STAR WARS MANIA

Well, in the first place, this blog entry is not about Star Wars. This is interestingly all about the recent 64th Ms. Universe held today December 21st (PST) in Planet Hollywood, Nevada, USA.

Photo Credit: click here 

This year's pageant has become a phenomenon which raised Filipino drama into the global scale. Another turn of events or plot twist the whole world has witnessed. This year's ceremonial night has brought about new surprises to the viewers in billion like the new Top 3 from the usual 5 finalists; one candidate (Ms. Slovenia) unfortunately faced the turn of the tide as the other side of her face got paralyzed; fellow candidates themselves and the viewers were considered as judges via voting online; a public awareness of a no-Donald-Trump-in-the-show as of judge Perez Hilton's revelation. And perhaps the most surprising of them all is the 'historical blunder' of the daytime host and comedian Steve Harvey, one of the event's hosts, after committing an honest mistake during the pronouncement of the winners. Harvey sincerely apologized the whole world by tweeting tweets about the mistake, and I quote: "I'd like to apologize wholeheartedly to Miss Colombia and Miss Philippines for my huge mistake. I feel terrible. Secondly, I'd like to apologize to the viewers at that I disappointed as well. Again it was an honest mistake." 

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The turn of events has gone viral via social media as of press time. It has fueled the fire among netizens even celebrities to get involved through statuses, posts, tweets, pins, hits, among others. Jim Paredes tweeted via @Jimparedes saying that Pia Wurtzbach's win is the most memorable of all beauty pageants. Lea Salonga in her Twitter account @MsLeaSalonga went on to say that the event was something that Filipinos have to smile about.

Well, to put it straightforwardly, this kind of worldwide event is a serious thing in the beauty-pageant-obsessed developing country, the Philippines. Where the prestigious pageant's coronation night (day in the Philippines) becomes somewhat a holiday. Family and friends convene in one place to, at least, cheer the candidate that the country represents. Ms. Universe is indeed more fun in the Philippines. It's like Brazil's soccer championship game or UK's London Marathon. Surpassing as to 'surprising factor' the 'major, major' catchphrase after the Question and Answer round of Ms. Venus Raj who settled 4th Place in her stint in Ms. Universe 2010, Pia's after-an-honest-mistake crowning has brought Filipina(ness) into a phenomenal mass and social media circus.

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Pia Alonso Wurtzbach, another bi-racial Philippine representative to the pageant, has brought in new record as the 3rd Ms. Universe title held by a Filipina after Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973. After 42 years of waiting and Top 5 recent landing for five consecutive years, the long wait is over. It's enough to say #Congratulations Philippines (and Germany?!). 

The weeklong war among the stars isn't over yet! More interesting and buzz-worthy post-pageant surprises are still going to rock the entire universe. Keep an eye on.