I am watching the live telecast of the Miss Universe 2020-2021 beauty pageant as I write this. I know that in this day and age, many are wondering if such undertaking remains relevant. Notwithstanding opinion about the purpose pageants serve, those who participate in it, win or lose, still find it a life-changing experience that can be a springboard to achieving their dreams.

Anyway, one of the craziest things I proposed while still with the newspaper was to cover an international beauty pageant. More specifically, to get to know each of the candidates and feature them individually. My objective was for the public to get to know each one, regardless of their chances of winning.

The Philippines was hosting this pageant so it was a matter of tracking down where the women were billeted to have access to them. With so many activities each day prior to the coronation night that took the candidates everywhere, the only chance to catch them would be early in the morning before they left the hotel.

Challenging task

It was a humongous undertaking what with more than 50 contestants from around the world. I needed at least 15 minutes with each one to get the most basic information out of them, and an anecdote or two to help them stand out a little.

Initially, I did the interviews alone. Their hotel was close to my house so it was just a matter of waking up very early to drive over and talk to a couple of the girls as they came down for breakfast. Since they are beauty queens, they had to be dressed and made up before appearing in public.

By my calculation, I could cover them all in two weeks or so, and end the day before coronation.

Silly me for thinking I could do this by myself, including work on the write-up for each girl in time for publishing the following day. Waking up at 5 am and leaving the office at 10 pm was no joke!

But I was committed, not only to my editor for backing me up since the coverage did push circulation up, but to the girls as well so each had equal exposure.

Not a work for one

First, I had to target those who could speak English because I wouldn't need an interpreter or struggle with communication. Sometimes, I would chance upon a non-English speaking candidate who was friends with an English-speaking girl so I would request the latter to translate for the former.

I also had to make friends with some of the girls so they could connect me to the other candidates. After two or three days, they pretty much knew what I was doing, and were thrilled because I would provide them a copy of the issue when they were featured (it was a good PR tactic for the newspaper) so they were willing to be interviewed.

By the fourth or fifth day, I knew I needed help and roped in one reporter, who I usually assigned to do features. She had an idea about what I wanted done, and between us, we covered more girls. Still, there was more and they were winding down to their last weekend of activities before the contingent hied off to the location of the coronation night, which was hours away from Manila!

So I tapped three trainees and had them jump in to do interviews with us. It was an experience for them as well because prior to that assignment I don't think they've ever done a formal interview, much less write an article based on one.

I also managed to request photographers to take pictures of the girls. And with beautiful women as subjects, the guys were competing for the assignment!

Backbreaking but fulfilling

It was a very exhausting project. But very fulfilling especially when the girls came up to you with profuse thanks for being featured. It was something to show their folks back home even if they didn't win.

That last day of interviews was mayhem because we were just catching them in between their rehearsals, photo shoots and interviews. We would be sitting on the floor, hovering outside rooms or hunkering on their beds (especially towards the end of the evening when they were all tired) just to squeeze something out of them.

After going over the articles for all the women, most of which I wrote anyway, I had a good idea who were likely to be the top candidates on the final evening. I knew which ones were very serious about the competition, those who would do anything to win, and those who really were friends and supported each other.

Remember, these are all women, with their own aspirations, thrust into an arena where they would have to compete against each other and try not to lose confidence as they saw who they were up against.

The world of beauty

Oh, I heard stories of girls who hated each other's guts, who spread gossip about another, those who were messy, or with super-weird habits, and the ones trying to catch the attention of big-wigs running the pageant.

It was like stepping into another world, one that I would never be able to survive. I appreciated the real nice ones, who remember me and would throw a smile my way or a greeting when I saw them as they trooped to the bus before leaving the hotel.

And yes, I did cover the coronation night and witnessed the crowning of the new queen. I even got a few words from her afterwards because she knew who I was and gave me a few precious minutes while delirious with joy over her victory.

Following that project, I don't know how my perspective about beauty pageants changed, but I gained better appreciation for it. I did see how hard the girls worked to be there, and how much harder they had to try to be noticed in a sea of beauty, however it was perceived to be.

One takeaway, however, is that beauty is serious business. And it's not about appearance alone. As cliched as it sounds, it takes a combination of heart, brains and a stunning face to make it as beauty queen. Some women just have IT.

It was my good fortune to know a bevy of international beauties and help make each one feel important during such a nerve-wracking time in their lives.

Lead image: google.com