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Lauren Lanning
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. This pageant is part of the Miss USA Organization, owned by Texas native Crystle Stewart, herself a Miss USA for 2008. The pageant is currently held in Houston. It has previously been hosted by El Paso, Texas, El Paso, San Antonio, South Padre Island, Texas, South Padre Island, Lubbock, Texas, Lubbock and Laredo, Texas, Laredo. It was televised from 1971 to 2009. The current titleholder is Allison Drake of Dallas, Texas, who assumed the position after R'Bonney Gabriel, Gabriel's win at Miss USA 2022 and eventually Miss Universe 2022. She was originally the second runner-up and only assumed the title when Sydni Leonard, the first runner-up to R'Bonney Gabriel, Gabriel at the state pageant, declined the offer. Background Unlike the rest of Miss and Teen state pageants in the Miss USA system have annually sche ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miss USA
Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, when the organization announced it was licensing operation of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants to Crystle Stewart, Miss USA for 2008. The pageant was owned by Donald Trump from 1996 to 2015 and was previously broadcast on NBC. In September 2015, WME/IMG purchased the pageant from Trump. In 2020, for the first time, the FYI network broadcast the competition. In October 2022, JKN Global Group acquired the pageant from WME/IMG. The current Miss USA is R'Bonney Gabriel of Texas, who was crowned on October 3, 2022, at the Grand Sierra Resort, in Reno, Nevada. History The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande Betbeze, winner of the Miss America pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With its 1995 buy-out of long-time rival the ''Houston Post'', the ''Chronicle'' became Houston's newspaper of record. The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily paper owned and operated by the Hearst Corporation, a privately held multinational corporate media conglomerate with $10 billion in revenues. The paper employs nearly 2,000 people, including approximately 300 journalists, editors, and photographers. The ''Chronicle'' has bureaus in Washington, D.C. and Austin. It reports that its web site averages 125 million page views per month. The publication serves as the " newspaper of record" of the Houston area. Previously headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building at 801 Texas Avenue, Downtown Houston, the ''Houston Chronicle'' i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kandace Krueger
Kandace Gayle Krueger Matthews (born May 27, 1976) is an American journalist, singer, TV Host and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2001 and represented the United States in the Miss Universe 2001 where she placed second runner-up. She is the daughter of Larry and Barbara Johnson Krueger, and was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Pageants Miss Texas USA Krueger started competing in local Miss Texas USA pageants as an eighteen-year-old, placing in the top five but not winning. She won her first local title, Miss Williamson County USA, in 1999 and her second, Miss Austin USA, in 2000. Krueger competed in the Miss Texas USA pageant numerous times in 1990s without placing, although she came close to making the top twelve in 1999 at the Miss Texas USA 2000 pageant. In 2000, her first appearance in the pageant semi-finalis, Krueger won the Miss Texas USA 2001 title. Miss USA Krueger represented Texas in the Miss USA 2001 pageant broadcast live from Gary, Indiana i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miss USA 2008
Miss USA 2008 was the 57th Miss USA pageant, held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart of Texas was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder Rachel Smith of Tennessee. Crystle represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2008 pageant, which was held in Vietnam, where she placed in the Top 10. This was also the first time in the pageant's 56-year history that two consecutive women of African Americans have been crowned. The pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts, a 7,000-seat theater located in the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. The theater was also the location of Miss Universe 1991 and 1996 pageants. This is the first time that the Miss USA pageant was held in Nevada. For the first time, the competition was broadcast in High Definition. Brother/sister duo Donny and Marie Osmond hosted the live telecast for the first time, and Finger Eleven performed their single "Paralyze ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gretchen Polhemus
Gretchen Lynn Polhemus-Jensen (born May 12, 1965) is an American actress, journalist, and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 1989 and second runner-up to . Early life Prior to competing in Miss Texas USA, Jensen was working as a cattle broker and real estate agent in her home state. her daughter is Baylee Jensen, Miss Utah USA 2017. Miss Texas USA Jensen competed as Miss Bedford USA in the 14th edition of the Miss Texas USA pageant in 1987 and received the ''Photogenic'' award, ultimately placing second runner-up to eventual winner, Courtney Gibbs. The following year, she competed again as Miss Fort Worth USA and won the title, earning the right to represent Texas in . Miss USA 1989 As the official representative of her state to the 1989 Miss USA pageant, held in Mobile, Alabama, Jensen captured the crown of Miss USA, becoming its 38th titleholder, and the last of five consecutive winners from Texas during the 1980s. At the 1989 Miss Universe pageant, she placed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Courtney Gibbs
Courtney Ann Gibbs-Mokarow (née Gibbs; born August 20, 1966) is an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 1988 and Top 10 semifinalist at Miss Universe 1988. Miss USA Born to Charles Gaylord Gibbs and Susan Eckardt-Gibbs, Mokarow participated in the 1988 Miss USA pageant as Miss Texas USA, winning the title and becoming the fourth of five consecutive winners from Texas during the 1980s. At the 1988 Miss Universe pageant, she placed first in the preliminary competition, ninth in semifinal interview, eighth in swimsuit and sixth in evening gown, finishing her participation in eighth place. Life after Miss USA Following her pageantry career, Mokarow married former '' Another World'' star Tom Eplin and went into acting, portraying Assistant District Attorney Galen Henderson on ''All My Children'' for a brief time in 1992. In 1999, she married husband Kevin, a Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Te ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michelle Royer
