of their contestants have not yet been choosen. Since Iceland, Namibia, Netherlands, Northern Marianas, Turkey have their dates set, their delegates will be sent to Miss Universe 2008.
  • Trinidad and Tobago will not send a delegate for the first time in sixteen years, due to a lack of financial support. Kenisha Thom, who represented Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 appealed to the government and businesses to support the pageant, to no avail.[30]
  • Aruni Rajapakse was expected to represent Sri Lanka in the pageant and was listed as a delegate on the Miss Universe website.[31] On 5 May, her name was removed from the website, and it appears she will not compete in the pageant. Sri Lanka will compete in Miss Universe next year.

Debuts

  • Tanzania will attend the Miss Universe pageant for the first time.[32]
  • Following Montenegrin independence in 2006, Serbia and Montenegro will compete separately in Miss Universe for the first time.

Returning states and territories

  • Honduras,[33] which last competed in 2002.
  • Barbados, Belize, Curacao, and Italy which last competed in 2005.

Format changes

Contestant notes

Megan Coleman, Miss South Africa 2006
  • A number of contestants have taken part in other international competitions:
    • Miss Guatemala (Alida Boer) competed in Miss Teen International 2000 where she placed first runner-up. Miss Peru (Jimena Elias) competed in the same pageant in 2006, and also placed first runner-up.
    • Miss Bolivia (Jessica Jordan Burton) took part in Miss Earth 2006 in Manila. She was not a semi-finalist but placed in the top fifteen in the swimsuit prelimary competition.
    • Miss Argentina (Daniela Stuncan Flimioni) competed in Miss World 2000 where she did not place in the finals, and at Miss Earth 2001, where she placed third runner-up.
    • Miss Zambia (Rosemary Mulenga Chileshe) competed in Miss World 2004 where she did not place in the finals.
    • Miss Norway (Kirby Ann Tan Basken) competed in Miss Intercontinental 2006, representing the Philippines, where she was a semifinalist.
    • Miss Poland (Dorota Gawron) won the Miss Baltic Sea & Scandinavia title in September 2006. The second runner-up was Miss Denmark, Zaklina Sojic. First runner-up Sif Aradóttir represented Iceland at Miss Universe 2006.
    • Miss Costa Rica (Veronica Maria Gonzalez Quesada) won the Reina Mundial del Banano title in 2006.
    • Miss Brazil (Natália Guimarães) won the Top Model of the World 2007 title and competed in Miss Intercontinental 2006, where she was a semifinalist.
    • Miss Angola (Micaela Reis), Miss Switzerland (Christa Rigozzi), Miss Spain (Natalia Zabala Arroyo), Miss Russia (Tatyana Kotova), Miss France (Rachel Legrain-Trapani), Miss South Africa (Megan Coleman), Miss Guatemala (Alida Boer), Miss Egypt, (Ehsan Hatem Al-Kirdany) and Miss Lebanon (Nadine Njeim) will compete at Miss World 2007
  • A number of contestants were born outside the country or have different origins to that which they will represent in the pageant:
    • Miss Germany (Angelica Glass) is half Filipina.[35] Her father is from the Philippines and her mother is German. Miss Norway Kirby Ann Tan Basken is also half Filipina.[20]
    • Miss Canada 2007 (Inga Skaya) was born in Russia, as was Natalie Glebova, Miss Canada 2005 and Miss Universe 2005. The past three Miss Canada titleholders (2005, 2006, and 2007) were born in Eastern Europe.
    • Miss USA (Rachel Smith) was born on an American army base in Panama.
    • Miss Venezuela (Ly Jonaitis) is of Lithuanian and Russian origin.
    • Miss U.S. Virgin Islands Renata Christian was born in Puerto Rico.
    • Miss Indonesia (Agni Pratistha Kuswardono) was born in Canberra, Australia.
  • Other contestant notes
    • Miss Jamaica (Zahra Redwood) is the first Rastafarian to represent Jamaica at Miss Universe.[36]
    • Mauritius is expected to be represented by Sandra Faro (1st runner-up at Miss Mauritius 2006) because Melody Selvon, the actual winner of the competition, is only 16 years old.[37] Rules explicitly state that all contestants participating in Miss Universe must be over the age of 18.
    • Miss Puerto Rico (Uma Blasini) is so far, the tallest contestant. The professional volleyball player stands 1.85 m. Uma is also a cancer survivor as well as Miss Mexico (Rosa María Ojeda). Both went through a thyroid gland tumor extraction.
    • Miss Slovak Republic (Lucia Senášiová) posed topless for a men's magazine.
    • Miss Lebanon Nadine Njeim has the same name as Miss Lebanon 2004 (who competed at Miss Universe 2005). The two are unrelated.

