Pageant Life: A Cultural Miss-Step
The 58th annual Miss USA pageant aired April 19, 2009, and another herd of princesses trotted like chattel around the stage. Doused in sequins and self tanner, donning Stepford smiles, they recite politically correct cliches and pose for the cameras. Are these women strong and suitable role models, or pleasant and agreeable paper-dolls? It’s debatable.
THE QUEEN OF PROMOTIONAL GIMMICKS
Beauty pageants began for money. In 1921, Atlantic City hotel owners used a swimsuit contest as a promotional gimmick to keep tourists around after Labor Day.
National media coverage and financial success prompted them to bring it back the following year. It was renamed the “Miss America Pageant” to evoke patriotic sensationalism, and was soon established as an annual event. Thus, a tradition was born.
Today there are over 150,000 annual beauty contests in the U.S. alone.
PAGEANT DRAMA
1966 – Kiddie Porn?
Little Miss Universe, the first international pageant for children is disbanded, considered inappropriate and exploitative of minors.
It spawns a host of copycat pageants for kids. To date, there are over 25,000 annual child pageants in the U.S. alone. The “Little Miss Universe” pageant was revived in Eastern Europe in 2006.
1968- Feminist Wars
The Women’s Liberation Front protests the Miss America Pageant, setting ablaze symbols of the beauty culture in a “freedom trash can”. FBI anti-riot squads are called in, and the commotion is audible during the pageant telecast.
1973 – Miss Nympho World
The first Miss USA to win Miss World, Marjorie Wallace, is stripped of the title when her string of affairs with Hollywood bachelors is made public. She notably declares, “As Miss World I can get laid with any man I pick.”
Penthouse dethrones the first black Miss America
1984 – First Black Miss America Dethroned
Vanessa Williams, the first African-American Miss America, is forced to resign when nude photos of her are published by Penthouse.
1997 – Donald Trump Buys Miss USA
Business tycoon Donald Trump purchases the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, and Miss Universe pageants, making them more overtly sexual than ever before.
- Donald Trump with his newly purchased pageant girls
The Donald also threatens to dethrone the reigning Miss Universe 1996, Alicia Machado, for gaining weight. On the Howard Stern Radio show, Trump calls Miss Universe fat, saying Machado is “an eating machine”.
2001 – Late Show Lawsuit
Miss Colombia, Andrea Noceti, threatens to sue David Letterman, host of the famous late night talk show, for quipping that her talent performance would include swallowing bags of heroin.
- David Letterman publicly apologizes to Miss Colombia 2001
2002- Muslims Protest Miss World
Several hundred people are killed in riots outside the Miss World competition in Nigeria, a predominately Muslim country. The pageant, deemed unholy by locals, quickly relocates to London.
2002 – Israel vs. Lebanon
Miss Lebanon, Christina Sawaya, drops out of the Miss Universe pageant, refusing to share the stage with Miss Israel. The nations of Lebanon and Israel have a long history of political and military strife.
- Miss Israel vs. Miss Lebanon
- Danielle Lloyd, 22, with Sheringham, 42 (above) and on UK’s Celebrity Big Brother.
2006 – Affair With Pageant Judge
Miss Great Britain, Danielle Lloyd, is stripped of her title for having an affair with a judge during the competition, and posing for a series of provocative photo shoots, including Playboy, Nuts, Maxim, FHM and Daily Star.
Judge Todd Sheringham conducted Lloyd’s question-and-answer portion of the show. The question was, “What is your idea of the perfect man?” She answered, “You!” in front of millions of viewers. This spawned the investigation and subsequent dethroning of the beauty queen.
Lloyd has since participated in numerous reality shows including Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Weakest Link, and My Super Sweet 16 UK.
- Miss Nevada 2006, Katie Rees, on a drunken night out
2006 – Nevada Girls Gone Wild
Miss Nevada, Katie Rees, is dethroned when photos emerge of her flashing her breasts and groping other women. See the photos here. (NSFW obviously)
- Miss USA and Miss Teen USA 2006, caught in drug scandal
2006 – Miss Coked Out USA
Miss USA Tara Conner is caught using cocaine with Miss Teen USA. The two are also caught making out for a crowd at a New York nightclub.
Pageant owner Donald Trump allows Conner to keep her crown, under the condition she complete a 30-day rehabilitation program.
2007 – It’s Sabotage
Miss Puerto Rico, Ingrid Marie Rivera, is the victim of attempted sabotage when her gown and makeup are doused in pepper spray.
2007 – Miss Washington Says F*ck Off
Miss Washington, Elyse Umemoto, is photographed binge-drinking, making sexually explicit hand gestures, and flipping off the camera in her tiara.
- Miss Washington 2007, Elyse Umemoto (left)
2007- South Carolina and The Iraq
Miss Teen South Carolina becomes a YouTube sensation with her confusing take on geography and education.(watch her speech here)
- Miss Teen South Carolina jumbles her words
2008 – Nevada Girls Gone Wild, Part 2
Miss Nevada 2007 is in trouble again, booked for reckless driving and resisting arrest.
- Miss Nevada 2006’s mug shot
2008- Toke, Dine & Ditch
Miss Teen Louisiana, Lindsey Evans, had to turn in her sash and crown after being arrested for skipping out on a $46.07 restaurant bill. Upon arrest, several ounces of marijuana were found in her purse, adding to the charges against her.
Miss Teen Louisiana 2008's mugshot
2009 – Health Care and “Opposite Marriage”
In the 2009 Miss USA pageant, Miss Arizona found a way to completely dodge a question on health care, and Miss California came under fire for her response to a question about gay rights.
2009 – Miss Emaciation
A 2009 Australian contender for Miss Universe, Stephanie Naumoska, stands 5′7″ and 107 lbs. Dietician Melanie McGrice told Australia’s Daily Mail that the 19-year-old was well under the World Health Organisation’s benchmark for malnutrition.
2009 – Ms. USA Does Dallas
1991’s Miss USA, Kelli McCarty, becomes a porn star at age 39. She explains the choice by saying, “I enjoy acting,and I really like sex.” Some say this is further proof that not all pageant girls are suitable role models.
- Kelli McCarty as Miss USA 1991, and in 2009 as a porn star
The ideals many pageants tout, whether it’s professionalism, service, humility or morality, are all valuable concepts. Many pageant participants are in fact good natured, helpful in their community, and miraculously, not apparent narcissists. But perfection will probably never be attainable, as evidenced by the many dethroned and dishonored beauties.
Article Sources:
“Beauty Blunders: Pageant Scandals Through the Years” (AOL Television Online) 2009
Kelli McCarty Official Site (www.kellimccarty.com)
“Miss Nevada Katie Rees Fired Over Raunchy Photos” (Fox News Online) December 22, 2006
“Miss Washington – One Bad Apple” (TMZ Online) July 9, 2008
Interestinggg… well, they may be dumb and sometimes criminals, but they’re still fyne in my book
I agree. Damn those girls are hot!
And did you hear that the same girl who got arrested for dining and ditching is now posing for Playboy? gr8 role model for sure…