In case you missed it, NBC’s “Today” show anchor Natalie Morales was the co-host of last night’s Miss Universe pageant, along with “Celebrity Apprentice” winner Bret Michaels. Miss Mexico took home the crown during the telecast which came off as a giant advertisement for the Las Vegas Visitors & Convention bureau, some unknown hair product, and NBC’s fall schedule. (There were 5 straight minutes of NBC promos between 9:13-9:18pmET). Also in the early going, Morales had to nudge Michels a couple times as he seemed to miss his cue.
The first hour of the pageant tied for fourth place in the ratings, beaten by repeats of “Two and a Half Men” and “Big Bang Theory” on CBS, “Bachelor Pad” on ABC and a telenovela on Univision. The second hour jumped into first place. But with 6 million Total Viewers, it will go down as the lowest-rated Miss Universe telecast ever.
NBC/MSNBC’s Tamron Hall was a judge for the pageant, and was selected to ask a question of eventual first runner-up Miss Jamaica. Hall asked her whether she thought the death penalty was an acceptable means of punishment. She’s doesn’t: “I believe that we as mere beings of the earth have no right to control what only one person can control, and that is God.”
It’s the first time Miss Mexico has won Miss Universe in 19 years. As reported on CBS’ “The Early Show” this morning, the crowning prompted a congratulatory Tweet from Mexican president Felipe Calderone.