Miss USA News

NBC Signs on to Broadcast the Miss USA® Pageant for Three Years

NEW YORK and UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - March 8, 2010 - NBC has renewed its exclusive agreement with Donald Trump and the Miss Universe Organization to broadcast the "Miss Universe" and "Miss USA" pageants on the network for three additional years effective in 2011. Telemundo is also on board to continue its hugely successful Spanish language simulcast of "Miss Universe" as well as its top-rated pageant lead-in special, "Camino a la Corona." The announcement was made today by Donald Trump, Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart and Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment.

"There's been renewed interest in this series of beauty pageants, especially among a new generation of younger viewers," said Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming and Production, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "NBC is proud to maintain this unique American cultural tradition as a viable series of competitive programming specials that continue to be a popular source of entertainment."

"I am honored to continue this partnership with NBC," said Trump. "The Miss Universe Organization continues to outshine its competitors by showcasing the most beautiful women in some of the most exotic locations around the world on the best television networks. Last year 'The 2009 Miss Universe Pageant' alone was seen in over 195 countries worldwide and 'The 2009 Miss USA Pageant' was viewed in 100. There are very few live worldwide broadcasts that come close to competing with Miss USA and Miss Universe."

"NBC continues to be a wonderful broadcast partner," said Miss Universe Organization president, Paula M. Shugart. "Together over the past eight years we have proven these pageants continue to be relevant in the worldwide marketplace. Telemundo's Spanish language simulcast and preshow have added to the glamour and glitz of one of the most well known, sought after organizations in the world, the Miss Universe Organization."

"The 2010 Miss USA Pageant" is set to air live on NBC on Sunday, May 16 (7-9 p.m. ET) from the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. "Las Vegas has proven to be the perfect location for our worldwide broadcast," Shugart added. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority by making Las Vegas our home for the years to come."

Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA appear in the New York Daily News!

On February 12, 2010, Miss Universe Stefania Hernandez, Miss USA Kristen Dalton and Miss Teen USA Stormee Henley, appeared in the New York Daily News when they made an appearance at the James Peters Veteran's Medical Center in the Bronx where they gave out Valentine's Day cards and gifts to injured veterans. They are show above visiting disabled soldier, pfc Roberto Reyes.

Carrie Prejean, ex-Miss California USA, is Engaged!

Carrie Prejean is engaged. The embattled beauty queen, who was dethroned from the Miss California title last year, became engaged over the weekend to St. Louis Rams quarterback Kyle Boller, Carrie's mother, Francine Coppola, told Access Hollywood on Monday. According to Francine, Carrie, 22, described the proposal as similar to a scene out of 2004's romance film "The Notebook," which starred Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Kyle, 28, presented his bride to be with a 5 carat diamond ring... www.omg.yahoo.com Read full article

Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton called to duty by USO

New York, NY – On Veterans Day, Kristen Dalton, Miss USA 2009, visited the historic Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum where she announced that she has been called to duty by the USO and will spend the Thanksgiving holiday by giving back to military men, women and their families at Fort Drum Installation Base, home of the 10th Light Infantry Division.

With over 30,000 military men, women, staff members and their families who are based in this New York State camp, Kristen will serve up holiday meals, visit with enlisted soldiers and their families as well as host a movie night. “I can’t think of anything I want to do more this Thanksgiving than visit our troops.

These men and women have given so much for this country and I am honored to be spending this very special holiday with them,” said Kristen Dalton. “I urge all Americans to find a way to volunteer and give back in their honor.” ServiceNation, the groundbreaking nationwide campaign to advance service and volunteerism also announced today that Miss USA will be an Ambassador for their organization. Miss USA will travel the nation encouraging Americans to volunteer and champion service as a core element of citizenship. To find out how you can serve, visit www.servicenation.org.

