Re: Faith Gillezeau (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2023)

**Cello** Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:17 pm

We sure Faith's actual gown didn't get damaged, and she had to borrow one from Miss Nepal?

**Cello** Thu Nov 16, 2023 9:18 pm

Cello wrote:
lingintexas wrote:
Cello wrote:This nude number is also a great colour on Faith, though I'm loving green for her also for EG.
Faith actually stands out in this picture.

Indeed, she is giving face, and angles! That long neck is her saving grace. My eyes instantly went to her, despite the gown colour, and also despite Cameroon being the strongest in this batch.

Faith could have literally worn this again, and it would be 10x better than that atrocity they made her wear!

**Frank Speech** Fri Nov 17, 2023 12:26 am

For me, Nicaragua won the Prelims SS and EG.

My top faves from the prelims (any one of the top 5 could win):
1. Nicaragua
2. Australia
3. Thailand
4. Venezuela
5. India

6. Dominican Republic
7. Philippines
8. Mexico
9. South Africa
10. Panama

11. Russia (politics will keep her out of the finals)
12. Poland
13. Curacao
14. Brazil
15. Zimbabwe (I don't expect her to place but I still love her)
16. Namibia
17. Czech Republic
18. USA
19. Lebanon
20. Portugal

There are so many beauties this year.

In terms of Predictions though, as with usual pageant politics USA, Netherlands and/or Portugal, Lebanon and Pakistan are guaranteed spots in the finals...Canada was solid for prelims and I expect her to place along with my top 9 faves, plus Curacao.

**Frank Speech** Fri Nov 17, 2023 12:55 am

**Frank Speech** Fri Nov 17, 2023 12:59 am

**Cello** Fri Nov 17, 2023 1:39 am

My List:

Winner:
1.     Nicaragua

Top 3:
2.     Thailand
3.     India

Top 5:
4.     Brazil
5.     Dominican Republic

Top 10:
6.     Colombia
7.     Portugal
8.     South Africa
9.     Puerto Rico
10. Mexico

Top 20:
11. Honduras
12. Australia
13. Poland
14. Bolivia
15. Cameroon
16. Chile
17. Ecuador
18. Russia
19. Venezuela
20. Pakistan

Possible Alternatives:
El Salvador – mainly because of home country advantage
Curacao – good performance, but I’m not sure facially
Jamaica – flat in both segments, was she angry?
Albania – opened both SS and EG with fire
France – beautiful face, but not sure body-wise in SS
Spain – metropole advantage?
Canada – solid performance, but still uninspiring
USA – solid performance, but looks very plastic and orange
Philippines – rough around the edges, but being hyped with a strong sash
Lebanon – seemed really sweet
Nepal - She has crowd support, and was really confident
Nigeria – looked like she gave up

Additional Thoughts:
• Nicaragua has a lot of x-factor and it-girl vibes, but I know Thailand and India will give her a good fight.
• Cameroon didn't impress me much for prelims, but without her, my list would not have any black girls, and that's really sad.
• Brazil is a great choice if MU wants a youthful winner (a change after its oldest winner ever).
• Dominican Republic has really gorgeous eyes, and marketable looks, I won't be surprised if she wins.
• For me, a placement for Portugal won't just be political, I think the candidate performed excellently!
• Honduras really, really stepped up!
• Facially, Venezuela isn't it for me, but she performs well and has pageant experience, so I expect her to place.
• While USA and Philippines are nearly guaranteed to place, I don't see either of them as MU material.

I guess you can say this is really my personal list, rather than a prediction.

**Cello** Fri Nov 17, 2023 4:01 am

Faith did amazing in National Costume. I held my breath the whole time with those stilts. Whew chile.

Paula Shuggart announced her resignation at the end of the NC show. Notably, no mention of Ann in the speech. She showered praises on El Salvador.

**Kimberly** Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:59 am

Cello wrote:
Cello wrote:
lingintexas wrote:
Cello wrote:This nude number is also a great colour on Faith, though I'm loving green for her also for EG.
Faith actually stands out in this picture.

Indeed, she is giving face, and angles! That long neck is her saving grace. My eyes instantly went to her, despite the gown colour, and also despite Cameroon being the strongest in this batch.

Faith could have literally worn this again, and it would be 10x better than that atrocity they made her wear!

Faith Gillezeau (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2023) - Page 5 Screenshot-20231115-002506-Facebook

YUH RIGHT about that nude dress. I'll also add that the pink gown looked decent on her to.

