The day of the final judgment is upon us. After scores of preliminary competitions, primping and posing, tonight we will know at last who will be crowned Miss Universe 2012. NBC will broadcast the 61st annual Miss Universe pageant live at 8 p.m. EST Wednesday night from the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV and we'll also be live-streaming the competition here (see video below).
The 89 participants of the pageant have already been tested in various areas, completing the evening gown round, the swimsuit competition, the national costume competition and the National Gift Auction Dec. 14. Wednesday evening's big show will feature 73 less of the international beauties, though, as judges had to whittle the list down to just 16 top finalists.
We'd love to run through the finalists and predict tonight's winners and losers, but no one knows who made the final cut at this point. The judges' votes are kept secret, sealed away for six days in an accounting company's security guarded safe, according to the Las Vegas Sun, so not even the judges themselves will know who will appear until they hit the stage this evening.
Tonight's gala will be hosted by Andy Cohen (host of Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live") and Giuliana Rancic (co-anchor on E! News).
Led by pageant owner/everyone's favorite belligerent conservative mouthpiece, Donald Trump, judges for the competition include "The Voice" mentor Cee Lo Green, San Francisco Giants MVP Pablo Sandoval, beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, TV host Nigel Barker, actor/singer Diego Boneta, 2010 Miss Universe Ximena Navarrete of Mexicio, and reality TV personalities Lisa Vanderpump, Scott Disick, Brad Goreski, and Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
While we don't know who the 16 finalists are just yet, there are so many Latina contestants competing, we can't help but wonder what the chances are of a Latina taking home the crown tonight.
According to Robin Leach, reporting for the Las Vegas Sun, among the pageant's favorites so far are Miss Venezuela, Miss Bolivia, and Miss Paraguay. Here's a breakdown of three Latina contestants who could be among the best prospects to win Miss Universe.
Miss Bolivia: Yessica Mounton
Among the favorites was 24-year-old Yessica Mounton from Santa Cruz, Boliva. According to the Miss Universe pageant, Mounton has "lived in many cities throughout her home country of Bolivia." Mounton's favorite way to spend time is with her big family, she says. She also enjoys playing basketball and traveling. Currently, Yessica is studying Public Relations at the Universidad Nur in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, in efforts to achieve her dream of being the CEO of her own PR firm.
"I think that our governors should work in giving better education and health conditions to people, so they can develop skilled labor and generate improvements in the entire economy," Mounton says on the Miss Universe website.
Miss Paraguay: Egni Eckert
Paraguay's contestant, 25-year-old Egni Eckert was raised in Luque, Paraguay. Growing up, she could often be found at church. Her interests include traveling, modeling, and being active outdoors. Currently, Egni is working as a model while also starting a foundation that provides shelter and job training for those in need.
"Modeling is my passion. It's opened doors for me to give back to people and help them through my foundation. That is my dream, and I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to do what I love," Eckert says on the Miss Universe site.
Miss Venezuela: Irene Sofiá Esser Quintero
One of the younger contestants in the competition, 21-year-old Irene Sofiá Esser Quintero was raised on a cocoa plantation in Sucre, Venezuela. She spent much of her time in contact with nature, spending time on the beach and meeting new people. Her career ambition in life is to become an actress where she can play challenging roles, and enjoys reading and surfing.
"I think every mistake is a step you take on the road to happiness, because they teach you what is important. I tend to look forward more than back," says Quintero of her outlook on life.
Miss Universe 2011, Leila Lopes of Angola, will crown the successor at the end of the two-hour television special.
The night's musical guests include VH1-light-rock-countdown lifers Train performing their singular brand of soporific pop and a serenade from Australian singer Tim Omaji.
The 2012 Miss Universe Pageant will be broadcast live on Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. EST.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
