73rd Miss USA pageant: The 10 biggest scandals that have rocked the competition
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The 73rd Miss USA pageant is all set to return to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California on August 4, 2024. Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii will crown her successor at the end of the event. The winner will represent the United States at Miss Universe 2024 to be held in Mexico.
The Miss USA pageant has been crowing talented young women for the last 72 years with the first Miss America pageant taking place in 1921. However, the latest pageant has been in controversy as previous titleholders, Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava have resigned claiming a "toxic work environment."
This is not the first time that the beauty pageant has been in controversy. Over the past century, there have been multiple shocking scandals involving both the contestants and the pageants themselves. Delve into some of the biggest Miss USA and Miss America scandals.
Vanessa Williams gives up her crown after Penthouse scandal
Vanessa Williams became the first African-American woman to be named Miss America. However, Vanessa's career had a setback after her nude photos surfaced in Penthouse magazine. Her photos had been taken while she worked as a photographer's assistant.
The controversy forced Vanessa to give up her title, which she later described as one of the lowest points of her life. The Miss USA organization later apologized to Williams 32 years later onstage at the 2016 pageant.
Miss America CEO Sam Haskell's Email Scandal
Miss America CEO Sam Haskell had to resign from his office in 2017 after several inappropriate emails, including some that discussed the sex lives and body types of past contestants, exposed him. Former Miss America Mallory Hagan alleged that she was bullied, body-shamed, and slut-shamed by Sam, along with some of his colleagues.
Mallory's ex-boyfriend, Brent Adams, who was also Sam's employee leaked internal emails in which the Miss America CEO mocked the appearance, intelligence, and sex lives of the pageant's past winners. After the scandal broke board chair Lynn Weidner and board member Tammy Haddad also resigned.
Runaway Miss America 1937 winner Bette Cooper
Bette Cooper entered the Miss America pageant in 1937 and won the crown. However, she never had any intention of winning the pageant as she fell in love with her assigned chauffeur Lou. She enjoyed a whirlwind romance until Lou told her he would dump her if she won, and noted, "I don’t want to be known as Mr Miss America."
Bette won and Lou broke up with her, however, she still wanted to be with him and was ready to give up her crown. She ran away with Lou before her reign. The news was all over America and the pageant officials issued threats for what would happen if Bette didn't fulfill her Miss America duties. However, Bette returned for a while just for her reign and a few interviews only to disappear again.
Noelia Voigt exposes 'toxic work environment' of Miss USA Organization
Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt has recently exposed the "toxic work environment" of the pageant organization. She has recently resigned claiming that the toxic work environment within the Miss USA Organization has badly affected her physical and mental health. Noelia claimed that she is now in treatment for anxiety and that she has experienced heart palpitations, full body shakes, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, loss of sleep, loss of hair, and more.
She has also shared a lengthy statement on social media and noted, "Deep down I know that this is just the beginning of a new chapter for me, and my hope is that I continue to inspire others to remain steadfast, prioritize your mental health, advocate for yourself and others by using your voice, and never be afraid of what the future holds, even if it feels uncertain."
Nia Sanchez faked her residency
Nia Sanchez represented Nevada in the 2014 Miss USA pageant. She won the crown but was later accused of faking her residential documents. The model and occasional Disneyland princess reportedly faked her residency to avoid the stiff California competition. It was also revealed that she had previously competed in the Miss California USA pageant and lost three times.
Amanda Longacre's stripped of her crown for being too old
Amanda Longacre won the Miss Delaware 2014 title but she lost the title just two weeks later. The pageant officials decided she would be too old to compete in the upcoming Miss America Pageant. Amanda was told she had to be 24 by the time of the competition, but she was to turn 25 one month after it ended.
Amanda's scholarship money was returned, but she filed a lawsuit seeking to be reinstated as Miss Delaware and to be allowed to compete in the Miss America pageant.
Tara Conner fails to handle Miss USA 2006 crown
Shortly after winning Miss USA 2006, Tara Conner became involved with drugs and alcohol, testing positive for cocaine about eight months into her reign. However, instead of stripping her of the title, Donald Trump, then co-owner of the Miss USA organization, held a televised press conference and gave her a second chance.
Tara then agreed to go to rehab and now serves as a public advocacy consultant for Caron Treatment Centers.
Mary Leona Gage was dethroned for lying about her age
1957 Miss USA winner Mary Leona Gage failed to fool the officials. Mary's crown was soon stripped away after she was exposed to lying. The Miss USA officials found out that Mary was married at the time of the pageant and also had two children, both of these things were against pageant rules.
Additionally, Mary lied about her age. She claimed to be 21 years old but she was actually 18. She was stripped of her title and her prizes but it was later revealed that she married at 14 and sought out modeling and pageants to escape the oppression of her marriage.
R'Bonney Gabriel accused of being 'pre-selected'
Miss USA 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel sparked controversy after winning the title and was accused of being 'pre-selected'. The contestants pointed to R'Bonney's connection to Miss USA's national sponsors, including Miss Academy and the med spa Mia Beauté.
Both companies were state sponsors for Miss Texas USA and R'Bonney had been a student for years at Miss Academy. Additionally, she has been featured on Mia Beauté's social media pages. However, an investigation was launched only and it was revealed that the Miss USA judges' scores were accurately recorded and no winner was pre-selected.
Former Miss USA vice president Crystle Stewart's husband Max Sebrechts accused of sexual harassment
In the 'How to Fix a Pageant' documentary released in 2023, multiple former contestants claimed former vice president of Miss USA Crystle Stewart's husband and the national director of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, Max Sebrechts, sexually harassed them.
Max allegedly sent inappropriate messages to two contestants, including promising to help her become Miss USA because she was his personal favorite. However, Max along with Crystle was forced to resign from their office after he was exposed.
The 73rd Miss USA pageant will premiere on Sunday, August 4 at 8 pm ET on Hulu