71st Miss Universe: Meet the selection committee


Choosing the semifinalists from 84 equally beautiful and empowered women is no easy task and the Miss Universe Organization has appointed a selection committee to do the job.

They will determine who will make it to the next rounds of the competition and eventually the 71st Miss Universe winner based on what MUO is looking for.

Two former Miss Universe titleholders will be part of the committee — Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam from Trinidad and Tobago and Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrete from Mexico.

They will also be joined in the preliminary by former Miss USA and Miss Universe 2015 second runner-up Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma.

Meet the selection committee:

Big Freedia - American rapper and performer

Myrka Dellanos - American television and radio host, journalist, author and socialite

Ximena Navarrete - Miss Universe 2010 from Mexico

Sweta Patel - Vice President of Growth Marketing & Merchandising at Roku

Wendy Fitzwilliam - Miss Universe 1998 from Trinidad and Tobago

Emily Austin - model, actress and sports journalist

Olivia Quido - CEO and Founder of O Skin Med Spa

Mara Martin - model, women's advocate, and co-founder of Vyral Media PR (Preliminary and Final)

Kathleen Ventrella - Chief Marketing Officer at ImpactWayv (Preliminary)

Olivia Jordan - former Miss USA and Miss Universe 2015 second runner-up (Preliminary)

Photos: Miss Universe

RELATED POSTS:




Popular posts from this blog

Miss Thailand 2023 is Chonnikarn Supittayaporn of Chiang Mai

Image
Miss Chiang Mai, Chonnikarn Supittayaporn, was crowned Miss Thailand 2023 on Sunday, March 19 at the Central Chaengwattana in Nonthaburi, Bangkok. The 24-year-old model and pharmacy graduate of Chiang Mai University succeeded last year's winner Manita Farmer and will now prepare to represent Thailand at the 71st Miss World (Miss World 2023) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sakhon Nakhon's Marisa Phonthirat was named the first runner-up while Phatthalung's Arabella Sitanan Gregory finished as the second runner-up. Kanokporn Payungwong of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Supansa Wattananusit of Amnat Charoen were the third and fourth runners-up, respectively. A total of 47 stunning contestants from various Thai provinces were selected to take part in the 54th Miss Thailand edition. This year's competition themed "The Ultimate Precious" was organized by TPN Global in cooperation with Tero Entertainment. View this post on Instagram A post shared
Read more

Puerto Rico's Miss Universe 1970 Marisol Malaret dies aged 73

Image
Miss Universe 1970 Marisol Malaret Contreras from Puerto Rico passed away at the age of 73 on Sunday. The former beauty queen turned television personality became the first Puerto Rican and Caribbean woman to win the Miss Universe pageant on July 11, 1970, at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida. She was only 20 years old, an executive secretary in the Puerto Rico Telephone Company, when she was crowned by her predecessor Gloria Diaz, Miss Universe 1969 from the Philippines. Following her historic victory, she was honored with what was considered until then one of the biggest welcomings ever at San Juan. It was reported that around 50,000 people turned out to her homecoming. Marisol appeared on the covers of countless international and Puerto Rican magazines and took part in numerous advertising campaigns. The auburn-haired, blue-green-eyed beauty was married three times. Her first marriage was to former male model Butch James, the second was to musician Corky Stroman wit
Read more

Miss New Jersey USA 2023 is Derby Chukwudi

Image
Derby Chukwudi was named Miss New Jersey USA 2023 on Sunday, March 19 at the Hilton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, New Jersey. The 25-year-old Hoboken resident hails from Nigeria. She is a graduate of Berea College in Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics. Christine Pierre, Rashmi Naik, Katarina Lengyel, and Vritti Patel rounded out the Top 5 finalists. Derby was crowned by her predecessor Alexandra Lakhman and she will now prepare to represent New Jersey at Miss USA 2023 national final in Reno, Nevada. This is her second attempt at the state pageant. She previously joined in 2021 but unfortunately failed to make it to the semifinals. Hosted by former Miss Earth USA and Miss New York USA Andreia Gibau, the event also culminated with another winner — Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava. The Indian-Mexican teenager succeeded Isabella Galan and she will now proceed to compete in Miss Teen USA 2023 pageant. Meet the new Miss New Jersey US
Read more

Philippines' Erik Lennart Visser wins Mr. Universe Tourism 2023

Image
Erik Lennart Visser of the Philippines won the Mr. Universe Tourism 2023 pageant on Sunday, March 19 at Bali Nusa Dua Theatre in Bali, Indonesia. The 24-year-old Filipino-Dutch model and psychology graduate of the Silliman University in Dumaguete City received the crown and sash from his predecessor Surasak "Tor" Muangkeaw of Thailand. Spain's Francisco Jose Merida Moyano and Vietnam's Huynh Vo Hoang Son were announced as first and second runners-up, respectively. No stranger to pageantry, the new Mr. Universe Tourism previously won the title Ginoong Pilipinas 2019 (Mister Philippines) and became a finalist at Century Tuna Superbods 2022. This year's competition marked the 4th edition of the international male pageant which was held following a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mr. Universe Tourism Official (@mruniversetourismofficial) Photos: @potraitoo / Mr. Universe Tourism Official
Read more

