Miss Venezuela Crowned Miss Universe 2008
Dayana Mendoza wins crown.
Mendoza, formerly Miss Venezuela, is now Miss Universe, according to AP. Though she was once kidnapped in her own country, the recovered Mendoza credits the experience for her ability to maintain grace under pressure.
Unfortunately for Miss USA, Crystle Stewart, such grace was somewhat lacking. Following in the footsteps of last year's Miss USA and MTV celebrity Rachel Smith, Stewart took a spill onstage, one that is sure to be shown repeatedly on YouTube.
Hosted by Jerry Springer and Spice Girl Melanie Brown, this year's competition, which was held in Nha Trang, Vietnam, featured 80 contestants, according to AP. The final five contestants were Miss Colombia, Miss Dominican Republic, Miss Mexico, Miss Venezuela and Miss Russia.