How is it they can GET IT RIGHT with all Faith's gowns during MUO events BEFORE the prelims.............YET at a time it's sooooooo crucial to get her styling on point, they do this NONSENSE????????? Lemme STOP bussing my brains eh.

I'm not even disappointed anymore...............I EXPECTED this nonsense. WHY is it that the MAJORITY of the time our local franchise holders DO NOT get it right with the gowns? Is it so damn hard to get the right gowns to compliment the shapes of our reps?
A BLIND MAN could see that Faith's gown was BOTH poorly tailored to her body & that it DROWNS her petite frame. LIKE WTF?!!!!

The way she walked in that gown was PAINFUL to watch..........I wonder if it was too heavy for her to walk in/ uncomfortable OR she just did not develop the right technique to walk in it????? Her walk in SS was better then her EG walk BUT still was not a standout.

Don't get me started on Faith's hair.......C&S Org. NEVER once attempted to try something NEW with her hair. They did NOTHING to help her stand out and compliment her shape of face & forehead. So I was silly to expect anything other than disappointment. What's new?

This gown is what she ended up with???? SMH.

Faith Gillezeau (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2023) - Page 5 Screenshot-20231117-011807-Facebook

**Kimberly** Fri Nov 17, 2023 6:28 am

Cello wrote:
lingintexas wrote:
Cello wrote:
Frank Speech wrote:
Cello wrote:Faith ... ill-fitting gown.
At the end of the day, I don't think she had a chance at making the finals (outside of getting the fan vote). She was a non-factor for the EG and SS prelims. I would not place her in the top 40 of either.

I am pleased though that Faith did her best and she seems to be enjoying the entire experience.

C&S need to get their act together for 2024.

I must agree. A placement this year isn't possible for us based on preliminary performance. Prelims showed the clear front-runners. I'd post my list soon.
That gown was just plain horrible. I looked like it was hanging on her, her team needs to be revamped because this was as lackluster as I have seen.
Listen, I woke up this morning and cannot get over how bad the gown was! It looked way too big, like a nightgown. The cut-out for the bosom was also terrible, just floating on her. We're all well aware Faith doesn't have the body to fill that out (and that's okay btw!). It made her look slouchy.

I had hoped for something more form-fitting in green / nude, and a high bun. Tya really placed last year on her own merit, because if this is what C&S produces on their own, they're in the wrong industry.

I agree about Tya. A few months ago I was saying that Crowns & Sashes got LUCKY by crowning TYA during their 1st year of acquiring the MUT&T Franchise. They made a great choice & should count themselves LUCKY that she joined the local pageant. She did them favour, IMAGE WISE. NOT the other way around.

I also said that Tya's success may have BOLSTERED their EGO........What happened this year IMO, shows what C&S are truly capable of. Mediocrity........I have NO faith they'll learn anything from this year's result which is NOT looking good for T&T BUT........I'll be observing to see if I'm proven wrong next year.

IF Crowns & Sashes ORG. is SERIOUS about finding another woman to replicate Tya's success......They'll actively scout some of those beauties in our local modelling & entertainment industry and beyond that.
Take 2 WEEKS to SCREEN, SELECT the BEST 10 and host the pageant in the 4th OR 5th WEEK. At least 1 month & 1/4 for the LONGEST if they insist on DRAGGING out the process. CROWN THE WINNER 8 MONTHS before the pageant at least.
@@7g56@@

CHARU L. DASS could put Crowns & Sashes to shame. At least the MWT&T Org had the COMMON SENSE to crown the winner 1 year before the pageant. Pity the pageant was POSTPONED AGAIN but Ache will be more than ready for 2024.

They also NEED to be more ACTIVE on SOCIAL MEDIA...............Faith's been doing a WAYYYYYYYY better job of promoting herself in the local space than they have been doing.
I think they should WORK with Faith in the future as it relates to social media PROMOTION. She's naturally good at this & entertaining. Despite the disappointment, she was entertaining to follow.

**Frank Speech** Sat Nov 18, 2023 5:04 pm

There are about 34-40 ladies who would not look out of place in the MU2023 Top 20.

It is going to be interesting to see how woke MU is....posible woke placements:

Nepal
Pakistan
Netherlands
Portugal

and I totally expect one of the mothers to place but Columbia is deserving of a spot.

