Miss Universe 2012: Olivia Culpo won, but it still felt like a Christmas present for the Philippines

Posted by Norman on April 17, 2020
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 19: (L-R) Miss USA 2012, Olivia Culpo, is crowned the 2012 Miss Universe by Leila Lopes, Miss Universe 2011, as Logan West, Miss Teen USA 2012, looks on during the 2012 Miss Universe Pageant at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on December 19, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 19: Miss USA 2012, Olivia Culpo, poses at a news conference after she was named the new Miss Universe during the 2012 Miss Universe Pageant at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on December 19, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 19: Miss Philippines 2012, Janine Tugonon (L), and Miss USA 2012, Olivia Culpo, wait for the judges’ final decision during the 2012 Miss Universe Pageant at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on December 19, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Culpo went on to be crowned the new Miss Universe and Tugonon was the first runner-up. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Photo by Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic

Miss Universe 2012 felt like a big Christmas present back then. Well, almost. It was Olivia Culpo, the host delegate, who won. But Miss Philippines Janine Tugonon claimed our second of only two First Runner-Up finishes ever in the pageant’s history. The entire edition was also special in the sense that it was held exactly a week before Christmas, so the Yuletide spirit pervaded all throughout the finals proceedings. And just as the US celebrated its victory since 1997, the Filipinos watched in awe as our representative successfully added to the consecutive Top 5 rankings. Many of us said that Janine was robbed of the title, and she could have been our third Miss Universe. But patience has its rewards as we would finally get ours just a few years later.

Let’s now re-watch highlights of the Christmas (Holiday) edition of the pageant once more:

(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Olivia is the type of Miss Universe winner Donald Trump must have really enjoyed having as a brand endorser. She embraced the limelight and the attention as if she just became a breakout showbiz discovery. She was also one of the most photographed titleholders. And she used the platform well beyond the HIV/AIDS Awareness and Best Buddies causes that the MUO supported. She became a social media personality, a fashion influencer, a reality TV attraction and even a film actress. She also appeared twice on the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for AT&T)

In terms of love life, Olivia wasn’t lacking. After a highly-publicized and gossiped-about relationship with singer/actor Nick Jonas, she also had dalliances with at least a few sportsmen like Tim Tebow, Danny Amendola and Christian McCaffrey (left photo).

Olivia will soon resurface on the small screen in the program “Paradise City” which is a TV spinoff of “American Satan”, as well as continue with all her public appearances.

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Olivia Culpo is seen wearing belt and bag Bottega Veneta, red coat and overall Gabriela Hearst, heels during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2020-2021 on February 22, 2020 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images)

46 comments on “Miss Universe 2012: Olivia Culpo won, but it still felt like a Christmas present for the Philippines”

  1. Tito Norma, ano po ba talaga pangalan ng representative natin sa 2012 Miss U. Janice po ba o Janine? Bigla po akong nalito sa isang vakla dito. ✌️

  3. Olivia is just too facially gorgeous to ignore despite that lackluster answer.

    She’s doing well in terms of her career too.
    Janine, too is a budding model in America.
    Both should be proud of their accomplishments.

    Despite Janine’s much better answer during Q&A, I guess it sounded a little too pageant patty in terms of her delivery. But, she definitely made us all proud since South Africa was also a heavy favorite at that time.

    • After listening to all of them again, their answers are basically pageant patty, as expected. Australia – liking/loving yourself no matter your size, USA – cherish every experience. So ano ang difference?

    • I actually agree with your assessment, 4m. I mentioned it below too about Olivia’s uber gorgeousness. Thinking out loud, though, they all sounded pageant patty. In fact, I found Janine’s delivery to be the most natural. Parang hindi practiced as she struggled quite a bit to deliver her message fluidly (pauses, hand motions).

      Another commenter said that beauty won over this night, in spite of the flaws (lackluster answer, the gown – and she almost slipped too).

      Sad aq for Janine but I have been over it. Like you said, they are both enjoying their accomplishments. ***Saw them both together before the pageant sa isang TV station together. I’m guessing they were both highly touted to even get invited.

  4. Let us be happy for Janine’s placement.

    The clear winner that night was Irene Esser of Venezuela. Until the final Q&A where she completely messed up trying to express herself in English (one of those cringe worthy moments in MU). She must have scored so high in previous rounds that she still managed a 2nd runner up finish.

  5. Kung sino ka mang VINA YU na impostora ka, maubos sana ang lahi mong hayuf ka. Chweh

    Kung si Australia ang nanalo nung gabing yun baka mas okay pa sa akin kaysa kay Olivia. Dapat hanggang Top 16 lang itong si Olivia eh. Chaka ng performance sa swimsuit pa lang. Nadaan lang sa pa-abs at dun sa crisis sa mass shooting yata yun. It was Venezuela’s night actually. Until that final Q and A. Janine has all the elements to win that night too. Her performance was superb.

