Miss Universe 2008

One step closer

Anh Quan and Quynh Huong hosted the Supermodel Contest 2008 in April in Ho Chi Minh City Local masters of ceremonies (MC) Anh Quan and Quynh Huong speak to Thanh Nien Daily about the exhilaration and pressure of hosting the Miss Universe Vietnam 2008 grand finale tonight.

Thanh Nien: You have hosted many beauty contests. Are there any differences you see in the organizing of the Miss Universe Vietnam (MUV) pageant compared to others? Anh Quan: I am lucky to have acted as an MC at several beauty contests including Miss Earth 2007’s Special Contest in Vietnam, Miss Jewelery 2007, Miss Vietnamese Photogenic 2007 and the Supermodel Contest 2008, among others. Each contest was different purposes and characteristics. But at the MUV pageant, I see the organizers and judges have to work very seriously to choose an ideal beauty who will represent Vietnam at the Miss Universe 2008 pageant to be held for the first time in the country in July. Organized by Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV), the Cat Tien Sa Company and Unicorp., the pageant’s grand finale is scheduled to be broadcast live via HTV9 at 8:30 p.m. tonight. The prestigious organizers are all ready for the crown night despite having little time for preparation. Famous singers and artists are also set to entertain the audience. The finale contest, however, will be held at Nha Trang’s beautiful island resort Vinpearl Land. The transport, therefore, will be a little bit inconvenient, which might influence the number of audience members who come for the show. How will you handle the pressure of entertaining and what will you wear? Anh Quan: I have such a great colleague, Quynh Huong, who has been my partner for several other large-scale programs. Huong and I will wear Ao dai in addition to the Western-styled dress and vest. Ao dai for women is very common, but this time, I want to showcase Ao dai for men. Wearing the traditional long tunic, I feel more confident and proud of our country’s value. We want to express our pride in contributing to the country on its first time hosting this prestigious international pageant. I feel no pressure other than how to express my gratitude for such a wonderful chance. I hope that Huong and I will help make an unforgettable night. Quynh Huong: The pageants always include sub-contests for best Ao dai, party gowns, swimming suits, and a question-answer period. Therefore, we are under the pressure of making this pageant stand out from the rest. Besides choosing elegant outfits to wear, we also have to be able to improvise on stage to engage and entertain audiences. Many viewers who saw the semi-finals on TV said they were less than impressed with the chosen contestants. What is your assessment of the group of hopefuls who will compete in the grand finale? Anh Quan: The 20 girls selected for the final night include professional models and those who have won beauty titles. There are amateurs as well. Therefore, it’s out of the question to expect perfection from all of them on stage. Above all, we respect their enthusiastic participation, which proves their love for the country. Quynh Huong: I think there will be surprises tonight. The girls are clever enough to feature the best of their beauty and talent at the grand finale, which determines much of their achievement. Do the experts and judges favor a particular contestant to win tonight? What are the requisites for the winner? Anh Quan: Many are saying they have high expectations for four of the contestants – singer-turned-actress Thuy Lam whose birth name is Nguyen Thuy Trang, supermodels Vu Nguyen Ha Anh, Hoang Khanh Ngoc, and Vo Hoang Yen. The winner must give a professional performance, have good background knowledge and especially, be fluent in English. In your opinion, will the Vietnamese representative at the Miss Universe 2008 pageant be the one who possesses modern and dynamic beauty or the one who demonstrates traditional graceful charm? Quynh Huong: Open-minded people would love a Vietnamese representative who has personality, and a modern, dynamic beauty. But as a Vietnamese woman, I hope a graceful and traditional girl wins. It’s a real dilemma. Reported by Luu Hong http://www.thanhniennews.com