Shamcey Supsup, Third Runner Ms Universe 2011

Philippines' bet, Shamcey Supsup, placed third runner up in the just concluded Ms Universe 2011 held in Brazil. The crown was placed on the head of Ms Angola, Leila Lopes, who stole Venus Raj's head piece from last year's Ms Universe pageant.

I thought Shamcey Supsup got in the bag during the Q&A portion. Unlike her predecessors who more or less kissed their chances of running with the Ms Universe crown with their answers, Shamcey gave a clear and solid answer to the question from Hollywood actress Viveca A Fox.

The question: "Would you change your religious belief to marry the person you love? Why or Why not?"

The answer: "If I have to change my religious beliefs, I would not marry the person that I love. Because the first person that I love is God, who created me."

Di ba pageant na pageant ang sagot? Waging waging. To those who are saying Shamcey should have answered this way or that way, just STFU! You may have the better answer, but you don't have the beauty to sashay down that stage.

Even the queen of talk, Oprah Winfrey weighed in on the results of the 60th Ms Universe coronation night. Oprah thinks that if the winner were to be based on the Q&A alone, Ms Philippines deserved the crown. Shamcey Supsup gave a straight answer, without the benefit of a few seconds to think courtesy of the interpreter.

Filipino beauty pageant trainers and even Filipino beauty pageant watchers tend to prefer our candidates in these international beauty competitions to be fluent in the English language. But I think Latin America and other non-English speaking countries have it right. Use an interpreter during the Q&A to give the contestant a few seconds to organize her answer. Those top 4 contenders understood and speak English. They just preferred to employ an interpreter because they could better express themselves in their native tongue, and a few seconds wouldn't hurt them.

It's about time we hear Filipino spoken in the international stage through a beauty pageant contestant. It's a strategy of hurts during Q&A, the bane of most Pinay beauty bets. Moreover, we would likely to see the unseating of James Soriano from his high horse by showing him that Tagalog is not just the language of the streets and the uneducated.

It's unfortunate the fans are not the judges because if they were, Shamcey would have been the winner fer sure. There are "official" judges who get their cue from pageant organizers who get their cue from Donald Trump, the combover owner of the Ms Universe organization.

Oh well, there's still next year. Hopefully, our future Pinay bet would place 2nd runner-up.

Cebuanos Hate Gloria Diaz

Ms Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz is getting flak from Cebuanos because of her comments about the use of an interpreter during beauty pageants.

When Gloria Diaz said "Kasi, when you think about a Cebuana can hardly speak English and, of course, Tagalog, maybe she should answer in Bisaya," Cebuanos went up in arms and immediately thought of ways to get back at Gloria Diaz.

Cebu City Rep Cutie del Mar spent her precious privilege speech to denounce Gloria Diaz and her statement, calling it an insult, and demand a public apology.

Not to be outdone, the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines-Cebu has issued a resolution declaring Gloria Diaz "persona non grata" in Cebu.

In the words of Angelica Jones: "over OA."

In this country, being called "bobo sa English" is one of the greatest insult that you can say against a person.

Isang malaking kamalian na isipan na hindi matalino ang isang Pilipino hindi marunong magsalita at umunawa ng Ingles.

Isang kapalaluan ang isipin na porke marunong kang mag-ingles class ka na.

Kaya Cutie del Mar tama na ang pagpapa cute sa Kongreso, get to work. And to the vice mayors, marami sa distrito nyo ang naghihirap, tulungan nyo kung paano mangisda.

Goodness, all these outrage over a freaking beauty contest!

Ms Venezuela is Ms Universe 2009

Stefania Fernandez from Venezuela was crowned Miss Universe 2009 at the Atlantis Resort Paradise Island in the Bahamas Monday (Manila time).

Stefania Fernandez bested 83 candidates from around the world to become the 58th Miss Universe.

It was also the first time in the pageant's history that the same nation won the contest for two years in a row. Last year's Miss Universe was Dayana Mendoza from Venezuela.

Ms. Philippines Pamela Bianca Manalo failed to make the top 15. There were also no other Asian candidates in the top 15.

ABS-CBN was so building up Ms Philippines on the run to Monday's Ms Universe, tapos not even top 15? What a huge letdown.

Miss Dominican Republic Ada Aimee De la Cruz was first runner-up and Miss Kosovo Gona Dragusha was second runner-. The third and fourth runners-up were Miss Australia Rachael Finch and Miss Puerto Rico Mayra Matos Perez.

Fernandez outsmarted the four top finalists during the question-and-answer portion. Asked by judge Andre Leon Talley what women can do to overcome obstacles in achieving their goals, the Venezuelan beauty answered: “I believe that nowadays we, women, have overcome many obstacles and I do believe that we have reached the same level as men have. We must realize there are no longer barriers amongst us.”

The Miss Congeniality award was won by Miss China Wang Jingyao. Miss Thailand Chutima Durongdej was voted Miss Photogenic.

The beauty pageant was hosted by “Access Hollywood” co-anchor Billy Bush and “Celebrity Apprentice” star Claudia Jordan. Rapper Flo Rida, singers David Guetta and Kelly Rowland and reality star Heidi Montag also performed during the coronation night.