Hee hee, no, you haven't gone over the edge.
Here's Canada
http://www.beautiesofcanada.com/images/Leannecrown.jpg
and here's USA
http://www.missusa.com/missusa/images/side-pict_01.jpg
Have to say, I prefer the "old crown" for Miss USA (seen on the right by the outgoing Queen, Shauntay Hinton)
http://www.missusa.com/howtoenter/im...de-pict_01.jpg

IMHO, the Canada one is more 'glitzy' but it is probably a rhinestone crown. Miss USA's tiara is a Mikimoto creation (it's the REAL DEAL, in other words). So, she has a real treasure on her head (we here in Canada just don't have the money that American pageants do). I don't actually know if she gets to keep the crown after her reign though.

This is Canada's one and ONLY Miss Universe 1982, Karen Baldwin! Gotta love the 80s...LOL
http://www.beautiesofcanada.com/images/karen.jpg

USA has won a LOT of Miss Universes! :D
I am SO EXCITED for Miss Universe this year. In the past, a wretched lady in Canada had the rights to send the Canadian girl to Miss Universe. (She basically did not give the girl much support AT ALL once she was crowned "Miss Universe Canada"....so the poor Canadian girls, through no fault of their own were showing up to Miss Universe quite unprepared and performed poorly as well.) Thankfully, those days are OVER! Now it's under new ownership and the Director and his team have been working hard to prepare Leanne Cecile to represent Canada (Canada has done rather dismally at MU in the past few years, except for Kim Yee and Neelam Verma). I am so excited that Canada might have a shot at it! YAY!!! :D

I'm so glad for your updates!!!
I would so be watching the pageant if I could, but alas, i will be travelling home...


back OT: I miss Timmy's...i've lived in a small town this year that not only has no Timmy's, but no cofee/donut shop at all!!

Please keep us updated!

BTW, I loved that NAFTA pic too :p

Tim's has the best coffee...
I have been known to wait in a border lineup just to hop across to go for a cup (I live 10 minutes away from the nearest Tim's)

I am not crazy about their donuts. Gimme Krispy Kreme donuts and Tim's coffee

Found some more pics...they're proofs, but Leanne looks amazing!

Canada
http://www.printroom.com/ViewFoundPh...0&sword=Canada
(I tried to paste them but they come up really small)

USA
http://www.printroom.com/ViewFoundPh...pe=0&sword=USA

on her way to Miss Universe...
 

One of my ADPi sisters is in the running for Miss Texas this year! We are all excited & proud of her! The pagent is next month I believe!! She's so sweet & nice!

How cool would *THAT* be?
 

Hey that would be cool to actually "know" someone in Miss America or Miss USA! You go, girl! :D

What time and on what network will the competition be broadcast tomorrow?

NBC! Check your local listings. I live in Mountain Time zone and it's on at 10 pm here.

Ok! Last week, some of my friends in the pageant industry asked me who I thought would do well in Miss Universe. I went to the Miss Universe website and looked through ALL of the pictures for ALL of the 72 contestants. I narrowed it down to a Top 10 list, in order:


1] Venezuela - beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
2] Brazil - also pretty, has that "look"
3] Domincan Republic - very sleek looking
4] Korea - this is a non-conformist pick, but I like her
5] Spain - good glamour look
6] Greece - she's a bit thin, but I think she has some personality
7] Trinidad & Tobago - I just love that evening gown
8] USA - she stands out from the crowd
9] India - pretty girl, might do well
10] Israel - has some style and some potential


Remember, I looked at each contestant's set of three photos as presented on the official website. Some of them had questionable headshots but great, costume, swimsuit and gown photos. Plus, who knows how they might do during the interviews?

A lot of the photos you all are presenting here are from other sources. For example, on the official website, I'm not impressed with Miss Canada. However, in the pictures posted here, she looks great.

Plus, I made these picks a week ago without the benefit of newer information. For example, Miss USA is # 8 on my list. But, that was when we all thought she was wearing that lime green dress. Now they're showing her in a pretty, sparkly pastel gown. That, of course, will affect my rankings.

