Miss USA Falls On Stage (Again)

U.S. Hopeful Trips, Falls At Miss Universe Pageant For 2nd Year In Row; Miss Venezuela Wins

(AP)  Miss Venezuela was crowned Miss Universe 2008 on Monday in a contest marked by the spectacle of Miss USA falling down during the evening gown competition for the second year in a row.

The new Miss Universe, Dayana Mendoza, was once kidnapped in her homeland and says the experience taught her to remain poised under pressure.

Tension got under the skin of Miss USA, Crystle Stewart of Texas, who tripped on the train of her bejeweled evening gown as she made her entrance.

During the 2007 Miss Universe contest in Mexico City, Miss USA Rachel Smith also tumbled during the evening gown competition and became an unintended star on YouTube, where the video was shown over and over again.

At a news conference after this year's event, a beaming Mendoza said she wasn't yet sure where her upcoming year of whirlwind appearances would take her. But after a quick stop in New York, she wants to see her family again, enjoy some of her mom's home cooking and give everyone hugs.

"When I go back to Venezuela I will jump on my family and they will jump on me," said Mendoza.

In the meantime, Mendoza said, she is simply looking forward to taking off her high-heeled shoes and massaging her feet.

She declined to discuss her kidnapping, which occurred a year and a half ago, but took advantage of the occasion to call for global peace.

"I want to raise my voice and tell the world that violence is not the answer," she said.

Mendoza, 22, is a 5-foot, 10-inch, green-eyed beauty who enjoys learning languages and photography. She appeared at the news conference in the flowing yellow dress and dangling turquoise earrings that she wore during the evening gown competition in which Stewart took her spill.

Stewart, 26, is a motivational speaker and former track and field star who is working on a book called "Waiting to Win." The Houston native plans to open a character-development school for young children and has worked with students with autism in the Texas schools.

During a weekend interview with the Associated Press, Stewart said she felt very confident going into the show and couldn't imagine experiencing the same calamity as her predecessor.

"All I can offer to the world and to America is to do my best," Stewart said. "Nerves don't play a part in this."

The final five contestants included four from Latin America: Miss Mexico, Miss Dominican Republic, Miss Colombia and Miss Venezuela (seen at left). Rounding out the final five was Miss Russia.

Miss Colombia finished second behind Mendoza.

Miss Thailand won the prize for best national costume and Miss El Salvador was chosen by her peers as Miss Congeniality.

The NBC show was hosted by talk show star Jerry Springer and Spice Girl Melanie Brown and broadcast live to hundreds of millions of viewers in 170 countries.

The tuxedoed Springer made a grand entrance on a motorbike - the vehicle of choice in Vietnam, where the streets are teeming with millions of the speeding two-wheelers.

Eighty contestants gathered in the seaside city of Nha Trang, Vietnam, vying to succeed previous Miss Universe Riyo Mori of Japan.

Sporting yellow, green and orange bikinis, the 15 semifinalists strutted across the stage during the swimsuit competition to the sounds of Lady Gaga, who belted out the pulsating "Just Dance" in a platinum blond wig. Miss Vietnam, Lam Thuy Nguyen, was greeted with a roar from the Vietnamese audience.

The final 10 then competed in the evening gown event.

They performed in front of a panel of judges that included international fashion experts and Donald Trump Jr., whose father, the real estate magnate and TV star, co-owns the pageant with NBC.

This year's contestants spanned a wide range of experiences and aspirations.

Miss Albania was a professional basketball player. Miss Argentina says she has paranormal experiences. Miss Antigua & Barbuda is fascinated by snakes. Miss Angola was in a plane crash while trying to escape a conflict during her country's civil war.

[irliberal]

Whoa! What''s that skeleton in the yellow bikini? I can count her bones! Looks creepy! And is that cellulite on her legs or just a fabric that makes it look like cellulite on her legs?

Beauty pageants. Oi!

[shanev137]

Miss USA crashed and burned while Miss "third world country" Venezuela takes home the prize. Ironic and symbolic.

[closethippy1]

Miss USA falling down is nothing compared to reports of Americans going up in flames after arriving in Vietnam.
Some have even disappeared in a puff of smoke.
I suppose there''s still a lot of bad karma from that war, eh?

[Gary Kempf]

Miss USA falling down during the evening gown competition for the second year in a row.

