Miss Venezuela is the 2008 Miss Universe winner

Miss Venezuela is the 2008 Miss Universe winner Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza, was crowned the 2008 Miss Universe in Vietnam on Sunday night. Miss Venezuela was one of the five finalists, including the contestants from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Russia. Dayana Mendoza, 22, burst into tears when Jerry Springer (yes, the same Jerry Springer) announced she won the prestigious beauty pageant. "Men think that the fastest way to go to a point is to go straight. Women know that the faster way to go to a point is to go to the curves," was the answer Miss Venezuela gave to the question of the difference between men and women, many considered the winner. Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza, was the favorite to win the 2008 Miss Universe from the get-go with the online sportsbooks, she was +625 odds to win with Bookmaker, although many bettors were hoping for an underdog victory, such as Japan's Riyo Mori during the last year's Miss Universe.

An unfortunate event during the Miss Universe was the Miss USA Crystle Stewart trip during the evening gown presentation - she tripped on the train of her bejeweled evening gown as she made her entrance. Crystle Stewart became the second Miss USA in a row to take a fall during the Miss Universe pageant, a fact the 2009 Miss USA should consider before going on stage next year.

Published on 07/14/2008