5 Beauty Queens who ruled the world, the universe rather, with their Q&A

The world’s spotlight is once again on the Philippines for the Miss Universe pageant happening on Monday, January 30. The pressure of carrying your country’s flag in a prestigious pageant might be daunting, but these beauty queens handled it with grace, wit, and charm. Here are some Miss Universe winners and their memorable Q&A’s:

1. Gloria Diaz of the Philippines, Miss Universe 1969

Q: In the next day or so, a man will land on the moon. If a man from the moon landed in your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?

A: Oh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been on the moon for so long, I think when he comes over he wants a change, I guess.

2. Sushmita Sen of India, Miss Universe 1994

Q: What is the essence of being a woman?

A: Just being a woman is God’s gift that all of us must appreciate. The origin of a child is a mother, and is a woman. She shows a man what sharing, caring and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman.

3. Brook Lee of USA, Miss Universe 1997

Q: If there would be no rules in your life in one day, and you could do something outrageous what would it be and why?

A: I would eat everything. You don’t understand. I will eat everything twice.

4. Lara Dutta of India, Miss Universe 2000

Q: Right now there is a protest going on right outside here calling the Miss Universe pageant disrespectful of women. Convince them they are wrong.

A: I think pageants like the Miss Universe pageant gives us young women a platform to foray in the fields that we want to and forge ahead, be it entrepreneurship, be it the armed force, be it politics. It gives us a platform to voice our choices and opinions, and makes us strong, independent women that we are today.

5. Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines, Miss Universe 2015

Q: Why should you be the next Miss Universe?

A: To be Miss Universe is both an honor and a responsibility. If I would be Miss Universe I would use my voice to influence the youth and raise awareness to causes like HIV awareness that is timely and relevant to my country, the Philippines. I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart.