Take the SPOT.ph poll: Which beauty queen had the most unforgettable answer for y ou? 10. Jeannie Anderson, Binibining Pilipinas Pageant, 2006 The Scene: The one when she say s, Quiet please! The Question: If y ou were given a chance to choose to become beautiful but not too smart or very smart and not too beautiful, what would y ou prefer to be and why ? The Answer: Well, um, quiet please! Okay . Well, I’d rather choose to be, uh, beautiful. Um, because, um, to be beautiful like, um, it’s natural. But, um, being smart, y ou can learn. You can learn, um, a lot of things. You can learn from the experience. You can learn from a lot of things to be smart. Looking pale as a ghost and like she was about to faint, Anderson appeared to be scared sh*tless when 1 969 Miss Universe Gloria Diaz asked her the question (and we don’t blame her). In theory , she had a point—how she got to it was the problem. We don’t know where she is now, but we sure hope she’s doing well. 9. Miriam Quiambao, Miss Universe Pageant, 1999 The Scene: The one with the roundabout answer that cost her the crown The Question: “If Miss Universe were to become pregnant during her reign, should she be allowed to continue as Miss Universe?” The Answer: That’s a very difficult, um, situation to be in and I believe that if Miss Universe, if ever she becomes pregnant, I believe she should continue with her reign if she has been a good example to be a Miss Universe, if she has pursued all the… all the goals that she has, that she had, in the first place. And I believe that she should continue. She could’ve been our third Miss Universe—they say Quiambao almost had the crown in the 1 999 Miss Universe pageant as a frontrunner early in the competition, and not even her infamous fall during dress rehearsal could slow her down (which, she milked by the way , in her winning Top 5 Q&A). During the final moments of the pageant she unfortunately clammed up and choked on the final question, stammering her way to becoming first runner-up instead. 8. Margie Moran, Miss Universe, 1973 The Scene: The one when she was just being honest. The Question: Let’s make believe that all of a sudden, y ou had a million dollars, what’s the first thing y ou would buy and why would y ou buy it? The Answer: A house and lot because it’s the most expensive thing and I can’t afford it. If I had a million11/14/13 Spot.PH spot.ph/print_article.php?id=49315&post_name=saturday-xscape-at-excess-superclub-7 3/6 bucks, I’d buy a house a lot and live by my self, and other people, of course. A visibly nerv ous Margie Moran looking gorgeous in an Auggie Cordero creation during the 1 97 3 Miss Universe pageant gave a spontaneous, simple answer that made her the most beautiful woman in the universe. She stood out as an early fav orite and was noticed for her fluency in English. It might not have been the most memorable Miss Universe answer in history but she walked away with the crown nonetheless. 7. Gloria Diaz, Miss Universe Pageant, 1969 The Scene: The one when she pointed out the obvious—and won. The question: If a man from the moon landed in y our hometown, what would y ou do to entertain him? The answer: Oh! Uh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been on the moon for so long, I think when he comes over he wants a change, I guess. Among all the other finalists, an 1 8-y ear-old Gloria Diaz was the picture of confidence during the 1 969 pageant at Miami Beach, Florida, when she nonchalantly answered Bob Barker even while she looked like she was searching for an answer. Her candid reply had Bob Barker say ing, Very good! It also earned her the top spot, making her the first Philippine title-holder to win the Miss Universe crown. Diaz earned the ire of Cebuanos last y ear with her controversial comment on Venus Raj’s major major answer when she told TV Patrol World, I think (Venus) thinks in Tagalog and answers in English. I can relate to that because I used to think in English and answer in Tagalog, and it was very difficult for me... When y ou think about (it), a Cebuana can hardly speak English and, of course, Tagalog. Maybe she should answer in Bisaya. She was declared persona non grata (personally unacceptable) and was banned from Cebu. In a PEP.ph interview, Diaz later on clarified what she meant, say ing that People should have the right to say or to answer (questions) in whatever language they want to say it in. If they ’re Cebuanos, they can say it in Cebuano. I did not say that they did not speak English. 6. Ruffa Gutierrez, Miss World Pageant, 1993 The Scene: The one when she quoted Antoine de Saint-Exupery The Question: How would y ou tell a girl who’s suffering from low self-esteem to feel better about herself? The Answer: Well, I’ll tell her to believe in herself because it’s not only phy sical beauty that’s important but also inner beauty . Like what the Little Prince said, ’What is essential is invisible to the naked ey e.’ And I believe that character and personality are more important than phy sical beauty . An intelligent, pageant-perfect answer without missing a beat? Yup, Ruffa Gutierrez pulled it off without breaking a sweat (or an interpreter) in the 1 993 Miss World pageant in Africa. Her answer earned cheers from the audience and won her third place. 