User:Mauriziok/Miss Universe 2008

Miss Universe 2008, the 57th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 14 July 2008 at the Crown Convention Center in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela was crowned by Riyo Mori of Japan as her successor at the end of the event. 80 contestants competed in this year which was broadcast and distributed globally via NBC in English and Telemundo in Spanish to TV outlets in more than 180 countries.

This was the first major U.S.-based television production to take place in Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. This was also the first time that the Miss Universe pageant was broadcast in 1080i High-definition. This pageant is, to date, the only time that a contemporary communist state hosted the Miss Universe live.

The final presentation show was on 8 July, the dress rehearsal on 13 July, and the live telecast on 14 July. Most activities were held successively in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, Hoi An, Ha Long and finally Nha Trang.

Jerry Springer, tabloid talk show host and host of NBC's America's Got Talent, and Melanie Brown, member of the UK pop group Spice Girls and host of TLC's The Singing Office, presented the competition.

Final Scores

 * Winner
 * First Runner-up
 * Second Runner-up
 * Third Runner-up
 * Fourth Runner-up
 * Top 10 Finalist
 * Top 15 Semifinalist
 * (#) Rank in each round of competition

Returns

 * Last competed in 2000:
 * 🇬🇺 Guam
 * Last competed in 2005:
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 *  Vietnam
 * Last competed in 2006:
 * 🇰🇾 Cayman Islands
 * 🇬🇭 Ghana
 * 🇮🇪 Ireland
 * 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
 * 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 *  UK

Withdrawals

 * 🇧🇧 Barbados
 * 🇧🇿 Belize
 * 🇧🇬 Bulgaria
 * 🇬🇾 Guyana
 * 🇱🇧 Lebanon
 *  St. Lucia
 *  US Virgin Islands
 * 🇿🇲 Zambia

Replacements

 * 🇫🇷 France – Laura Tanguy, Miss Pays de Loire and second runner up to Miss France 2008, replaced Valérie Bègue, who was banned by Miss France organization after suggestive photos appeared in the media shortly after her crowning. Her first runner-up, Miss New Caledonia Vahinerii Requillart, decided to not compete in Miss Universe because she wanted to continue studying.
 * 🇷🇺 Russia – Vera Krasova, 2nd runner-up at Miss Russia 2007, replaced Ksenia Sukhinova, who had already won at Miss World 2008.

Designations

 * 🇪🇬 Egypt – Yara Naoum was appointed to represent Egypt. She was the 2nd runner-up in Miss Egypt 2007 national pageant.
 * 🇪🇸 Spain – Claudia Moro was appointed as the representative of her country after Patricia Yurena Rodríguez, Miss Spain 2008, couldn't participate because she did not meet the minimum age requirement by the Miss Universe Organization. 5 years later, Rodríguez won Miss Spain Universe 2013 and competed at Miss Universe 2013, placing as 1st runner-up.

Awards
Miss Photogenic was not awarded.
 *  - Miss Congeniality (Rebeca Moreno)
 * 🇹🇭 - Best National Costume (Gavintra Photijak)
 * 🇲🇽 - Most Beautiful Figure (Elisa Nájera)
 * 🇻🇪 - Miss Ao Dai (Dayana Mendoza)

New crown
For Miss Universe 2008 a new crown was unveiled. The 18k white and yellow gold crown was designed by CAO Fine Jewelry in association with Rosalina Lydster specifically for the event. With over 1,000 precious stones, including 44 carat of diamonds, the crown has a value of $120,000 (USD). The crown will only be awarded as part of the contest this year, the original Mikimoto design was to be awarded again next year but Diamond Nexus Labs designed the crown instead.

Miss USA falls again
Miss USA, Crystle Stewart, slipped and fell down the stairs during the evening gown competition. This was the second year in a row that a Miss USA delegate fell during evening gown. This is also the first time in pageant history a contestant fell down during the evening gown competition in two consecutive pageants, from the same country, or from any country. Miss USA 2007, Rachel Smith, fell during Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico, and received boos after she made the top five contestants. After Stewart fell, she encouraged the audience to applaud by clapping her hands. She was eliminated after the evening gown competition, finishing in eighth place.

Prizes
Dayana Mendoza received a prize package which included cash, a one-year contract as Miss Universe, world travel, a rent-free, prestigious New York City apartment, a gift bag stuffed with free designer shoes, dresses, and beauty products, and a stipend for a 2-year course at the New York Film Academy. Mendoza spent her year-long reign traveling the world to lecture on humanitarian issues and promote education regarding HIV/AIDS, the official platform of the Miss Universe Organization.