ARE QUESTION AND ANSWER PORTIONS OF BEAUTY PAGEANTS STILL RELEVANT?

 -What could have happened?

by Alejandro Bustillos

In my growing up years, I have already acquired a penchant for beauty pageants. Of course if it is any indication that I would grow up a gay later on who would follow the ways of beauty queens. In those days, we were always told that when the candidates reach the Top 5 or Top 3, the candidates are already equal in their chances of winning the Top plum. What would separate them from one another is their answer to the final question. I would always hear my teachers telling me, it is one way of separating the chaff from the grains. Well, the proverbial chaff from the grains talks! What does that mean? In the context of the beauty pageant, it means selecting the best among the beauties – the beauty with the wit and intelligence.

Honestly, watching this years’ series of international pageants, not one of these pageants adhered to the dictum of “separating the chaff from the grains!” In the Miss World 2012 Beauty Pageant, uproar occurred because of Miss China being selected as the winner. Then a more thunderous uproar happened at the Miss International Beauty Pageant when the Japanese selected their own representative to win over the other candidates who are much prettier, sexier and wittier. On the other hand, Miss Earth opted to choose a Goddess looking winner in the person of Miss Tereza Fakjsova even though she did not answer the question properly and correctly. Now comes the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant, the most popular and the pageant of all pageants following in the said context. Probably this year, pageant organizers are looking for the chaff and not the grains. In an era of creativity and high technology, probably people may look at the chaff to be much more useful. It is like saying that body and beauty sell more than the brains. In the neo-Darwinist sense, the chaff serves a greater function in the preservation of the grains. Therefore, in the realm of beauty pageants in this century, the meaning of the term has evolved and so with beauty pageants.

Before I digress too much with my thesis, my real aim is to understand and read into what these girls answered during the Question and Answer portion of the recently concluded Miss Universe Beauty Pageant:

A lot of spectators were surprised that Miss Venezuela tried to answer in fractured English and people found the answer to the question of Diego Boneta so bizarre. The question went this way: “If you could make a new law, what would it be?”

Quintero answered, “I think that any leys there are in Constitution or in life, are already made. I think that we should have, uh, a straight way to go in our similar, or, eh, in our lives as is this. For example, I’m a surfer, and I think that the best wave that I can take is the wave that I wait for it. So please do our only, eh, law that we can do. Thank you, Vegas!”

I would like to say something about what Miss Venezuela is trying to say. I think she is saying that she will not propose any new laws because there are already enough laws enshrined in the constitution or there are already laws made by men and divine laws that are enough in our lifetime.

Well, the judges probably understood it that way. So she probably had a higher ranking than Miss Australia.

Miss Philippines was asked by Nigel Barker the question: “As an international ambassador, do you believe that speaking English should be a prerequisite to being Miss Universe? Why or why not?”

Miss Philippines answered : For me, being Miss Universe is not just about knowing how to speak a specific language. It’s being able to influence and inspire other people. As long as your heart wants to serve and you have a strong mind to show to people, then you can be Miss Universe.”

Miss Philippines gave a very exceptional answer and it even underscored the fact that despite the flawed answer of Miss Venezuela she could have been Miss Universe.

Miss Australia came next and was asked by Lisa Vanderpump the question: What would you feel if you are told to lose weight and risk losing an assignment?

Miss Australia answered: I feel very comfortable with the way I feel and that is really important. If someone told me that I am overweight and I have to lose weight, I will completely ignore it as long as I am feeling good about myself and I think that matters. That’s all and I thank you.”

Of course, from the way Miss Australia answered she doesn’t mind losing the job as long as she thinks she is comfortable with her body. The question presupposes that it is a job that is financial lifeline and although she gave a very definitive and an emphatic answer, she veered from the true wisdom of the question.

Miss USA was asked by Ximena Navarette the question, what in her life had she regretted most and why?

“Olivia said every experience is something she's learned from, but the thing she did was to pick on her siblings while they were growing up. But she doesn't regret it.”

When Olivia was asked of the question there was moment that she took a deep breath and it was reminiscent of Denise Quinones at that time she won in Puerto Rico. But when she opened her mouth she already said a mouthful which was appreciated by the crowd watching. The question was simple and it was answered simplistically. But it lacked the thematic content of Miss Philippines answer.

That moment of introspection on the part of Olivia made me felt that she would probably crowned Miss Universe.

And lastly, Miss Brazil was asked by Kerri Walsh who says that she wears a swimsuit when she competes, does she feel being reduced to a sexual object?

“Miss Brazil answered through an interpreter, and her answer was that: The way they dress does not matter. What matters is inner character because it reveals the true self and character. “

Miss Brazil’s answer merited the 4^th runner-up position and I believe she gave a very simplistic answer but truly essential.

Now given the contention that all candidates are of equal stature when it comes to beauty, poise and body, and that they are judged according to their wit, my ranking would be this: Venezuela, USA, Brazil, Australia and the Philippines. Since we do not see how the candidates are being rated we only have inkling that the candidates are again judged finally according to beauty, poise, glam and wit.

And these are what I observed:

1.         Venezuela’s beauty during the final night is so divine. She has blossomed into a great beauty, something that I did not observe during the preliminary.

2.       Miss Philippines was above par in terms of wit but if that portion is just 10% of the total, Miss USA eclipsed her because she did not have a total blunder in the end.

3.         Miss Brazil was relegated to the 4^th runner-up position although her answer is pretty consistent and acceptable; her scores in the beauty, poise, glam department may not be able to overhaul Venezuela’s lead which Miss Philippines and Miss USA did.

4.     In my theory, the ranking prior to the Question and Answer would be Venezuela, USA, Philippines, Australia and Brazil. After the Question and Answer, the lead of Venezuela was clipped by USA and Philippines, hence the final ranking.


Photo Courtesy: MissUniverse.com; screenshots of the Top 5 finalists