Top 10 Best Answerers in the History of the Miss Universe Pageant

The Top Ten
1 Janine Tugonon of Philippines - Miss Universe 2012 Question: "As an international ambassador, do you think that speaking English should be a prerequisite for Miss Universe? Why or why not? "

Answer: "For me Miss Universe is not about being able to speak a particular language, it's about being able to influence and inspire other people. No matter what language you have as long as you have the heart you can inspire other people."

A beauty pageant is a beauty pageant. There's nothing wrong with anyone's opinion, just as there's nothing wrong with the answers given by each finalist. However, I think we have to balance and consider things. I am Filipino by blood, heart, and culture, and I'm very proud of how Janine answered the question given to her. But of course, there's a board of judges, and they're more powerful than everyone else's decision. So, we should just respect their decision if they really thought that the hailed winner should have been the winner.

Janine Tugonon most deserved the crown. I am not very satisfied that the USA was the winner. If you watch the question and answer portion, you will also not be satisfied with the USA. Why? Because Janine's answer was the most beautiful and interesting. It's truly remarkable, considering she is Filipino and not fluent in English. Yet, she delivered her answer in English and it was fabulous. Filipinos do not use an interpreter, so on-the-spot answering is essential.

2 Gloria Diaz of Philippines - Miss Universe 1969 Question: "In the next day or so, a man will land on the moon. If a man from the moon landed in your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?"

Gloria's Answer: "Oh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been on the moon for so long, I think when he comes over he wants to change, I guess."

It's a question which everyone might need more time to think about before giving their answer. Yet, she answered it right after being asked the question. The natural and common-sense answer earned her the crown. I think she is the top intelligent Miss Universe of all time.

She must be ranked number one. All contestants were shocked during the Q and A, but she thought quickly and intelligently. The first statement she said was so true and real, supported by the second and third statements.

1st: Oh, just the same things I do.
2nd: I think if he has been on the moon for so long,
3rd: I think when he comes over he wants to change, I guess.

3 Margie Moran of Philippines - Miss Universe 1973 Question: "If you had one million dollars what would you do with it?"

Margie's Answer: "I would buy a big house where I can live with all the people I love."

She should be the second-best answerer. Her answer is very simple but indeed very true. In the hierarchy of human needs, the first is physiological needs, which include shelter/home. Second is safety needs, and third is belongingness and love needs. She will live with other people, so she must be the second or first.

Her answer is simply awesome. Within the hierarchy of needs:

- Home-shelter/safety
- Other people/family-love and belongingness

Very realistic.

The answer touches everyone's heart, something that we all wish to do.

4 Miriam Quiambao of Philippines - Miss Universe 1999

With her answer, she stands strong in defense of all women who are subject to faults and failures. Committing mistakes doesn't stop one from moving forward and proving their worth. Everybody deserves the best chances.

Her answer was prompt and full of hope.

5 Leila Lopes of Angola - Miss Universe 2011

What physical appearance that you want to change to be beautiful? And what is the most important principle that you hold?

Answer:
I am really grateful to God because He had created me, I am satisfied with the body and the way God had given to me. I wouldn't change any single thing of my body. I considered my self as a woman blessed with inner beauty. I got many great life principles from my family, and I will hold that principle for my whole life.

Very good answer, simple yet confident and honest. She convinced us to love ourselves regardless of how we look, not to dissing them. She also values inner beauty more than anything else. So, embrace ourselves people, we're amazing

6 Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana - Miss Universe 1999 Question: "Should Miss Universe be allowed to keep her crown if she became pregnant?"

Mpule's Answer: "Personally, I think it should not in any way interrupt her duties. She should be allowed to celebrate her femininity. "

What a wonderful answer! I saw the video and was amazed by the way she said it. It was as if she was already prepared. It came so naturally to her. She deserved to win.

I love all beauties of the world, especially when they are so intelligent, honest, smart, and simple.

A very intelligent answer from a very strong woman!

7 Lara Dutta of India - Miss Universe 2000 Question: "Right now there is a protest going on right outside here calling the Miss Universe Pageant disrespectful of women. Convince them they are wrong."

Lara's Answer: "I think pageants like the Miss Universe pageant gives us young women a platform to foray in the fields that we want to and forge ahead, be it entrepreneurship, be it the armed force, be it politics. It gives us a platform to voice our choices and opinions, and makes us strong, independent that we are today."