Michelle Renee Royer-Jefferson (born January 5, 1966) is an American television personality and beauty queen who won Miss USA 1987 and second runner-up to Miss Universe 1987. Early life Prior to competing in Miss Texas USA, Jefferson grew up in Keller, Texas, attended Keller High School where she was active in the high school band program, serving as drum major. She continued her education at Texas Wesleyan University. She is the daughter of a salesman, who changed jobs frequently. Pageantry Miss USA She won the title of Miss Texas USA as the representative of Keller in August 1986 and was crowned Miss USA in February 1987, becoming the third of five consecutive winners from Texas during the 1980s. Miss Universe At the 1987 Miss Universe pageant, she placed first in the preliminary competition, second in semifinal interview and third in swimsuit and evening gown, finishing second runner-up to Cecilia Bolocco of Chile. Life after Miss USA She is married to Donald "Banana Do ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christy Fichtner
Christiane Crane Fichtner (born October 28, 1962) is an American actress and beauty queen who won Miss USA 1986. In 2003, she participated in '' Who Wants to Marry My Dad?''. Early life and education Her father is named Clifton Wales Fichtner. She attended Greenwich High School in Connecticut where she was the girlfriend of future Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young. She moved to Dallas, enrolling at Southern Methodist University. Career Pageants As a beauty queen, she was crowned Miss Texas USA and Miss USA 1986, becoming the second of five consecutive winners from Texas during the 1980s. Her main competition and eventual first runner-up at Miss USA was actress Halle Berry. At the 1986 Miss Universe pageant held in July 1986 in Panama City, Panama, Fichtner placed first in the preliminary competition, third in semifinal interview, first in swimsuit and second in evening gown, which allowed her to advance as one of the Top 5 finalists of the competition, finishing her ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laura Harring
Laura Elena, Countess von Bismarck-Schönhausen (née Martínez Herring; March 3, 1964), known professionally as Laura Harring, is a Mexican-American actress. In 1985, Harring became the first Hispanic woman crowned Miss USA. She later began her acting career in television and film. She is best known for her dual roles as Rita and Camilla Rhodes in the 2001 postmodern neo-noir film ''Mulholland Drive''. She is also known for her roles in other films, including ''The Forbidden Dance'' (1990), ''John Q'' (2002), '' Willard'' (2003), ''The Punisher'' (2004), '' The King'' (2005), ''Love in the Time of Cholera'' (2007), ''Ghost Son'' (2007), '' The Caller'' (2008), ''Drool'' (2009), ''Sex Ed'' (2014), and ''Inside'' (2016). She also played Carla Greco in ''General Hospital'' (1990–1991), Paula Stevens on '' Sunset Beach'' (1997), and Rebecca "Becca" Doyle in ''The Shield'' (2006). Early life Harring was born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico on March 3, 1964. Her mother, María Elena ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. The pageant is directed by Crown Diva Productions. California's most successful placements were in 1959, 1966, 1975, 1983, 1992, and 2011, when Terry Huntingdon, Maria Remenyi, Summer Bartholomew, Julie Hayek, Shannon Marketic, and Alyssa Campanella, respectively, were crowned Miss USA. The current Miss California USA is Tiffany Johnson of Lancaster, California, who is crowned on June 5, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County. Johnson represented California for the title of Miss USA 2022, she placed at the Top 16. History The Miss California USA Pageant was produced by Carolee Munger. Prior to Ms. Munger, Guyrex Productions held the franchise for a number of years and produced successful televised pageants with over 100 participants. Before Guyrex, the pageant was produced by Dr. Leanord Stallcup, w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miss Illinois USA
The Miss Illinois USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state Illinois in the Miss USA pageant. It is directed by Vanbros and Associates and is previously directed by D&D Productions from 2001 to 2014 before becoming part of Vanbros organization in 2014, headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. Illinois is one of the most successful states in the competition. It is one of only four states to have won four or more Miss USA titles and one of only four states to win two Miss USA titles in consecutive years. All four winners came from the early history of the competition, with their last Miss USA being Karen Morrison, who held the title in 1974. The pageant's most successful years were from 1984 to 1996, when all but two delegates made the cut at Miss USA. That period was followed by many years without a placement. In 1986, sisters Tricia and Laura Bach won the title consecutively, the first occasion of this in the history of the Miss Universe organizat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miss Virginia USA
The Miss Virginia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Virginia in the Miss USA pageant. Virginia has been only moderately successful in terms of number of semi-finalists. They have had two Miss USAs. They are one of only four states to have had two Miss USAs in succession (the others being Illinois, Texas, and District of Columbia). Virginia's greatest success came from the late 1960s to early 1980s. Virginia should have had the first Miss USA crown in 1954, as Ellen Whitehead finished 1st runner-up, and Miss USA 1954, Miriam Stevenson, became Miss Universe 1954. However, there was no rule until the 1960s that the 1st runner-up became Miss USA after the winner won Miss Universe. If that was true, 2nd runner-up, Miss New York USA, Karin Hultman would have become Miss USA 1954, as Whitehead was disqualified due to being underage. Ten Miss Virginia USA winners have previously held the Miss Virginia Teen USA title and competed at Miss Te ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
