| Formation | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Type | Beauty Pageant |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles |
| Location | |
Official language | English |
President | Joyce Giraud |
Key people | Joyce Giraud, Michael Ohoven |
| Website | www.queenuniversepageant.com |
Queen of the Universe is an international beauty pageant created by Joyce Giraud in 2012.
The pageant provides the opportunity for women from all around the world—single, married, divorced, and with or without children—to represent their countries in the search for the "Most Beautiful Woman in the Universe." Each contestant must have a charitable platform, and the proceeds from the event benefit the international children's charity UNESCO.[1]
In addition to its stated goal to "unite the intelligence and beauty of women around the world in search of the perfect Ambassador of Love, Hope and Peace," the pageant's mission also includes charitable alliances to benefit "education for children in need, and children in third world countries."[2]
The pageant is produced in Los Angeles by Infinity Media with producers Michael Ohoven and Joyce Giraud.[3]
The current Queen of the Universe is Gloria Sophia of Puerto Rico who was crowned On December 6, 2015.
Contestants in the News
editGolsa Sarabi, Miss Iran 2013, also known by her performer name "Mirage," received significant attention from the American-Iranian press as Iranian pageant contestants are rare due to pageants being banned in Iran.[4] She was also featured on the cover of Tehran International Magazine of Jan. 18, 2013, prior to the pageant, wearing her sash.[5]
Sarah Fasha, Miss Egypt 2013, who is both a military veteran (four years in the U.S. Navy) and actress, received criticism from her home country in social media for a variety of issues after the pageant. As the country was facing mounting unrest, she was quoted saying she wanted to be a voice for Egyptian women and children and for other countries around the world. Her statement became viral and she was criticized for having served in the U.S. military (even accompanied by photos of her while in the service); accused of not being beautiful enough for a beauty pageant and that she was not “Egyptian enough,” and was even scolded for her rising fame as having “hijacked” Egypt. She took the backlash in stride and responded to some of the criticism: “Beauty pageants aren’t just about beauty, they are also about morals, ethics, accomplishments and more.” Also criticized for modeling in bikinis and revealing attire, she posted a photo of herself in a turtleneck jumper suit.[6][7][8]
Miss Mexico 2014, Beatriz Cazares, was interviewed immediately following the pageant by TMZ, who made note of her lack of an accent and proceeded to joke about her having attended community college, Mt. SAC (Mt. San Antonio College). The remarks were criticized by the college's Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jim Jenkins, who stated: "It's always difficult to watch something where people who have an established voice within the system and use that voice to put people down who don't have that same voice. [Her achievement] is hard won and hard worked for, and for them to mock it is rather pathetic."[9][10][11]
Titleholders
edit| Year | Country | Queen of the Universe | Location | Number of Entrants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 |  USA
|
Ariel King | Beverly Hills, California, USA | 55 |
| 2013 |  Spain
|
Ivette Saucedo | Beverly Hills, California, USA | 56 |
2014 Competition
edit| LaLaFoote/Queen of the Universe | |
|---|---|
 Queen of the Universe 2014, Ariel King | |
| Date | March 16, 2014 |
| Venue | Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills, California, USA |
| Entrants | 55 |
| Placements | 15 |
| Debuts | Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Fiji Islands, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of the Congo, Switzerland, Taiwan, Vietnam, Wales |
| Withdrawals | Afghanistan, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Winner | Ariel King USA |
Results
edit| Final Results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Queen Of The Universe 2014 | |
| 1st runner-up |
|
| 2nd runner-up |
|
| 3rd runner-up |
