2010 08/25-08/31

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

Venus Raj, Miss Philippines (finished as 4th Runner-Up) competes during the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant evening gown competition at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday, August 23, against the others in the Top 5 - Anna Poslavska, Miss Ukraine (3rd Runner-Up); Yendi Phillipps, Miss Jamaica (1st Runner-Up); Jesinta Campbell, Miss Australia (2nd Runner-Up) and the eventual winner, Jimena Navarrete, Miss Mexico, now Miss Universe 2010. Photo by Miss Universe Organization.

Miss Philippines Venus Raj loses her poise & composure (and ultimately, the crown to Miss Mexico) upon hearing her final question from judge Billy Baldwin, as co-Hosts Bret Michaels and Natalie Morales assist her during the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday, August 23, 2010. She placed 4th Runner-Up. Photo by Matt Petit of the Miss Universe Organization.

Seen at Mandalay Bay Las Vegas personally witnessing Miss Universe 4th Runner-Up Venus Raj triumph are (L-R) Robert Mah, of Mah & Associates, LLP, a San Francisco-based CPA firm, Mary Ann Opena, LA-based businesswoman, Henry Sy, tand his cousin Eliseo Sy, both of Union City.

Before the show, Donald Trump, right, favors Miss Philippines Venus Raj to win the Miss Universe crown and Farouk Systems owner, Mr. Shami of Houston (middle) shown here at the Red Carpetarrival area of Mandalay Bay being jointly interviewed by Ms. Dyan Castillejo-Garcia of ABS-CBN Broadcasting.

Ms. Dyan Castillejo-Garcia ofABS-CBN Broadcasting asks Pageant Judge William 'Billy' Baldwin what qualities is he looking for in a Miss Universe before the show went live at the Mandalay Bay Events Center last Monday night. Billy got picked by Miss Philippines Venus Raj to ask her the final question. Venus placed 4th Runner-Up. Miss Mexico won the crown.

Pinoy Pageant Fans, mostly members of OPMB, gather in Las Vegas to witness heavy favorite, Miss Philippines Venus Raj, compete with 82 other candidates for the 2010 Miss Universe title/crown.

The Number 1 dance group in the world - the JABBAWOCKEES (most members are Fil-Ams) arrive in the Mandalay Bay Red Carpet to watch the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant held at the Mandalay Bay last Monday night.

LA-based US Immigration Officer Tim Evans, Businesswoman Mary Ann Opena, this columnist, Edrna Ichiban's Singer Divo Bayer and Violeta Caballero hang out at Ms. Opena's Mandalay Bay Suite to watch the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant held at the Mandalay Bay last Monday night.

Venus’s Biggest Mistake In Life

(The ‘would-have-been’ new Miss Universe is instead, the new ‘SAYANG’ Girl)

SEEN IN THE CITY

( Las Vegas , NV ) This is the scene we have all been waiting for and have been replaying in our minds over and over again. The pageant host uttering the words “The final spot (are you ready?), in the Top 15, is for - The Philippines!” And the mostly Filipino capacity crowd that traveled from all over the world, roared in approval.

It has been a while since we had experienced that glorious moment - Miriam Quiambao competed and almost won the Miss Universe crown in Trinidad and Tobago in 1999. Yes, it has been that long of a Miss Universe title drought for our country. The Philippines ’ Gloria Diaz first won its coveted Miss Universe crown in 1969, followed by Margarita Moran in 1973.

The script for Monday’s night’s final presentation of the 2010 Miss Universe telecast on NBC, beamed around the globe, almost felt like a teledrama tailor-made for Venus. They gave her the final spot in the Top 15. They also gave her the final spot in the Top 5. During the final segment, Venus’s score of 8.717 was running neck-to-neck with Miss Mexico ’s (8.913), the eventual winner. She had a very good chance. The arriving judges and even Donald Trump, favor Venus to win that night, as I stand close to ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol’s Dyan Castillejo, who was interviewing them on camera.

Let’s flashback her road to Las Vegas for her. Venus, reportedly a Cum Laude, honed her catwalk skills along the rice paddies of Bato, Camarines Sur. She is a veteran of beauty pageants. She was crowned 1997 Miss Bicolandia, 2008 Miss Earth Philippines Eco-Tourism and 2010 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe. And then she was dethroned by the organizers because of "inconsistencies in her birth records” which she fought successfully. That is why we came to see her compete in Vegas.

