THE SIXTY CONTESTANTS attired in their national costumes file onto the stage of the Miami Beach Auditorium and chirp out that year's theme song before casting their ballots for Miss Amity during the last Parade of Nations to ever be held in Miami Beach. Miss Peru, Magnolia (what a name!) Martinez, is announced Miss Amity at the conclusion of the promenade in native ensembles. Bob Barker and Miss Hospitality present the Amity trophy to Miss Magnolia who speaks no English.

     The absurd practice of interviewing the semi-finalists in their costumes while the rest of the non-finalist delegates watch very silently on-stage is "well and alive" in 1971, but at least this is the first year the number of semi-finalists is pared down to twelve from fifteen. The Miss Universe pageant was, in a sense, getting ready to trot the globe and this year's edition was the last contest held on the American mainland until it returned to New York City ten years later in 1981.

     The first batch of ladies chats with Bob Barker who does not have the benefit of translators (if needed) at this point in the history of the interview segment. As always, he "wings it" quite well. Miss Lebanon tells us she has been a model in Beirut since the age of 'fourteen-years-and-half' and constantly smiles because she is happy, Miss Puerto Rico explains her nickname 'Beba' means 'baby' in Spanish which is one of the four languages she speaks, Miss Virgin Islands talks about her boyfriend with her Asian roommates from the Philippines and Malaysia, Miss Spain is from the southern region of Andalucia and practically sniffed when she told Bob that her boyfriend would not stop playing the national lottery, Miss France would like to meet an American on account that she cannot stand Frenchmen (the audience roars with laughter here), and Miss England informs us that she prefers to eat non-English dishes like Hungarian goulash.

     Miss Brazil tells us (in Portuguese) she teaches reading and writing to adults, Miss Japan demonstrates the traditional tea ceremony with many gestures simulating stirring and pouring, Miss Australia describes her costume representing 'sun, sand, and surf,' Miss USA plans to become a nurse in her hometown in Pennsylvania, Miss Israel likes target practice in the Israeli army and Bob comically reassures her this is a good way to handle her future husband, and Miss Finland works for radio and TV in promoting the winter Olympics to be held in her country.

     After the signature Catalina swimsuit and evening gown segments in which the semi-finalists emerge from what many adoring fans think looks like a portal resembling a huge "uterus" (really, it does!), the five finalists take their places on high pedestals. The sound-proof isolation booth reigns in its third year as a feature of excitement and suspense. Remember, in many ways, the Miss Universe pageant is TV history's earliest form of a virtual-reality show! The final question is, "If your friend were entering the Miss Universe contest, what advice would you give her?"

     Miss Hospitality ushers four finalists into the booth so that Bob can field this question to the first girl, Miss Finland. Miss Finland's response is short and simple, "to be natural." Miss Lebanon begins her response in English then reverts to French....."wonderful experience" spiel. Miss Australia's advice would be to make as many friends as she could, for what, I suppose?Miss Brazil spoke in her native Portuguese, same "wonderful" experience spiel except the translator included the phrase, "experience beyond reproach. "Miss Puerto Rico did speak English and used the phrase "to be on the ball."

     Bob Barker had to plead with the riotous Latin Americans in the audience rooting for the crowd favorite Miss Puerto Rico, Beba Franco, to simmer down by extorting, "Por favor, mis amigos!" Misses Brazil, Puerto Rico, Finland and Australia are named the runners-up while the royal robe is slipped on the shoulders of Miss Lebanon wearing a daring low-cut green harem-pants number. Georgina Rizk took her victory walk along the long, wide runway still used in those days. She would not return to crown her successor in Puerto Rico the next year, but that's another story.

by Juan Prado

The 12 Semi-finalists

• GEORGINA RIZK, Lebanon
• TONY RAYWARD, Australia
• PIRJO LAITILA, Finland
• BEBA FRANCO, Puerto Rico
• ELIANE PAREIRA GUIMARAES, Brazil
• MARILYN ANN WARD, England
• MYRIAM STOCCO, France
• ESTHER ORGAD, Israel
• SHIGEKO TAKETOMI, Japan
• JOSEFINA GUTIERREZ, Spain
• MICHELE MCDONALD, USA
• CHERRIE CREQUE, U.S. Virgin Islands