Anyway, the show is tonight, so I'll have to see how close my list came! :)

.....Kelly :)

A friend of mine won Miss Teen Michigan USA this year. I don't know if she competes in the Miss America system, though. Well, if her mother has her way she will! (her mother is the WORST stage mother I've ever met!)

I'm REALLY surprised at how thin these women are! :eek:
Of course I know the media expects thin women etc etc, but even the women from countries that have, in general, curvier women, are sticks. I thought I remembered the ladies looking a little more siz 6ish as opposed to size 0 (not that I wouldn't love to see a 10 out there, cuz I would!!!!!) - but maybe that was in the Miss America pagent? :confused: Regardless, it's sad that a bunch of little girls the world over are going to watch this and think that to be pretty they have to be emaciated. *sigh*

They're going to have a top 15 this year!

The Miss Universe is TONIGHT! June 3rd on NBC! WOO HOO!

It was Miss Universe 1996, Alicia Machado (Venezuela) who gained weight. Then Brook Lee (who won Miss Universe 1997) got the final question, which referenced the year before: "If there were no rules in your life for one day and you could be outrageous, what would you do?''

Brook Lee (Miss USA) said "I would eat everything in the world,.....you don't understand! I would eat everything TWICE.''

Yup, she won!! :D

UDZeta - I totally understand being fit, but a size 0 at 5'9" ain't fit - it's super skinny. Now, I'm a dancer, so I understand the pressure to be thin. I have and have not gotten jobs because of the way I look. That's the biz. However, that's a job and not a beauty contest, ya know? I just think it's ridiculous to say these women are 'fit'. They are underweight, some to the point of being unhealthy - which is NOT 'fit'. Some of their legs are about the size of my arm for crying out loud! :rolleyes: However, I'm not saying you or anyone else is wrong for participating. And I'm sure I'll be watching it, too! :)

As I mentioned before, I know a bunch of people in the pageant industry. One woman I know keeps talking about how she's trying to "get fit" for an upcoming pageant. She's STICK THIN and I thought that she meant maybe getting toned a little so she'd have more shape. Nope. She's mentioned more than once that she's trying to get rid of her "whale-like thighs" and that's a direct quote. :eek: I mean, she looks really thin to me!

Her comment kinda bothered me a bit, not only because I feel she has a distorted view of herself, but also because there are a couple of overweight ladies in her division who are competing just because they want to. They're on the listserve too and I bet they're turning green and/or red at her comments. If she thinks her thighs are "whale-like" then, let me tell you, the rest of us must be blubber central!


Plus, the ladies were discussing their picks for Miss Universe and more than one person mentioned that they thought that Miss Spain and Miss India needed to get personal trainers. :eek: :eek: :eek: GO AND LOOK at those two contestants. Yeah, it does look like they have a little bit of "extra" thigh compared to the other stick thin delegates, but COME ON!! They are NOT out of shape! I'm sorry, I don't mean to get so excited but puh-lease!

Someone help me before I start lecturing....

;)

.....Kelly :)

NO SPOILERS PLEASE!
 

Just a plea from someone on the left coast that none of you easterners post pageant spoilers.. we get the feed three hours behind most of you!

Thanks!

Miss USA's evening gown made her look like she was about to bust out at a figure skating competition :p

There was also one country (can't remember which one it was though) whose dress looked like she went out to the ocean and picked up a whole bunch of sea weed :o :eek: :confused:

One last Krispy Kreme commercial!!

I was behind a truck on the way home yesterday (I seriously thought about hijacking it:D :)

The trucks have a sign on it that says the max speed is 62 mph...my Altima can beat that anytime!!;) :D :D

((btw, I had never heard of Tim Horton's until I went to Niagara Falls last Oct. Kinda impressed;) :D :D

no spoilers, but my fav. one got the crown!!

no spoiler except to say I hated #4's dress, lol!!

I only tuned in to watch the last 5 finalists. The winner was my choice too!

same here!!! I think she was awesome the whole time!

I fell asleep for most of the pageant, so I must have missed something spectacular about Miss Servia & Montenegro. I couldn't believe she was chosen Top 5 over some of the other Top 15. Her dress was atrocious, her answer was not an answer, and her hair hid her face! For her to have beat out Miss Japan surprised me, too. Out of the 5, I had them flip-flopped.

I think Miss D.R. was a good choice.