|
| 4th runner-up |
|
| Top 10 | |
| Top 15 (Includes Tie) |
|
Special awards
edit| Award | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss Congeniality |
|
| Miss Photogenic |
|
| Most Beautiful Body |
|
| Most Beautiful Smile |
|
| Most Beautiful Hair |
|
| Best Dancer (Tie) |
|
| Best Style |
|
| Best Runway |
|
| Miss Elegance |
|
| Charity Award | |
| Queen of the Universe Award |
|
2014 Delegates
edit| Country/Territory | Name | 2014 National title |
|---|---|---|
 Algeria
|
Karima Correa | Miss Algeria |
 Armenia
|
Elin Barseghian | Miss Armenia |
 Australia
|
Jessica Dowdeswell | Miss Australia |
 Austria
|
Barbara Wilder | Miss Austria |
 Belarus
|
Nina Swan | Miss Belarus |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Sara Bezdrob | Miss Bosnia and Herzegovina |
 Bulgaria
|
Ava Milva | Miss Bulgaria |
 Cambodia
|
Kelleen Chea | Miss Cambodia |
 Canada
|
Ciara Muller | Miss Canada |
 China
|
Joy Liang | Miss China |
 Colombia
|
Briana Alegria | Miss Colombia |
 Cuba
|
Leslie Lluvet | Miss Cuba |
 Dominican Republic
|
Bobbi Dean | Miss Dominican Republic |
 Ecuador
|
Erika Garces | Miss Ecuador |
 Egypt
|
Shaunté Usual | Miss Egypt |
 El Salvador
|
Sophia Castillo | Miss El Salvador |
 England
|
Cat LaCohie | Miss England |
 Fiji
|
Jennifer Singh | Miss Fiji Islands |
 France
|
Marine Prevost | Miss France |
 Germany
|
Arielle Raycene | Miss Germany |
 Haiti
|
Anne Alti | Miss Haiti |
 Netherlands
|
Kathinka van Putten | Miss Nederland |
 Hong Kong
|
Erin Tjoe | Miss Hong Kong |
 India
|
Ashley Guarrasi | Miss India |
 Indonesia
|
Amarie Arenas | Miss Indonesia |
 Iran
|
Nazanin Ava | Miss Iran |
 Ireland
|
O’Lita Rey | Miss Ireland |
 Israel
|
Leila Bamdad | Miss Israel |
 Italy
|
Karly Salmon | Miss Italy |
 Japan
|
Rie Yoshida | Miss Japan |
 Kenya
|
Kelly W. Davis | Miss Kenya |
 Lebanon
|
Amira Minassian | Miss Lebanon |
 Malta
|
Jessica Rose Ward | Miss Malta |
 Mexico
|
Beatriz Cazares | Miss Mexico |
 Moldova
|
Ruxanda Calistru | Miss Moldova |
 Monaco
|
Alexandria Morrow | Miss Monaco |
 Northern Ireland
|
Hayley Anne Farrell | Miss Northern Ireland |
 Norway
|
Kim Ann MacKenzie | Miss Norway |
 Peru
|
Chantal Pimentel | Miss Peru |
 Philippines
|
Rozen Christine Lalas | Miss Philippines |
 Poland
|
Annaleis Daggett | Miss Poland |
 Portugal
|
Crystal Munoz Ellis | Miss Portugal |
 Puerto Rico
|
Tatiana Delgado | Miss Puerto Rico |
 Republic of Congo
|
Nadine Masengu | Miss Republic of Congo |
 Scotland
|
Rachel J. Clark | Miss Scotland |
| Spain
|
Venezia Zavala | Miss Spain |
 Sweden
|
Jasmine Ekberg | Miss Sweden |
 Switzerland
|
Kayla Stuckelberger | Miss Switzerland |
 Taiwan
|
Molly Marrs | Miss Taiwan |
 Turkey
|
Eda Arapaslan | Miss Turkey |
| USA
|
Ariel Diane King | Miss USA |
 Venezuela
|
Gia Fey | Miss Venezuela |
 Vietnam
|
Michelle Ly Vu | Miss Vietnam |
2013 Competition
edit| LaLaFoote/Queen of the Universe | |
|---|---|
 Queen of the Universe 2013, Ivette Saucedo | |
| Date | January 27, 2013 |
| Venue | Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills, California, USA |
| Entrants | 56 |
| Placements | 15 |
| Debuts | Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela |
| Winner | Ivette Saucedo Spain |
| Congeniality | Sierra Mercier Mongolia |
| Photogenic | Oralia Cortes Mexico |
Results
edit| Final Results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Queen Of The Universe 2013 | |
| 1st runner-up |
|
| 2nd runner-up |
|
| 3rd runner-up |
|
| 4th runner-up |
|
| Top 10 |
|
| Top 15 |
|
Special awards
edit| Award | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss Congeniality |
|
| Miss Photogenic |
|
| Most Beautiful Body |
|
| Most Beautiful Smile |
|
| Most Beautiful Hair |
|
| Best Dancer |
|
| Best Runway |
|
| Miss Elegance |
|
| Charity Award |
|
| Queen of the Universe Award |
|
2013 Delegates
edit| Country/Territory | Name | 2013 National Title | 2013 Results | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan
|
Yalda | Miss Afghanistan | ||
 Argentina
|
Karina Alexandra | Miss Argentina | ||
| Armenia
|
Margaret Christine | Miss Armenia | 2nd Runner-Up: Best Dancer | |
| Australia
|
Jessica Newell | Miss Australia | 3rd Runner-Up | 1st Runner-Up: Best Dancer |
| Austria
|
