America really has a problem with balance. Not the country as a whole, just the women we send to worldwide beauty pageants. Last year’s Miss USA went crashing to the ground during the evening gown portion of the Miss Universe competition. This year? Miss USA went crashing to the ground during the evening gown portion of the Miss Universe competition. Awesome. Crystle Stewart, 26, tripped on the hem of her very beautiful – and very long – gown, and next thing you knew the motivational speaker was ass to floor.

No one said the route to being crowned the most beautiful girl in the Universe would be easy. And beauty queen Crystle Stewart was no doubt hoping to make an entrance as she strutted her stuff at the final of the Miss Universe event. But maybe not quite the one she did make, as the 5ft 10in beauty tripped on the train of her dazzling evening gown during the competition and ended up in a heap on the floor.

The reigning Miss USA took a tumble in front of a worldwide audience of 1billion people and shattered her hopes of winning Miss Universe 2008. Stunning Crystle ended up in an ungainly heap after slipping as she emerged on stage for the evening gown section of the contest in Vietnam. The stunned beauty queen briefly sat on the floor before regaining her composure and getting up to applause from the audience.

Before the show Stewart, 26, a motivational speaker and former track and field star said she felt very confident going into the show and couldn’t imagine experiencing the same calamity as her predecessor.

[From the Daily Mail]

Of course the video is all over YouTube… which is kinda sad… and also means it’s going to be all over this article, too. It must really suck to have your drams go down so quickly in front of so many people, and have to act like you’re cool with it. Here’s Crystle Stewart outside the Waverly Inn in the West Village on June 3rd. Images thanks to WENN.

Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart
I watched most of the Miss USA Pageant and it looked like it went off without a hitch. Donnie and Marie Osmond hosted, and the show was modern and entertaining enough to add some moderate interest to the outdated beauty pageant fare. Controversial divorcee Heather Mills, fierce Project Runway winner Christian Siriano, and celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves were among the judges. They tried to keep it fresh with backstage footage and off the cuff chats with the judges and contestants, and the music and competition segments were good, but there’s only so much you can do to make a beauty pageant entertaining. There weren’t any technical issues or big slip ups by the contestants.

Judge Christian Siriano added some of his trademark flair to the show. During the unprepared question and answer period, a judge was drawn from a hat to ask each of the top 5 contestants a question. Siriano asked Miss Oklahoma which famous person she’d most like to help to better themselves and she predictably answered “Britney Spears.” Siriano smiled wide, and you know that’s the answer he had in mind as he’s said publicly that he wants to help Britney too. This was one of the less articulate answers by a contestant, which makes it more fun to watch:

“As of right now, I’d like to pick Britney Spears. Because I’d really like to help her with her self confidence and help her believe in herself, and get over whatever she’s going through right now so she can strive on going to the next deal.”

The winner was Miss Texas Crystle Stewart, a 26 year-old African American college graduate and entrepreneur who runs a party planning and motivational speaking company. Her answer during the judges questions was the most well spoken:

Question from Judge #9, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman: “In some countries when you turn 18 you’re required to spend a year in the military. Do you think that should be enforced in our country?”

Miss Texas, Crystle Stewart: “I don’t think it should be enforced. I think you’re talking about the draft in our country. I think it should be a choice. We have people there in Iraq right now fighting for our country and it was their choice and I really appreciate that. It should be a choice.”

Here are clips from the show. There wasn’t a talent competition unfortunately. Only Miss America includes the talent competition.

Swimsuit Competition, Finger 11 plays in the background:

Top 10 contestants are picked from a lineup of women in their swimsuits:

Evening gown competition:

Pre-arranged Q&A with the top five contestants:

Judges questions for the top 5 contestants:

Miss Texas is crowned:

And in the brief instance where Heather Mills had a chat with host Donnie Osmond, she managed to remain calm and surprisingly soft spoken: