Back in 2005, when the internet didn’t move in the speed of light to do fact-checking, Miss International 2005 Precious Lara Quigaman’s speech became an internet sensation for it being a fabricated hoax. The hoax speech became viral that it even birthed rumors that Oprah Winfrey wanted to invite Lara because of that speech.
Thankfully we now have video evidence of what Lara actually said that moved the judges to make her win the 4th Miss International title for the Philippines. Today we take a look back on those two speeches.
The hoax speech: “I take no offense on being typecasted as a nanny. But I do take offense that the educated people of the world have somehow denegrated the true sense and meaning of what a nanny is. Let me tell you what she is. She is someone who gives more than she takes. She is someone you trust to look after the very people most precious to you – your child, the elderly, yourself. She is the one who has made a living out of caring and loving other people. So to those who have typecasted us as nannies, Thank you. It is a testament to the loving and caring culture of the Filipino people. And for that, I am forever proud and grateful of my roots and culture.”
The actual speech: “Here in Miss International our main mission is to promote peace and goodwill, right? And if given the wonderful opportunity to be Miss International I would organize fundraising events that would benefit less fortunate children from all over the world, focusing on free education and improving their quality of life. In this way we are teaching our youngsters that there is hope for them. And we not only develop friendship among countries but we are also making way to a brighter future, because I have always believed that our hope and our future lies in the children. Thank you very much.”
While both speeches are actually quite good, it was the latter that helped Lara win the Mikimoto crown that year. The 5’6″ stunner became the fourth Filipina to win the MI title and the third under the wings of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant. BPCI would later win two more Miss International titles, while Lara became an actress, a mother to two kids and wife to actor Marco Alcaraz.
SASHES&SCRIPTS 