Miss Universe 2008 , the 57th Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Crown Convention Center in the Diamond Bay Resort, Nha Trang, Vietnam on July 14, 2008. Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, was crowned Miss Universe 2008 by outgoing titleholder Riyo Mori of Japan.
Eighty contestants competed in the event which was broadcast and distributed globally via NBC in English and Telemundo in Spanish to TV outlets in more than 180 countries. The pageant was watched by a live audience of 7,500 and nearly a billion television viewers worldwide.
This is the first major USA-based television production to take place in Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. This is also the first time that the Miss Universe pageant was broadcast in 1080i High-definition. And this pageant was held in a contemporary Communist state for the first time.
The final presentation show was on July 8, the dress rehearsal on July 13 and the live telecast on July 14. Most activities were held successively in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Sai Gon), Ha Noi, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ha Long and finally Nha Trang.
Jerry Springer, tabloid talk show host and host of NBC's America's Got Talent , and Melanie Brown, a.k.a. "Scary Spice", member of the UK pop group Spice Girls and host of TLC's The Singing Office , presented this year's competition. Lady Gaga, 22 year-old performer and songwriter, performed her single Just Dance .
Areas of Competition
Prior to the final telecast, all contestants competed in swimsuit and evening gown during the preliminary competition. They also participated in interviews with the judges.
During the final competition, the top fifteen contestants (based on their preliminary scores) competed in the swimsuit competition, and the top ten (based upon individual swimsuit scores) competed in evening gown. The final five contestants (based upon individual score from evening gown) participated in a final round of on-stage interviews, before the runners-up were announced and the new Miss Universe named.
This was the second year since 2002 that the judges' average scores were shown on television.
Results
Placements
Final competition scores
Order of announcements
Top 15
Top 10
Top 5
- 1. Colombia
- 2. Venezuela
- 3. Dominican Republic
- 4. Mexico
- 5. Russia
Special awards
- Miss Congeniality : Rebeca Moreno ( El Salvador )
- Best National Costume : Gavintra Photijak ( Thailand )
Judges
- Roberto Cavalli - Renowned fashion designer
- Joseph Cinque - President of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences
- Jennifer Hawkins - Miss Universe 2004
- Ishaa Koppikar - Bollywood actress
- Louis Licari - Celebrity Hairstylist
- Nguyen Cong Khe - Editor-in-Chief of Vietnamese newspaper Thanh Nien
- Taryn Rose - Footwear designer
- Donald Trump, Jr. - Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization; eldest son of Miss Universe co-owner Donald Trump
- Nadine Velazquez - actress on NBC's My Name Is Earl
Background music
- Mika, "Love Today" — background music used for the Opening and Presentation of National Costumes
- Lady GaGa, "Just Dance" — performed live during the Swimsuit Competition
- Robin Thicke, "Magic" from the album Something Else — background music used during the Evening Gown Competition
Delegates
Historical Significance
- Venezuela won the Miss Universe crown after a 12 year drought.
- Countries who also made into the top 15 previous year were Venezuela , Mexico , USA , Czech Republic and Japan .
- Japan placed for the third straight year. Venezuela placed for the second consecutive year.
- Kosovo and Vietnam placed for the first time.
- Colombia , Hungary and Russia last placed in 2006.
- Dominican Republic and South Africa last placed in 2005.
- Australia last placed in 2004.
- Spain last placed in 2001.
- Italy last placed in 1997.
- El Salvador won Miss Congeniality for the second time.
- Thailand won Best National Costume for the fourth time.
- Venezuela won its fifth crown, now the second most successful country to compete in the pageant tied with Puerto Rico after USA .
- Russia scored its highest placement since Oxana Federova won in 2002 (later dethroned).
- This is the 45th (out of a total of 57) editions that the host delegate made the semifinals.
- This is the first time since 2003 that the venue (Crown Convention Center) was specifically made for the pageant.
- A European Mel B. co-hosted the pageant only for the second time this decade, the first being Naomi Campbell in 2001. Interestingly, both are Black British celebrities.
- For the first time since 2001, Europeans outnumbered those from the Western Hemisphere in the semifinals.
- This is the first time no Miss Photogenic award was given since the inception of the award.
National pageant notes
Debuts
- Kosovo sent its first ever delegate, Zana Krasniqi.
Withdrawals
- Barbados , Belize , Bulgaria , Guyana , Lebanon , St. Lucia , U.S. Virgin Islands and Zambia competed in 2007
Returning countries and territories
- Guam last competed in 2000.
- Netherlands and Vietnam last competed in 2005.
- Cayman Islands , Ghana , Ireland , Sri Lanka , Trinidad and Tobago , Turkey and UK last competed in 2006.
Pageant notes
New crown
For Miss Universe 2008 a new crown was unveiled. The 18k white and yellow gold crown was designed by CAO Fine Jewelry specifically for the event. With over 1,000 precious stones, including 44 carats of diamonds, the crown has a value of $120,000 (USD). The design of the crown is highly symbolic. Vietnam is symbolized in the yellow gold, representative of the country's healthy economy, and in the crane, with represents the spirit and culture of Vietnam. Other colors stand for inspiration and feeling, while the depicted heart is meant to reflect faith, hope and unity. The curving patterns of the stones are a tribute to every country, reflecting growth. The crown will only be awarded as part of the contest this year, with the original Mikimoto design being awarded again next year.
Prizes
Dayana Mendoza receives a prize package which includes cash, a one-year contract promoting Miss Universe, world travel, a rent-free, prestigious New York City apartment, a gift bag stuffed with free designer shoes, dresses and beauty products, a $100,000 USD stipend for a 2-year course at the New York Film Academy and free access to famous fashion houses and beauty parlors. Mendoza will spend her year-long reign traveling the world to lecture on humanitarian issues and promote education regarding HIV/AIDS, the official platform of the Miss Universe Organization.
Miss USA falls again
Miss USA, Crystle Stewart, slipped and fell down the stairs during the Evening Gown competition. This was the second year in a row that a Miss USA delegate fell during Evening Gown. This is also the first time in pageant history a contestant fell down during the Evening Gown competition in two consecutive pageants, from the same country, or from any country. Miss USA 2007, Rachel Smith, fell during Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico, and received boos after she made the Top Five contestants. After Stewart fell, she encouraged the audience to applaud by clapping her hands. She was eliminated after the Evening Gown Competition, finishing in eighth place
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