Miss Universe 2011 News: Telecast Judges Announced; Bebel Gilberto and Claudia Leite to Perform

Style Network’s Jeannie Mai and Miss USA 2004 Shandi Finnessey will serve as Fashion Commentators

NBC, Donald J. Trump and Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, announced today the celebrities and experts who will judge at the 60th Annual “Miss Universe® Pageant,” which will be broadcast live from Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil on Monday, September 12 at 9 p.m. ET. A live Spanish simulcast will air on Telemundo.

The list of judges includes: Helios Castroneves, three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500; Connie Chung, U.S. broadcast legend; Isabeli Fontana, Brazilian supermodel; Vivica Fox, actress & television producer; Adrienne Maloof, from Bravo’s hit series “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”; Lea Salonga, Tony Award winner and actress; Amelia Vega, Miss Universe 2003.

Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Bebel Gilberto, daughter of Brazilian legend Joao Gilberto, will perform her electronic bossa nova single “Close Your Eyes” during theevening gown portion of the competition.

Meanwhile, Brazilian native pop singer Claudia Leitte will turn the heat up when she performs her new single “Locomotion” during the swimsuit competition.

As previously announced, Andy Cohen, host of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens: Live,” and Natalie Morales, news anchor of NBC’s “Today” will host the “2011 Miss Universe® Pageant.” Joining them will be host of Style Network’s “How Do I Look” Jeannie Mai and Shandi Finnessy, Miss USA 2004, who will provide skybox fashion commentary throughout the LIVE telecast.

For the first time ever, fans in represented countries have been able to vote for their favorite contestant for an automatic spot into the semifinals at the 2011 Miss Universe® Competition. Fans can vote online at www.missuniverse.com or www.nbc.com. Online voting is taking place now through September 11 (9 pm ET).

The 2011 MISS UNIVERSE® Pageant kicks off a series of worldwide events hosted by Brazil. In addition to this global beauty event, Brazil is host to the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. With the city of São Paulo at center stage, the pageant will take place at Credicard Hall, a prominent music theater for the city.

The two-hour television event, comprised of contestants representing approximately 90 countries around the world, will compete in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. In past years, worldwide distribution of the competition has topped nearly 190 countries and territories.

The Miss Universe Organization, a Donald J. Trump and NBCUniversal joint venture, is a global community empowering role models of beauty, health and leadership for young women of today. The organization is dedicated to partnering with charities around the world, and to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on women’s health issues. For more information, visit: www.missuniverse.com.

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