Lea Salonga To Judge Miss Universe 2011

CEBU, Philippines - 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.

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