Was she the one who got the fire-water question?

I thought that fire-water-question answer was not an answer.. she was given 2 choices and she chose neither :p :confused:

I loved Miss Dominican Republic. I agree completely on Miss Serbia -- the answer? The dress? :rolleyes: She was pretty but she didn't seem to have a whole lot going for her.

I had fun practicing translating the Spanish of Miss D.R. and Miss Venezuela to my friends in the final round. :p

Unfortunately, they didn't televise the pageant here in England. I can guess that nobody cared since there was no Miss Great Britain in the pageant. So, I've had to settle for checking the news this morning.


Ok! I know how to pick 'em! Out of my Top 10 list, 6 made the cut. That's especially good seeing that I didn't know there was going to be a top 15. If I had known that, I could have picked another 5 delegates. Anyway, of the ladies I said would be Top 3, I got the winner and the 1st runner up correct! :) Not bad! :)


.....Kelly :)

texas*princess, she was the one with the fire/water question. I didn't think it was a very difficult or controversial one, but I imagine their nerves are on high alert up there.

for the fire and water question, i would want a little bit of both. the passion and drive of fire. and the tranqulity and spiritual side of water. but if i had to choose one, it would be fire. see how easy it was to answer? i though of this right when they asked the question last night. :rolleyes: i think miss serbia screwed up her chances even more when she couldnt answer the question. anyway, with miss dominican republic in the top 5, no one had a chance. she is awesome!!...and gorgeous!!

Is it just me, or was this the Dullest. Pageant. Ever?

Maybe that's why I fell asleep! ;)

I didn't watch the pageant, but I found out this morning who won, and I am so happy. Miss D.R. is gorgeous and from my mothers country!! My mom came to the states from the D.R. when she was 4, so I have a bit of a personal tie to the winner. I've never been to the island, but my mom tells me it's beautiful. So, yay for the Dominicans!!!

Sistermadly, Yes, that pageant was pretty dull. However, I am so impressed that Canada made top 10....YAY! I love USA's dress, even if it was borderline figure skater....

I was not loving Miss Serbia & Montenegro's green seaweed dress...blech! (i.e. "Yugoslavia")

Dominican Republic was awesome...she won best costume too!
http://www.missuniverse.com/delegate...costume/DO.jpg
http://www.globalbeauties.com/gb/uni...ume_winner.jpg
I just love her smile!

smiley21, yeah, why didn't Serbia & Montenegro answer something like "water gives life" or something? She should have talked in her native language and gone with the translation..it obviously did not hurt the Spanish speaking winner and 1st RU!

Cutie, maybe you can answer this -- my hubby said last night that there was some "controversy" with Miss Canada because she leased her dress from -- get this -- drag queens. :D Is there any truth to it?

I kept thinking "Hello?! Who knows more about over the top glamour than DRAG QUEENS? All the other women in the pageant should be as savvy!"

I forced my boyfriend and one of his friends to watch the pageant with me (I don't think they minded too much), and when it got to Miss Serbia's answer, my boyfriend rolled his eyes and said, "That's not an answer! She should have said, 'I would be water because water gives life but fire destroys it.'" His friend and I just looked at him and said, "You thought about that WAY too much." He's like, "No, I didn't . . . that's just the obvious answer."

Yall should watch out for my boyfriend in next year's Miss Universe pageant -- he'd be good at it. :D

http://press.missuniverse.com/cgi-bi...NI20031408.jpg
Yes, there *IS* some truth to that controversy! READ ON......

Here's a blurb from The National Post:
"The controversial "national costume" worn by Miss Canada in this week's Miss Universe competition was a rental inspired by the Brazilian carnaval tradition and originally worn by a drag queen in several gay pride parades.

Ronei Fernandes, a Toronto costume designer, created and wore the costume in 2001. He recently rented it to Denis Davila, national director for Miss Universe Canada, for $600, said Jamie Good, a friend of Mr. Fernandes' who is familiar with the agreement.

In an interview with the Post earlier this week, Mr. Davila said he and two friends designed the costume. It was supposed to symbolize Canada's multiculturalism: The feathers were inspired by costumes seen at Toronto's Caribana festival, he said, and the rest represented the penny.

