Miss Universe Competition Kicks Off In The Phillipines
Dresses, sashes, pearly smiles and a crown mixed together create the Miss Universe Competition, where one contestant among 12 will win and receive a platform from the organization for a year to achieve her national and global goals.
This year’s competition will take place in the capital of the Philippines — Manila — and will be presented by last year's host, Steve Harvey. Watch here for the Miss Universe 2017 live stream slated for broadcast Sunday night 7 p.m. EST/6 p.m. CST.
Harvey had his fair share of slipups during the competition in 2015 when he incorrectly announced Miss Colombia’s Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner of Miss Universe. Quickly after, Harvey came back on stage to correct himself, instead giving the title to the actual winner, Miss Philippines’ Pia Wurtzbach.
“It wasn’t that quick. It was four minutes of pure hell,” Harvey said to Jimmy Fallon in December 2016 on the "Tonight Show."
The pageant was founded in 1952 by Catalina Swimsuits and has continuously been organized by the Miss Universe Organization. The swimsuit company founded Miss USA, too, although the competitions are separate entities and the Miss Universe system does not host a talent competition.
Around 80 to 100 countries usually compete and after preliminary interviews and swimsuit/evening gown presentations, the contestants are narrowed down to the Top 12 who appear in the televised event.
Miss Universe candidates paraded in their evening gowns during a preliminary competition in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines Jan. 26, 2017. Photo: (REUTERS/Erik De Castro)
“A contestant must be confident. She must be able to demonstrate authenticity and articulate her ambitions as a titleholder. The competitions showcase and evaluate the contestant’s aspirations and are judged by accomplished business leaders, philanthropists, and public figures,” the Miss Universe website states about what they look for in a contestant.
Another public figure previously involved with the pageant was President Donald Trump. The businessman-and-TV-personality-turned-president owned the Miss Universe Organization from 1996 to 2015 before selling it. Earlier that year, Trump found himself in hot water when Univision networks and NBCUniversal’s NBC declined to air the Miss USA pageant following Trump’s comments about Mexican immigrants during his campaign.
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