This year the overall quality of contestants is way better than last year's.

I still don't know how much they are weighing prelim interviews - is it 50%- 60%?

MUorg better wake up because all this wokeness is contributing to its poor financial situation.

**Frank Speech** Sat Nov 18, 2023 5:16 pm

Kimberly wrote:
Cello wrote:
lingintexas wrote:
Cello wrote:
Frank Speech wrote:
Cello wrote:Faith ... ill-fitting gown.
At the end of the day, I don't think she had a chance at making the finals (outside of getting the fan vote). She was a non-factor for the EG and SS prelims. I would not place her in the top 40 of either.

I am pleased though that Faith did her best and she seems to be enjoying the entire experience.

C&S need to get their act together for 2024.

I must agree. A placement this year isn't possible for us based on preliminary performance. Prelims showed the clear front-runners. I'd post my list soon.
That gown was just plain horrible. I looked like it was hanging on her, her team needs to be revamped because this was as lackluster as I have seen.
Listen, I woke up this morning and cannot get over how bad the gown was! It looked way too big, like a nightgown. The cut-out for the bosom was also terrible, just floating on her. We're all well aware Faith doesn't have the body to fill that out (and that's okay btw!). It made her look slouchy.

I had hoped for something more form-fitting in green / nude, and a high bun. Tya really placed last year on her own merit, because if this is what C&S produces on their own, they're in the wrong industry.

I agree about Tya. A few months ago I was saying that Crowns & Sashes got LUCKY by crowning TYA during their 1st year of acquiring the MUT&T Franchise. They made a great choice & should count themselves LUCKY that she joined the local pageant. She did them favour, IMAGE WISE. NOT the other way around.

I also said that Tya's success may have BOLSTERED their EGO........What happened this year IMO, shows what C&S are truly capable of. Mediocrity........I have NO faith they'll learn anything from this year's result which is NOT looking good for T&T BUT........I'll be observing to see if I'm proven wrong next year.

IF Crowns & Sashes ORG. is SERIOUS about finding another woman to replicate Tya's success......They'll actively scout some of those beauties in our local modelling & entertainment industry and beyond that.
Take 2 WEEKS to SCREEN, SELECT the BEST 10 and host the pageant in the 4th OR 5th WEEK. At least 1 month & 1/4 for the LONGEST if they insist on DRAGGING out the process. CROWN THE WINNER 8 MONTHS before the pageant at least.

CHARU L. DASS could put Crowns & Sashes to shame. At least the MWT&T Org had the COMMON SENSE to crown the winner 1 year before the pageant. Pity the pageant was POSTPONED AGAIN but Ache will be more than ready for 2024.

They also NEED to be more ACTIVE on SOCIAL MEDIA...............Faith's been doing a WAYYYYYYYY better job of promoting herself in the local space than they have been doing.
I think they should WORK with Faith in the future as it relates to social media PROMOTION. She's naturally good at this & entertaining. Despite the disappointment, she was entertaining to follow.

There is nothing Faith could have done to place. The reality is, if we crown someone who does not have the potential to be globally competitive, no amount of training is going to change that. This is just reality! Faith did her best and she has been having a blast from everything I have seen. She did not just accept what the org said she had to wear. From her own post she was happy with her wardrobe and her local designer for the gown.

That being said, C&S can't afford to have another 2023. They need to crown early and train like crazy. If they are too lazy to find someone new then get Amanada - she has the potential but they need to train her heavily for interviews and stage walk. They can't be laid back and expect ladies to turn up when the reality is they don't have a prize package to make the top laides turn out. That's fine - neither did Peter Elias but the difference with Peter Elias is that he had a full training package, good people skills (so word of mouth from his reps were good), and he did not waste ladies time on these months long local pageant. You can't expect to have 15 to 20 ladies running around for 3-4 months doing alot of pageant realted stuff when we all know by the end of the screenings or a couple days after everyone already know who should win.

At this point in time, I think the MUTT franchise should go to Charu, if she wants it.

**Frank Speech** Sat Nov 18, 2023 5:23 pm

Cello wrote:We sure Faith's actual gown didn't get damaged, and she had to borrow one from Miss Nepal?

LOL! Before prelims Faith said she was happy that most of her wardrobe including her final gown were from local designers....however, wouldn't an off-the-rack gown look better than that mess? Even if they had made it form fitting, I don't think it complemented her well. I agree with you and Kimberly, that Faith wore better gowns during the lead up to the prelims.