But Mr. Good said the costume is Mr. Fernandes' creation.

"I just think that whoever made it, designed it, had the idea for it and spent the time and creativity making it should be the one who gets the credit, not someone who just rents it," he said.

The costume's history came to light after several fashion experts expressed disappointment with Miss Canada's choice of costume earlier this week. The Miss Universe competition is underway in Panama.

Reached at his hotel yesterday, Mr. Davila confirmed he had rented Miss Canada's costume from Mr. Fernandes. He stressed it was "very, very, similar" to a design the Miss Canada staff had originally developed for the Miss Universe competition.

Mr. Davila said they had to rent the costume from Mr. Fernandes at the last minute because the people who were supposed to make the costume "couldn't come up with the time to make it.

"The idea that we had fit in with what he had," Mr. Davila said. "Ronei is a good person; he deserves some of the credit."

The costume Leanne Cecile wore in the Monday night competition did change slightly since Mr. Fernandes debuted it. He wore a red, sequined gown with the rest of the outfit, but Ms. Cecile wore a beaded bikini that Mr. Fernandes provided from his existing collection. Mr. Good said he personally bought the feathers for the costume while he was in Brazil, and they were not ordered from New York as Mr. Davila had originally claimed.

Mr. Fernandes refused an interview request, saying he was bound by the terms of the rental agreement between himself and Mr. Davila.

He originally wore the patriotic costume at gay pride parades in Montreal and Toronto in 2001. Pictures of him at the events appeared on the front pages of newspapers and in alternative magazines. Perhaps fittingly, one reporter who covered the Toronto event wrote that Mr. Fernandes' outfit "converted him into a sort of male Miss Canada."

Mr. Fernandes' outfit was inspired by the Brazilian carnaval tradition, not the Caribbean themes associated with Toronto's Caribana street festival, Mr. Good added.

Ms. Cecile, who is from Tecumseh, Ont., did not win the competition. But one Panamanian newspaper said her costume was "the most applauded of the night.""
------------------------------------------------------
I have to say, while it is well, a bit "overwhelming", people were definitely talking about it. This is quite something, considering that Canada has faded into the background at MU in the past. And some people have complained that the costume was not "Canadian enough".... I mean, really, should we send a girl dressed in a Mountie outfit (It's been done in the past) or a hockey outfit? :rolleyes: (Puh-leeze) I think the idea of MU is try to look attractive here! LOL.....
You're so right, who better to know about glitz and glamour than drag queens?!:D
*****************************************
There was also a 2nd (and separate) controversy about Leanne wearing a sealskin dress by an Inuit designer:
http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/30523_03.html
In the end, Leanne did not wear the dress, because she would have been dying of the heat in Panama (it's like 30C there!!! 86F for the Americans ;) ) and also due to anti-fur pressures.

I assume that the dress would have been for the fashion show (which goes on in the prelims) but not in the actuall competition (mind you, Japan wore a bikini top so who really knows??)

The original Miss Universe 2002 was Oxana Fedorova (Russia) http://www.pageant.com/universe2002/.../00ruswin3.jpg

Justin Pasek (Panama) was her 1st RU
http://www.pageant.com/universe2002/images/justine1.jpg

The reasons aren't totally clear but I think Oxana (I have friends who are deeply into the pageantry world) had a boyfriend back in Russia who just did not want to let her out of his sight...consequently she could not do her prescribed duties and thus she was asked to step down.

I watch Entertainment Tonight at like 1 30 am...

I saw something about Donald Trump encouraging Miss Universe (dunno if it was this year or a few years ago) to lose weight. Evidently she got up to 175 pounds and she said herself that she was happy at her weight. Donald Trump said that she should be more physically fit so he had this campaign to get her in weight before the pagaent...like he had personal trainers and dietitians help her. She was a good sport about it and really bubbly. She didn't mind doing it but it sounded like she was happy with her weight and that's where I thought it was so sad that people, or Donald Trump, couldn't just let her be.

Did anyone else hear about this or see that episode?

I had pretty much all of the final 5 placed, but I had Miss Universe and the 1st runner up switched. I really like Venezuela, and I thought she had the best dress, haha. What was her question again? Maybe that's why she didn't get first.