Femina Miss India 2023: Meet the 30 contestants

Image
Following several rounds of auditions across the country, the Top 30 state winners of Femina Miss India 2023 have been officially revealed. The national pageant is expected to hold its 59th edition this April at Imphal, Manipur, but the exact date of the final competition is yet to be announced. Last year's winner Sini Shetty of Karnataka, who will represent India at the 71st Miss World edition (Miss World 2023) in the UAE, will crown her successor at the end of the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Femina Miss India (@missindiaorg) After two years of online pageant activities due to the pandemic, this year's pageant will be held entirely in person. This is also the very first time in history for the grand coronation of Femina Miss India to be hosted in northeast India. The next Femina Miss India is expected to represent her country at the 72nd Miss World pageant. Meet the contestants: ANDHRA PRADESH - Gomathy Reddy ARUNACHAL PRADESH - T
Read more

Ukraine wins best national costume at 71st Miss Universe

Image
Miss Universe Ukraine Viktoria Apanasenko was announced the winner of the 71st Miss Universe national costume which was determined by public votes. The Miss Universe Organization made the official announcement of the winning costume on Wednesday, March 15 via the Miss Universe official app. Viktoria paraded her "Warrior of Light" costume during the 71st Miss Universe national costume presentation last January in New Orleans, Louisiana. It consists of an archangel sword, a monolithic jumpsuit that serves like an armor covering her body, a vyshyvanka-styled dress, a headpiece, and angel wings. The beautiful masterpiece designed by Ukrainian costume designer Lesia Patoka took several months to complete under extreme conditions due to the armed conflicts in Ukraine. According to Viktoria, it is a symbol of her nation's fight against the darkness, like an archangel Michael with a sword protecting her country. Importantly, it represents the strength, courage, and determination
Read more

Miss International Queen Philippines 2023 is Lars Pacheco

Image
Lars Pacheco was crowned Miss International Queen Philippines 2023 on Saturday, March 11 at Aliw Theater in Pasay City, Metro Manila. The Bulakeña beauty edged out 24 other competitors to clinch the beauty title on her second try. She succeeded last year's titleholder and the third Miss International Queen from the Philippines, Fuschia Anne Ravena. Michelle Bermudez of Caloocan City was named first runner-up while Barbie Alawi of Zamboanga City became the second runner-up. Anne Patricia Lorenzo of Manila and Tamira Yvone Willis of Negros Occidental were the third and fourth runners-up, respectively. No stranger to pageantry, the new Miss International Philippines previously joined Super Sireyna on GMA's "Eat Bulaga!" and then the inaugural Miss Q&A edition on ABS-CBN's "It's Showtime" in 2018. Lars will now prepare to achieve a back-to-back win as she represents her country in the upcoming Miss International Queen 2023 competition in Pattaya, Tha
Read more

FAVORITES: Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Top 12 early favorites

Image
The Miss Universe Philippines 2023 competition began with the official announcement of the Top 40 contestants on February 18, followed by their introduction along with the cities and provinces they represent. Two of this year's batch of beauties were part of last year's Top 5 finalists ⁠— Miss Universe Philippines Tourism 2022 Michelle Daniela Dee (also former Miss World Philippines) of Makati and Miss Universe Philippines Charity 2022 Pauline Amelinckx of Bohol. This is also the third time the Boholana representative participated. Her first attempt was in 2020 where she finished third runner-up to Miss Universe Philippines 2020 winner Rabiya Mateo from Iloilo City. Some notable crossovers from other national competitions include Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2021 Samantha Alexandra Panlilio of Cavite, Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2021 Emmanuelle Fabienne Camcam of Cebu Province, and Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific International 2019 Klyza Ferrando Castro. Since
Read more

Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023: Meet the 38 pre-selected contestants

Image
Following rounds of auditions, thirty-eight contestants have been pre-selected to take part in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2023 competition. This year's pageant will be the 67th edition whose winner will represent the Caribbean island later this year at Miss Universe 2023 in San Salvador, El Salvador. For the first time in history, a transgender contestant (Daniela Arroyo González) qualified to compete for the coveted national title. Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2022 and Miss Universe Top 5 finalist Ashley Cariño will crown her successor at the end of the competition with the final date and venue yet to be announced. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ashley Cariño (@ashleyanncarino) Here are the pre-selected contestants: Andrea Sofía Collazo Molina Karina M. Rivera Camacho Natalia Elena Zayas Morales Gabriela Veguilla Cotto   Camila Yari Molina García Luisa A. Vázquez Fiorella Medina Angela Escalera Kiara Rivera Rocío del Mar Avilés Juanita Polanco Ir
Read more

71st Miss World pageant will be held in May 2023

Image
According to Miss World's latest social media post, the highly anticipated 71st Miss World (Miss World 2023) pageant will be held in May 2023. The Miss World Organization has yet to make an official announcement on the final date and host country of the upcoming edition. So far, around 80 countries and territories have been confirmed to participate. Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Russia, Thailand, and Zambia are among those expected to return. Reigning Miss World Karolina Bielawska from Poland, who won in Puerto Rico last year, will crown her successor from over 100 expected contestants from around the world. Karolina's remarkable achievements broke records, having visited more countries, raised more funds, and supported more humanitarian projects than any previous winners. The next Miss World will definitely have big shoes to fill. Stay tuned for further updates on the 71st Miss
Read more