Lara Dutta is a perfect blend of "Beauty with Brains" and "Beauty with Purpose". She is intelligent, witty, a fantastic orator, exudes confidence, and carries herself with poise. You want to believe everything she says, and she knew she had the title in her bag because she really has a presence. She is the best person to represent India in an international pageant and make India and its citizens proud. Bravo to Lara Dutta for her commendable answers and presence.

The utmost outright standout with the best answer in a final question in Miss Universe history. Along with being beautiful, she possessed so much confidence and class in this interview. The rhythm and tone of her answer flowed as if it was a question she knew would be asked and had memorized her answer. But no, it was spontaneous, and she nailed it to perfection.

I notice there are so many points she emphasized in her answer too:

1. MU is a platform.
2. Examples of the many fields one can undertake in this platform - armed forces, politics, entrepreneurship.
3. The benefits this platform can do for anyone (voice our choices and opinions) - it is where we are able to express ourselves and reach out to others or be the one who speaks out for others.
4. Finally, through achieving all these, we can become mindful, opinionated, independent, and be powerful and contributing citizens for your country and for the Universe alike.

Undisputedly, the best answer in MU history for me!

8 Gabriela Isler of Venezuela - Miss Universe 2013

The most gorgeous and stunning woman crowned as Miss Universe!

9 Sushmita Sen of India - Miss Universe 1994 Question: "What is the essence of being a woman?"

Sushmita's Answer: "Just being a woman is God's gift that all of us must appreciate. The origin of a child is a mother, and is a woman. She shows a man what sharing, caring and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman. "

The best and most honest answer ever in the history of the pageant. It may be short, but it carries a lot of depth. An intelligent answer. Awesome. An answer coming from an 18-year-old is too good to be true. She's beautiful inside and out and, of course, intelligent. Sushmita was one of the youngest contestants to represent India and the most simple.

Ultimate summation of the essence of a woman. Only an Indian of the caliber of Sushmita can give such a loaded yet subtle answer.

Miss Sushmita is a lady with one of the boldest personalities and a beauty queen always with the best answers.

10 Ariella Arida of Philippines - Miss Universe 2013 3rd Runner Up

You know, Ara Arida is the most intelligent among them.

She may not have answered in fluent English, but she delivered it so perfectly. She was the only candidate without an interpreter, and she had the clearest answer of them all.

She concluded by saying, "Education is the ticket for a better future."

The Contenders
11 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of Philippines - Miss Universe 2015 Question: "Why should you be Miss Universe?"

Answer: "To be Miss Universe is both an honor and a responsibility. If I become Miss Universe, I will use my voice to influence the youth and raise awareness for certain causes, like HIV awareness, which is timely and relevant to my country, the Philippines. I want to show the world, or rather, the universe, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart!"

I think her answer is one of the best answers, if not the best, I heard delivered in a prestigious beauty pageant. Especially when she answered the final question "why should you be the next miss universe?"

Pia Wurtzbach's answer was just perfect:

"To be Miss Universe is both an honor and a responsibility. If I would be Miss Universe I would use my voice to influence the youth and raise awareness to causes like HIV awareness that is timely and relevant to my country, the Philippines. I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart."

She knows very well why she is competing for the crown. She answered with intelligence, grace, beauty and elegance. She is truly regal! She is Miss Universe!

12 Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela - Miss Universe 2008 Question: "Which have it easier in life: men or women?"

Dayana's Answer: "God made us to share and have differences, but big differences? I don't think so. The difference is that men think, they think that the faster way to go to a point is to go straight, and women know that the faster way to go to a point is go the curves and fix every curls."

She might not have fluency in English, but her risk was totally worth it. Her answer was undoubtedly the best one throughout that evening, and I really love that answer.

I like the way she uses geometry to explain her answer.

She gave a strong answer. Great job, Dayana!

13 Olivia Culpo of United States - Miss Universe 2012

Q: What is something that you have done, that you will never do again?

A: First 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, but something I've done that I've probably regretted would be picking on my siblings growing up because you appreciate them so much more when you're older, you get closer with your family. Everybody fights with their siblings, right?! But I don't regret it.

