WRITING and emailing columns way ahead of their deadlines may result to topics that are no longer relevant. Consider today’s column as historical then. Haha.
In the last few years, I became indifferent to the ado surrounding the annual Miss Universe coronation night until it’s finally that night—or morning in Pinas—and there I’d be, panicking and frantically looking for the channel where it’s aired live.
With Pia Wurtzbach winning in 2015, and Catriona Gray in 2018, it’s natural for the Pinoy to hope and pray that Pinas’ candidate would win again. We can dream, can’t we?
Miss Universe is now inclusive, it’s no longer “cannot be reached.” In case you need proof, there’s Miss Nepal Jane Dipika Garrett who has more curves than the usual beauty-pageant candidate, and she was even one of Miss Universe 2023’s Top 20.
In the world of fashion, slimming down to a rail-thin physique is now discouraged and some fashion companies have stopped hiring size-zero models.
Promoting size zero as the ideal body of a woman resulted to eating disorders, the late Princess Diana even confessed to being bulimic.
Any famous celebrity is bound to have body-weight issues once her weight becomes the favorite topic in social media. Fans will allow weight gain if it’s for an acting role that may give their idol an Oscar, such as what Charlize Theron did for her 2003 movie “Monster” for which she gained 30 pounds.
But if the showbiz celebrity is gaining weight because she simply loves to eat, fans—and TV/movie producers and directors—may not be as forgiving anymore.
Sharon Cuneta, for example, said she had lesser showbiz projects in her 40s when she was at her heaviest. She has become more active in the industry after losing weight, and recently had a concert with ex-husband Gabby Concepcion, which was absolutely impossible decades ago with all the intrigues caused by their separation.
Ate Shawie also said it’s never too late to start a weight-loss program. It took her six long years to lose the excess weight, and now at 57 years old, she’s back to her healthy weight again. She has vowed to stick to her new eating habits after seeing her before-and-after photos. Her secret: eat everything but in moderation. Hmmm. Please define moderation because each time there’s a buffet of high-carb goodies, my moderation goes out the window.
A political critic will probably define moderation as, Kanang moderate your greed ba. Oh. Please tell that to the grafting and corrupting politicians.
Anyway, aside from the unusual inclusion of Garrett, the recent Miss Universe pageant had two married women with children: Miss Guatemala Michelle Cohn, and Miss Colombia Camila Avella. And two transgender women: Miss Netherlands Rikkie Valerie Kolle, and Miss Portugal Marina Machete.
Avella made it to the Top 5.
These major changes in the universe of Miss Universe may also make the seemingly impossible morph into possible. Gabby Concepcion and Sharon Cuneta marrying each other again. A female president for the U.S. The end of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars. Hey, even Rivermaya is having a reunion concert next year, and Rico Blanco and Bamboo will be there—miracles do happen.
