REVISED TO SEEM LESS ABRASIVE - Coordinators were receiving complaints this was upsetting... I don't really know why, and I don't even care who, but I want everyone to understand, this is nothing negative. I feel even more like a celebrity, because it seems every time I do something edgy, somebody gotta problem with it. Just know that that I like to keep things real, and I haven't lied to anyone about anything. I stayed true to myself and everyone else throughout and I will continue to do so.
Now, about the pageant,ok so... I ended up losing lol
I placed 2nd...
One thing people need to understand about pageants, any and all pageants, and take it
from someone who knows a thing or two from connections (friends) and self experience:
It doesn't matter how good a person someone is, or how much they really
deserve to win (according to whatever credentials). These pageants are NOT character contests. They are
PAGEANTS. and you will be judged based on what is being PRESENTED. You could have
saved the world, but they will not know that unless it is made known.Ever wonder why that biggest bitch wins these things? The scandals involving the big pageants are with merit - because these girls from the TV know how to play the game. They've been doing pageants since forever. Understand that the one who wins is not necessarily the best, so no matter how well you "place" based on the judges decision, you are in you're own rite a winner. And it takes a lot to subject yourself to judgement, so be proud of any and all progress.
But anyways, wanna know my thoughts on the entire pageant? I lost fair and square 100% Hands down.
BUT
I think I should have been the winner anyway lol
Pero, im not trying to talk bad - nor am I sour about the whole situation
Lemme explain - based on evidence that i can provide, and to
not mention any names (because I dont roll like that), i can tell you right now that I
feel I was the most deserving candidate of them all. Why, I cannot divulge, because then it'd be kinda grimy of me, but im hoping my supporters will take my word for it...
Regardless, the winner DID do exceptionally well, so its no real surprise he was actual competition, as much as my ego may or may not want to admit it
What I didn't understand at the time was that this was a PAGEANT.
Not a CHARACTER CONTEST. And I didn't realize how pageants really worked.
So here's how the whole thing went down. Only my sister and her husband showed, in contrast to the half an army the other contestants brought in lol. I was really in this by myself since the start, but i did get some help from my family. Enough to say it wouldnt have been possible without em
Anyways, so we had to do the interview, traje tipico, talent, then questions
The Interview: I think this went well, it gave me avenue to express my articulate speech and dissect my brain for what it is. However, it was incredibly short! and i was unsatisfied with how much exactly was taken, i mean, it was only 3 questions... they were very polite, and seemed impressed, but there could have been so much more taken. And this was my biggest opportunity to capitalize on my biggest asset - my character - and i didn't, and it just might have cost me the title.
Traje Tipico: For my non-spanish speakers, this is where we wear the clothes native to our country. I dressed Jibaro (Rican version of country as hell lol) i did well with this, i bought an actual guayabera and the pants and had the red rags and pava. everyone did good, and it was cute lol
The Talent: Ok, so my talent was to sing the revolutionary version of La Boriquena (Rican national anthem) and.. day of the pageant.. i have the only sore throat. lmao. plus, singing is not my talent, dancing is, but i wanted to try something different and challenging. I underestimated this section of the competition and my opponents. The decision I made might've been ok, but without proper preparation, it might have also contributed to me losing the title. I aint no Mariah Carey, and I didn't have Usher coaching me
The Questions: So i HAD to get the very freaking question that I wanted least... BUT, like a true competitor, i came prepared, which i am very proud for. My question was, "Who is your favorite Puerto Rican man, and why?" I said Segundo Ruiz Belvis. And i was very calculated in my answer, i gave precise REASONS and mentioned specific details. my shit was not half assed. I know i did great here, and im very proud of how well I performed. The other competitors aint have NOTHIN on me here! lol
Why did I lose?
The burning question. Why did I lose?
I can never truly know, as I don't know the reasoning behind the judges decisions nor their interpretations of the performance given by me and my fellow competitors, but I can freely speculate based on given evidence and thought process. I mean, besides the fact that Rudy DID do well, I couldn't really tell ya lol.
