While winding down last evening, I was flipping channels and came across Ms. Universe 2007 on NBC. Decided I’d stick around and watch it after all as the contestants were down to 15. That got the attention of the husband as he hastily scanned for our very own desi participant, and just as he uttered the word, the announcement came – India – and I see a Puja Gupta strut out in the swimsuit.
She looked good, had sharp features outlining the jawline and the cheekbone, and a fair enough smile. Her eyes though were strangely done. I thought she walked well and quickly enough she was chosen as the top 10.
Then disaster struck. What on earth was that evening dress she wore?! Black – a bit of googling told me that was ‘gunmetal’ and was designed by Hemant Trivedi. It had a 80’s kind of Zeenat Aman strategically placed cuts hoping to reveal a curved [non-existent] waist and the work was neither striking nor extensive enough to grab attention. There was grabbing of different sorts and it really didnt do much to her walk with her left arm glued to her side as she bunched the dress at the hip. This was tolerable enough till she did her eyebrow thing.
Images of Cruella blinded me.
I had to find more about her and so after looking at some of the images online where she looked awesomely nice and with no hint of cruelty in her, I decided it was just a bad case of makeup a la Rani Mukherjee. Not everyone can get away with smokey eyes and the line of distinction between ghoulish and sexy is albeit just a slight of hand, and a well experienced one at that. Here’s a video of her talking and she does look nice and well-made.
After that session, we had a feeling it was downhill but then more goofs landed on the ramp and there was a glimmer of hope that she could very well squeeze in. She didn’t go land on her bottom like Ms. USA did nor was she uncomfortable in her body as a couple of others.
Ms. Japan’s dress was like a cross between an abaya and Sabrina’s attire. I am told that it was a Gucci original. hmm.. It covered her too much and showing no skin in an evening gown is a big no-no for soemone competing in a beauty pageant. Truly it came as a shock that Ms. Japan went all the way. wasn’t she the one who answered “A super power that she’s want to have would be a wallet that never dries up!” – Go figure. O wait, I think that was Ms. Korea – She looked awesomely cute and but as the above statement confirms, beauty can only take you so far.
As is always the case with any competition, the top 5 was totally rigged. The questions were dumb and the answers bar a couple were dumber.
Ms. Brazil looked hot and had everything going for her. I truly wish she’d have made it.
In any case, this just proves my theory all along. Beauty pageants are fake and it’s time they got booted. The competition in itself is prejudiced and does not create a standard by which the true definition of a beautiful woman can be weighed.
tunneling thru' 
hmm….. after all the initial paragraphs giving a build-up, last paragraph-la oru U-Turn!!
lol. yea, rope folks in and let go ;-)
I totally agree with you on the questions part. I mean you get to hear the dumbest answers.
As is the norm, did everyone talk about World peace or hunger this time?
I don’t think beauty pageant are inherently wrong but I don’t like their hypocrisy. They want to make it look like it is a contest of inner and outer beauty. It would be much nicer if they just call physical beauty contest and spare us those laughable interviews where contestants, as deepa said, vow to stamp out world hunger!
@deepa: Did you see “Miss Congeniality?”
Do you people really listen to what the contestants say? I am in for all the eye candy stuff. :D
I feel its very tough to really define, standardize or quantify true beauty. I truly see it in my mom and my best friend. You might in someone else.
These pageants are all about physical beauty and absolutely nothing else.
Leo, tdna, ok – yep, just wish they’d market it that way too. Some of teh questions were not just dumb, but personal. Nothing of any value to the audience, sponsors or to the questioner either!
Deepa – I believe ms usa said something about education. She should’ve just said ‘I’d like to go back 10 minutes and do my evening walk again’ – that would have scored huge – humor, confidence and sense of timing! my 2 cents.
my 2c.. Beauty pageants are not meant to find truly beautiful women.. they are jus there for “visually” beautiful women.. As for the questions they ask.. It wud not be to pick intelligent ones.. but to avoid the really dumb ones.. !
If these contests had to measure intelligence, I wud suggest them to give 12 X 12 sudoku ;)
i think enough and more has been said.. my 2 cents, i like to watch it for the costumes.. and aside from the hypocrisy, does anyone else find those blinding white teeth and fake smiles as irritating as moi?
Forget everything, everyone is hot. Come on, you need beautiful role models or people who are hot and are not bad on the tube. They are pure entertainment.