Las Vegas Weekly

August 6, 2010 · 2 PM

Miss USA Rima Fakih offers advice to 2010 Miss Universe hopefuls

By Robin Leach

2010 Miss Michigan Rima Fakih is crowned Miss USA during the 2010 Miss USA Pageant at Planet Hollywood on May 16, 2010. At left is host Curtis Stone.

Photo: Darren Decker/Miss USA

Earlier this year, Rima Fakih was holding down two jobs and struggling to pay her way as Miss Michigan to enter the Miss USA Pageant. On May 16, her life changed forever when she was crowned 2010 Miss USA at Planet Hollywood and became the pageant’s first Arab American winner.

Today, Rima flies back to Las Vegas in style and is ready to do battle with 82 contestants in the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant broadcast live on NBC from Mandalay Bay on Aug. 23. We posted news of this year’s pageant hosts (keep reading) on Wednesday.

She told me yesterday as she packed for her visit: “I can’t wait to head back to Las Vegas and compete for the Miss Universe crown. So far, I have had good luck in Las Vegas. I hope the odds are for me! If I win Miss Universe, I will definitely, immediately hit the casino to continue the roll.

“I can’t wait to meet the other 82 women from around the world at Mandalay Bay and welcome them to the United States. Bienvenida! Welcome! They’re coming to my home.”

I asked Rima if she had any advice for the contestants, most of whom will be seeing The Strip for the first time. “If you have never been to Las Vegas, then you are in for the time of your life. No other city in the world compares to Vegas, but bring a sweater. The casinos tend to be on the cooler side! Be prepared for the city that is fun 24/7, and remember you can always sleep later when the pageant is over.”

The contestants start arriving here tomorrow and will be headquartered for the next three weeks at Mandalay Bay and the adjoining Luxor. I’ll be talking with the first group traveling by luxury bus from L.A. across the desert on I-15, and we’ll have those interviews along with a Rima exclusive right here at Vegas DeLuxe.

They face a jam-packed schedule of promotional activities, sightseeing adventures, charity appearances, wardrobe fittings, rehearsals and finally the big show itself to be hosted by Poison rocker and Celebrity Apprentice winner Bret Michaels and Natalie Morales of NBC’s Today, plus real estate mogul Donald Trump, who owns the pageant.

We have photo coverage planned for all of their Las Vegas activities, so check back to Vegas DeLuxe regularly for all the official news and photo galleries.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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