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who competed as Miss Missouri USA ]] who competed as Miss Massachusetts USA ]]The Miss USA pageant (not to be confused with Miss America ) is a Beauty Contest that has been held every year since 1952 , with winners competing in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA . The winners of the state pageants that compete in the Miss USA pageant have had "USA" appended to their titles (e.g. "Miss Delaware USA") since the mid-1980s in order that these state-level winners not be confused with the competitors in the Miss America pageant. Miss Kentucky USA Tara Conner was chosen as Miss USA 2006. Jackie Loughery of New York was crowned that first year in Long Beach , California , a day before the first Miss Universe was crowned. When a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe pageant, the first runner-up becomes Miss USA. The pageant, which aired on CBS for many years, was hosted by Bob Barker from the mid-1960s until 1986. Dick Clark (1990-1993) and Bob Goen (1994-1996) have also hosted the pageant over the years. COMPETITION Unlike the Miss America pageant, there is no talent section at Miss USA. Delegates are required to compete in Evening Gown, Swimsuit and Interview. In more recent years, the importance of the interview portion of the competition has been greatly diluted. From 1975-2000, all delegates who made the initial cut were tested in the Interview competition. As of 2001, the interview portion was taken away and only the "final question" left. The finals judges thus only hear the final candidates speak. Delegates generally compete in the Preliminary Competition, and a group of semi-finalists are chosen. These semi-finalists then compete again, and the winner and runners-up are chosen. In some years there has been a second cut before the annoucement of the final group. The judges for the finals are usually different from those who judged the Preliminary competition. In the first year of competition (1952) there five finalists (winner and four runners-up) and five semi-finalists. The number of semi-finalists swelled to fifteen the following year (making the number of placed delegates twenty, the most in any year of competition). From 1954 to 1969 there was generally a court of five and between ten and twelve semi-finalists. This was reduced to seven in 1970, with the number of delegates making the cut being twelve. This pattern held until 1984, when the number of semi-finalists was set at five (i.e. ten making the cut). That remained for the rest of the 1980s, until the previous pattern of seven semi-finalists resumed from 1990 to 2003, with only two exceptions. From 1990 to 2001 there was a second cut after the final five finalists were cut, which led to their being five semi-finalists (on average), two finalists, two runners-up and one winner. In 2004 a new pattern was established whereby fifteen delegates make the first cut, are cut down to 10 after the evening gown competition, cut again to five after the swimsuit competition and then the final five compete in the "final question" interview portion. This was repeated in 2005. From 1975-2002 the scores of each delegate were shown and thus the semi-finalists could be accurately ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" make the cut. This has been somewhat controversial as it is not as clear and system as that used previously. HISTORY Winners There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete in certain years in the first two decades of the pageant's history. From about 1970 however, each state and the District of Columbia has sent a delegate each year. Alaska first competed in 1959 and Hawaii in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time. Most Miss USA titleholders won their crown when they were twenty-one. Whilst many winners in the 1950s and 1960s were eighteen, the minimum age to compete, no eighteen-year-old has won since 1971 and very few have competed in recent years. Lately there has been a general trend towards the winners' age being at the top end of the spectrum. Until 1956, contestants were allowed to be married, but this changed in 1957. The winner from that year, Mary Leona Gage , was disqualified when she went to compete for Miss Universe when it was discovered she was married. To date she has been the only Miss USA to have been disqualified. Seven Miss USAs have gone on to win the Miss Universe crown. There were two each year in the 1950s and 1960s, one in the 1980s and two in the 1990s (see list of Miss USA winners). The first Eurasian woman to win Miss USA was Mai Shanley in 1984, and the first African-American to win was Carole Gist in 1990. She was followed by Kenya Moore in 1993, Chelsi Smith in 1995 (who went on to win Miss Universe and Shauntay Hinton in 2002. The first hispanic was Laura Martinez Herring of Texas in 1985. Only one Miss Teen