If you are a pageant fan then this is a MUST SEE interview for you.
At the "True Beauty ROCKS the Universe" Miss Universe 2011 Watching Party, we had the unique honor to interview the VERY FIRST Miss Universe.
Armi Kuusela, Miss Universe 1952, along with 9 other former Miss Universe titleholders were present during this unprecedented pageant event. Sixty years later, you can see from this rare interview the class and grace of our very first Miss Universe, Armi Kuusela.
-Will the Pageant Guy
This interview was conducted by thePageantGuy.com's guest reporter, Alicia Blanco. Alicia was Miss Arizona USA 2009 and placed 2nd runner-up in the Miss USA 2009 pageant. Alicia attended Arizona State University and graduated with a journalism degree. She currently resides in Los Angeles and is an on-air personality with the CW Network.
The Miss Universe 2011 pageant is less than 3 weeks away being held on September 12, 2011 in Sao Paulo, Brazil!
This year's marks the 60th anniversary of the Miss Universe pageant and will have a record 89 contestants competing this year. I was surprised by a nice little shout out -- see below 🙂 -- from a few of the Miss Universe 2011 delegates attending La Casa Hermosa's Press Conference in Miami, FL.
First off...Congratulations Alyssa Campanella, our new Miss USA 2011!
Since she's been crowned, much talk has been made about Alyssa being a huge Star Wars fan and somewhat a geek, well gorgeous geek. Just last week our new Miss USA 2011 was a guest on Access Hollywood with a whole segment devoted to Star Wars. OK...What is going on with this Star Wars madness and how did it come about?
Let's take a stroll in the way-back machine and let's go all the way back to...March 2011.
March 29, 2011: So I interviewed Alyssa at the end of March, a few months after she won the Miss California USA 2011 title, and we chatted a little about her winning the title, living in Cali, etc.
Then we moved on to the more serious questions like what's in her fridge, her Starbursts obsession, and of course Star Wars vs. Star Trek. NOTE: Every time I have asked her this question her response is "Star Wars!!" at ear-numbing 120 dB. Don't believe me? Watch the video below.
OK, I'll admit I am a Star Wars fan -- not a huge one -- but nothing compared to Alyssa. In Wookie-speak, I'm a Padawan to Alyssa's Jedi Knighthood.
Now, let's warp speed to June 2011.
June 19, 2011: Alyssa just captured the crown of Miss USA 2011 and is making her way to the press conference. All the media outlets are there: Associated Press, Reuters, USA Today, Pageantry Magazine, and of course thePageantGuy.com pshhh. Sitting in the front row -- straight out of 1986 -- Robin Leach fires off the first question. As all the grown-ups ask their questions, I wait patiently with my hand in the air to ask my question.
After a few minutes...VICTORY...they call on me! Reacting with no hesitation I relive the great moments in March 2011 and revisit the question with Alyssa: Star Wars or Star Trek?
The question was followed by a bunch of mad stares from the grown-ups. Even my buddy Carl Dunn, CEO of Pageantry Magazine, tossed over a "are you an idiot?/tienes grandes cojones" look. So by staying true to thePageantGuy.com's patty-free pageant content motto at the press conference, our Miss USA 2011 will forever be associated with Ewoks, Droids, Sith Lords, and Yoda. I can already see the hordes of Star Wars fans dressed as Stormtroopers to support Alyssa on September 12th in Sao Paulo, Brazil at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant lol.
So one question remains for Miss USA 2011. Will Alyssa turn to the Dark Side and use her powers on the Miss Universe judges to win the crown?? I don't think she will have to 🙂
Anyone who knows me KNOWS that I am a huge -- borderline obnoxious -- Dallas Mavericks fan...ask anyone who's ever watched or been to a game with me. Winning the NBA Championship this year was flat out incredible, and when I found out that some of my favorite Mavs players were going to be at the Miss USA 2011 pageant this year its couldn't have been a better combination: Pageants and Basketball lol.