I guess all there personal training does not include learning how to walk and chew gum at the same time...

[sidvicious42]

I got de upskirt.

[patriot12436]

shanve137
I hope these type of events will bring all coutries closer together. I think Miss Venzuela was a proper choice. An exquisite lady in every sense of the word and i think she will make her country and the world proud in the coming year.

[patriot12436]

closethippy1
I hope we can find a way to end the bad karma from that war. I killed a lot of good men there but i respected them. Tey were soldiers fighting for their homeland. They were also patriots. It is time we forgot the harshness of the war and moved on together to create a great world for everyone.

[excoachken]

What a headline. At first blush, I thought you were just explaining what she had to do to win the crown. I think it''s still referred to as "the casting couch."

[harpoot]

"Miss USA Goes Down"

I''ll be she does!!!

[johngoodnews]

Wow! Miss Venezuela is really pretty. No wonder she won.

[kscislaw]

I''m sure if Miss Ireland fell during the competition, Brussels would argue that she should go back and do it again until she got it right.

[rob416]

Perhaps Miss USA falling this year and the Miss USA falling last year is an omen to the direction of our Nation. Going down under the policies and leadership of George W Bush.

[greygrrl]

Hmmm Miss Venezuela wins in Vietnam... Guess it didn''t hurt that Chavez is going to spend billions on joint ventures with Vietnam including a gasoline refinery that will allow Vietnam to refine their own gasoline and stop importing it.

Vietnam, Venezuela May Build Refinery - Official
by Nguyen Pham Muoi Dow Jones Newswires
Friday, July 11, 2008 HANOI (Dow Jones)
Venezuela and Vietnam are discussing energy and oil cooperation, Vietnam state media reported Friday, citing government officials.

"The companies of the two countries will soon start explore oil and gas in the Oricono area of Venezuela, and build an oil refinery in Vietnam," the An Ninh Thu Do newspaper quoted Venezuelan Ambassador Jorge Rondon as saying.

The Dau Tu newspaper, published by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, cited PetroVietnam Chairman Dinh La Thang as saying the two countries are preparing to sign a contract in November to build an oil refinery in southern Vietnam.

The Long Son refinery, which will be built in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and located about 100 kilometers east of Ho Chi Minh city, will be supplied with crude oil from Venezuela, Thang was quoted as saying.

Copyright (c) 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc

[anecdote1]

It''s hard to keep your strength up when you are only eating half a piece of unbuttered wheat toast a day.

[reedtaz73]

Who cares...did you see her photo, she looks freakin hot on her azz! Say what you want, she gets a 10 for her landing.

[closethippy1]

Posted by greygrrl at 08:34 AM : Jul 14, 2008

You jelous, or something?

[closethippy1]

closethippy1
I hope we can find a way to end the bad karma from that war. I killed a lot of good men there but i respected them. Tey were soldiers fighting for their homeland. They were also patriots. It is time we forgot the harshness of the war and moved on together to create a great world for everyone.
Posted by patriot12436 at 06:48 AM : Jul 14, 2008

That was very touching Patriot. I''m sure we are on our way to that kind of world.

[baldwin2008]

Rob416.. or perhaps it''s what the ones that possibly set that up want people like you to think. Two years in a row? Come on! It''s obvious to me what that is (if it''s anything but coincidence) and it''s not an omen.

[mecury69]

"Perhaps Miss USA falling this year and the Miss USA falling last year is an omen to the direction of our Nation. Going down under the policies and leadership of George W Bush."

Or not.

[xmanborg]

Well I guess Miss USA next year does not need such a long dress and should practice walking in it for 10 to 20 hours before the show.

[Meg003]

Well I guess Miss USA next year does not need such a long dress and should practice walking in it for 10 to 20 hours before the show.

Posted by XmanBorg at 09:35 AM : Jul 14, 2008

You have restored my belief in common sense. Thank you.

[ronjjj157]

At first thought it was a stunt until no one mentioned it and Miss USA had to force a smile for the balance of the time she was on stage. I only saw from the final 15 and I would have picked Mexico or Venezuela . Next year I feel that the miss USA candidate has shown an obvious disability proving that young women in U.S. are not use to wearing heals and should be allowed to wear dressy "flats" or sneakers.

