While the rest of the world is obsessed with sending a Miss Universe delegate who stands a minimum of 5’8″ in height, here comes big ‘ole USA with a titleholder who measures a little more than a shade above 5’5″ (or roughly 1.66m if you will). This is really nothing new or unusual with the country that started the pageant. In the last two decades alone, there are at least three previous Miss USA winners who have almost the same vertical stats (read: 5’6″-below), namely 2006’s Tara Conner (5’5″), 1999’s Kimberly Pressler (5’6″) and 1991’s Kelli McCarty (5’6″).
You can look at it in a few different ways. One, Miss USA is not bothered at all with a shorter winner because she will inevitably be given special attention in Miss Universe – sash factor in the works. Two, Miss USA is more concerned with the X-factor of a state rep more than anything else. Going into the Top 5 and while everyone else is looking at the much taller ladies from Nevada, Ohio and Maryland, Olivia is charming all the judges with her iridescent glow and politically correct way of thinking. Three, Miss USA is Donald Trump’s Miss USA. Regardless of who wins Miss Universe, she will have a wonderful year ahead – living the good life in a posh Trump-owned condominium in Manhattan and sharing some of the bounty in the process. This means that there is no need to panic with a near-petite bet. The more important thing is to choose someone who can best represent all 50 states (plus D.C.) in a color-blind, ethnicity-blind…and height-blind manner.
So there – the sash factor, the X-factor and the Trump factor. Side with what runs closest to what you think or share other theories you may have. 🙂
normannorman.com 
I was reading an article in spanish where they were talking about current celebritites who could be Miss Universe. They talked about age and height. They said that all celebritites and people below 5 6 couldnt be MissUniverse because they were too short. And now Olivia proves them wrong because she is 5.5 inches. That means I could be MissUsa & MissUniverse if I really want to and work hard. Im so proud of her. I myself never thought she was gonna win because she looked short next to MissVenezuela and MissAustralia. I dont think shes gonna look so great in modeling pictures though.
She is STUNNING, and it’s nice to have a more petite Italian American win Miss USA and Miss Universe! Feminine and sexy, imagine that
Lol miss usa is really beautiful & she’s stunning ..does olivia culpo know that some people said she doesn’t deserve the crown? im sorry and i apologize but for me miss usa is really do not deserve the crown.
Yes, she is beautiful but I think the winner should be taller. I think there should be a height requirement even though I am not tall. Modeling has height restrictions.
Yes, I agree.
Lots of modeling has height restrictions, but not all. And just because something has height restrictions, doesn’t mean you have to continue thinking inside the same box that everyone else does. Be a thought leader, think outside the box, tear down the walls. Think different. It’s the American thing to do.
The wonderful thing about these types of events is that women show the diverse types of beauty. She isn’t short, she’s 5’5 average size in the U.S. You mentioned modeling and this is so different from modeling because they’re not trying to sell a piece of wardrobe, they’re demonstrating their beauty which is way different.
I had a thought yesterday that Olivia would sing the anthem at the Superbowl as Miss Universe.
Norman — I’m a bit late in expressing an opinion here, and I know a lot of people will disagree with me — but I’m not entirely too happy about Olivia Culpo winning the USA sash (after all, as an American, I should be able to express this opinion since she gets to represent my country). Yes, Olivia is smart, beautiful and all that, but so were many of the girls in the pageant — some even more physically stunning than Olivia. I’m afraid she will be another Rima Fakih — another Miss USA who won’t make it as a MU semifinalist this year — but at least Olivia gets to live in that posh Manhattan condo with Miss Universe…
Many people thought that Olivia’s win will redefine the height benchmarks of MU. Alas, it will remain just that. A thought.
It’s important, what can you say? But it isn’t the be all. She had a complete package to look at and the judges weren’t overwhelmed with the height factor. Good for them.
who cares about her height? Look at her,shes a total package, Imo. Gorgeous. Nuff said
She is indeed, hotaru. And wearing the Miss USA sash gives her more confidence regardless of height. 😉
my husband rarely watch this type of show but last night he agreed to watch it with me. When they introuduced the top 10 and he saw miss rhode island, He said she was his bet. I asked why and he said something about her eyes. and i agree, she has the freshest face, genuine smile and looks really down to earth. And when she answered that question, even my husband who is an alpha male – said that among the 5 contestant, her answer was the only one that made sense.