USA has ever won Miss USA. She was Brandi Sherwood , who was Miss Idaho USA and Miss Teen USA 1989, Miss Idaho USA 1998 and won the Miss USA crown after Brook Lee won Miss Universe. Five other Miss USA winners have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA . These include: : Shanna Moakler (1995), Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1992), ''' Ali Landry ''' (1996(, ( Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1990), ''' Kimberly Pressler ''' (1999) ( Miss New York Teen USA 1994), ''' Lynnette Cole ''' (2000) ( Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1994), ''' Susie Castillo ''' (2003) ( Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 2003), ''' Chelsea Cooley ''' (2005) ( Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2000) and ''' Tara Conner ''' (2006) ( Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002). Five have also competed at Miss America . These included Miss USAs 1954-1956 ( Miriam Stevenson , Carlene King Johnston , Carol Morris ), Mai Shanley (1984) and Shandi Finnessey (2004). Regardless of their professed career ambitions at the time of competing, the majority of Miss USA winners have gone to careers in the arts and Entertainment industry. Awards Miss Congeniality is the only award that has been given out in every year of competition. This award, chosen by the winners' fellow delegates, recognises those who are the most friendly and make the pageant experience the most enjoyable. Vermont has won five Congeniality awards, three more than any other state. The other major award is Miss Photogenic, which was first awarded in 1965. This was chosen by journalists until 2003, when it was opened up to an internet vote. There has been only one tie in this award's history, in 1980 when it was shared between Jineane Ford of Arizona and Elizabeth Kim Thomas of Ohio . Ford later won the Miss USA crown. The state that has won the most Photogenic awards is Virginia , also by a clear margin. Other awards that have been presented include Best State Costume (1962-1993), Style (1995-2001) and Most Beautiful Eyes (1995). In 1998 a special Distinguished Achievement award was given to Halle Berry . Berry was Miss Ohio USA 1986 and placed 1st runner-up to Christy Fichtner of Texas . She later went on to become an acclaimed actress and Oscar winner. Mirroring its other accomplishments, Texas has won the most awards {Link without Title} . Locations In the first seven years of competition (1952-1959) the Miss USA pageant was held in Long Beach, California . The competition moved to Miami Beach, Florida in 1960 and stayed there until 1971. In 1972 the pageant was held in Puerto Rico, the first and only the time the pagent has been held outside the United States. From 1972 onwards the pageant has been held in various locations around the continental United States, generally being held in each location for two to three years. Periods where the pageant was moved around more frequently were 1983-1989, where the pageant was held in different locations in all but two years, and 2003-2004 where the pageant was held in two different venues subsequently, each for only one year. As of 2003 the pageant has been held in the following states: : Alabama ( Mobile 1989), ''' California ''', ( Long Beach 1952-1959, Los Angeles 2004), ''' Florida ''' ( Miami Beach 1960-1971, Lakeland 1984-1985, Miami 1986), ''' Indiana ''' ( Gary 2001-2002), ''' Kansas ''' ( Wichita 1990-1993), ''' Louisiana ''' ( Shreveport 1997-1998), ''' Maryland ''' ( Baltimore 2005-2006), ''' Missouri ''' ( Branson 1999-2000), ''' Mississippi ''' ( Biloxi 1979-1982), ''' New Mexico ''' ( Albuquerque 1987), ''' New York ''' ( New York City 1973, Niagara Falls 1974-1975), ''' South Carolina ''' ( Charleston 1977-1978), ''' Tennessee ''' ( Knoxville 1983), ''' Texas ''' ( El Paso 1988, South Padre Island 1994-1996, San Antonio 2003). Coverage From 1963 the pageant was televised on CBS . It is currently being aired on NBC . Special Feature Episodes Since 2003 a number of delegates have been involved in special episodes of regular programmes braodcast by NBC . From 2003-2005 six delegates each year were chosen to participate in a special Miss USA edition of '' Fear Factor '', with the victorious contestant taking the title 'Miss Fear Factor USA' and a prize of $50,000 ($25,000 of which was to be donated to a charity of the winners choice). These were broadcast immediately prior to the live pageant broadcast. In 2006 Chelsea Cooley and twenty-six delegates will participate as suitcase models in a Miss USA special of '' Deal Or No Deal ''. ''Fear Factor'' Miss USA edition 2003
Stunt #1 (Inverted water hang) Stunt #2 (Fish Quicksand) "Stunt #3 (Truck surfing)'' Contestants had to balance on the top of a tanker truck as it swerved down a highway at over 35 miles per hour. The one who could stay on top the longest won the competition.
