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Miss Universe 2007, Miss Japan

Paul — Mon, 28 May 2007 18:32:44 +0000

Ines Ligron is the national director of the Miss Japan pageant, and she’s on the ground in Mexico City schmoozing with the girls, the media, and other pageant officials. She has this to say about Miss Japan Riyo Mori’s chances:

“Everybody expect Japan to win, it is very exiting to be here.

The show ill be incredible this year, with a runway like the Victoria Secret fashion show in New York. The lighning is speactacular. Riyo will shine on the stage, she is very ready for tomorrow. Many delegates themselves are telling her that she is going to be the winner tomorrow!!

After seeing the delegates personally and on stage, talking to them, I made my choice as follow:

JAPAN – USA – VENEZUELA

KOREA – BRAZIL – SLOVENIA – SERBIA – ITALY – SPAIN – ANGOLA”

It is indeed very exciting, as we reveal all the sizzle, sparkle, and dazzle of the Miss Universe finals tonight on this blog. Don’t forget to tune in at 9pm for live commentary on all the glamour and excitement of the 2007 Miss Universe pageant.

Miss Universe 2007, Top 15

Paul — Mon, 28 May 2007 16:47:52 +0000

So we’re down to crunch line. It’s 9 hours to the live telecast and who will be Miss Universe 2007 top 15 line up. Who are the Miss Universe 2007 favorites for the title?

Top 5 – Miss Korea, Miss USA, Miss Italy, Miss Japan, Miss Guatemala

Top 10 – Miss Venezuela, Miss Tanzania, Miss Slovenia, Miss Thailand, Miss Paraguay

Top 15 – Miss Angola, Miss Spain, Miss Estonia, Miss Serbia, Miss Greece

The ones that can also make and impact:

Miss Peru, Miss Mexico, Miss Bolivia, Miss Russia, and Miss South Africa

So these are my 20 favorites, and I think that I should have a pretty good hit rate and that a lot of these girls will end up as Miss Universe 2007 top 15 candidates. I will providing live commentary for the two hours of the show. Just check back here for updates.

Swimsuit Competition at Miss Universe 2007

Paul — Fri, 25 May 2007 04:48:31 +0000

Aren’t these some of the most beautiful girls you’ve ever seen?

Miss Universe 2007

Paul — Thu, 24 May 2007 03:27:14 +0000

So all the interviews are over. Apparently, some sources said the girls only had 30 seconds each in front of the judges. Since there are 7 or 8 judges, that comes up to more than 3 minutes per contestant. That sounds about right. My guess is that the Miss Universe Organization has already selected Miss Universe and they’ve probably given a list of the girls they like to the judges, asking them to pay special attention to them.

Globalbeauties has given us the low down – Miss Singapore leaving the interview room in tears, Miss Russia not remembering the name of any museums she had visited despite saying she liked museums, a bevy of Eastern European girls claiming they spoke Russian but being caught out when real Russian interpreters showed up on the scene. Never a dull moment with 77 of the most beautiful girls on the planet.

This evening sees the presentation show, in which the girls compete in swimsuit and evening gown. Tonight, the 15 semifinalists will be chosen. Who will they be?

Realistically, Miss Mexico, for being the home contestant, Miss USA, because Miss Universe is a US competition. Of course, they’re beautiful and would make top 15 regardless. But they can’t help being aided by their natural advantages.

I’ll think more about the remaining 12 spots. In the meantime, here are pictures from the intros to the presentation show. The girls wear outfits from Tadashi, a Japanese designer.

Miss Universe 2007 – Top 15

Paul — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:59:39 +0000

Tonight’s Miss Universe pageant live from Mexico City will see 15 girls catapulted to universal fame! Who will they be?

I made a list a few days ago: Miss Albania, Miss Angola, Miss Estonia, Miss Slovenia, Miss Spain, Miss France, Miss Greece, Miss Japan, Miss Korea, Miss Peru, Miss Poland, Miss Russia, Miss Thailand, Miss Tanzania, and Miss Venezuela!

But this list will change this afternoon when we look at our final list. Good luck to all the girls!

But now that we are but hours from the competition, my list of the top 15 has changed. I’ve also added 5 more girls that could easily place in the top 15 slots.

READ HERE FOR MY FINAL LIST OF THE TOP 15.

In a few hours’ time I will announce whom I think the top 3 girls are! Also, don’t forget to tune in to this blog for live commentary of tonights finals from 9pm EST onwards!

Miss Universe 2007

Paul — Wed, 23 May 2007 03:15:24 +0000

“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.

Miss Universe Organization (MUO)

Paul — Tue, 22 May 2007 01:34:10 +0000

I was very fortunate to be able to register as a member of the press corps a few years ago when I was working for a book publisher. My rationale was that my publisher produced books that showcase culture, and what better way to do so than to print photographs of Miss Universe contestants in their national costume?

So that’s how I got entry to Miss Universe’s press site. And I get to see all these great photographs, like these below.

Miss Universe 2007

Paul — Tue, 22 May 2007 01:08:58 +0000

Who are this year’s Miss Universe competition’s really competitive girls?

I looked through all the video interviews and selected 44 girls that I thought were sweet, pretty, and had something to say. Watch these interviews here. It was nice that I could post these to Google Notebook.

Now I’ll have to whittle the 44 down to 15 and then down to 1 by Wednesday, which is when the pre-judging takes place. So far, I think Miss Venezuela, Miss Angola, Miss Brazil, Miss Russia, Miss Korea, and Miss Japan are all amazing