I was wondering if something went wrong with her actual final gown and this was just a last minute replacement, but then, I have to remember, Faith could have simply worn one of the gowns we saw her in before the prelims and it would have been better than this mess.

**Frank Speech** Sat Nov 18, 2023 5:32 pm

Cello wrote:My List:

Winner:
1.     Nicaragua

Top 3:
2.     Thailand
3.     India

Top 5:
4.     Brazil
5.     Dominican Republic

Top 10:
6.     Colombia
7.     Portugal
8.     South Africa
9.     Puerto Rico
10. Mexico

Top 20:
11. Honduras
12. Australia
13. Poland
14. Bolivia
15. Cameroon
16. Chile
17. Ecuador
18. Russia
19. Venezuela
20. Pakistan

Possible Alternatives:
El Salvador – mainly because of home country advantage
Curacao – good performance, but I’m not sure facially
Jamaica – flat in both segments, was she angry?
Albania – opened both SS and EG with fire
France – beautiful face, but not sure body-wise in SS
Spain – metropole advantage?
Canada – solid performance, but still uninspiring
USA – solid performance, but looks very plastic and orange
Philippines – rough around the edges, but being hyped with a strong sash
Lebanon – seemed really sweet
Nepal - She has crowd support, and was really confident
Nigeria – looked like she gave up

Additional Thoughts:
• Nicaragua has a lot of x-factor and it-girl vibes, but I know Thailand and India will give her a good fight.
• Cameroon didn't impress me much for prelims, but without her, my list would not have any black girls, and that's really sad.
• Brazil is a great choice if MU wants a youthful winner (a change after its oldest winner ever).
• Dominican Republic has really gorgeous eyes, and marketable looks, I won't be surprised if she wins.
• For me, a placement for Portugal won't just be political, I think the candidate performed excellently!
• Honduras really, really stepped up!
• Facially, Venezuela isn't it for me, but she performs well and has pageant experience, so I expect her to place.
• While USA and Philippines are nearly guaranteed to place, I don't see either of them as MU material.

I guess you can say this is really my personal list, rather than a prediction.

Cello, you have a great list! All the ladies you listed are on my faves list (about 40 ladies from the prelims). I love your list.

I am not doing a full top 20 predictions list but I love Chile and expect her to place with the others I had menitoned in an earlier post.

Overall, the latin delegates were better this year than previous years' delegations. I wonder if we will see two latinas holding hands for the top spot at the end of the finals tonight eg. Venezuela and Nicaragua.

Nicaragua is my clear fave for the title this year....but as we all know politics will favor Phillipines especially with the financial situation with the parent company of the MUorg.

**Kimberly** Sat Nov 18, 2023 5:35 pm

I remember seeing the short of Faith's speech @ Naparima Bowl in San Fernando...........The crowd loved her motivational speech. That is what put her on my radar, long with the interview on Tobago Updates Morning show. I realized that she is a STRONG speaker with a lot of confidence & some charisma.

Sadly I guess her strong interview skills may not be enough to get her that TOP 20 slot
I'm also starting to think interviews this year is NOT as crucial as it was in 2022.........
OR
Maybe it never was & it was just a coincidence that most who placed last year were natural speakers??? I dunno nah.

**Frank Speech** Sat Nov 18, 2023 5:55 pm

Kimberly wrote:I remember seeing the short of Faith's speech @ Naparima Bowl in San Fernando...........The crowd loved her motivational speech. That is what put her on my radar, long with the interview on Tobago Updates Morning show. I realized that she is a STRONG speaker with a lot of confidence & some charisma.

Sadly I guess her strong interview skills may not be enough to get her that TOP 20 slot
I'm also starting to think interviews this year is NOT as crucial as it was in 2022.........
OR
Maybe it never was & it was just a coincidence that most who placed last year were natural speakers??? I dunno nah.

The fact is the minute the franchises realized how crucial the interviews are they started training there reps. Unlike beauty where you have your limits based on who you selected (even with surgery), anyone who is willing to put the work in can become a great speaker. At least half the women who turn up are going to be great speakers, especially the Asian and Latin American representatives, as these franchises do proper training.

**Frank Speech** Sat Nov 18, 2023 6:00 pm

I am still proud of Faith! She gave her best! cheers

I hope she enjoyed every momement in El Salvador and has a great time tonight for the finals and after party.