Kerstin Lechner | Miss Austria | Top 10 Finalist | Winner: Best Runway |
 Azerbaijan
|
Lareina Shaw | Miss Azerbaijan | Top 10 Finalist | 2nd Runner-Up: Miss Photogenic |
 Bangladesh
|
Shabnam Islam | Miss Bangladesh | Winner: Charity Award | |
 Barbados
|
Courtney Price | Miss Barbados | ||
| Belarus
|
Kiana Babayeva | Miss Belarus | ||
 Belgium
|
Jessica Hanson | Miss Belgium | ||
 Belize
|
Kasturi Anderson | Miss Belize | ||
 Bolivia
|
Tatiana Yancy | Miss Bolivia | Top 10 Finalist | |
 Brazil
|
Jessica Izabel | Miss Brazil | ||
| Bulgaria
|
Anna Karakhanova | Miss Bulgaria | ||
| Cambodia
|
Phanith Sovann | Miss Cambodia | ||
| Canada
|
McKenna Hardy | Miss Canada | ||
| Colombia
|
Lora McHugh | Miss Colombia | 2nd Runner-Up: Best Runway | |
| Cuba
|
Glenda Dopazo | Miss Cuba | Winner: Most Beautiful Smile | |
 Czech Republic
|
Simona Pallova | Miss Czech Republic | ||
| Dominican Republic
|
Yinet De Jesus | Miss Dominican Republic | ||
| Egypt
|
Sarah Fasha | Miss Egypt | ||
 Ethiopia
|
Tatiana Immanuel | Miss Ethiopia | ||
| France
|
Katherine Tillit | Miss France | ||
 Georgia
|
Tami Adams | Miss Georgia | 2nd Runner-Up: Most Beautiful Body | |
| Germany
|
Kimberly Saracino | Miss Germany | ||
 Greece
|
Mantha Balourdou | Miss Greece | ||
 Guatemala
|
Priscilla De La Mora | Miss Guatemala | 2nd Runner-Up: Most Beautiful Smile | |
| Haiti
|
LJ Louis | Miss Haiti | ||
| Iran
|
Golsa Sarabi | Miss Iran | Top 10 Finalist | Winner: Queen of the Universe Award |
 Iraq
|
Leilah Mar | Miss Iraq | 2nd Runner-Up: Most Beautiful Hair | |
| Ireland
|
Sabrina Richelle | Miss Ireland | Winner: Miss Elegance | |
| Israel
|
Nilli Tsoberry | Miss Israel | 4th Runner-Up | |
| Italy
|
Isabella Grosso | Miss Italy | Winner: Most Beautiful Hair; Best Dancer | |
| Japan
|
Sayo Harris | Miss Japan | 1st Runner-Up: Most Beautiful Hair | |
 Kazakhstan
|
Zhazira Nurkhodjaeva | Miss Kazakhstan | 1st Runner-Up: Miss Photogenic | |
 Korea
|
Catherine Hwang | Miss Korea | Top 15 Finalist | |
| Lebanon
|
Alana Duqum | Miss Lebanon | Top 10 Finalist | 1st Runner-Up: Most Beautiful Smile |
| Mexico
|
Oralia Cortes | Miss Mexico | 2nd Runner-Up | Winner: Miss Photogenic |
| Mongolia
|
Sierra Mercier | Miss Mongolia | Winner: Miss Congeniality | |
| Netherlands
|
Amber Rivette | Miss Netherlands | ||
 Nigeria
|
Jubilee Gamaniel | Miss Nigeria | 1st Runner Up: Miss Elegance | |
| Northern Ireland
|
Aisling Sheils | Miss Northern Ireland | Winner: Charity Award | |
 Pakistan
|
Huma Mughal | Miss Pakistan | ||
| Peru
|
Luz Pazos | Miss Peru | ||
| Puerto Rico
|
Nadya Rivera | Miss Puerto Rico | Top 15 Finalist | Winner: Most Beautiful Body |
 Romania
|
Lavinia Postolache | Miss Romania | 1st Runner-Up | 1st Runner-Up: Most Beautiful Body |
 Russia
|
Liana Delmar | Miss Russia | Winner: Queen of the Universe Award | |
| Scotland
|
Nicole Jackson | Miss Scotland | ||
 Serbia
|
Olivera Markovic | Miss Serbia | ||
| Spain
|
Ivette Saucedo | Miss Spain | Queen of the Universe 2013 | |
| Sweden
|
Sara Horvath | Miss Sweden | Top 15 Finalist | |
| Turkey
|
Aycan Sencan | Miss Turkey | 2nd Runner-Up: Miss Elegance | |
 Ukraine
|
Anya So | Miss Ukraine | ||
| USA
|
Tara Rice | Miss USA | Top 15 Finalist | 1st Runner-Up: Best Runway |
 U.S. Virgin Islands
|
Jennifer Renee | Miss U.S. Virgin Islands | Winner: Queen of the Universe Award | |
| Venezuela
|
Hennely Jimenez | Miss Venezuela | Top 15 Finalist | Winner: Charity Award |
References
edit- ^ Joyce Giraud Promotes Her Queen of the Universe Pageant [1]
- ^ Queen of the Universe Mission Statement
- ^ Infinity Media Official Site
- ^ Cinema Without Borders: Golsa Sarabi [2]
- ^ Golsa Sarabi to Take Part in Queen of the Universe Pageant [3]
- ^ Al Arabiya News: "Beauty or Beast? 'Miss Egypt' 2013 Gets Mixed Reactions" Dec. 10, 2013 [4]
- ^ "How Egyptian Sarah Fasha is a Revolutinary Beauty Queen" Dec. 6, 2013 [5]
- ^ "CairoScene: Sarah Fasha" [6]
- ^ "TMZ Trashes Community College with Racist Rant," March 20, 2014, [7]
- ^ "TMZ Celebrity Videos: Beatriz Cazares," [8]
- ^ "Miss Mexico Beatriz Cazares Speaks at Mt.SAC" [9]
External links
editCategory:Beauty pageants in the United States Category:2012 establishments in California Category:Recurring events established in 2012