[Cross-posted] The public voting for Miss Universe New Zealand is going quite well and three girls seem to be leading there. I actually believe these will have an impact on the night, probably as though all of New Zealand was a “sixth judge”. (Note: I do not know this for sure: I am guessing.)

1. Melissa Lowe (535 votes)
2. Amanda Hiroti (494 votes)
3. Laural Barrett (480 votes)

There are various codes you can text to 946 in New Zealand. Go to www.missuniversenz.co.nz to get the actual codes. Cellphone bill payer gets charged, etc.
   I didn’t pick that Miss Lowe would poll so highly, though it is no surprise about Mlles Hiroti and Barrett (who is a twin—her sister was runner-up last year). Still, these are just based on a cursory glance at their appearance.
   There’s a part of me that has become quite objective about looks through involvement in the fashion industry, and whether a girl will photograph well. Sometimes they have a great personality and the pic looks horrid—which is my case for retouching (to bring the image to a standard where others can feel the model’s goodness). I am afraid the winner needs it all, and Miss Lowe’s photograph doesn’t quite measure up, but I am not going to go in to judging with that preconceived idea. I’ll have to judge on their merits and if she’s a confident person and that beams out to where the judges are sitting, then I will put points in her favour—just as the international judges in Mexico will do in May.
   The danger is that the points’ system usually produces an aggregate winner, who may not shine in any one thing.
   So the key is to find someone to represent this nation brilliantly, express our values (which are very appealing globally, especially to Americans, since we remind them of what they used to be), but also be ultra-confident. I’ll be warning my fellow judges about the “aggregate” winner. I’m judging so we can send someone who will win and this will be good for our nation. Posted by Jack Yan, 22:56  permalink

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