#AboutMissUniverse2018:
Here are three (3) additional details just to build up the excitement a little more…
1) There will be a record-breaking number of ninety-five (95) delegates who will vie for this year’s crown.
2) Sirivannavari Bangkok will provide the swimwear to be worn by the ladies.
3) Miss Universe 1988 Porntip Bui Simon Nakhirunkanok will be one of the judges this year. (Source: 2018 Miss Universe)
While U.S.-based, Miss Universe 1988 Porntip Nakhirunkanok often comes home to Thailand where she is active with the Angels Wings Foundation and a lot of other charity involvements.
Porntip Nakhirunkanok…now
45 year-old Porntip is now considered a Philantrophist involved in many charity works that have helped a lot of individuals – especially the young ones – hardly hit by natural calamities, as well as those who have no means to further their education, but can academically excel.
Porntip’s Official Portrait as Miss Universe 1988
Along with runners-up Chang Yoonjung of Korea, Mizuho Sakaguchi of Japan and Pauline Yeung of Hong Kong, she made Thais all around the world proud by nailing the win that she later offered to the King and Queen of Thailand.
Let’s reminisce that proud moment for Porntip by watching again the Top 5 segment and crowning moment of Miss Universe 1988. 🙂
courtesy of intlpageants
Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1988 Perfida Limpin
Four of the eight Asian delegates above made Top 10 during MU1988 with all of them reaching Top 5. Sadly, Miss Philippines wasn’t among the fortunate ones.
In an edition where the judges favored fair-skinned oriental-looking candidates, Bb. Pilipinas sent the dusky Perfida Limpin who would have stood out only if the host city was USA or Canada. Looking back, Lorna Legaspi – her 2nd Runner-Up during the national finals and who was TBT-featured here last week – should have been fielded instead. Even the likes of Bb. Pilipinas 1988 semi-finalists Cielo Canlas and Perlita Aberin could’ve been better options then. Personally, I also wished that her (similarly Louie Mamengo-trained) predecessor – Geraldine Asis – joined a year later and took her place in Taiwan.
As a result, I watched the 1988 pageant filled with so much disappointment. As the telecast started, I already had a sinking feeling that the proceedings will augur well for the Asians. Porntip Nakhirunkanok of Thailand (who was crowned Miss Universe), Chang Yoon-Jung of Korea, Mizuho Sakaguchi of Japan and Pauline Yeung of Hong Kong marched all the way to Top 5. On the other hand, our bet became the classic case of a thank-you-girl in the late 80s.
Watch the Opening Number and Parade of Nations during Miss Universe 1988 held inside Lin Khou Stadium in Taiwan, ROC below.
courtesy of karangolos
And now, watch the Top 10 Announcement of Miss Universe 1988 where Perfida missed the cut, but with four (4) other Asian delegates making it.
courtesy of karangolos
Miss Universe Malaysia 2011 Deborah Henry in her official National Costume for Miss Universe 2011. Inspired by the Wau Bulan, the creation costs an eye-popping RM350,000 (around USD115,000)!
Deborah is hot, hot, hot!
But 2011 promises to be different and Malaysia is not leaving any stone unturned to make sure that Deborah Henry delivers its very first Miss Universe win. Quite a tall order, if you ask me. But looking at how the organizers have been preparing her for Sao Paulo, I am seriously inclined to believe that it won’t be a mission impossible after all. And if she does pull it off, then what a big boost for the Southeast Asian region where the last titleholder was Thailand’s Porntip Nakhirunkanok in 1988.
Deborah (L) and Ines Ligron in one of their many training sessions for Miss Universe 2011.
What’s more, the people behind Miss Universe Malaysia have made a 360-degree turn in favor of unconditionally supporting their candidate. Nadine Thomas, last year’s winner, echoed her sentiments in not getting enough back-up while in Las Vegas, and this must have left a mark in the minds of organizers. So instead of putting up a national finals for 2011, Deborah was singled out to be the best and most qualified former beauty queen to bring Sao Paulo (and the Miss Universe Organization) to its knees.
So will the Miss Universe Malaysia Organization (MUMO) and the whole of Malaysia achieve their objective? My answer is a very encouraging yes if everything falls into place and Deborah sustains her current hype as one of the strongest candidates from Asia. The road to victory won’t be an easy one, tricky even. But in all tough challenges, victory is sweeter after passing through the eye of a needle and coming out on top of the thread!
Bring it on, Deb! 😉
While waiting for the Miss Universe Pageant 2009 to start, let me share with you some trivia about the contest. These infos are obviously not for the fanatics or connoiseurs who know everything by heart. This is meant to amuse people who have not religiously followed the contest or who may only know very little about the same.
Here goes…
1. Did you know that Venezuela enjoyed uninterrupted semifinal placement from 1981 to 2009, except for two years – 1982 & 2005 – when their representatives failed to make the cut? This makes Miss Venezuela 1982 Ana Teresa Oropeza and Miss Venezuela 2005 Anna Karina Anez as the most disappointed national beauty queens in their powerhouse country’s sterling performance in the pageant.
Miss Venezuela 2005 Anna Karina Anez Delgado
Miss Venezuela 1982 Ana Teresa Oropeza
2. Did you know that two black contestants scored back-to-back victories in 1998 and 1999? Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad & Tobago gave her country’s 2nd Miss Universe crown in 1998, while Mpule Kwelagobe honored Botswana with its 1st Miss Universe title the following year.
Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam
Miss Universe 1999 Mpule Kwelagobe
3. Did you know that 1988 was the only year when Asian delegates dominated the pageant? Miss Thailand Porntip Nakhirunkanok was bestowed her country’s 2nd Miss Universe crown, with Chang Yoon-Jung of Korea who placed 1st Runner-Up, Mizuho Sakaguchi of Japan as 3rd Runner-Up and Pauline Yeung of Hongkong 4th Runner-Up. 2nd Runner-Up Amanda Olivares of Mexico was the only non-Asian in the Top 5.
Miss Universe 1988 Porntip Nakhirunkanok
4. Did you know that current Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela is the only winner green-lighted by the Miss Universe Organization to pose topless in a men’s magazine during her reign? Talk about the evolution of beauty contest standards!
class=”size-full wp-image-767″ />Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza in one of her tamer topless shots for Maxim Magazine
And finally…
Did you know that in its entire pageant history, no winner of the Miss Congeniality Award has ever gone to win the Miss Universe title? This proves that being the friendliest and/or the most well-liked won’t bring you to the top in this competition! Cheers!
Miss China Ningning Zhang who won Miss Congeniality at the 2007 edition. She never made it to the semifinals, but another Asian - Riyo Mori of Japan - went all the way to win Miss Universe that year.
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