Sideshow: Ex-pageant winner drops her suit

It's a scandal-heavy week. So strap in and . . . squirm. The infamously defrocked California pageant princess Carrie Prejean and Miss USA pageant organizer K2Productions have reached a settlement in their dueling lawsuits. A triumph for the spirit of reconciliation and love? Not exactly, says TMZ. The celeb news outlet contends that Carrie, who claimed she was stripped of her Miss California title in June due to religious discrimination, dropped her suit seconds after K2 lawyers showed her a hard-core vid in which she performed solo sex acts. TMZ says that, under the terms of the settlement, Carrie will be paid . . . $0, while her lawyers and publicist will get $100,000. K2 dropped its lawsuit, which accused Carrie of failing to repay $5,200 for her breast-augmentation surgery. Miss California USA has said it dethroned Carrie for failing to attend contractually obligated appearances and making paid appearances without the org's approval. Carrie made headlines when she told Miss USA judge Perez Hilton she opposed gay marriage because of her deeply held convictions as a Christian. -- www.philly.com Read article

Former Miss USA Shawnae Jebbia Shines with Siemens Pure

When Shawnae Jebbia won the Miss USA crown in 1998, it was the start of a fairytale career. She appeared at events throughout the world, worked as a model, and hosted her own fitness show. But Shawnae's world unexpectedly changed when she was diagnosed with hearing loss. After living a life full of traveling and adventure, she had a difficult time understanding and accepting the sudden hearing loss diagnosis she faced at just 27 years of age. Now, Shawnae wears Siemens Pure® 700 hearing instruments, which have completely changed her life for the better. Thanks to the sophisticated new hearing instruments and Shawnae's bright and optimistic attitude, she has become a remarkable and humble role model for people with hearing loss.

Shawnae Jebbia had a thriving career as an outgoing, energetic television personality when she began to notice changes in her hearing. At first Shawnae attributed the changes to her busy travel schedule and recurring allergies, until she was unexpectedly diagnosed with Meniere's disease, a condition that is characterized by fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, and dizziness.

Shawnae found it difficult to keep up with the disease when she was first diagnosed, as she struggled to understand the condition and the steps that she needed to take to address it. But as a result of her diagnosis, Shawnae knew that the smart thing to do was to seek help from hearing instruments, a decision that she is grateful for to this day. Shawnae was fit with Siemens Pure 700 hearing instruments, which feature the most advanced hearing technology in an almost invisible, ultra-small platform.

"Pure is so tiny no one notices it. Not even me. Both personally and socially, it gives me the confidence to do what I want," Shawnae says. "Pure hides, so I can shine."

Siemens Pure hearing instruments are equipped with intuitive technology that reduces the volume for loud sounds while increasing it for soft sounds. Siemens revolutionary TruEar® technology stimulates the acoustical functions of the outer ear while separating sounds in front of the wearer from sounds behind the wearer. Pure includes e2e® technology, which wirelessly synchronizes both instruments so the wearer can localize sounds from left to right. Sound Brilliance, another new technology, enhances the perception of high-pitched sounds to give the wearer a richer, fuller and more natural hearing experience.

Pure hearing instruments also feature FeedbackBlocker to automatically eliminate feedback patterns, providing ultimate sound comfort. SoundSmoothing® reduces annoying sounds such as dishes clanging, without affecting speech. Shawnae's Pure 700 hearing instruments go even further with Siemens enhanced SoundLearning®, which not only remembers her volume preferences, but also learns her sound quaility preferences.

Shawnae has further enhanced her Pure 700 hearing instruments with the Siemens Tek® wireless system, which streams audio directly from televisions, cell phones and MP3 players into her Pure instruments using Bluetooth® wireless technology. Tek allows for phone signals to be transmitted to both ears, giving the hearing instrument wearer an advantage that other people do not have.

"Listening to the phone in both ears is amazing! And it was great to watch TV again without having to read subtitles," Shawnae says. "Tek has opened up new worlds for me. It's with me wherever I go." --Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/

Carrie Prejean, Miss California organization drop dueling lawsuits and make nice.