National Costume controversy

In April 2007, controversy erupted over the proposed national costume of Rosa María Ojeda, Miss Mexico. The skirt of the costume depicted scenes from the Cristero War, a Roman Catholic rebellion in the 1920s in which thousands of people were killed, including hangings.[38] The outfit included a bullet-studded belt and crucifix necklace.[39] The design was chosen from over thirty others and had been intended to show Mexico's culture and history, but it elicited controversy amid claims it was in poor taste and inappropriate.[38] Pageant owners said that the costume would be redesigned to include image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.[38]

References

  1. ^ a b "Vanessa Minnillo and Mario Lopez to Host Miss Universe(R) 2007, Live From the National Auditorium in Mexico City on NBC, Monday, May 28, 9-11 PM ET" (Press release). Miss Universe Organization. 2007-05-17. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
  2. ^ a b Watson, Julie (2007-05-28). "Miss Japan crowned Miss Universe 2007". Associated Press. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
  3. ^ "Miss Puerto Rico crowned 1993 Miss Universe". Reuters. 1993-05-22.
  4. ^ "Japan's Mori wins troubled Miss Universe contest". Reueters. May 28, 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2007.
  5. ^ [www.globalbeauties.com]
  6. ^ "Micaela Reis Elected Miss Angola/2007". All Africa. 2006-12-18.
  7. ^ "Topless shots end beauty's quest". The West Australian. 2007-04-21. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  8. ^ "Miss Barbados Universe aids differently abled children". The Barbados Advocate. 2007-04-25. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
  9. ^ "Annelien Coorevits is Miss België". De Standaard. 2006-12-20.
  10. ^ "Miss Belize continues fundraising drive". Channel 5 Belize. 2007-04-13. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  11. ^ Miller Llana, Sara (2007-04-11). "The Christian Science Monitor".
  12. ^ "Depois da festa, a reflexão". TV em Análise. 2007-04-15. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |acessdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "Mineira é eleita Miss Brasil". Minha Notícia. 2007-04-15.
  14. ^ "Primeira mão: Natália Guimarães embarca para o Miss Universo". TV em Análise. 2007-05-01.
  15. ^ "Beauty queens have big plans ahead". The Times of India. 2007-04-11.
  16. ^ "Agni Pratistha Crowned Miss Indonesia 2006". LKBN Antara. 2006-08-25.
  17. ^ "Ballet dancer chosen to represent Japan in Miss Universe contest". Mainichi Daily News. 2007-03-16. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  18. ^ "Miss Korea Heading for Universe Showdown". Digital Chosunilbo. 2007-04-25. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
  19. ^ "Laural Barrett wins Miss Universe New Zealand 2007". Scoop Independent News. 2007-04-01.
  20. ^ a b "Philippines: Filipino-Norwegian Beauty Wins Miss Norway-Universe 2007 Title" (Press release). Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines. 2007-04-13. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  21. ^ "New Miss Peru Universe not affected by critics". LivinginPeru.com. 2007-04-18. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
  22. ^ Yazon, Giovanni Paolo J. (2007-04-14). "From UP summa to Miss Universe bet". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  23. ^ "Flight stewardess crowned Miss Singapore Universe 2007". Channel News Asia. 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2007-04-22.
  24. ^ Bisetty, Mariah (2006-12-11). "Outspoken Durbanite clinches Miss SA title". The Mercury. p. E1.
  25. ^ "Miss Yoanna Henry for Miss Universe". Tropical Fete. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  26. ^ Sonigra, Bhavin (2007-04-16). "Flaviana crowned Miss Universe Tanzania 2007". Tanzania Standard Newspapers.
  27. ^ Veiga, Alex (2006-03-24). "Miss Tennessee crowned new Miss USA". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
  28. ^ Virgin Islands, Daily News (2007-02-05). "Miss U.S. Virgin Islands Universe: Renata Christian wins crown". Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
  29. ^ "Among winners at Miss Venezuela, deaf beauty queen gets 3rd place crown". Associated Press. 2006-09-15.
  30. ^ "No TT beauty for Miss Universe". Trinidad & Tobago's News Day. 2007-05-04. Retrieved 2007-05-05.
  31. ^ "Aruni, Lanka's new queen". The Sunday Times Online. 2007-04-15. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
  32. ^ "Miss World from India coaches Tanzanian beauties". Xinhua News Agency. 2007-04-13.
  33. ^ "Latina Fashion Designer, Icel De Jesus Will Participate as International Judge at the Miss Universe Honduras 2007 Pageant" (Press release). Carimaxx Productions. 2007-04-21. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  34. ^ Loudon, Bruce (2007-04-10). "Silken words go straight to nation's heart". The Australian.
  35. ^ Lo, Ricardo. "'The Other Misses Phils.' in the Miss U pageant". ABS-CBN Interactive.
  36. ^ Walters, Basil (2007-04-01). "Rastafarians embrace first beauty queen". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 2007-04-18.
  37. ^ "Recent Grande Prairie, Alta high school graduate now Miss Mauritius". The Canadian Press. 2006-08-22.
  38. ^ a b c "Miss Mexico 'war gown' toned down". BBC News. 2007-04-19. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
  39. ^ "Miss Mexico's pageant dress kick-starts outrage". El Paso Times. 2007-04-21. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
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