  6. Kung maayos lang din sagot ni Valenzuela baka sya pa nanalo. Ahahahah. Kaso nagkalat si Bakla.

  7. The rise of the pabebe. Maski sa MU pabebe ang nanalo. A case of form over substance.

  8. Between 1990 to 2009 , who do you think are the 5 weakest delegates of Pinas ?

    My five are:
    1991 -M Gonzales*
    1992 -E Berroya
    1998 -J Lobaton*
    2002 -K Agustin
    2003 -C Balingit

    *these two are my bottom two

  9. If only Olivia was not that uuuuber gorgeous – during the era when beauty did not need to perform – Janine could have won.

    • JANICE? AS IN JANICE DE BELEN? TALAGANG HINDI SIYA MANANALO SA MU. HA, HA, HA… BAYOT AYAW PAGPATAKA UG ENCODE. OR KINAHANGLAN NA NIMONG MOADTO SA OPTICAL SHOP.

    • JANICE? AS IN JANICE DE BELEN? HINDI TALAGA SIYA MANANALO SA MU. BAYOT AYAW UG PAGPATAKA UG ENCODE. OR BASIG KINAHANGLAN NA NIMO MOADTO SA OPTICAL SHOP. Ha, ha, ha…

  11. Janine looked so beautiful and collected in that Getty photo with Olivia while they were waiting for the announcement. I was really expecting Janine to win and I still believe that although Olivia deserved the crown Janine deserved it more.

  12. I remember the collective jaws that dropped when USA won. A Latina in proximity snarked “She won with THAT answer?”

    Olivia had the face, and apparently that was enough that year.

    • Same reaction, but FROM ME. That answer, not to mention the gown 😦

      That said, uber gorgeous and chic talaga ngayon si Olivia. Her Instagram posts are followed very closely, waiting to see what and “who are you wearing.”

  14. Unlike the year before when I believed that Shamcey will win up until the Q&A , in 2012 , I did not believe that Janine could win because there were many many beautiful candidates that year (I watched the presentation show live in the audience) but I knew that she would place high. When the final Q&A happened, my expectation was blasted into space , she could really run away with the crown … but alas , with the moment of silence for the murdered small kids , I felt that the USA had the edge …

  15. Well Olivia broke up with Tim Tebow, reason? Because Tim is against premarital sex….well, for Olivia it’s very essential! Hahaha.

    • And what’s so funny about premarital sex?
      As long as it’s consensual and involves protection, let her enjoy sex.

  16. I remember my mother praying really hard in the audience next to a white woman who looked. at At her confused ‘ what’s going on ? ‘. Never got a chance to ask my mother how she felt when USA was announced as the winner.
    Sayang talaga.
    But I understand why Janine didn’t win . She just didn’t have the personality for it . She was more bookish and provincial … not sophisticated like Pia and Cat. Dapat talaga artistahin ang dating ng reps natin . Dapat di mahiyain like Rachel .

    • @ Fabian Reyes Provincial is Alaiza.

      Sophisticated is Bella.

      Artistahin is Sandra.

      Your Final 3 for MUP 2020.

      🙂

      • AND THE WINNER IS – MICHELLE GUMABAO! Ha, ha, ha… FLOR MICHELLE CAN BE SOPHISTICATED AND ARTISTAHIN. WAIT for the MAGIC of your SCHOOLMATE JONAS GAFFUD to transform her into a MU MATERIAL.

      • @ paul at number 1 fan ni ganados Artistahin, dapat lang at artista ang tatay.

        Sophisticated, dapat lang at DLSU.

        With all due respects, I really do not want to talk about MTIG anymore. It is now a DONE DEAL she will win MUP 2020. I will no longer elaborate. She does not need the additional traffic. I will give mine to someone else.

      • There are a lot of candidates with a more pleasing facial bone structure than…you know who.

      • Jonas Gaffud? Pffffft. Ubos na magic ni bakla. Connections na lang ngayon sa IMG ang alas niya. Vaklang twooo!

  17. 2012 when the Philippines was robbed its 3rd MU title.
    Although madaming pakunswelo de bobo ang binigay kay Janine, iba pa rin ang makoronahan bilang isang Miss Universe.

  18. Ang babaing masuwerteng nakasalo ng korona pero hindi sinuwerte sa pagsalo sa pag-ibig ni Jonas dahil napunta kay Priyanka at si Tim napunta naman kay Demi-Leigh. Talaga ganyan ang buhay.

    • R u crazy ? Olivia is young and not ready to settle . She ‘ll get a taste of many smoking hot athletes models and actors before she settles down with someone hot and loaded . She is a player and there’s nothing wrong with that at all.

  20. Janine’s 1st Runner Up finish sealed Philippines as the best placed Asian country based on Olympic style rankings at that time (2 wins and 2 First Runners Up) beating Japan and India (2 wins and 1 First Runners Up). And the rest is history when Pia and Catriona won Miss Universe in 2015 and 2018 respectively (4 wins, 2 First Runners Up, 5 Third Runners Up, 2 Fourth Runners Up, 2 Top 5/6 finish)

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