50 Things about Miss Universe 2008

Miss Universe 2008 beauty pageant final show is now going on. If you want to get the live updates of the glittering show, then visit the following link:

Miss Universe 2008 Live Updates

1. The first Miss Universe show started as a local bathing beauty at Long beach, California. It was organized by Catalina Swimwear.
   

2. Miss Universe is one of the three beauty pageant joint ventures owned by Donald J. Trump and NBC universe.
   

3. Miss Universe is committed to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS by focusing on women’s health and reproductive issues. It is related with other organizations like Latino Commission on AIDS, God’s Love We Deliver, APICHA and Gay Men’s Health Crisis.
   

4. Miss Universe is one of the most popular beauty pageants viewed by over 1 billion people. This year will be the 57^th Miss Universe.
   

5. The total cost of organizing Miss Universe 2008 is a staggering $20 million.
   

9. After eight years of absence Guam is participating in Miss Universe 2008. Siera Robertson is representing Guam this year. Other countries that returned this year are:Netherlands(last appeared in 2005) and Cayman Islands, Ghana, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey and UK(last competed in 2006).
10. The nations that withdrew from Miss Universe 2008 beauty pageants are: Bulgaria, Chile, Lebanon, Namibia, Northern Mariana Islands, and Sweden.
    

10. Five nations will join Miss Universe 2008 without their representatives. They are: Barbados, Belize, Guyana, U.S. Virgin Islands, Zambia.
    

11. Eighty contestants will be participating in the 57^th Miss Universe 2008 contest.
    

12. Famous German automaker, Mercedes Benz, has been chosen as the exclusive car sponsor of Miss Universe 2008.
    

13. This year, the winner of Miss Universe 2008 will wear a crown worth $120,000. Famous Vietnamese jewelry designers Dang Thi Kim Lien and Rosalina Tran Lydster designed the crown. This new crown will be awarded only this year. From the next year, the Mikimoto crown will be awarded again.
    

14. The Miss Universe 2008 Pageant Organizing Board and UniCorp have announced to use HD Live Television application to broadcast images of the Miss Universe 2008 pageants.

15. Lady GaGa will perform Her Hit Song "Just Dance" in the live telecast from Vietnam.

16. The judges of Miss Universe 2008 are:

Donald Trump Jr.: Executive Vice President, Trump Organization.

Roberto Cavalli: Fashion designer and entrepreneur.

Nadine Velazquez: International cover girl.

Jennifer Hawkins: Famous television presenter.

Louis Licari: Celebrity colorist and “Today Show” ambush makeover expert.

Joe Cinque: President, American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

Nguyen Cong Khe: Editor in Chief, Thanh Nien newspaper.

Taryn Rose: International shoe designer.

Isha Koppikar: A Indian actress, Isha has been invited to become the judge of Miss Universe 2008. Isha Koppikar is the first woman from Bollywood to go to Miss Universe 2008 as a judge.

17. The hosts of Miss Universe 2008 are:

Jerry Springer: He is famous for his talk shows, ‘The Jerry Springer Show,’ and ‘America's Got Talent.’

Mel B: Famous English pop singer and a member of ‘Spice Girls’ band.

18. Three sub-competitions were hold during the four week stay of the contestants in Nha Trang.
    

19. The sub competitions and events of Miss Universe 2008 were held in six cities in Vietnam:Ha Noi, Ha Long, HCM City, Nha Trang, Da Nang and Binh Duong.
    

20. Swim wear show: It was held on July 2, 2008 at the Vine Pearl Land Resort. Miss Mexico, 21 year old Elisa Najera won the contest and received a cash prize of $2000, and a crystal trophy. She was also elected the “Queen of Vine Pearl” and the “best body.” The other finalists are: Taliana Vargas (Colombia), Simran Kaur (India), Claudia Moro (Spain), Crystle Stewart (USA).
    

21. On the day of swimwear competition, a 770-square-meter stage was built in Vinepearl Land.
    

22. Best in Áo dài: Held on June 24 2008, Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela won the title. Other finalists are: Simran Kaur Mundi (India), Nguyễn Thùy Lâm (Vietnam), Gavintra Photijak (Thailand), Alfina Nasyrova.
    

23. The Ao Dais wore by Miss Vietnam in Miss Universe 2008 contest Nguyen Thuy Lam were designed by famous Vietnamese fashion designer, Thuan Viet and Van Thanh Cong. The ao dai created by Thuan Viet was decorated with crystal, gold, and diamonds.
    

24. In the Miss Universe 2008 Ao Dai competition the Ao dais were designed by for Vietnamese designers: Vo Viet Chung, Thuan Viet, Sy Hoang and Lien Huong.
    

25. Miss Universe Viet Nam 2008, Nguyen Thuy Lam, wore a gold-inlaid ao dai created especially for her at a charity show in Ho Chi Minh City.
    

