HuluA Trip of a Lifetime: Six Beauty Pageant Flubs
Poise and grace are just two of the qualities you'd expect to see in a beauty queen. But no matter how much these glamorous women prep for their crowning moment, there's bound to be a gaffe here and there.
Before the 2011 Miss Universe competition airs live tonight at 9/8C on NBC, take a look at some memorable beauty queen slip-ups -- from missteps to crown drops -- from previous pageants.
Slo-Mo Stumble
In this replay from the 2010 Miss USA pageant, eventual winner Rima Fakih (Miss Michigan) tripped herself up during the evening gown competition. While Joan and Melissa Rivers watched the replay during their pageant fashion wrap-up, Joan called it like she saw it: This beauty queen was going to get headlines for her little stumble. Will she keep her footing during Monday night's competition?
[Photos: Headshots of All 89 Miss Universe 2011 Contestants]
Watch Your Step
Clad in a $10,000 gown -- with 1 billion people watching -- Miss USA Crystle Stewart fell on stage during the evening wear portion of the Miss Universe 2008 pageant. Though she was visibly shaken when she stopped to pose for the judges seconds later, her immediate reaction was memorable: She stood up and clapped.
Beauty Queen Slip-Up
Crystle Stewart and Rima Fakih weren't the first American beauty queens to take a header in their floor-length gowns, however. In 2007, Rachel Smith slipped and fell as she stepped out for the evening gown segment. Always the professional, this Miss USA got right back on her feet to give the judges a huge smile. While this probably seemed like the worst thing that could happen to Smith that night, it got worse; the Mexico City audience booed her when she made it to the Top 5 and the hometown favorite did not. They booed again during the final-round interview, as well.
Geography Lesson
One of the most famous beauty queen gaffes took place during the interview portion of the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant, when "Friday Night Lights" star Aimee Teegarden asked Miss South Carolina, Caitlin Upton, why a fifth of Americans can't locate the United States on a world map. Upton's response was not only full of "uh's" but it was also nonsensical, ending with a near-quote from Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All." Later, on the "Today" show, Upton said she didn't fully understand the question at the time, but offered up a much more coherent response, suggesting that perhaps schools should place a greater emphasis on geography.
Crowning Moment
When Miss Venezuela won the Miss Universe 2009 pageant, it was already remarkable: It was the first time back-to-back Venezuelans took home the crown. But what made this crowning moment truly memorable took place after Billy Bush announced the winner. As the previous year's queen, Dayana Mendoza, placed the sparkling tiara on Stefania Fernandez's head, her successor moved and the crown came tumbling down.
Nice Catch
In the Miss Universe 2007 competition, Japan's Riyo Mori showed off her lightning-fast reflexes when the 2006 winner, Puerto Rico's Zuleyka Rivera, crowned her. The tiara slipped, but Riyo caught it just in time, placing it back on her head. A quick cutaway ensured that viewers at home had no idea the flub happened (see below), but the uncut video can be found with a little Internet digging.
Get ready for Miss Universe 2011 by watching the Preliminary Competition here:
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Any pageant mishaps we missed? Refresh our memory in the comments.