**Frank Speech** Sat Nov 18, 2023 6:05 pm

I hope Nicaragua wins tonight!

If it's based on politics, then Philippines is the winner. But I have to give Phillipines her props. She literally dropped a significant amount of weight and whipped her body into MU shape to become a competitive factor at MU in all segments. (So far, the only Crowns and Sashes female rep. to any pageant that showed this level of commitment was Tya (just saying)). No other delegate at MU looks like her with her haircut. Phillipines will be in the finals tonight and is going to do well.

**Kimberly** Sat Nov 18, 2023 6:19 pm

Frank Speech wrote:
Kimberly wrote:
Cello wrote:
lingintexas wrote:
Cello wrote:
Frank Speech wrote:
Cello wrote:Faith ... ill-fitting gown.
At the end of the day, I don't think she had a chance at making the finals (outside of getting the fan vote). She was a non-factor for the EG and SS prelims. I would not place her in the top 40 of either.

I am pleased though that Faith did her best and she seems to be enjoying the entire experience.

C&S need to get their act together for 2024.

I must agree. A placement this year isn't possible for us based on preliminary performance. Prelims showed the clear front-runners. I'd post my list soon.
That gown was just plain horrible. I looked like it was hanging on her, her team needs to be revamped because this was as lackluster as I have seen.
Listen, I woke up this morning and cannot get over how bad the gown was! It looked way too big, like a nightgown. The cut-out for the bosom was also terrible, just floating on her. We're all well aware Faith doesn't have the body to fill that out (and that's okay btw!). It made her look slouchy.

I had hoped for something more form-fitting in green / nude, and a high bun. Tya really placed last year on her own merit, because if this is what C&S produces on their own, they're in the wrong industry.

I agree about Tya. A few months ago I was saying that Crowns & Sashes got LUCKY by crowning TYA during their 1st year of acquiring the MUT&T Franchise. They made a great choice & should count themselves LUCKY that she joined the local pageant. She did them favour, IMAGE WISE. NOT the other way around.

I also said that Tya's success may have BOLSTERED their EGO........What happened this year IMO, shows what C&S are truly capable of. Mediocrity........I have NO faith they'll learn anything from this year's result which is NOT looking good for T&T BUT........I'll be observing to see if I'm proven wrong next year.

IF Crowns & Sashes ORG. is SERIOUS about finding another woman to replicate Tya's success......They'll actively scout some of those beauties in our local modelling & entertainment industry and beyond that.
Take 2 WEEKS to SCREEN, SELECT the BEST 10 and host the pageant in the 4th OR 5th WEEK. At least 1 month & 1/4 for the LONGEST if they insist on DRAGGING out the process. CROWN THE WINNER 8 MONTHS before the pageant at least.

CHARU L. DASS could put Crowns & Sashes to shame. At least the MWT&T Org had the COMMON SENSE to crown the winner 1 year before the pageant. Pity the pageant was POSTPONED AGAIN but Ache will be more than ready for 2024.

They also NEED to be more ACTIVE on SOCIAL MEDIA...............Faith's been doing a WAYYYYYYYY better job of promoting herself in the local space than they have been doing.
I think they should WORK with Faith in the future as it relates to social media PROMOTION. She's naturally good at this & entertaining. Despite the disappointment, she was entertaining to follow.

There is nothing Faith could have done to place. The reality is, if we crown someone who does not have the potential to be globally competitive, no amount of training is going to change that. This is just reality! Faith did her best and she has been having a blast from everything I have seen. She did not just accept what the org said she had to wear. From her own post she was happy with her wardrobe and her local designer for the gown.

That being said, C&S can't afford to have another 2023. They need to crown early and train like crazy. If they are too lazy to find someone new then get Amanada - she has the potential but they need to train her heavily for interviews and stage walk. They can't be laid back and expect ladies to turn up when the reality is they don't have a prize package to make the top laides turn out. That's fine - neither did Peter Elias but the difference with Peter Elias is that he had a full training package, good people skills (so word of mouth from his reps were good), and he did not waste ladies time on these months long local pageant. You can't expect to have 15 to 20 ladies running around for 3-4 months doing alot of pageant realted stuff when we all know by the end of the screenings or a couple days after everyone already know who should win.

At this point in time, I think the MUTT franchise should go to Charu, if she wants it.

I just saw your reply after I posted my most recent comment. Yes, EVERYTHING you said here is the COLD, HARD TRUTH.