26. Best National Costume: The winner was determined by an online pole. The finalists are : Matilda Mecini (Albania), Taliana Vargas (Colombia), Marianne Cruz (Dominican Republic), Simran Kaur (India), Zana Krasniqi (Kosovo), Elisa Najera (Mexico), Karol Castillo (Peru), Tansey Coetzee (South Africa), Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela), Nguyễn Thùy Lâm (Vietnam).
    

27. On July 8^th, the Crown Convention Center was opened to the public for the first time where the preliminary presentation of Miss Universe 2008 was held. From this presentation, fifteen girls were chosen to compete in the semi-finals. There names will be declared on the final day. The judges in the preliminary presentation event:

Nguyen Cong Khe: Editor in chief, Thanh Nien (Youth)
newspaper.

Nguyen Quoc Cuong: Vice president of the board of directors, Hoan Cau Company.

Rosalina Tran Lydster: Famous Vietnamese jewelry designer.

Dean Mc Flike: Vice president, NBC.

Adel Chabb: Famous hair dresser.

Leigh Rossin: Famous hair dresser.

28. This year, Miss Universe 2008 will be held at Nha Trang city in Kahn Hoa province, Vietnam. Vietnam is also planning to host Miss World 2010. During the Vietnam War, Nha Trang served as American air base.
    

29. To organize Miss Universe 2008, Vietnam prepared for one year.
    

30. For the Miss Universe 2008, Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under gone a beautification project for two years. It cost around 1.7 million and went on for two years.
    

31. For Miss Universe 2008, the Khanh Hoa province Tourism Department has made arrangements for 20,000 tourists per day.
    

32. Diamond Bay Resort is built over 175-hectare land. It is the Nha Trang Tourism and Entertainment area located on Nguyen Tat Thanh Boulevard which connects Nha Trang Town with Cam Ranh airport.
    

33. Investor Hoan Cau Nha Trang Co. Ltd. invested more than $35.6 million into the project. Earlier, the entire area was covered with marshlands.
    

34. Seventy three year old Tran Thi Huong, is the chairperson, Hoan Cau Nha Trang Co., Ltd. Her shrewdness and scrupulous attention to detail have always been admired.
    

35. The final event will take place at the Crown Convention Center of the Diamond Bay Resort. It is a 10,000 square-meter site and a world class in door facility. It is modern of its kind in Southeast Asia.
    

36. The resort has 342 rooms, suites and villas with all the international facilities and standards.
    

37. Diamond Bay Resort also has a 3,000-square-meter spa with fitness area. It took just 45 build the facility.
    

38. The resort comes with a high-end recreational center.
    

39. It has a 2,000-seat banquet hall.
    

40. Diamond Bay Resort has two golf courses and two private beaches.
    

41. Diamond Bay Resort also sports on of Asia’s longest swimming pools covering over 3,000 square meters. The pool was completed within two months.
    

42. Another interesting feature of Diamond Bay Resort is the “intelligent mansion” built exclusively for Donald Trump, who will stay there on the final day of the pageant.
    

43. The “intelligent mansion” is a 1,800-square-meter edifice and costs more than $1 million to build. It is equipped with bulletproof floors and walls made of reinforced concrete.
    

44. 584 Joint Stock Construction Company took over the construction work of the resort. Local companies were not ready to take the contract because of huge work load and limited time scale.
    

45. After Miss Universe 2008, Diamond Bay Resort will host other major beauty pageants such Miss World and Miss Asia Pacific along with various international conventions, exhibitions, and music programs.
    

46. The Crown Convention Center can hold 7500 viewers.
    

47. The sound and lighting equipment used in the convention center weighs more than 50 tons. They were imported from the USA.
    

48. The international press center covers 2000 square meter.
    

49. The Crown Convention Centre is equipped with an international light and sound system and LED screen of 125sq.m to serve the final round of Miss Universe 2008.
    

50. Miss Antigua and Barbuda Athina James is very much interested to know about different snake of the world.
    

51. In 2007, Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, won the Miss Universe title. She was the first woman Japan to win Miss Universe in 48 years. This year’s Miss Japan Universe winner, Hiroko Mima, was chosen from 4000 candidates.
    

52. Nineteen year old, Sacha Scott, Miss Bahamas Universe 2008 is a student at the University of Miami. Her mother Christina Thompson Scott also won the Miss Universe title in 1983.
    

53. Miss France, Laura Tanguy, is the runner up of Miss France 2008 contest. Valérie Bègue is the original Miss France.
    

54. The shortest contestant in Miss Universe 2008 is Miss El Salvador (5-foot-3).
    

55. The tallest in Miss Universe 2008 are Miss Jamaica, Miss Mexico and Miss Peru. All of them are 6-feet.
    

56. Miss USA, Crystle Stewart supports Barack Obama.
    

57. Miss Panama Carolina Dementiev Justavino, owns a real estate business. Miss New Zealand bought her first property at the age of twenty.
    

58. Miss German Madina Taher is Afghan origin. On the contrary, Miss Canada, Samantha Tajik is actually a Persian.
    

59. In the National Costume contest, Miss Australia, Laura Dundovic wore a dress hanging from a boomerang breastplate. It was designed by Jayson Brunsdon.