Beyond world peace: Getting through the dreaded question-and-answer portion of #MissUniverse
The Q&A portion is perhaps one of the most highly anticipated moments of the #MissUniverse pageant.
It shows whether a contestant has the brain power to match her stunning good looks.
It tests a candidate’s poise. Can she survive the nerve-wracking moment of thinking on her feet, with the eyes of tens of millions of people from around the world upon her?
In fact, we thought that "de-kahon" answers like “world peace” don’t cut it anymore. But it was trotted out this year:
Miss Universe judge Manny Pacquiao to Miss USA Nia Sanchez: "If you were given 30 seconds to deliver a message to a global terrorist, what would you say?
Miss USA's answer: "I would give a message of hope, love, and peace."
All in all, however, there were some pretty strong responses from the winners of the last six years.
2014, MISS COLOMBIA PAULINA VEGA
Q (from MTV star Rob Dyrdek): What could women learn from men?
A: We continue fighting for what we want to accomplish.
2013, MISS VENEZUELA GABRIELA ISLER
Q (from judge Steven Tyler of Aerosmith): What is your biggest fear, and how do you plan to overcome it?
A: Fear is not negative. We should overcome all our fears and this in turn would make us stronger. As soon as we overcome our fears we can face any challenge.
2012, MISS USA OLIVIA CULPO
Q (from 2010 Miss Universe Ximena Navarrette of Mexico): What is something you have done that you will never do again?
A: First I’d like to start off by saying that every experience, no matter what it is, good or bad, you’ll learn from it. That’s just life, but something I’ve done that I’ve probably regretted would be picking on my siblings growing up because you appreciate them so much more when you’re older, you get closer with your family. Everybody fights with their siblings, right? So. But I don’t regret it.
2011, MISS ANGOLA LEILA LOPES
Q (from judge Lea Salonga): If you could change one of your physical characteristics, which one would it be and why?
A (via interpreter): Thank God I am very well satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing. I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty, I have my principles. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I plan to follow these for the rest of my life. And now I would like to give all of you a piece of advice: Respect one another.
2010, MISS MEXICO XIMENA NAVARRETTE
Q (from Olympic champion figure skater Evan Lysacek): In your opinion, what effect is unsupervised Internet use having on today’s youth?
A (via interpreter): Well I do believe that the Internet is an ‘indispensable, necessary tool’ for the present time. And we must be very careful and watch over what our children watch and see, our teenagers watch and see and we must be sure to teach the values we learn as a family. So that they may use Internet properly. Thank you.
2009, MISS VENEZUELA STEFANIA FERNANDEZ
Q (from Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley): In many parts of the world, obstacles still exist that impede women from achieving their goals in some corporations. What can women do to overcome this? -
A: I believe that nowadays we women have overcome many obstacles and I do believe that we have reached the same level as man have. We must realize that there are no longer any barriers amongst us.