I knew since her crowning that it was going to be almost impossible for her to place ..........And I also remember when Mr. Man was PISSED off with BOTH of us on the next forum to the point that another forumer from Korea (ManMeat) had the WRONG impression that we disliked Faith. We were just being REALISTIC with her chances which gave some the false impression we were haters.

This might sound strange BUT if y'all noticed my pattern on the next forum, I was NOT posting anything about Faith & rarely contributing because of how disappointed I was.

It was ONLY after that VENE (who could never win in her homeland), crowned Miss Gr@nd International T&T, that my MINDSET changed toward Faith. I was like, "Let me appreciate/back OUR local women, even if those chosen to rep. us may NOT be the best we can offer".

Sounds DESPERATE, I know but that's how BADLY off (some) Trinbagonians are (mentally) with their belief that they think we have to accept a mediocre foreigner because they think our local women are NOT good enough. That's even worse than my justifications for supporting Faith. RIDICULOUS & a major INSULT.

Despite the harsh reality of the situation at hand, I still had an INKLING of HOPE/ 'FAITH' that Faith could work some MIRACLE with her interviewing skills..........For me it was a case of EXPECTING D WORST but HOPING for the BEST.

If I were RICH, I'd THROW a lot a money toward Charu. ENOUGH for 2 years to see if she/ her org is WORTH investing in LONG TERM.
Surely in comparison to C&S she's been doing a better job & the slate of candidates who competed when Ache was crowned was SUPERIOR in comparison to the slate we saw when Faith was crowned & that is EMBARRASSING. LATIFAH MORRIS was the best (facially) BUT Faith was the only viable choice in that group. SIGH.
I AGREE about the Dynamic of Faith's situation in the LOCAL pageant was ALMOST similar to that of Miss JAMAICA's situation. They were NOT the best both countries have to offer HOWEVER in their LOCAL lineup, they were the MOST ready I guess.

PETER NEEDS TO GET HIS BACKSIDE BACK INTO THE RING & USE HIS INFLUENCE AGAIN............EVEN IF IT IS FOR 3 YEARS AND THEN GO BACK INTO RETIREMENT. AH FEDUP!!!!!!!!!!

**Kimberly** Sat Nov 18, 2023 6:55 pm

Frank Speech wrote:
Kimberly wrote:I remember seeing the short of Faith's speech @ Naparima Bowl in San Fernando...........The crowd loved her motivational speech. That is what put her on my radar, long with the interview on Tobago Updates Morning show. I realized that she is a STRONG speaker with a lot of confidence & some charisma.

Sadly I guess her strong interview skills may not be enough to get her that TOP 20 slot
I'm also starting to think interviews this year is NOT as crucial as it was in 2022.........
OR
Maybe it never was & it was just a coincidence that most who placed last year were natural speakers??? I dunno nah.

The fact is the minute the franchises realized how crucial the interviews are they started training there reps. Unlike beauty where you have your limits based on who you selected (even with surgery), anyone who is willing to put the work in can become a great speaker. At least half the women who turn up are going to be great speakers, especially the Asian and Latin American representatives, as these franchises do proper training.

Well I guess you have a valid point here.

I'm starting to think C&S should have chosen LATIFAH MORRIS this year. But she really faded in comparison to Faith in this interview I posted in the past on Misso...........HOWEVER her being a MOTHER could have drawn some attention her way in this edition.

Anyway, I guess it does NOT matter who we crowned this year because that lineup was TOO WEAK
I guess we have to accept that we had no chance this year.
I think Crowns & Sashes need to stick to the lesser known pageants they are used to.

Frank Speech wrote:I hope Nicaragua wins tonight!

If it's based on politics, then Philippines is the winner. But I have to give Phillipines her props. She literally dropped a significant amount of weight and whipped her body into MU shape to become a competitive factor at MU in all segments. (So far, the only Crowns and Sashes female rep. to any pageant that did that was Tya (just saying)). No other delegate at MU looks like her with her haircut. Phillipines will be in the finals tonight and is going to do well.

For me I find Nicaragua to be as PLASTIC/artificial looking like USA. Her boob job & work done on her face is very noticeable. I'm not against plastic surgery & other enhancements but sometimes based on the quality of work done, it can be distracting sometimes for my taste.