I think she is absolutely gorgeous. Her eyes, nose, mouth, shape of her face, and her body (even her legs, which are perfectly proportioned) are all PERFECT, in my opinion. For once I agree with the judges choice 100%. And I predict she will do VERY WELL in the Miss Universe contest. She may even be the winner. Yep, I think she has a good shot, unless the judges of that contest are blind !!
Olivia is certainly one of the most beautiful women ever to walk the earth. She deserved to win Miss America and more!
While I agree, Dennis, Miss America is an entirely different competition from Miss USA. 😉
She also just won Miss Universe so I was right, she IS right now, the most beautiful woman in the UNIVERSE!
I have been an advocate of throwing out all the arm chair standards when it comes to height. The current Miss USA has only proven and validated what I’ve said all along. As long as there is that personality and there is a wonderful delivery to the question(s), height will not be the final decision. As long as the candidate is proportionate and pleasing to the eye, height is not might. The arm chair judges that keep throwing their “universal standards” at every single competitor that comes along drives me crazy!!! It’s like they have a word in the whole matter or even think they have the final word in the selection. Geesh!!! I was not a fan of this current Miss USA, I was rooting for Georgia, Oklahoma, and Nevada. However, when Olivia delivered the final answer, I knew she clinched the crown and with her answer, she more than deserved it!!! Congratulations to her!
She’s petite, proportioned, peppy, and pretty enough. Will she be towered by other MIss U candidates later? Definitely. Does it stymy her chances at Miss U? I don’t know, but she’s gotten this far, right? A shorter candidate, especially one representing the great country of the USA, just shows that anybody has a chance…that everyone comes from a different mold. I’m actually proud of that. As Filipinos, sometimes we only have one version of beauty. Dapat matangkad, maputi, matangos ang ilong, etcetera. I remember how cruel some of our kababayan were to Venus Raj, as her beauty was not the “standard” that many Pilipinos wanted representing them. She was too dark, one said, and would be better off being someone’s atsay daw. (Yes, Norm, I actually read that online in a forum.) Sometimes, it takes the accomplishment on an international and/or a prestigious stage to challenge the mindset of others. Me? As much as I wanted my hometown girl, Miss Nevada, to win the pageant—and I mean, she had all the goods, I found her a little lacking during her interview skills and a little “O.A.” as my mom would say. Rhode Island did not stutter and gave an articulate and sincere answer to her question. That sealed the deal, and now, she’s Miss USA…5’5″ and all!
I like your points, Mrs. AJ. True, a prestigious national pageant like Miss USA can challenge the sensibilities of its counterparts from around the world. Producing a shorter winner like Olivia could send strong signals that, after all, height is not always might in the MU stage. But in the Philippines, for example, it will take awhile for that reality to sink in. First off, it’s hard to compare a Miss USA to a Miss Philippines once the international competition is underway. True, we’ve been lucky the past two editions (5’9″ Venus and 5’7 1/4″ Shamcey), but in general, the girl who wears the USA sash will still be given more attention regardless of height. On the other hand, a petite-looking Miss Philippines (like Carla Gay Balingit) can be easily dismissed and dwarfed upon by the other ladies. If only things were like the 70s and 80s when the average height of candidates is only around 5’5″-5’6″. I would have had a better perspective if only the 5’4″ Anjanette Abayari wasn’t dethroned way back in 1991 and went to Vegas for MU. The girl has a gorgeous face and body and very good comm. skills in English. Anyways, my Thai friend told me that Miss USA may be short but has fab face and body, compared to Asian delegates who may be taller but with less shapely figures. Somehow, things tend to balance each other. Of course, including the Latinas would significantly change the landscape of everything. They usually are very statuesque, sexy, almost flawless. The lack of English fluency can never be held against them. Oh my, I’m babbling now. 🙂