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Broadcast live from Brazil: 60th anniversary of Miss Universe Pageant on 12 September Mark this date in your diary if you fancy a roaring time watching the 2-hour Miss Universe pageant
Although it is technically the 60th anniversary of the Miss Universe pageant, the beauty contest had a bit of a rebel-feminist start in 1951. The results of this first contest were cancelled because the winner, Yolande Betbeze, refused to model swimwear – even though Catalina swimwear was the pageant's sponsor. Betbeze had been educated in a Catholic school and later became active in feminist movements. The swimwear company, not surprisingly, pulled their sponsorship. Lists of Miss Universe winners always start in 1952, with Miss Finland winning the crown. The US has won the most titles, at seven. Then Venezuela comes in number two with six titles. Puerto Rico comes in a close third with five. Sweden has three. After that, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Australia, India, Trinidad & Tobago, Thailand, Finland, Phillipines and Brazil each have two winners. The current Miss Universe, Ximena Navarrete from Mexico, will pass on her title to the 2011 Miss Universe, which will be chosen on Monday 12 September in a live broadcast at 9pm Eastern Standard Time from Brazil. Among the Miss Universes, there has never been a Miss Egypt winner. With all of the acclaim that Egypt is seeing these days in their euphoric triumph over the 30-year rule of dictator Mubarak – it isn't out of the question that Egypt might win acclaim here, as well. A Miss Universe from the Middle East or North Africa would be the second in the contest's 60-year history (Israel won a title). Latin Americans are known to be the strongest competition, and their 13 wins - which surpass US, Canadian or European wins - prove it. The political turmoil in Egypt, however, didn't allow for a national pageant in 2011. As an experienced beauty pageant contestant who has won two previous titles, Sara El-Khoury was handpicked as the official representative for the pageant. The pageant will be hosted by Natalie Morales (an NBC news anchor and co-host of Third Hour) and Andy Cohen (The Real Housewives and Top Chef, among others). Ideas In the lead up to the MissUniverse pageant, watch the films: Beautiful: a poignant comedy with a great story, excellently directed by Sally Fields. A less-than-average girl has one goal: to run through the pageant circuit until she wins the ultimate pageant. Minnie Driver, as always, delivers an excellent understanding of the character. Miss Congeniality: a favourite fish-out-of-water movie about a tomboy cop (Sandra Bullock) that has to suddenly learn how to be a beauty queen as part of an undercover operation.
