by
J.J. Smith
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Miss Universe is a goddess, and now everyone knows it. But for anyone in doubt, the 49th Annual Miss Universe Pageant took on its own magical incarnation as the pages of mythology revealed beauty's beginnings. More than one billion worldwide viewers sat spellbound as pageantry's crown jewel -- Miss Universe -- beamed live from ancient Nicosia on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
As the story was told of Aphrodite's rise from the sea to be chosen the "Most Beautiful Woman in the Universe" in the world's first beauty contest, 79 of the most beautiful and intelligent ladies from around the world appeared poised and ready for competition. Only one would emerge to receive the symbolic golden apple and take her place on the ultimate throne of beauty. Amid a set of crimson skies and fiery torches, the 10 semifinalists emerged to do battle in swimsuits, then evening gowns, before being awarded a Top Five spot. In a departure from past contests, the time-consuming interviews were reserved for the Top Five finishers, a move that virtually ensured the advancement of the most beautiful. Speculative comments, such as, "It's the most beautiful field of contestants in years" and "I can't choose only ten" could be heard among the international audience in attendance. Indeed, it was the most beautiful group in years, and though it was a tough call, 10 would-be goddesses emerged to take their places in the history books. As the moment arrived, the television audience around the world held their breath for the announcement.
Sinbad, the comedian and former talk-show host, introduced the audience and the world to the fabulous Top Ten. "Spain!" echoed through the Theater of Kourian, as the audience screamed its approval. "Columbia!" brought a huge response from their sizable delegation. In the parade of nations, as well as in the Top Ten, many felt the announcement of only the country's name rather than the individual was a bit impersonal, but few argued with the quality of the lineup. In no particular order, the Top Ten were: Helen Lindes (Spain) whose participation in the pageant came under scrutiny after revealing photographs surfaced but who ironically went on to win the Photogenic Award; Catalina Acosta (Colombia), an exotic beauty who raised her country's hopes of bringing home the title for the first time since 1958 when Luz Marina Zuluaga became a national treasure; Corrinne Crewe (Zimbabwe), a not-to-be-missed, 18-year-old standout with blue-gray eyes; Evelyn Mikomagi (Estonia), the fun-loving favorite of many of the contestants and members of the press as well; Claudia Moreno (Venezuela), only six months away from success as a licensed dentist; Heather Hamilton (South Africa), the only blonde to make the lineup in two years and trying to be the first South African since Margaret Gardner in 1978 to bring home the crown; Lynnette Cole (USA), the polished Tennessee beauty who in February breezed her way to the Miss USA title; Kim Yee (Canada), a living example of cultural diversity with a Chinese father and a Ukrainian mother; Lara Dutta (India), the girl with everything, considered by many to be the one to beat; and lastly, Sonia Rolland (France), one of three 18 year olds in the lineup whose grace and style belied her youth. As the thrill of near victory surged, so did the ebb of shock and surprise come over those who failed to make the cut. But it was understandable; for it was truly an exceptional Top 10 with no real surprise or dark horse in the lineup. The picks of the preliminary panel left the celebrity judges a challenge in deciding to whom the crown would go. Final-event judges included Tony Robbins, the motivational speaker who has inspired millions, as well as actor Christian de la Fuente, one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People." To kick off the competition, the contestants walked the runway as information about them was revealed. For the first judged event, the 10 beauties strutted in swimwear accompanied by Latin star Elvis Crespo. Miss India Lara Dutta made her initial impression by finishing first in the event and taking the $2,500 Oscar de la Renta Award. The gorgeous Evening Gown Competition was choreographer Scott Grossman's masterpiece of elegance featuring singer Montell Jordan accompanied by saxophonist Dave Koz in a blue's version of the Wham hit Careless Whisper. At an international event like this, one expects to be impressed, and the variety of tastes in the women's choices did not disappoint. The delegates delivered an array of styles that even style-savvy fashion followers had a difficult time choosing a favorite. Many of the gowns were beautifully beaded, strapless or one-shouldered, slit, elegant, rich, and in a spectrum of mesmerizing colors. In a word: dazzling. In the end, Miss Venezuela's pale, mint-colored gown was deemed the most beautiful, followed closely by Miss Colombia's eye-catching beaded print and Miss Spain's flowing white goddess gown. The race was close, as only a few hundredths of a point separated the top three. And, as the segment concluded, a thunderous applause signaled the end for five delegates and the next stage for the five remaining. Hearts pounded on stage and all over the world as the announcement loomed ahead. Entertainment Tonight reporter Julie Moran and actress Ali Landry, looking as beautiful as when she won Miss USA in 1996, bantered about the reasons why the contestants from India, Venezuela, Spain, USA, and Canada were still standing. The show's new format presented the personal interviews at this point, as each contestant chatted briefly with Sinbad, the Master of Ceremonies, about a variety of issues. Having been selected as the finest of the group, a glimpse of each lady's personality assisted the judges in choosing the three finalists. One answer would seal the victory for Miss Spain, Venezuela, or India.
The final question focused on a group of protesters who theorized that the pageant treated the participants and all women disrespectfully. Spain's Helen Lindes answered in Spanish, though according to some, the interpretation seemed to vary somewhat. Next, Venezuela's Claudia Moreno did her best to answer in English but struggled somewhat attempting to convey her thoughts. Lastly, India's Lara Dutta confidently answered, "Pageants like Miss Universe give us young women a platform to foray in the fields that we want to and forge ahead, be it entrepreneurship, be it the armed forces, be it politics. It gives us a platform to voice our choices and opinions, and it makes us strong and independent, that (sic) we are today." The answer defended the pageant, but it was persuasive rather than combative. As the audience erupted in approval, the outcome of the search for Miss Universe became clearly obvious. Before announcing the winner, awards were presented to Mexico's Letty Murray for the Clairol Herbal Essence Style Award (who earlier had won the Best National Costume Award). The delegates voted Aruba's Tamara Scaroni as Miss Congeniality. The crescendo of drums signaled the final moments. For the second consecutive year, Spain took Second Runner-up. Venezuela settled for First Runner-up for the third time in the last four years. Then India's Lara Dutta raised her hands to her face as the shock and sudden realization dawned on her that she was the new Miss Universe. Lara will use her reign for a variety of worthwhile causes, including bringing awareness to the spiraling one-billion population of the land which considers its people its most valuable resource. When asked beforehand what primary goal she would want to accomplish if crowned Miss Universe, she stated, "I come from a country that is still in the process of developing. India and its surrounding countries have all had women leaders. If I had the honor of becoming Miss Universe, I would promote the education of the child, especially the girl child so that she may have the platform to voice her opinion and make her choice. An educated mother means a healthy baby which, in turn, means a mature individual in the world." As her parents cheered from the audience, her father celebrated
his birthday as well as his daughter's victory. What a wonderful feeling
it must have been, knowing that the "girl child" he nurtured will now
have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of so many. Such
are the lofty goals of Miss Universe Lara Dutta, the world's newest
woman leader.
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