2019 Miss USA and Miss Teen USA in Reno, Nevada

The search for the next Miss USA and Miss Teen USA is already underway.  Over a hundred women will be competing for the two titles at stake. This will be the second time that the two pageant will be hosted concurrent with each other.

Actress, host and former Miss Teen USA Vanessa Minnillo-Lachey and multi-Platinum recording artist and television personality Nick Lachey (of 98 Degrees) will be returning as hosts for the pageant. This marks the second time the husband and wife duo will be hosting the Miss USA competition together. Last year, the two also served as hosts.
Reigning Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers will be in attendance to crown her successor. Miss Universe Catriona Gray is also set to make an appearance in the finals of the pageant.

The tickets for Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants are already available at Ticketmaster. The Miss USA options include a VIP package that comes with an intimate mix-and-mingle event with the pageant contestants as well as access to the exclusive VIP pre-show lounge with complimentary food and gifts. Pricing information is listed below.
MISS USA – May 2, 5 pm (local time
Venue: Grand Theater at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino
Ticket Prices: $220, $150, $100 + fees and taxes
MISS TEEN USA – April 28, 8 pm (local time)
Venue: Grand Theater at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino
Ticket Prices: $150, $100 + fees and taxes

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#MISSUSA airs LIVE from @GrandSierra in @RenoTahoe May 2 at 8pm ET only on @FOXTV. 👑 This year’s competition is hosted by @NickLachey and @VanessaLachey. ⠀ ⠀ Who will take home the crown?

A post shared by Miss USA (@missusa) on Apr 13, 2019 at 5:35am PDT

The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) made the decision to bring the pageants to Reno last month, an investment that will cost upwards of $350,000. The Miss USA pageant will air on Fox 11 on May 2. It is yet still to be announced if the Miss Teen USA pageant will be aired via streaming on Facebook Live.

Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers: “Being Miss USA is a Job”

Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers sat down with Parade.com for an interview and discussed how the Miss USA is more of a job than just a title.

In the interview she talked about how the Miss Universe/ Miss USA slogan of “Confidently Beautiful” aligns with her personal advocacy which is eating disorders.  Being a child life specialist, she relishes her time visiting children in hospitals through the Miss Universe organization. “I’m just really excited to distract these children from their pain for a little while and engage with their families, to get to know them on a deeper level,” she says. “That’s where my heart is and that’s where it has been and so I’m excited to bring that to the Miss USA platform.”
Here are several points she was asked and responded to in the Parade.com interview…

The Miss USA Theme Song by Zero Point Productions

We have had the Miss Universe theme song posted on the blog within this month of June, so we thought why not do one for the Miss USA pageant theme song?

The Miss USA theme song was composed by the same composers that made the Miss Universe theme.  Wayne Sharpe and John Sands created this modern theme that would be used in the Miss USA pageant.
Why then is this song quite familiar to international pageant fans? Well, this is simply because this track was also used in the 2016 Miss Universe pageant held in Manila. During the crowning of Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere this was played instead of the Miss Universe Main Title.

The above track shows the one that was used in the crowning of Miss USA. Another version of the Miss USA theme song is the Alternative Rock Mix. This one has a more pronounced electric guitar sound.

Shout out to Abiel Joshua Sy for linking me to these wonderful links of the song.

5 Beauty Queen Vloggers You Must Follow on Youtube

Do you ever wandered around Youtube and find out videos from your favorite pageant queens? Well I have. That is why today’s post are the five pageant girls that I watch out on Youtube.

What I really like about their Vlogs is how different is their perspective on pageants. They talk and show it coming from a pageant girl’s perspective and that is something that would help prospective beauty queen aspirants on the hows and whats of pageantry. That is why this post is more than just as a shout out to these ladies. And nope, I am not being paid to endorse any of their Vlogs. I just thought that theirs are some of the ones that stand out simply because they are talking about pageants, a topic that we all like as pageant fans…

The Tallest Miss USA Winners

We have already listed down the three tallest Miss Universe winners who were all at 6’0-6’1″ in height. So how about their sister pageant Miss USA? Who among the winners are heads over their co-winners?
Wonder no more as we list them out on today’s post…

TALLEST AT 6’0″
There are only two Miss USA winners who are six-footers and they are both African-Americans. Carole Gist is not only the first black Miss USA winner but she is also the first woman standing at six feet to have won the crown. It would not only take a decade to have another six-footer winning the title but 22 years after Carole with Nana Meriwether. Nana was originally 1st Runner-up at Miss USA, but she took over Miss USA crown when Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe.
* Carole Gist, Miss USA 1990
* Nana Meriwether, Miss USA 2012

AMONG THE TALLEST AT 5’11”
While there are only 2 six footers who were Miss USA, there are a number of winners who are also incredibly tall at around 5’11” tall. In fact the third tallest Miss USA winner is Gretchen Polhemus as she actually stands at 5’11 1/2″.
* Gretchen Polhemus, Miss USA 1989
* Michelle Royer, Miss USA 1987
* Kandace Krueger, Miss USA 2001
* Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004
* Rachel Smith,  Miss USA 2007
* Olivia Jordan, Miss USA 2015

Top 5 Reasons Why the Miss Universe & Miss USA Should Keep the Swimsuit Competition

There has been a huge commotion in the US recently, specially with pageant fans in the US, with the Miss America announcing that it will no longer have a swimsuit competition. Pageant fans of course are quick to ask, is Miss Universe/ Miss USA gonna follow suit soon?

