Miss USA Olivia Culpo is crowned Miss Universe

[StrontiumDog]

Miss USA Olivia Culpo is crowned Miss Universe - Hindustan Times

Miss USA Olivia Culpo is crowned Miss Universe

AP
Las Vegas, December 20, 2012

A 20-year-old Boston University sophomore and a self-described "cellist-nerd" brought the Miss Universe crown back to the United States for the first time in more than a decade when she won the televised contest on Wednesday.

Olivia Culpo beat out 88 other beauty queens to take the title from Leila Lopes of Angola during the two-hour competition at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Culpo wore a tight navy blue mini-dress with a sequined bodice as she walked on stage for the competition's opening number. Later in the night, she strutted in a purple and blue bikini, and donned a wintery red velvet gown with a plunging neckline.

Culpo's coronation ends a long losing spell for the US in the competition co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC. An American had not won the right to be called Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.

Culpo was good enough during preliminary competitions to be chosen as one of 16 semifinalists who moved on to compete in the pageant's finale. Her bid lasted through swimsuit, evening wear, and interview competitions that saw cuts after each round.

She won over the judges, even after tripping slightly during the evening gown competition. Telecasters pointed it out but also noted her poised recovery.


Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, waves to the crowd after being crowned as Miss Universe during the Miss Universe competition in Las Vegas. AP Photo

Minutes before the middle child of five was crowned, she was asked whether she had she had ever done something she regretted.

"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," she said. "But something I've done I've regretted is probably picking on my siblings growing up, because you appreciate them so much more as you grow older."

Miss Philippines, Janine Tugonon, came in second, while Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third.

All the contestants spent the past two weeks in Sin City, where they posed in hardhats at a hotel groundbreaking, took a painting lesson, and pranked hotel guests by hiding in their rooms.

Culpo was the first Miss USA winner from Rhode Island when she took the national crown in Las Vegas in June.

She grew up in Cranston with two professional musicians for parents and has played the cello alongside world-renowned classical musician Yo-Yo Ma. On her Miss Universe page, she said she hopes to pursue a career in film or television, and cites Audrey Hepburn as a role model because of her "generosity, intelligence and grace."

With Culpo's promotion, Miss Maryland Nana Meriwether becomes the new Miss USA.

The Miss Universe pageant was back in Las Vegas this year after being held in Sao Paulo in 2011. It aired live on NBC and was streamed to more than 100 countries.

Organizers had considered holding the 61st annual Miss Universe in the popular Dominican Republic tourist city of Punta Cana, but Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart said that country's financial crisis proved to be too much of an obstacle.

The panel of 10 judges included singer Cee Lo Green, Iron Chef star Masaharu Morimoto and Pablo Sandoval of the San Francisco Giants.

Asked on the red carpet whether he found playing in the World Series or judging the beauty pageant to be more difficult, Sandoval said both were hard.

Sharply dressed women and men, including a large contingent from South America, held banners and cheered on their favorite contestants.

The pageant started as a local revue in Long Beach, California, organized by Catalina Swimwear. It is not affiliated with the Miss America pageant and unlike that contest, does not include a talent section.

Contestants in the pageant cannot have been married or have children. They must be younger than 27 and older than 18 by Feb 1 of the competition year.

As Miss Universe, Culpo will receive an undisclosed salary, a wardrobe fit for a queen, a limitless supply of beauty products, and a luxury apartment in New York City.

[Loy Toy]

Very Latin Looking.

[StrontiumDog]

The Gorgeous Girls Of Miss Universe 2012: Bikini Edition [PHOTOS] «

Miss Albania, Miss Angola, Miss Argentina

Miss Aruba, Miss Australia, Miss Bahamas

Miss Belgium, Miss Bolivia, Miss Botswana

Miss Brazil, Miss British Virgin Islands, Miss Bulgaria

Miss Canada, Miss Cayman Islands, Miss Chile

Miss China, Miss Colombia, Miss Costa Rica

Miss Croatia, Miss Curacao, Miss Cyprus

Miss Czech Republic, Miss Denmark, Miss Dominican Republic

Miss Ecuador, Miss El Salvador, Miss Estonia

Miss Ethiopia, Miss Finland, Miss France

Miss Gabon, Miss Georgia, Miss Germany

Miss Ghana, Miss Great Britain, Miss Greece

Miss Guam, Miss Guatemala, Miss Guyana

Miss Haiti, Miss Honduras, Miss Hungary

Miss India, Miss Indonesia, Miss Ireland

Miss Israel, Miss Italy, Miss Jamaica

Miss Japan, Miss Korea, Miss Kosovo

Miss Lebanon, Miss Lithuania, Miss Malaysia

Miss Mauritius, Miss Mexico, Miss Montenegro

Miss Namibia, Miss Netherlands, Miss New Zealand

Miss Nicaragua, Miss Nigeria, Miss Norway

Miss Panama, Miss Paraguay, Miss Peru

Miss Phillipines, Miss Poland, Miss Puerto Rico

Miss Romania, Miss Russia, Miss Serbia

Miss Singapore, Miss Slovak Republic, Miss South Africa

Miss Spain, Miss Sri Lanka, Miss St. Lucia

Miss Sweden, Miss Switzerland, Miss Tanzania

Miss Thailand, Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Miss Turkey

Miss Ukraine, Miss Uruguay, Miss USA

Miss Venezuela, Miss Vietnam

[Necron99]

I sat at the table next to Miss Thailand at the kings Cup race day last week.
Not very attractive I thought, photogenic, but didn't do it for me.

Cyprus misread the application, they thought it was MILF Universe..?

[Humbert]

Stunning girl.

[CNF55]

Would not have picked Miss USA out of that line-up

Quite like Miss Sri Lanka and..and...

Miss Singapore looks like a LB.

[Cujo]

Stunning girl.

Need to see topless shots.

[English Noodles]

Miss Ghana. What a stunner.

[superman]

Cyprus misread the application, they thought it was MILF Universe..?

I like 'em like that. Failing getting a date with her I wouldn't mind giving Ms Oz a facial splash.

[Necron99]

Cyprus misread the application, they thought it was MILF Universe..?

I like 'em like that. Failing getting a date with her I wouldn't mind giving Ms Oz a facial splash.

Bit of bargie with Miss Argie for me.

[Cujo]

[WilliamBlake]

Have Miss Japan and Miss Korea washed and sent to my room.

[trabant]

comments from the panel
Not sure what to make of this - read is was a tribute to Spice Girls, but looks more like a David Bowie wardrobe reject from 1972.

Miss Great Britain - Traditional Costume

Miss Great Britain, Holly Hale, sports a British flag jumpsuit and go-go boots combo

[VocalNeal]

Miss Canada must be from the Tar Sands.

[Cujo]

comments from the panel
Not sure what to make of this - read is was a tribute to Spice Girls, but looks more like a David Bowie wardrobe reject from 1972.

Miss Great Britain - Traditional Costume

Miss Great Britain, Holly Hale, sports a British flag jumpsuit and go-go boots combo

That's bloody awful, it just makes her look fat and not only that, but with a costume like that one would expect some serious cameltoe.

[socal]

I sat at the table next to Miss Thailand at the kings Cup race day last week.
Not very attractive I thought, photogenic, but didn't do it for me.

Cyprus misread the application, they thought it was MILF Universe..?

You mean miss Tiffany...

[malcy]

I seem to have a touch of jungle fever , send me a couple of the spear chuckers to be going on with .

[Little Chuchok]

I'll have the one with the biggest tits please....

[socal]

In my books...

#1 Mizz Nambia

#2 Mizz Japan