Las Vegas Weekly

August 9, 2010 · 1:02 PM

Photos: ‘It will be the best year ever,’ Stefania Fernandez says of pageant

By Robin Leach

Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih poses in her Dar Be Dar swimsuit during the registration and fitting process of the Miss Universe 2010 competition at the Mandalay Bay on Aug. 8, 2010.

Photo: Darren Decker/Miss Universe

Gorgeous Stefania Fernandez, the reigning Miss Universe, says the judges for this year’s pageant are in for a “very tough time.”

“It’s going to be really hard for them,” she told me. “I don’t think anybody has ever seen such a fantastic group of girls all together in one place at the same time. They are wow, so beautiful. It will be the best year ever.”

Stefania escorted the contestants from Puerto Rico, Haiti, Australia, Mexico, Colombia and the Philippines by luxury bus from L.A. over the weekend across I-15 desert to their Mandalay Bay headquarters. In all, 83 contestants will compete, including Miss USA Rima Fakih, who won her title at Planet Hollywood in May.

The pageant is headquartered at Mandalay Bay and at the adjoining Luxor for the next 15 days. It will be broadcast to more than 100 countries on NBC, and tickets for the Aug. 23 event are now on sale.

“We were in Los Angeles for two days of media work as the girls began arriving from around the globe,” Stefanie said. “We got a little time to work on our tans poolside, but there were a ton of TV interviews and press photo shoots.”

Miss Puerto Rico Marianna Vicente was delayed in Albuquerque when FAA officials grounded the flight when a passenger was caught lighting matches while in the air! Security agents evacuated the flight and searched baggage and passengers until it was cleared for takeoff.

Marianna had attended the Miss USA Pageant here in Las Vegas as an observer in May, “but for the others, it’s the very first time in America, let alone Las Vegas,” Stefania laughed.

She continued: “I’m going to very sad on Aug. 23 when it’s time for me to give up my crown. I’m happy that I will be able to return to Venezuela to see my family because I haven’t seen them since January with all my traveling. This will always be in my heart. It has been an incredible experience.

“There are two things that I will remember forever. The homecoming I received returning to Venezuela after I won. It was the first time there had been back-to-back winners from the same country, and the reception was totally incredible. I also went to India twice to work with HIV children. A woman is not so important in that culture, so I tried to change their minds quietly and show that women are equal to men.”

Marianna, who lives just 15 minutes from San Juan, told me: “I’m really looking forward to this Las Vegas visit. It will be totally different this time around, as I am competing. Last time when I was just watching was a great education for Miss Universe. The last time was really all fun. This time it will be all work. But I love my work.

Photo: Darren Decker/Miss Universe

Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih has her makeup done by Kryolan makeup artist Linda Rasstanie in preparation for the Miss Universe 2010 competition at Mandalay Bay on Aug. 7, 2010.

“It’s so amazing to be back in Las Vegas so soon. It’s amazing -- right in the middle of nowhere with all the lights. The whole city is a show unto itself. Wow. It’s all so beautiful.”

I asked Marianna, who is now the official roommate of Rima, how the contestants manage to stay friends and not get into catfights competing in the world’s most glamorous beauty pageant.

“We all have our values, and we all have something different to offer. So nobody really compares themselves with somebody else. My mother always taught me that if another girl gets something, wins something or is selected over somebody else, it’s not personal. We actually admire each other’s traits and recognize it’s just a great experience to compete. If you win, that’s the unexpected surprise.”

I also talked with Miss Haiti Sarovj Bertin, a lawyer who is representing the earthquake-ravaged country for the first time in a 20-year gap of staging the pageant there. She speaks five languages and is fluent in English. She told me that she had been out of the country working when the earthquake hit.

Photo: Darren Decker/Miss Universe

Miss Puerto Rico 2010 Mariana Paola Vicente and Miss Panama 2010 Anyoli Abrego pose in their Dar Be Dar swimsuits during the registration and fitting process of the Miss Universe 2010 competition at the Mandalay Bay on Aug. 8, 2010.

“I suffered a lot during those first two days. I had no communication with my family. I was desperate because I had no information. I felt terrible being so helpless and with no information. I wanted to be there to help, but it was impossible to get back. Finally my father found me. He told me all the family was OK, but our home had been completely destroyed. We were very fortunate because we suffered no family loss -- even my grandmother lived through it.

“We will stand up again. It is a catastrophe. We are still in crisis with so many problems, but we are still there. We still need help. We fell down before, but we will get up again.”

Sarovj told me that she’s thrilled that musician Wyclef Jean, a Haitian native, has announced that he will run for prime minister of the country. “He is a great talent and very much admired. He has a lot of followers, and he will be able to bring much needed help to our country.”

She hopes to meet with members of the Las Vegas Haitian community and photographer Jerry Metellus, who is leading local support, while she is here.

All the contestants spent the weekend in initial registration meetings and first costume fittings as our gallery of behind-the-scenes photos show. The first early word on the hopefuls to watch closely as possible Top Five finalists include our Rima from Detroit and Miss Australia.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe daily throughout the Miss Universe Pageant for all the photos and exclusive interviews and stories.

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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