She answered naturally and the answer led her to glorious victory.

14 Shamcey Supsup of Philippines - Miss Universe 2011

She's beautiful, and no other women participating in that year's Miss Universe Pageant got as high of scores as she did for dress and swimsuit!

She is still the same Shamcey, prior to and after Miss Universe, and that is something. A real epitome of beauty inside and out.

She is the real epitome of beauty and bravery. Her answer is her opinion, so it shouldn't be judged by people like us.

15 Brook Mahealani Lee of United States - Miss Universe 1997 Question: "If there were no rules in your life for one day and you could be outrageous, what would you do?"

Brook's Answer: "I would eat everything in the world. You do not understand. I will eat everything twice."

That is the smartest answer ever! Outrageous means doing something excessively in a way that common wisdom would judge inappropriate. A pageant girl has a sculptural body, and handling weight fluctuations in a healthy way is essential.

Moreover, her answer was so funny that she entertained the entire audience! I think she can do politics. I remember she gave the answer very quickly, within 1 or 2 seconds. I love this girl! She might not be the prettiest Miss Universe, but she's certainly the smartest.

She should be number 1 on your top 10 list.

16 Renae Ayris of Australia - Miss Universe 2012 Question: "As someone who might be winning a modelling contract, how would you feel if you were told to lose weight or risk losing an assignment? "

Renae's Answer: "Thank you for that question. I feel really comfortable in the way I feel and I think that's really important. If someone told me that I'm overweight I would completely ignore it. As long as I'm feeling good within myself then that's all that matters. Thank you."
17 Venus Raj of Philippines - Miss Universe 2010

Very hard question to answer in a short time. Although the questions are familiar, they will alarm our minds and make us think about the past.

She is a major, major strong contender!

18 Pia Wurtzbach of Philippines - Miss Universe 2015

United States re-establishing military bases in the country:

"I think that the US and Philippines have always had a good relationship with each other. We were colonized by the Americans and we have their culture and traditions even up to this day. I think we are very welcoming with the Americans and I don't see any problem with that at all."

Why she should be Miss Universe:

"To be a Miss Universe is an honor and a responsibility. If I were to be Miss Universe, I will use my voice to influence the youth and I would raise awareness to certain causes like HIV awareness to certain causes like HIV awareness that is timely and relevant to my country, which is the Philippines. I want to show the world - the universe rather - that I am confidently beautiful with a heart."

19 Riyo Mori of Japan - Miss Universe 2007 Question: "What is the one lesson you learned as a child that still affects your life today?"

Riyo's Answer: "I have been dancing since I was a child. I grew up among many students and teachers. I learned to always be happy, patient and positive. That is also what I want to teach to the next generation. Thank you."

This is the kind of answer I want. The answer to each question doesn't need to be so direct and matter-of-fact. In my opinion, an answer should come from the heart - simple but relatable to your experience. That is why I love her answer. It showed modesty and didn't try to outshine the other candidates' answers.

I love Riyo Mori. She is so smart and intelligent. I always watch her Miss Japan 2007 and Miss Universe 2007 competitions.

I like Riyo because she is intelligent and smart. Her thoughts make her an amazing woman.

20 Wendy Fitzwilliams of Trinidad & Tobago - Miss Universe 1998

You must include the question and answer of Miss Universe 1998 so that we can read and comment on the way she answered.

21 Paulina Vega of Colombia - Miss Universe 2014
22 Oxana Fedorova of Russia - Miss Universe 2002 Question: "What makes you blush?"

Oxana's Answer: "When I say the wrong things."

I like her answer. It's short, with only six words. But her answer is great for me because she said it honestly.

23 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela - Miss Universe 2009 Question: "In many part of the world obstacle still exists that impede women from achieving their goals in some corporations. What can women do to overcome this?"

Stefania's Answer: "I believe that nowadays we women have overcome many obstacles and I do believe that we have reached the same level as man have. We must realize that there are no longer any barriers amongst us."

She is so clever and pretty that she got the crown from another Miss Venezuela.

24 Lalaine Bennett of Philippines - Miss Universe 1963
25 Ariella Arida of Philippines - Miss Universe 2013

She is the most beautiful and gave the most beautiful answer in the Miss Universe pageant in Russia.

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