Even before she arrived in Vegas, Venus was already topping the online Miss Universe poll. And she stayed there on the Number 1 spot until the final day. She got selected as one of the 6 (out of 83) candidates to go to Los Angeles and given the extreme privilege to promote the pageant for several days.

When she arrived in Las Vegas , she was also the 5-1 odds on favorite to win the crown by the gamblers. This, despite the presence of several knockout candidates – Miss Ireland , Miss Colombia , Miss Venezuela , Miss Russia , Miss Albania , Miss Brazil , among others.

Everything was indeed, going for her. Until her randomly-selected pageant judge William Baldwin asked her the final question – “What is one big mistake you made in your life and what did you do to make it right?”

Her answer “Thank you so much for that question. You know what, Sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say, there is nothing major, major, I mean problem, that I have done in my life. Because I am very confident with my family and the love that they are giving me. So thank you so much that I am here. Thank you, thank you so much.”

All I can say is “WTF??” You don’t have any mistakes? Are you Miss Little Perfect? It’s a cardinal rule in pageant Q&A training not to repeat your words because it weakens your answer. It shows nervousness, lack of focus and confidence. Major, major? And she even corrected the major, major with “I mean, problem”. The judge was not asking about your problem but your mistake, hija. And pleeeease, nobody uses ‘Sir’ in this time and age anymore (last heard it used by the hospitality girls in Ermita, Manila during the 70’s). And what does family love have to do with your own mistakes? Finally, would you please stop thanking the judge for that question, already. Almost half of her answer is mostly Thank Yous.

Venus, what were you thinking? Apparently, none. According to a very reliable source, ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol’s Dyan Castillejo saw her backstage after the show, crying. Venus admittedly went blank after she heard the question from Billy Baldwin. She herself was so embarrassed of her answer she won’t even admit nor remember she uttered those words.

Venus is declared fourth runner-up in Miss Universe 2010; Mexico took the crown, the prestige and the honor that should have been hers. Instead of getting ranked along Gloria Diaz and Margarita Moran, now she will be used as a punchline almost every night and day along the lines of Janina San Miguel and that certain Miss USA candidate from South Carolina who thinks that Iraq is not part of Asia.

Today, when Venus gets asked the same question ‘What is the biggest mistake you made in your life?” she already has a ready, profound answer.

As to the follow up ‘And what did you do to make it right? Her answer might not come easy. It’s going to take her a very long while to recover from her Monday’s mistake. Her biggest in her life.

Major, major, really.

TO-BE-SEEN IN THE CITY

Presenting..Jackie Chavez!

Bay Area’s very own Jackie Chavez is a 19-year old acoustic guitar player who hails from Vallejo , California . She has performed in various events and major concerts with the likes of Richard Poon, Duncan Ramos, Aiza Seguerra, MYMP, Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Sitti Navaro, Kim Chui, Gerald Anderson, Vice Ganda, Pokwang, and other well-known celebrities from the Philippines . She has been dubbed as “Bay Area’s Accoustic Gem” because of her talent and ability with an acoustic guitar. She was also featured in Manila Mail as one of Bay Area’s “Magandang Filipina”. Currently, she has a single out on the market entitled “Crush Kita” which can be purchased through itunes or amazon.com. Her talent has attracted the attention of major labels as her single will soon be released in the Philippines under BMG Records.

Watch her perform live on October 2 at the Grande Exposition Hall of the Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno , Nevada when she shares center stage with Vina Morales and The Boyfriends. For more information about the show, visit www.silverscreenprod.com or www.silverlegacyreno.com. The show is brought to you by Aquarius Productions in cooperation with Silver Legacy Resort Casino, ElDorado Hotel and Casino, and Silverscreen Entertainment. Media sponsors for this event are Manila Mail, Philippine Headlines, Philippine Fiesta, and Carousel Pinoy Entertainment.

PERSONAL NOTES

Thank you to the following individuals who made my Vegas trip very enjoyable: Ms. Bev Llorente of TFC-Las Vegas, Ramil Andrada of Paris Hotel, Imperial Palace , Dave Tiu, Tim Evans, Violeta Caballero and Ms. Maryanne Opena.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Ang ibig po sabihin ni Venus sa "I've never had MAJOR

MAJOR problem" ay ito: Wala pa kong naging BONGGANG BONGGA problema. jajaja. Thank you thank you, salamat salamat.," by Jonas Antonio Gaffud, Venus Raj’s mentor/trainor on his FaceBook status update.

This column also appears online at www.FilipinoVillage.com andhttp://sites.google.com/site/adkinsmmcevents/Home/ with readership in 89 countries now, according to the latest Google Analytics report.

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