[cbs4me3]

Mexico was my pick. As for this woman falling, they need to be taught to walk and less on pretentiousness as though they are owed the title. Happy to see 4 of the 5 are Latin/South America.

[josebcruz]

What really gets to me is the fact that here is more proof that we have made amends with Vietnam. A country where we lost so many of our soldiers. However we will not rade or do anything for or with Cuba. How many soldiers did we lose in Cuba???

[dedad1]

sweet

[jetlizhan]

the new miss universe is very lovely - good luck to her.

[anecdote1]

"Miss USA Falls in Veitnam"

Will they add her name to the wall?

[ed3045]

MEXICO was the ONE THAT SHOULD HAVE WON!!!!

its soo weard that miss USA fell, going back to miss USA 2008 in the TYRA show she felt "sorried for her"
lol

[mjm117]

Who freakin cares. Get this garbage off the "breaking news" category

[lylerwood]

I thought it was interesting that they actually admitted that the contest was fixed right up front. Prior to announcing the "top twenty," they said the semi-finalists were picked by the judges, "..and members of the Trump organization." Since the only member of the Trump organization there, or at least visible, was DT, Jr., I can only assume that he made the final selection based on criteria set by dad. This is the same kind of word play that American Idle uses when they announce that, "..you can vote for AT LEAST two hours." Since there is no set time limit for voting, they can close the polls whenever the person they want to win is ahead. Or, whenever the person they want to lose is behind. It''s all a scam.
So there.

[sociald63]

2 words ... HOT babes :)

[sociald63]

by the way, did the vietnemese stopped serving dog meat during the contest (like china was doing for the olmpics)?

[sociald63]

yo dayana, marry meeeeeeeeeeeeeee :)

[rgold02]

I am glad they chose her! I really liked everything about her! You go girl.I think that beautiful yellow evening gown was one of her winning factors. What a lovely color and gown.

[stn_sage]

Well, after this year one thing should be clear to the USA pageant officials!

They need to test all USA contestants prior to selecting one, to make sure that she can walk in an evening gown!

[lawresn1]

nice lookin chicks who cares if they fall they still look hooooooooooootttttttt

[samthetvcat]

omg - somebody please fire the wardrobe department! Those dresses combined with the slippery shoes are cleary dangerous and are causing us to lose! Boo!

That lady who won looked like she had had a lot of plastic surgery done I thought, but she gave a cute answer that the judges always seem to reward - charming, flip, not too controversial . . .

[shippg-2009]

I cannot believe they still have swimsuit contests. If the winner is going to be a representative for world peace, autism, education, or whatever, what difference does her body make? How come they do not make Condoleeza Rice wear a bathing suit once a week? See how ridiculous that would be?

[kuei12]

it has everything to do with world PIECE though.

[neonink]

Maybe the USA pageants need to start focusing on the ABILITY TO WALK for crying out loud. The heck with talent competition, let''s get the basics down...

Good grief....


lol...

[yongamerica]

Ms. USA is from Texas. She has taken lessons from GW Bush to heart and slips and falls flat on the face in front of the world.

[estabwary]

If I looked like her I wouldn''t care if I fell.

[whiskyrocker]

You could cook an egg on her.

[whiskyrocker]

You could fry an egg on her.

[keithle1]

Why are you smiling, airhead? Ever walk in heels? Miss USA looks pretty average. We ain''t putting out hot babes anymore? Foreign women got it going on.

Me luv u long time.

[keithle1]

Men can see more at the beach any day of the week.

[neobrian-2009]

Four of Top Five were " Latinas "
I think my friends might quit wondering why I prefer South America as my favorite vacation spot ! These ladies are Truly God`s gift to men.

[o2bewealthy]

So, someone please tell me - why do we have these pageants?

[keithle1]

Venezuela is NUTS about beauty pageants. They live for these things.

Problem with being a woman is you get old. You hit 40-45. Gravity takes over. You may have been a hottie head-turner when you were 25 but now things have started to go downhill. Fast. Men don''t pay attention to you or flirt with you like they used to. You drop your briefcase/papers on the street & men ignore you.
Back in the day they couldn''t help you fast enough.
Say hello to wrinkle removers, too much makeup, subdued lighting & plastic surgery.

Keep young & beautiful if you want to be loved.