Keith Lewis, executive director of the Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA organizations, has released this statement: “Carrie Prejean, Keith Lewis, and K2 productions have dropped their claim against each other and wish each other the best in their future endeavors.” So that's it? All that catfighting and mudslinging comes to naught? What a letdown! His statement continued: “We are moving forward from the past and looking towards the crowning of two winners and the new look of the upcoming Miss California USA pageant, telecast live on November 22nd.” Well, that was a lot of sturm und drang over nothing. -- latimesblogs.latimes.com Read article

Miss USA Pageant in the News

Kristen Dalton in Page Six

On May 21st, 2009, the New York Post's famed 'Page Six' celebrity column paid credence to Kristen Dalton's recent appearance at Project Sunshine’s Sixth Annual Benefit Celebration, P.S. I Love You. Other notable attendees were New York Giant David Diehl, child actors Abigail Breslin of 'Little Miss Sunshine' and Rachel Covey of 'Enchanted', female boxer and daugher of Muhammad Ali, Laila Ali and Sports Illustrated models Esti Ginzburg and Tori Praver.

Former Miss California USA sues pageant officials

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Carrie Prejean has filed a lawsuit against Miss California USA officials who stripped her of her title, accusing them of libel and religious discrimination for her views on same-sex marriage. Carrie Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA title earlier this year. "We will make the case that her title was taken from her solely because of her support of traditional marriage," her attorney, Charles LiMandri, said in a news release. Prejean stepped into controversy at the Miss USA pageant in April when, in response to a question from a judge, she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage.

Prejean finished as first runner-up. The complaint was filed in Superior Court of California against Miss California USA officials Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler, as well as publicist Roger Neal. It alleges that Prejean suffered because of "libel, public disclosure of private facts, religious discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress." -- Article and photo courtesy of CNN Read full article

Ousted Miss California Has a Story, and a Book Deal

Dethroned beauty queen Carrie Prejean is set to share her story of alleged persecution by liberals and the media in a new book called 'Still Standing.' Conservative book house Regnery Publishing announced the deal on Monday. In a press release by the publisher, Prejean blames her opposition to gay marriage and the "unprecedented personal attacks" that followed for her downfall. -- www.popeater.com Read full article

Dethroned beauty queen to speak to GOP youth

Stance on gay marriage, her racy teen photos have kept model in headlines

Carrie Prejean, the blonde beauty queen who grabbed national attention after her controversial remarks on gay marriage at the 2009 Miss USA pageant, will come to Simi Valley next month to speak at the Young Republican Federation of California convention. The 22-year-old San Diego native is scheduled to deliver the keynote address during a dinner banquet Sat., Aug. 15. Ventura County Young Republicans (VCYR) is hosting the event. Convention chair Danielle White, 24, said the former Miss California was chosen to speak because the majority of the county's young GOP voters— those between the ages of 18 and 28—can relate to her. --www.thecamarilloacorn.com Read full article

Miss Texas USA: What Really Happens at Pageants

Miss Texas USA: What Really Happens at Pageants...Now that the wind is dying down since the Miss California vs. Perez Hilton fiasco, I wonder when pageantry will stay where it belongs: the last century. I know you're going to ask, why then, did you enter a pageant yourself? I entered Miss Texas USA for the same reason high school guys ask girls out to the prom: to put another notch in my belt. I want to say I have done everything humanly possible we consider accomplishments, whatever that means in today's society, and having seen that a girl in Illinois earned speaking engagements before she ever even won Miss Illinois (and later Miss America), it seemed like a good idea at the time. -- www.huffingtonpost.com Read full article

Carrie Prejean Gives Her Side of the Story

She might be out of a job, which is not out of the lime light. For Miss California Carrie Prejean goes "On the Record."

Now, after the Miss USA pageant, Carrie Prejean made headlines when she answered a question about gay marriage. Prejean says she does not support it, and came in second place in the Miss USA contest. After the pageant, blogger and pageant judge Perez Hilton Prejean publicly, even called her the "b word." When next Prejean got involved in a very public fight with the pageant, Belgium stepped in, and he let her keep the Miss California title. But then there was another turn of events -- suddenly, she is fired. The Miss California pageant says Prejean breached contract and no longer Miss California. Earlier today we spoke with the now former Miss California. On the Record w/ Greta / www.foxnews.com / Photo credit: FNC Read full interview....

