Gloria, Margie didn’t train for Miss U as hard as Pia did

We can’t have enough of Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, can we?

We gobble up with gusto every morsel of every story about Pia, don’t we?

We want to know every little part of Pia’s life as much as we can, can’t we?

Now, did you know that Pia is far different from Gloria Diaz (1969) and Margie Moran (1973)?

Pia dreamed of becoming a beauty queen since she was a kid. Recalled her mom Cheryl Alonzo in a TV interview, Pia would wear mom Cheryl’s high heels and sashay like a, well, beauty queen while she would ask Pia, “What is the essence of being a woman?” (the deciding question that helped clinch the title for India’s Sushmita Sen when the Miss Universe pageant was held here the second time in 1994, after the first in 1974).

“I never thought of myself as a beauty queen,” Gloria told Funfare. “I don’t even NOW imagine myself being that!!!”

“No, I didn’t,” replied Margie. “I joined (the Bb. Pilipinas pageant) because Auggie Cordero convinced me.” (Auggie designed the gown Margie wore when she was crowned Miss U in Athens.)

Shown on TV a few days ago was Pia during her rigorous training for the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas, stretching every part of her body, pumping iron, bending and sitting up, running on treadmill, eating healthy, reviewing the Q&A segments of previous Bb. Pilipinas pageants in which she finished runner-up and semi-finalist, never giving up, and generally adopting a positive attitude and psyching herself walking on stage with the Miss U crown perched on her head.

“During my time,” added Gloria, “there was no training, no plastic surgery. With Bob Barker as host, the pageant went like clockwork. No voting by the audience, just a simple ‘you win or you lose’ by the judges. No country participation.”

“During my time,” recalled Margie, “we had no training. I was a model and I danced on stage at CCP and Meralco Theater so I knew how to walk and to project. I worked out and got a tan before I left for Athens. I read a lot and made sure that I was aware of current events. It was more simple then.”

Now in New York which will be her home during her year-long reign, Pia has appealed to “those fighting about this” (referring to the post-pageant brouhaha): “Please let’s all stop now.” In short, come on guys, move on!

“I am very happy about Pia’s Miss Universe win,” said Madame Stella Marquez-Araneta, head of the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI), who won the first Miss International crown for her home country (Colombia). “It is a well-deserved crown! All the hard work in her training at BPCI paid off. She did consistently well in the pre-pageant activities and impressed everyone with her excellent performance during the coronation night. Our heartfelt thanks go out to those who supported Pia in her journey. Congratulations!”

Here’s what Paula Shugart, president of Miss Universe Organization (MUO), said: “The past Sunday night, human error caused an unfortunate incident that is now being talked about around the world. My heart broke, not only for Ariadna Gutierrez  (Miss Colombia, first runner-up) but for Pia and all the young women who worked so hard to be on that stage that night.

“However, knowing Pia’s sole desire was to ensure Ariadna was okay and witnessing Ariadna’s grace right after the show and ever since, knowing that destiny has other great things in store for her, only reinforced my faith in the incredible women we have the privilege of working with at the Miss Universe Organization. My sincere congratulations to Pia and Ariadna, both for a job well done. And to our reigning Miss USA, Olivia Jordan, thank you for your kindness and support these past few days. You continue to make us proud.”

Now, this trivia (reported by Funfare’s “other beauty expert Celso de Guzman Caparas): Pia’s roommate, Myanmar’s May Thaw, visited Pia at her suite (where she was transferred after she won) to bid her goodbye before she flew back to Myanmar. Revealed Pia, “I gave her my last pearl earrings to keep and remember me. I’m so thankful to have met so many amazing women during this journey.”

Meanwhile, Celso has filed a report on the country’s 2015 golden harvest in world/universe/global pageants. The winners and runners-up are pictured on this page.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)