How I Save the World

“And the winner is…”

This year’s competition format is different from last year’s. Last year, the presentation show came before the personal interviews. This year, the interview rounds come before the presentation show. Yesterday and today were the two days set aside for the interview, while tomorrow sees the all important presentation show, in which all the girls compete in swimsuit and in evening gown.

Last year I had the pleasure of watching the presentation show and the rehearsals prior to that at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It was my first Miss Universe live show, although I have been following the pageant for over a decade now. The presentation show was exhilarating, if a little tiring. The girls were all so beautiful and stunning, but I have to admit that seeing them up, close, and personal really, really made a difference. Miss Puerto Rico was a real standout, as were Misses Japan and Miss Trinidad and Tobago. And they were all up there come finals, with Miss Puerto Rico taking the crown. This year’s Miss Japan, Riyo Mori is likely to place just as highly as Kurara Chibana from last year.

So with the interviews before the presentation show this year, will those with the gift of the gab have an advantage? After all once the judges like a girl’s interview, is it more likely that they will be favorable towards her swimsuit and evening wear rounds? Difficult to say. I think if you are great, nothing’s going to stop you from wining this competition.

I think the girls who will be standing in on stage as past of the top 15 are:

Miss Venezuela, Miss Poland, Miss Estonia, Miss Korea, and Miss Spain,

Miss Thailand, Miss Angola, Miss Russia, Miss France and Miss Albania

Miss Greece, Miss Japan, Miss Peru, Miss Tanzania, and Miss Slovenia

This list will probably change in the next week or so.