Meet Your New Miss California, Tami Farrell

Tami Farrell has taken over Carrie Prejean's responsibilities as Miss California. The former first runner up was pressed into service after Prejean was fired by Donald Trump and pageant officials on Wednesday. FOXNews.com got the first online interview with Farrell, and asked her about the tumultuous past 24 hours.

FOX: Congratulations. Bit of a strange way of becoming Miss California?

Tami Farrell: Yes, it was definitely a crazy phone call to receive, but I’m excited to represent the state. I only found out yesterday! It was definitely some interesting news to receive but I’m just so excited. -- Fox News / www.foxnews.com (Photo by Ash Gupta) Read more of her interview with Fox News....

Miss California Carrie Prejean Loses Her Crown

Less than a month after being told by Donald Trump that she can keep her Miss California crown, Carrie Prejean was fired on Wednesday. In a release first obtained by FOXNews.com, K2 Productions, the independent producers of the Miss California USA pageant, under license from Miss Universe, cited continued breach of contract issues as the reason for Prejean's firing. -- Fox News / www.foxnews.com Read more....

Former Miss Calif.: Gay comment cost me my crown

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean says she lost her crown because of a comment she made about gay marriage and not because she had been skipping appearances. Prejean told Matt Lauer on NBC'S "Today" show Friday that she "absolutely" had been dethroned because of the comment, when she said marriage should be between a man and a woman. Prejean lost her title Wednesday after California pageant executive director Keith Lewis said Prejean was skipping Miss California USA events while speaking out against gay marriage at unsanctioned appearances. --The Associated Press Read more....

Ex-Miss California USA: Pageant director never supported me

Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean wants to set the record straight.

Carrie Prejean says pageant officials wanted her to make appearances for Playboy and a gay movie premiere.

Prejean garnered widespread criticism when she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage in a response to a question posed to her during the Miss USA pageant.

Prejean was allowed to keep her Miss California USA crown in May, despite a controversy over topless photos and missed appearances. However, state pageant Executive Director Keith Lewis took her crown on Wednesday, saying it was a business decision based solely on "contract violations." Prejean offered her side of the story when she spoke with CNN's Larry King on Friday. She also discussed whether she would sue to reclaim her title and her future plans. The following is an edited version of the interview. --CNN Read more....

New Miss California also against gay marriage

Miss California USA's executive director says the pageant would never try to silence new titleholder Tami Farrell's stance against gay marriage. Keith Lewis told The Associated Press on Friday that he wants all of the beauty contestants he deals with to be able to voice their opinions as long as they don't violate their contracts. Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, who was given a second chance earlier, lost her title Wednesday after Lewis said she skipped pageant events while speaking out against gay marriage during unsanctioned appearances. --Mercury News / Associated Press Read more....

Carrie Prejean ousted as Miss California USA

Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, who stirred up trouble for herself when she said gays shouldn't be allowed to marry, got two dreaded words from pageant poobah Donald Trump on Wednesday: "You're fired." Trump and other pageant leaders said Prejean was being sacked not because of the remarks but because she hadn't been holding up her end of the agreement she signed when she entered the pageant.

"Carrie is a beautiful young woman and I wish her well as she pursues her other interests," Trump said. Prejean spokeswoman Melany Ethridge declined to comment, saying she hadn't been able to reach the former beauty queen since the announcement of her ouster. "This was a decision based solely on contract violations, including Ms. Prejean's unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the Miss California USA organization," the California pageant's executive director, Keith Lewis, said in a statement. -- Associated Press / USA Today / www.usatoday.com Read more....