11/14/13 Spot.PH spot.ph/print_article.php?id=49315&post_name=saturday-xscape-at-excess-superclub-7 4/6 5. Melanie Marquez, Miss International, 1979 The Scene: The one about the legs. The Question: What part of y our body would y ou like to change? The Answer: I won’t change my legs because I’m contented with my long-legged. Who doesn’t know Melanie Marquez—beauty queen, supermodel, personality development coach, and now Lawy er (she’s married to a man named Adam Lawy er)—for her wacky English? Remember Don’t judge my brother, he’s not a book? She’s probably the top resource person when it comes to beauty pageant Q&A booboos, and has alway s been there to defend Pinay beauty queens slammed by critics for bad Q&A moments. In the 1 97 9 Miss International pageant, Marquez proved it’s not all about fluency but fighting spirit—and this was probably what the judges were thinking when they gave her the crown any way . 4. Janina San Miguel, Binibining Pilipinas, 2008 The Scene: The one with p and f problem The Question: What role did y our family play to y ou as candidate to Binibining Pilipinas? The Answer: Well, my family ’s role for me is so important because there was the … they ’re, they was the one who’s... very ... Hahahaha... Oh, I’m so sorry , uhhmm... My pamily ... My family ... Oh my god... I’m... Okay , I’m so sorry ... I... I told y ou that I’m so confident... Eto, uhhmm, wait... Hahahaha, uhhmm, sorry , guy s because this was really my first pageant ever because I’m only 1 7 y ears old and ahahaha I, I did not expect that I came from, I came from one of the top 1 0. Hmmm, so... but I said that my family is the most important persons in my life. Thank y ou. After besting other candidates in the long gown and swimsuit competitions, and confidently say ing, I don’t feel any pressure right now, 1 7 -y ear-old San Miguel looked like she had nothing to worry about... until judge Vivienne Tan asked her the question, that is. Many would say it was painful to watch her search for words as she fumbled her way to a Bb. Pilipinas crown while others were more forgiving and chalked it up to her y outh. Rumor has it San Miguel was so traumatized by the incident that she backed out of the Miss World competition but cited the death of her grandfather as her reason for quitting. 3. Shamcey Supsup, Miss Universe Pageant, 2011 The Scene: The one that spawned an Oprah rumor The Question: Would y ou change y our religion to marry the person y ou 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. And I have my faith and my principles and this is what makes11/14/13 Spot.PH spot.ph/print_article.php?id=49315&post_name=saturday-xscape-at-excess-superclub-7 5/6 me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too. The 25-y ear-old architect, University of the Philippines Diliman magna cum laude graduate, and Architecture board topnotcher was the only contestant in this y ear’s Miss Universe pageant who braved the Q&A sans interpreter. Netizens and celebs expressed disappointment over Supsup placing fourth despite being an early fav orite, so much so that a rumor spread online that media mogul Oprah Winfrey supposedly went on record and said that Supsup should’ve won. Oprah’s camp later on denied the story . 2. Charlene Gonzales, Miss Universe Pageant, 1994 The Scene: The one where she answers the question with another question—and wittily so. The Question: How many islands are in the Philippines? The Answer: High tide or low tide? It wasn’t just home court adv antage that got Charlene Gonzales into the top 6 of the 1 994 Miss Universe pageant, which was held in Manila. Even before the actual Q&A, Gonzales charmed the audience with her witty one-liner in what would later on be known locally as one of the most famous quotable quotes ever. We bet y ou’ve used the line y ourself once upon a time. 1. Venus Raj, Miss Universe Pageant, 2010 The Scene: The one when her answer was printed on a T-shirt The Question: What is one big mistake in y our life and what did y ou do to make it right? The Answer: In my 22 y ears of existence, I can say that there is nothing major, major, I mean, problem that I’ve done in my life. I am very confident with my family , with the love that they are giving to me. Thank y ou so much that I am here, thank y ou, thank y ou so much. The answer of statuesque Venus Raj in 201 0’s Miss Universe Pageant was hands down, the most memorable, if not, most controversial answer in local Miss Universe history . The term major, major became a catchphrase, appearing on T-shirts and tote bags, as part of a gas station promo with gas station attendants donning shirts say ing Major Major Thank You!, and now, as the name of Venus’ column in The Philippine Star. Raj’s answer was featured in several news outlets abroad, including ABC’S World News with Diane Sawyer where Sawy er said the Pinay beauty queen was not the first one to be stumped by that particular question. Wherever y ou stand on the major, major spectrum—disappointed that Venus became so flustered she had to say the word major twice, or proud of the dusky Bicolana who made it that far into the international competition—y ou can’t deny that Venus stood tall through it all. At least naging part ako ng every day conversation nila, she later told media.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 09:38:28 +0000
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