With a bit of nervousness, Katja Thomsen faced squarely one of the critical challenges in her life. What she will say will determine if she will bring something that has never been brought to her native Uruguay before. The challenge was a question: “If ignorance is bliss, why do we seek knowledge?” If she aced it, she could have brought home the Miss World crown.
Fluent in Spanish and German and English – albeit not perfectly – Katja faced one of the most difficult questions ever asked in the world of pageantry. The host of the evening, Jerry Springer, knew right away that the gravity of the question especially for someone whose first language is not English.
Jerry muttered that it was not fair and took pains in explaining the question to Katja. But Katja got it really. She answered something that still rings true to this day (actually what she said was always true). Katja Thomsen answered that there is no bliss in ignorance. In fact, it is the source of the major problems of the world today!
Now, happily married, Katja is a mother, a model and the face of Maybelline in Uruguay. Above all – she claims – a writer. She published a book a few years back discussing her life as a model.
There is no doubt that the 5’11” tall beauty remains the most popular beauty queen that Uruguay has ever produced. In fact, she is the highest ranking in her country for landing in the top 5 of Miss World 2000. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, her feat remains unequaled and the way things are going on in Uruguay, perhaps no Uruguayan beauty will ever surpass her achievements.
Katja Thomsen is perhaps the best Miss World that Uruguay never had.
