This week, Dayana Mendoza visited our studio. She is Miss Venezuela and the winner of the 2008 Miss Universe Pageant. As luck would have it, the Miss Universe office is right up the block from where I work, so Dayana was able to stop by to chat and do a live interview via satellite with our Miami people.
Dayana is beautiful as well as articulate, and as the new Miss Universe, has a pretty crazy 12 months ahead of her. But just in case you think it's all work, check out the list of perks she enjoys during her year reign .
Jealous yet?? Well, you would think that someone who's about to receive a year's supply of everything she could possibly desire, and who can call herself the most beautiful woman in THE UNIVERSE might be a bit full of herself, or as we like to say in Spanish, "un poquito come mier..." At least that's what I expected as I made myself up in the bathroom minutes before she arrived, making sure every strand of hair was in place and the mascara was flawless. One of my work colleagues actually ran out to change her clothes and shoes. Heck, if you are going to be in the same room as Ms. Universe, you can't look like the cleaning lady.
But to my surprise, Dayana was nothing like my preconceived notions. She was in fact extremely warm and approachable, and I found myself forgetting that she is even a celebrity. There are few people in the spotlight that can maintain this type of personality, and it was refreshing to see that, so far, Dayana has been able to "keep it real." Perhaps, it shouldn't have surprised me. Another Miss Universe I've met and interviewed, Denise Quinones (2001), is also very down to earth. So, if I ever run into a third, I guess I won't let the crown intimidate me. It seems that these women are just nice people who really do want world peace.
As if to make that point clear, when I asked Dayana what she wanted the public to know about her, she replied "I want them to know that we are regular people. That we eat, sleep, get sick, and go to the bathroom just like everyone else." She then told me that she had pink eye, hence her indoor sunglasses.
So there you have it! Cracker-jack reporting at it's best. I have uncovered a long standing secret behind one of the most celebrated pageants on earth- even the winners sometimes need a bathroom break.
;-)
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