Fast Talk with Boy Abunda: Dapat bang nakapasok tayo sa Top 5 sa “Miss U...

I am a Filipino and I don't have any problem with Nicaragua winning the pageant. She deserved the crown. The moment she came out off the stage flipping and flapping her wings like a butterfly ... I knew we had the winner. When Michelle was not included in the Top 5, most of us had moved on. But when

that infamous post from Miss Universe El Salvador became viral ... that ignited the speculations and besmirched the success of the show.

We are not sore losers ... we only want answers to what the F... (sorry for the choice of word) is going on. And when Miss Universe ORG becomes silent ... and instead of facing the inquiries head-on... they retreated and went back to hiding. I tell you ... if nobody makes any statement ...it is tantamount to

an admission of guilt.

And what's Anne's business talking to Michelle like that telling her to move on. If she can't face the camera and explain the viral post ... she has the nerve to tell Michelle to move on in front of cameras ... when Michelle already accepted her fate when she said it was not her destiny. Michelle was not complaining at all. I felt too small being pooh-poohed by no less than the owner of the organization ... advising her what to do ... or what to feel. It is easier said than done Anne if you know what I mean.

Moving on is hard when there are questions hanging on the horizon ... questions that will remain questions until Anne addresses them. If the whole world decides to move on and ignore this fiasco ... there is no CLOSURE. And Anne could not fault Filipinos if they continued drum-beating their sins of omission and commission.

I repeat ... Filipinos thought Nicaragua was a great choice ... we are just wondering what could have been if Michelle had been given the chance to hold the microphone since Miss U is looking for a global ambassador with strong communication skills.

Caricature

Michelle Dee dedicates her dress to the living legend of Philippine tattoo art, the 106-year-old Apo Whang-Od. Photo Credits to the owner

 

Spot The Difference: Q and A Now and Then

The Miss Universe host has verbally made this declaration.

"The Q and A round determines who will continue to the Final 3. None of the candidates know the questions in advance and have only one chance to answer. The selection committee takes this round seriously because Miss Universe will use her voice as a global ambassador ... so the job requires strong communication skills." Oh really?

These are the questions in the Q and A segment of Miss Universe 2023.

1. Question to Australia - How would you use the Miss Universe platform to promote gender equality?

2. Question to Puerto Rico - If you win tonight what would you bring to the Miss Universe brand?

3. Question to Nicaragua - What qualities and values guide you as a leader and role model for others.

4. Question to Thailand - If you could speak to a room full of students about online bullying what would you say?

5. Question to Colombia - If this is your last day on earth how would you live it?

6, If you could live in one year in another woman's shoes who would you choose and why?

Now compare it with the question in the Q and A segment of Miss Universe in the previous years

1. Many people think climate change is a hoax ... what would you do to convince them otherwise.

2. Should tweets and social media comments from a person in their teenage years be held against them years later?

3. According to Global Citizen ... 95 % of the world's countries are led by a male head of state ... how would the world be different if more women were in charge?

4. Given the ever-changing Covid situation, what is your opinion about mandating a universal vaccine passport?

5.  Tell me the time you felt shame and how you turned that feeling into fuel?

6. Miss Universe made an inclusive change allowing mothers and married women to compete this year.  What's another change you want to make and why?

7. Should countries lockdown due to Covid 19 despite the strain on their economy ... or should they open their borders and risk a potential increase in infection rate.

8. In many countries women are still considered incapable of being world leaders ... convince these countries that they are wrong.

So did you spot the difference? All I can say is that in this year's Q and A ... the questions sound too easy and straight- forward. It is too simple and uncomplicated any beauty queen worth her salt can answer that with no sweat. 

The declaration uttered by the host in my intro that they are looking for a global ambassador ... so one of their requirement is for the winner to have strong communication skills. If that is so ... why then use softball questions to test what they are really made of?

The questions did not come from the judges ... they were prepared questions from the organization.  What is a softball question? In the US a softball question is utilized because it is easy to answer. It is not something intellectual ... just some question formulated intentionally for that group so they will not crack their heads groping for the answer.

The questions in the previous years were difficult and more aggressive ... questions that aim with the jugular, something that test, probe, and scrutinize how far will the candidate last till she drops.  The questions will really test what's inside the candidate's grey matter and examine their communication skills. It can be any question under the sun ... some deal with current events, politics, and some socio-economic issues affecting the world.