Tyson Chandler (center) of the Mavs was a celebrity judge for the Miss USA 2011 pageant and JJ Barea (point guard) accompanied his girlfriend Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006, who also judged the pageant. Both stopped by to chat with thePageantGuy.com's Red Carpet reporter and Miss Oklahoma USA 2010, Morgan Woolard. Watch Morgan's interview with Tyson Chandler and JJ Barea below.
-Will the Pageant Guy
Morgan Woolard is Miss Oklahoma USA 2010 and 1st runner-up to Miss USA 2010. Morgan also held the title of Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 2006 and placed in the Top 15 at the Miss Teen USA 2006 pageant. Morgan is currently a youth leader, speaker, model, and a Broadcast Journalism student. You can follow her on Twitter: @MorganWoolard
"For only the second time in its fifty-nine year history, the representative from Mexicowalked away with the coveted Miss Universe title on August 23rd at Mandalay BayResort & Casino in Las Vegas. A crowd favorite, the audience erupted when twenty-two year old Ximena Navarrete's name was called as she was crowned Miss Universe2010.
Navarrete was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and had lived there all of her life until being tapped for the Mexico title, after which she moved to Mexico City to serve her reign. Although Navarrete hails from one of the largest cities in Mexico, she describes it as relatively calm compared to her new home in New York City.
Navarrete has worked as a model for years, but this beauty is much more than a pretty face. While in school she received a scholastic award for obtaining high honors and exemplifying outstanding behavior. She went on to study Nutrition at Univa in Guadalajara, and plans to complete her degree after her reign."
To follow Miss Universe 2010, Ximena Navarrete on Twitter goto @TheRealMissU
P.S. Be sure to tune in to NBC on June 19th at 9pm EST to watch who will capture the title of Miss USA 2011 and represent the USA at Miss Universe 2011!
P.P.S. And...do not forget to VOTE for your favorite Miss USA state titleholder into the Top 15 for Miss USA 2011. This is your chance to personally choose which contestant becomes a semi-finalist at this year's pageant! VOTE HERE!
Kristen Dalton's words during her final walk as Miss USA 2009:
"This magical year has been filled with priceless opportunities to meet incredible people, work with dynamic causes, and travel our great nation and so many parts of the world.
Working for the Miss Universe Organization has taught me to be stronger and more inquisitive and to encourage young women to dream big and realize that with education and hard work anything is possible...
Being Miss USA has been an absolute honor that will never be replaced by any other experience -- but I'm not finished yet -- and I'll take everything I've learned and apply it to my next dream!"
Kristen's next dream has taken her from an apartment full of pageant queens in New York City to the City of Angels to pursue a career in television. As Kristen continues to seek a career in television, she is also helping others -- more specifically pageant ladies -- with their own career aspirations. As the National Sales Recruiter for IST Management she recruits qualified candidates across the country for career placement in sales positions within their organization.
Whether it was living in style as Miss USA in NYC, spending time with family on the East Coast, to making it big in sunny California, or helping others climb the corporate ladder in places between -- you will definitely see more of Kristen Dalton! Check out her exclusive thePageantGuy.com interview below 😀
P.S. If you are looking for a career in sales, IST Management -- a privately held, dedicated facilities management company -- is hiring Account Executives in the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Miami, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, and San Francisco
The position includes a base salary with unlimited and ongoing commissions for new and retained accounts, a comprehensive training program, and the opportunity for advancement. For more information, contact Kristen Dalton directly at kdalton@istmanagement.com.
If you are a pageant fan then this is a MUST SEE interview for you.
This interview was conducted by thePageantGuy.com's guest reporter, Alicia Blanco. Alicia was Miss Arizona USA 2009 and placed 2nd runner-up in the Miss USA 2009 pageant. Alicia attended Arizona State University and graduated with a journalism degree. She currently resides in Los Angeles and is an on-air personality with the CW Network.