:Miss Fear Factor: Brittney Rogers ( Miss Louisiana USA 2003) :2nd place tie: Sarah Cahill ( Miss Minnesota USA 2003) :3rd place: Kristen Luneberg ( Miss North Carolina USA 2003) :4th place: Elisa Schleef ( Miss Michigan USA 2003) :5th place: Alina Ogle ( Miss New Mexico USA 2003) :6th place: Kelly Chapman ( Miss Utah USA 2003) ''Fear Factor'' Miss USA edition 2004
Stunt #1 (Tilting platform) Stunt #2 (Sea cucumbers) Stunt #3 (Helicopter hang) :Miss Fear Factor: Tara Darby ( Miss Alabama USA 2004) :2nd place tie: Jaclyn Nesheiwat ( Miss New York USA 2004), Stacey Lee ( Miss Michigan USA 2004) :3rd place: Carolyn Jennings ( Miss West Virginia USA 2004) :4th place: Kyla Faye Dickerson ( Miss Utah USA 2004) :5th place: Vanessa Bissanti ( Miss New Hampshire USA 2004) ''Fear Factor'' Miss USA edition 2005 Stunt #1 (Water beams) Stunt #2 (Triple Dump Tunnel) :Stunt #3 (Helicopter net-cage)'' Contestants had to work their way around the outside of a square-shaped cage made of cargo net suspended under a helicopter, attempting to release 5 flags from the sides of the cage, and 1 flag from the bottom of the cage. The one who release the most flags the fastest before falling into the water below would win the competition. :Miss Fear Factor: Sarah-Elizabeth Langsford ( Miss District Of Columbia USA 2005) :2nd place tie: Brittany Hogan ( Miss California USA 2005), :3rd place: Meaghan Jarensky ( Miss New York USA 2005) :4th place: Laci Scott ( Miss Oklahoma USA 2005) :5th place: Christina Nardozzi ( Miss Massachusetts USA 2005) :6th place: Kristen Johnson ( Miss Kentucky USA 2005) ''Deal or No Deal'' Miss USA Special 2006 : Haleigh Stidham (AL), Kimberly Forsyth (AR), Tamiko Nash (CA), Ashlee Greenwell (DE), Cristin Duren (FL), Catherine Warren (IL), Bridget Bobel (IN), Tara Conner (KY), Christina Cuenca (LA), Katee Stearns (ME), Tiffany Kelly (MA), Danelle Gay (MI), Dottie Cannon (MN), Lauren Scyphers (NV), Jessica Boyington (NJ), Onawa Lacy (NM), Samantha Holvey (NC), Kimberly Krueger (ND), Alison Machado (OR), Tanya Lehman (PA), Leeann Tingley (RI), Lacie Lybrand (SC), Soben Huon (UT), Amber Copley (VA), Jessica Wedge (WV). WINNERS See Also: List of Miss USA winners MISS USA 2006 See Also: Miss USA 2006 Miss USA 2006, fifty-fifth Miss USA pageant, was held in April 2006. The pageant, hosted by Baltimore, Maryland for the second year, was won by Miss Kentucky USA Tara Conner . Conner is a pageant veteren who had previously placed second runner-up to Miss Teen USA 2000. The preliminary competition was be held on April 14 and the Final Competition and Coronation Ball on April 21. SEE ALSO REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS |
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