Carrie Prejean ousted as Miss California USA

Carrie Prejean fires back after losing Miss California crown

In an interview with TMZ, deposed Miss California Carrie Prejean said that she was "shocked" at the news she had been stripped of her crown and fired back at pageant owner Donald Trump and the pageant producers. Prejean, who was fired by Trump for failing to get clearance for extracurricular activities, claims in response that pageant head Keith Lewis actually encouraged her to pose for Playboy magazine and appear in the reality series "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" Prejean, who sparked controversy with comments she made against gay marriage, insists the real motivation behind her firing was political: "What's behind this, I think, is a political debate. They don't agree with the stance that I took [on California's Proposition 8].... From day one they wanted me out, and they got what they wanted." -- Josh Rottenberg / Entertainment Weekly / news-briefs.ew.com Read more....

Trump Rules: Miss California Is Not Fired

At the end of a nearly half-hour ceremony cum press conference, Donald Trump slung a glittery white “Miss California USA” sash across Carrie Prejean. Then they hugged and kissed.

It was a happy ending to what Ms. Prejean and Mr. Trump had described as a traumatic period of “abuse” of her because she had said honestly that she believes marriage should be between one man and one woman. Ms. Prejean noted that both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton share that view.

In a question-and-answer period, Mr. Trump declined to state his own view on same-sex marriage. “This isn’t about me,” he said, to some laughter among the news media. “Come on, Donald, say it,” Ms. Prejean prodded, but to no avail. He said that gay marriage is a big, complicated issue, and that he understands both sides. -- The New York Times Read more....

Donald Trump tells Carrie Prejean: You're NOT fired!

Donald Trump announced this morning at a news conference in New York that Carrie Prejean will remain Miss California and serve out her term. About her answer to the same-sex marriage question from Judge No. 8 -- Perez Hilton -- Trump allowed that she gave a “very honest answer when asked a tough question,” pointing out that “it was the same answer that the president of the United States gave.”

As for the topless photos, Trump said, “We’ve reviewed the photos carefully,” adding that “we are in the 21st century. Carrie’s a model, a very successful model. We have determined that the pictures taken are fine, the pictures were acceptable." As for any miscommunication between Carrie and the Miss California pageant officials, Trump said the problem had been “totally solved.”

What do you think of the Donald's call? --Los Angeles Times Read more....

Carrie Prejean remains Miss California

Miss California: "Satan Was Trying to Tempt Me"

Miss California blamed Satan for Perez Hilton asking her about same-sex marriage. Carrie Prejean said on the "Focus on the Family" radio show this week that Satan was trying to tempt her. However, Prejean did make it clear Satan and Hilton were not in cahoots together.

Dr. James Dobson: Why did you give the answer you did with regard to the affirmation of marriage?
Prejean: "Honestly, I felt as though Satan was -- and I don't want to say that this person represented Satan, but -- I felt as though Satan was trying to tempt me in asking me this question. And then God was in my head and in my heart saying, 'Carrie, do not compromise this. You need to stand up for me. You need to share with all these people. If there were 95 percent of the people in the audience that were gay, you need to witness to them, and you need to show that you're not willing to compromise that for this title of Miss USA.'"

Prejean said that she knew right there, that it was no longer about winning. "It was about being true to my convictions," she said. Prejean sparked a firestorm of criticism with her answer to a question about same-sex marriage during the pageant. Miss USA Pageant Owner Donald Trump explained that her answer was the same sentiment of the president of the U.S.

But that's only half of the Miss California controversy. --www.nbclosangeles.com Read more....

Alternate Miss California named as Prejean awaits fate

Frustrated pageant officials on Monday appointed an alternate Miss California USA to fill-in for Carrie Prejean -- the Christian beauty queen who risks losing her title after setting off a firestorm with her candid opposition to gay marriage and a topless photo shoot. With the fate of Prejean, 21, in the hands of Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump, the executive directors of Miss California USA said they felt "hijacked" by the furor over Prejean and needed someone else to represent the Golden State. Trump has called a news conference in New York on Tuesday to announce whether Prejean can keep her title after three weeks of controversy over the topless pictures, her partly pageant-financed breast implants and her emergence as spokeswoman for an anti-gay marriage group. --Reuters UK Read more....

