| P a g e a n t N e w s B u r e a u |
|
HOME | NEWS | PEOPLE | FEATURES
| INTERVIEWS |
 |
| P a g e a n t N e w s B u r e a u |
|
HOME | NEWS | PEOPLE | FEATURES
| INTERVIEWS |
|
|
In Las Vegas, Nevada, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |  |  |
| Alicia Machado shows off her stylish new sash after winning the title in Las Vegas. | The keys to a new car and the attention of the world. | Can being Miss Universe turn a woman's head? |
| Three photos above courtesy of Benjamin Gibbs - Pageant News Bureau | ||
 |  |  |
Venezuela, the most successful nation in the recent history of international pageants, claimed the Miss Universe crown for the fourth time on Friday, May 17, 1996. Alicia Machado, 19, won the title, edging out Miss Aruba, Taryn Mansell, 19. Miss Finland, Lola Odusoga, 18, was second runner-up.
Ms. Machado also won the swimsuit award. Miss Philippines, Ailleen Damiles, was chosen Miss Photogenic by a vote of readers on the Miss Universe Web site.
The current Miss World, Jacqueline Aguilera Marcano, is also from Venezuela. This is the second time in three years that the holders of the two titles have been from the same country. In 1994, the two titles were held by women from India.
See our list of contestants for quick reference.
Miss Russia, Ilmira Shamsutdinova, was selected as the contestant with the best national costume.
Miss Australia, Jodie McMullen, was chosen as Miss Congeniality by a vote of the contestants.
Miss Venezuela, Alicia Machado, has won the "That Takes Finesse" award presented by Finesse, the official hair care product of the Miss Universe Pageant.
Photos courtesy of Miss Universe, Inc.
 |  | |
The new Miss Universe Web site lists the contestants and gives readers basic information about the pageant. Pageant News Bureau provides historical information, including a list of all previous Miss Universe winners and other historical information, including many rare photos, specific to Miss Universe. You can access both sites through PNB's Pageant Surfing page. Meanwhile, we at PNB will look behind the scenes and provide news and features about this extraordinary competition.
Chelsi Smith of the USA (above right with Sushmita Sen in a photo courtesy of Miss Universe Inc.) was crowned Miss Universe last year in Namibia. She is the sixth American to win the title, and the first from the state of Texas, which was once an independent nation. Except for an accident of history, she would have represented the country of Texas in last year's Miss Universe Pageant. That might have made things easier for the current Miss USA, Ali Landry (right, shortly before winning Miss USA in February, in a photo courtesy of Miss Universe, Inc.). There's no jinx, just the law of averages, but in the 44 years of previous competition, no nation has won the Miss Universe crown two years in succession.
 |  | This Nevada city, the Monte Carlo of America, is one of the gaming and entertainment capitals of the world. Las Vegas has hosted the Miss Universe Pageant once before, in 1991. The winner that year was Lupita Jones of Mexico (left during her reign in 1991 in a photo by Joe Whiteko and right in 1996 in a photo by Arlyne Q. Peters), who has since become a successful author and a leader of the pageant industry in her country. Will the luck of Las Vegas be with Mexico again? |
Marla Maples Trump (right as a Hawaiian Tropic contestant in 1985 in a photo courtesy of Hawaiian Tropic), a successful singer and actress, will be a co-host of this year's Miss Universe Pageant. She is no stranger to the world of beauty competitions. She comes from a corner of northwest Georgia that is famous for beauty queens. As Marla Maples, she was the original Miss Resaca Beach, in 1983, and later competed for the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International crown. Welcome back, Mrs. Trump.
"This is the most interesting experience I've had since I watched a dolphin give birth," says Miss South Africa, Carol Becker. As Miss Universe activities get under way in Las Vegas, many of the contestants, like Ms. Becker, a 23-year-old law student, are already in an expansive mood. Miss USA, Ali Landry, 22, says she feels less pressure than she did during her national pageant.
As in all international pageants, many languages are being heard and spoken here in Las Vegas. Speakers of English and Spanish can find plenty of people to chat with, but it is not always easy for others. Still, some of the contestants are able to cut across language barriers without interpreters. Miss Malaysia, Adeline Ong, 23, speaks five languages, including Korean, which has a reputation for being difficult for non-native speakers. She enjoys conversing with Miss Korea, Kim Yun Jung.
Miss Philippines, Ailleen Damiles, 19, and Miss Canada, Renette Cruz, have something more in common than language: Both were born in the Philippines, and like most people from that country, both have a lifelong love of pageants. "I've dreamed about being Miss Universe since I was 9 years old," said Ms. Cruz, 25.
Miss Jamaica, Trudi Ferguson, 21, is an artist and fashion designer, and like many creative people, she isn't afraid to break with tradition. She tells PNB that she has the shortest hair of any Miss Jamaica ever.
Many of our readers have noted that Michelle Kahn, Miss Trinidad and Tobago, was second runner-up at last year's Miss World Pageant. (Although our earlier records showed her name as "Khan," Miss Universe officials tell us "Kahn" is correct.) If Ms. Kahn wins Miss Universe, she would be the second former Miss World finalist to do so. Michelle McLean of Namibia did it 1992. And at least two former Miss Universe finalists have won the Miss World crown.
Photos by Arlyne Q. Peters / Pageant News Bureau
 |
 |  |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |  |
 |
 |  |
 |  |  |
The world is constantly changing, and the list of countries that send delegates to Miss Universe is never the same from year to year. This year, two pageant powers of the Pacific are missing: Japan and Guam. They are expected back in 1997.
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Olympic Games, Miss Universe 1996 will have her name permanently inscribed in the walkway of Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, site of the 1996 Games. This honor is presented courtesy of the Pageant News Bureau, with special thanks to the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.
The Pageant News Bureau wishes to thank Miss Universe Inc. for its kind cooperation during coverage of the pageant. We also are very grateful to United Parcel Service (UPS), an official Olympic sponsor serving customers in 200 countries, for contributing Olympic pins that PNB distributed to all the Miss Universe contestants. Other Olympic pin contributors included the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), which will move millions of people during the 1996 Summer Games, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which will provide the world's most comprehensive print coverage of the Games, and the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. Our gratitude goes to all of them.
Also, PNB's coverage would not have been possible without the advice and assistance of special correspondents Jimmy Steele of Canada and Dan Mcevily of the United States. We wish to thank them and Philip DiMaggio, who went beyond the call of duty.
 | Miss Greece, Nina Georgala, and Miss USA, Ali Landry, hold the Olympic Torch during the passing of the 1996 Torch Relay through Las Vegas in May. |
| Miss Universe archive |
| P a g e a n t N e w s B u r e a u |
|
HOME | NEWS | PEOPLE | FEATURES
| INTERVIEWS |
|
|
| Copyright © 1995-2005 Pageant News Bureau, Inc. All rights reserved. |