(It actually turns out that I can view the judges scorecard 
so when I find out the info, i'll let you know just how close it was between me and the title)
To begin with, the interview, although it went well, could have gone way better. They want someone who can be a role model. Regardless of how well I fit that description (because remember, the truth is, this is a PAGEANT. Not a character contest. and anyone who tells you otherwise... is a liar) I didn't play up on what attributes of mine are relevant to that ideal. Do they know im in the Big Brother program? Worked for Merrill Lynch after winning a competition with 50 kids at the age of 16? All AP courses next year, JROTC, AND Peer Leadership?
No.
Because I didn't fucking tell them!!!!!!!
UGh.
Besides, I may or may NOT even be fit to be "role model" anyway. See, its all a game. And that's how pageants work!
They also don't know that I brought almost all the competition because I didn't want it to be easy. They also didn't know that i've been after this and kept up with it since last year. See my frustration?
No complaints with the traje tipico section.
My talent... could have been a little bit more... calculated.
Another tip: its not always how extravagant you are
its how you APPEAL to people. Something else I also didn't understand
Afterall, the winner was still uncertain with his upon arrival. He was very crafty in his actions though, and for this I applaud him, for what he did in this segment was pure MONEY and brilliant.
he talked about how how important his grandmother was to him and his family and what it meant to be here. It was meant to be poetic, and his emotions show, because he begins to weep a little
Which was, pretty good man. Whether his emotions were true, I believe they were. I believe the tears and emotions were 100% real. But how can anybody really compete with that? I mean, older people (and all people alike) LOVE their family. And they LOVE their grandmothers! And especially spanish people! So if a young kid talks so highly and emotionally, man.. FAWK! GO Rudy, you did well with that one.
My question went awesome, but I was hoping I would get asked about how its been an experience, or WHY I want to be MR. PR, because I would have then SERIOUSLY gone off in a tangent and been able to blow away the judges with my sincerity.
But it was luck of the draw, and I cannot be mad at anybody or blame anyone. Variable element that just happened not to be 100% in my favor, and there's nothing more that I could have done about it.
Overall, Rudy won fair and square, and im particularly proud of his performance, because i didn't expect so much of him. Which means pageant tip #3 NEVER. Underestimate you competition.
The whole thing was fun, and im happy I was a part of something so grand. Im really glad things worked out well, and even though I didn't win, I tried my hardest and im still a winner (as is everyone else who participated)
Cardinal Pageant Tips
1# - Pageants are NOT character competitions.
But that doesn't mean you can't use yours to aid you. Remember, it doesn't matter who you really are, its who the judges think you are.
Impressions never mattered so much.
2# - Never half ass anything.
OK, so my singing wasn't bad. But it wasn't GREAT. The less you give, the more others can get. And you DON'T want that. That is... if you want to win. Do what you do best OR AT LEAST WHAT YOU DO GREAT
3# - NEVER. Underestimate your opponents.
So contestant #4 is a drug addict. Contestant #1 has people issues, #2 stole a car and #7 has two left feet. What the judges don't know won't hurt ANYONE. These people can overcome whatever issues they have and win. So don't expect "karma" to handle business, or other people's problems to work against them, because this is reality honey. That stuff doesn't apply. Didn't you watch I Love Money 2?
4# - ALWAYS. Be fully prepared.
Boy. Lemme be da one to tell you.. SHIT HAPPENS! You can never be truly over prepared. Expect everything. The best, the worst, and nothing at all. Stay on top of your game. Because the first weakness or hole the pageant will find, it will be exploited. So go hard... or go home.
5# Know how to appeal.
Crying and dedicating yourself to your deceased grandmother among the board of judges (who mind you are SPANISH, OLDER, AND HOLD OLD FASHIONED VALUES) blows everything anyone did out the water. This kid was for real, but if you're going to try to pull anything like it and fake it, do it well, but please, don't over do it!
Good luck! And try to keep it 100
... But understand, sometimes, you just gotta do what you gotta do
IF. You want to win. 
~ New Jer-Z