Alternate Miss California named as Prejean awaits fate

Character Assassins Gunning for Miss California, Supporters Say

The slew of attacks against Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, who answered a question about gay marriage during the Miss USA pageant two weeks ago, have been nothing short of a systematic "character assassination," her supporters say. "They're really going after her," Focus on the Family President Jim Daley said of Prejean, whose critics have gone so far as to compare her to a Nazi war criminal. "She's being attacked for her opinion; she's getting creamed for just giving her perspective. It's just another example of the intolerant left.... There seems to be greater scrutiny on her now that she's given that answer," said Daley, whose non-profit Evangelical organization also does not support gay marriage. "I guess in some people's eyes she's become this pariah." -- FoxNews Read more....

Dethroning Day for Miss California?

Scandalized Beauty Queen Carrie Prejean Could Lose Her Crown Today

Is today the day Carrie Prejan will lose her coveted Miss California crown? Miss California USA co-directors Shannon Moakler and Keith Lewis are to hold a news conference in Beverly Hills today, presumably to discuss the controversy surrounding Prejean. While Prejean is not on the list of expected attendees, Tami Farrell, the first runner up to Miss California USA 2009, is. Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, is expected to hold a news conference in New York Tuesday to discuss the beauty queen scandal. -- ABC News, ABC News Photo Illustration

Miss Calif. to learn whether she'll keep crown

The Miss California USA pageant is expected to announce its decision over whether Carrie Prejean should keep her state crown amid allegations of contract violations. The pageant has been investigating whether the 21-year-old San Diego native violated her contract by making public appearances with groups opposed to same-sex marriage. Prejean also failed to reveal to organizers that she posed in her underwear as a teenager. -- Associated Press Read more....

Will Miss California Lose Crown After Leaked Nude Photos?

A Beautiful Mess: Miss California May Lose Crown

One minute, she was a step away from the Miss USA crown. The next, it seems, this year’s Miss California is a heartbeat away from losing it all. The directors of the Miss California pageant, Shannon Moakler and Keith Lewis, are holding a press conference today to discuss the controversy surrounding Carrie Prejean, the current Miss California and Miss USA first runner up. Rumors have been flying that pageant directors might be stripping Prejean of her crown. --www.gossipjackal.com

Miss California vs. pageant officials: It’s war

Group blasts Miss USA runner-up as she campaigns against same-sex unions

As beauty pageant officials and gay-rights advocates increase the pressure on Miss California USA to back off her controversial comments opposing same-sex marriage, Carrie Prejean is not retracting them. Instead, she’s digging in her spike heels and fighting back.

“I was attacked for giving my own opinion on the stage of the Miss USA contest. And I’m going to do whatever it takes to protect marriage. It’s something that is very dear to my heart,” Prejean told TODAY’s Matt Lauer Thursday in an exclusive interview from Washington, D.C.

The first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant was in the nation’s capital to help the National Organization for Marriage launch a campaign against same-sex marriage. And she wasn’t wearing her pageant smile. -- Mike Celizic, TODAYShow.com contributor, MSNBC.com

Pageant PR rep accuses Miss California of lying

He says Carrie Prejean was never told to apologize, only ‘to heal wounds'

SAN FRANCISCO - A spokesman for the Miss California pageant denied on Monday that contest officials told Carrie Prejean to publicly apologize for her statement opposing same-sex marriage during the Miss USA pageant.

Carrie Prejean, 21, claimed during Sunday services at her San Diego church that producers of the state pageant told her to apologize to the gay community and to avoid mentioning religion when she appeared last week on the TODAY show and other national programs.

But San Diego public relations representative Roger Neal, who said he was one of the people advising her, called those claims lies. Contest officials urged Prejean only to reiterate that she didn't mean to offend anyone and to use the national spotlight "to heal some wounds," he said. -- MSNBC.com / Associated Press