Facially Nicaragua is NOT the most beautiful IMO or even close to it BUT I can see why she's considered a favourite. I won't complain IF she wins. In fact it's expected........... However I won't be surprised IF she get's a runner up spot.

Thailand is a rare example of work/enhancements done RIGHT!!! What a glow up she had, even though she was still pretty before it.

Philippines is OVERHYPED IMO. as expected I've seen better Pinoy Queens & performances.
Her performance was decent BUT no way close in comparison to EG. India & Nicaragua to name a few..........Her SASH is her saving grace that will get her a GUARANTEED placement. Her SS performance was good. Evening gown performance OK.

**Cello** Sat Nov 18, 2023 8:16 pm

@Frank Speech, thank you for the comments on my list! Also, I've always supported those closed-door one / two-day screenings Peter E did sometimes. They were economical, effective, and didn't waste anyone's time or money.

@Kimberley, I won't mind a Charu take-over. I think our friends at C&S got a little too comfortable after Tya's placement, and felt like they could easily replicate it. They started badly with not putting enough effort into screenings, and I expect it to end badly as such. The corrective measure would have been to immediately widen the casting call and even go out to scout potential reps. You telling me nobody in the team advocated for that? NOBODY? What it tells me is that its not a 'team' to begin with, but a one-man show.

Anyways...

I'm hoping the show runs peacefully tonight, even if things don't go the locals' way. Remember the chanting and booing after Mexico didn't advance to top 5 in 2007? Latin Americans can be really passionate.

I feel like in this edition, a lot of the girls peaked late. If one peaks at pre-lims, there are already severals faves who would have been building brand equity for several months before. Still, a lot of dark-horses came though in a big way for prelims, and with the woke judging, nobody is really safe.

There'd be a lot of redemption for Thailand after they were considered a heavy favourite last year, and didn't place. Same would apply for Philippines, but I honestly am not impressed by her at all - even her non-placing predecessor was in more competitive form! Wearing a China sash, she might fall out of everyone's list. Venezuela might be hoping for redemption too, and while she can really, really perform, I think she falls well short of the standard achieved by 2022's Amanda Dudamel.

Honestly, I am hoping for a younger fresh-faced winner (save and except Thailand, who is fresh-faced but not necessarily young).

**Cello** Sat Nov 18, 2023 8:27 pm

Frank Speech wrote:
Cello wrote:We sure Faith's actual gown didn't get damaged, and she had to borrow one from Miss Nepal?

LOL! Before prelims Faith said she was happy that most of her wardrobe including her final gown were from local designers....however, wouldn't an off-the-rack gown look better than that mess? Even if they had made it form fitting, I don't think it complemented her well. I agree with you and Kimberly, that Faith wore better gowns during the lead up to the prelims.

I was wondering if something went wrong with her actual final gown and this was just a last minute replacement, but then, I have to remember, Faith could have simply worn one of the gowns we saw her in before the prelims and it would have been better than this mess.

We could order a dress on Amazon or even Shein, and with the right alterations, it would have looked better. Faith didn't like that gown, it showed in her body language. Imagine she put so much work into her body since being crowed, only for them to make her cover it up in that mess.

As I understand it, they would have pre-planned all outfits based on her itinerary, so they made her wear this. This is on them!

PS: Anyone know the designer? If it is Zadd and Eastman, I will cry, because ain't no way!

**Kimberly** Sat Nov 18, 2023 10:59 pm

Possible placements in the TOP 20 & I think MOST placements will be filled by Latinas.

To Fill the quota of Inclusivity:
Portugal - (Transgender) - Better Performer than Netherlands on Stage. 1 might place for SHOCK factor

Colombia - (Married with Children) but I guess even if she was single & childfree she'd still be considered.

Guatemala - (Another Married with Children) - Located NEXT to the Host Country.
IF MUO wants to push the envelope with 2 mothers, she'll place)
LOVED her gown BUT she's weaker in comparison to Colombia. Her chances MIGHT be much slimmer BUT not impossible.
Nepal - While NOT the best, her being plus sized can be a major factor in MUO in placing her.
IF she places she will NOT make it past top 20.

To please OR pander to the public AND/OR fans due to BANKRUPTCY MUO is facing:

El Salvador - (Host Country) - Had this been during TRUMP days, there would be no guarantee LOL!!!! BUT under JKN it's different.
Decent performance by her though. I won't complain if she secures a spot.

Philippines - STRONG sash & fan base so I can picture MUO trying NOT to piss off PINOYS after last year's NON-Placement.

Nicaragua - STRONG fanbase. She also joined @ the RIGHT time with a neighbouring Latin Country as host (MORE support).
IMO her placement will be WELL DESERVED but we can't ignore the fact MUO Org. knows she's a FAVOURITE. They won't RISK ignoring a STRONG candidate, LIVING UP TO THE HYPE. She met the high expectations.

Thailand - ANOTHER candidate like Nicaragua with a STRONG fanbase, who DESERVES to place. Her performance & styling @ the LOCAL pageant was WAYYYYYY better but she looked alright. MUO cannot ignore her even if they wanted to.

Other Powerhouse Countries whose placements are expected almost every year.

Venezuela - Not a fan but it's Venezuela we're talking about so it's a given. Good performance as expected from Vene queens.

Puerto Rico - Beauty Wise she is OVERHYPED. A 1.0 VERSION of Monic Perez
BUT she had a solid performance & I can bet her interview impressed the judges.

South Africa - Decent performer & I'm sure she impressed the judges in interview. She has some of the BEST outfits this year to.

Mexico - Not my fave but good performance & cute.

India - ONE OF the best PERFORMERS this year. AMAZING!!!!!! She was a standout & DESERVES a high placement IF not the crown.

I was gonna place Philippines in the Powerhouse Category BUT I found the other category more suitable based on the candidate they chose this year & the reasons I think JKN will pander to her fans .......for obvious reasons.

Other GUARANTEED placements -
IF what was posted by insiders from Misso are true, the these 2 countries (BELOW) should already be celebrating. Word on the ground is that they IMPRESSED the judges with their interviews.

France - Beautiful face BUT UNDERWHELMING performance!!!!!!
I LOVE most French queens & she's NO exception BUT I'm disappointed.

Australia - Another Beautiful face but her performance was not memorable (it was ok).

The LAST 5 placements -
I think my prediction for these remaining spots will be failure because I suck @ predictions overall LOL!! I'm just guessing here.

2 more spots for Latin American Countries

Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Honduras.....Or Latin Caribbean (Dominican Rep.- beautiful but DISAPPOINTED by her performance)

Costa Rica - 1 of the favourites by the locals. She was smart to DYE her hair blonde because it stands out among the other Latinas.
She's pretty, had a good performance & for a SHORTIE she stood out among many tall Latinas.
She's 1 of my sentimental faves this yr.

1 more spot for Africa

Cameroon OR Namibia---------BEAUTIFUL women but their performances did not standout.
OR
Zimbabwe - Not a big fan BUT she seems to be on the radar of the MUO. They are always featuring her on promos.

2 more spots for EUROPE....... out of the 5 listed below.
Not necessarily the best performers BUT I suspect the MUO is interested in them.

Denmark, Poland......Ukraine (POLITICAL purposes)

Malta OR Spain (Don't understand the HYPE with Spain by the locals)

As someone stated before RUSSIA may NOT place due to politics.......I think UKRAINE could place for the same political purposes that RUSSIA may NOT.
Of all the Europeans I listed Russia is MY sentimental favourite. Her performance was alright BUT she won me over with her BUBBLY demeanour. You could tell she enjoyed performing on stage & she's pretty

**Kimberly** Sun Nov 19, 2023 1:08 am

I should have posted this earlier. Saw this yesterday.
Definitely will not be surprised if both places in top 20

Faith Gillezeau (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2023) - Page 5 Screenshot-20231118-153624-Facebook

Photo taken over 1 week ago.
Faith with Miss France

Faith Gillezeau (TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2023) - Page 5 Screenshot-20231104-190737-Facebook

**Cello** Sun Nov 19, 2023 1:24 am

Thanks for sharing, Kimberley. France was in my top 20, until I saw her SS body. She has one of the best faces in the competition, though! Aussie is definitely a threat, if they want a bombshell blonde! Last time they had that was 2004 (I don't count Demi-Leigh as strict blonde, tbh).

**Cello** Sun Nov 19, 2023 2:17 am

We did well with our respective lists / predictions, guys! As expected, non-placement for T&T. My top 10 based on SS are:

1. Nicaragua
2. Spain
3. Puerto Rico
4. India
5. Thailand
6. Peru
7. Cameroon
8. Colombia
9. Australia
10. South Africa

I think Australia can go straight to Top 5! Best body of the competition to me.

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