Here today at Sashes&Scripts we list down the top 5 reasons why the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants should keep the Swimsuit Competition…

Miss USA 2018 – Who Had the Best Final Q&A?

During the recently concluded Miss USA 2018 who among the top three nailed the question best?

While there have been good quality videos of how Miss USA 2018 Sarah Rose Summers answered the final question, there isn’t a lot of  vids on the answers of Nevada’s Carolina Urrea or North Carolina’s Caelynn Miller-Keyes. Today’s post features a transcript of their answers for comparison.
THE FINAL QUESTION: “You’re on your way to a march and someone hands you a blank sign and a marker. What do you put on your sign and why?”

IMG|WME’s Miss Universe Era: Height is No Longer Might?

The new Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers is 5’5″.
Hailey Colborn, the recently crowned Miss Teen USA is only 5’4″.
Even the reigning Miss Universe Demi Leigh Nel Peters is reported to be between 5’6″-5’7″.
Is IMG|WME intentionally looking for short(er) winners?

That may depend on where you are coming from. In some parts of the world being 5’6″ is already considered tall. Specially when the average population is only about 5’2″. This is a stark contrast in the days of the Trump era when most winners would be standing around 5’7″ or taller. It is undeniable however that personality and intelligence seems to be highly favoured these days in the IMG|WME Miss Universe age. Hailey Colborn smashed down the competition during the final question and answer in Miss Teen USA. Sarah Rose was clearly the best communicator among the top 5 girls during Miss USA finals. Demi Leigh is a strong speaker and has a winning personality as well.

Does this mean that tall ladies are no longer a the standard in the IMG|WME owned pageants? Not necessarily. But it does say one thing: height is no longer might in these three pageants…

Miss USA 2018 Final Sashes&Scripts Leaderboard

We’re just counting the hours until we find out who is the next Miss USA! While we are still wondering who will that lucky girl be and if will she be crowned with the Diamond Nexus or Mikimoto crown, we have listed down our favorites for the title!
Here are our favorites on the our Final Leaderboard for Miss USA 2018!
Possible Spoilers: North Carolina, Maine &  Texas
Top 15 (Alphabetical by State)
* Kelley Johnson, California
* Karolina Jasko, Illinois
* Genesis Davila, Florida
* Genesis Camilla Suero, New York
* Abigail Hill, Washington

Top 10 (Alphabetical by State)
* Allissa Latham, Massachusetts
* Laine Alden, Mississippi
* Cheyenne Darling, Oklahoma
* Tori Sizemore, South Carolina
* Alexandra Harper, Tennessee
Finalists
* Marianny Egurrola, Georgia
* Alexa Noone, New Jersey
2nd Runner up – Sarah Rose Summers,  Nebraska
1st Runner up –  Carolina Urrea, Nevada
Miss USA – Bryce Armstrong,  District of Columbia

Yes, we know our best bet is a long shot from a triple-win for DC. But Bryce is one of the few ladies in the competition that we could see with a great balance of beauty, presentation, communication skills and strong presence. It doesn’t mean that she isn’t gonna have a strong competition from other girls. Far from it. Carolina Urrea is the girls that could run with it all for the finals specially with her strong background. In fact Carolina is still the girl to beat IMHO. I wouldn’t discount Sarah Rose Summers as well as she is arguably the best face in the competition. Georgia’s Marianny Agurrola could turn in an upset as well as Alexa Noone.

Miss USA 2018 Candidate Spotlight: Bryce Armstrong, District of Columbia

She has a lot going on her shoulders as her state held the Miss USA title two years in the running. Can she make it a three-peat?
Quite possible. Bryce is one of the very few, only a handful really, African-American candidates in this year’s competition. So it would be an advantage for her to easily snuck into the semis in what seemingly looks like a ‘shite dominated’ playing field. Bryce just have to outsmart the competition in every turn and she could end home with the Miss USA crown.

State: District of Columbia
Age: 21 years old
Height: 5’9″
Bio: Bryce Armstrong is a young entrepreneur who turned her love of baking into a self-owned business. Her business entails baking and decorating cakes and sweets for special events throughout Washington, D.C. and the East Coast. Bryce is passionate about helping others develop the skills to become their own boss. When she isn’t baking, Bryce can be found traveling by plane or ship, spending time with her family, watching the Ellen DeGeneres show or volunteering for SOME (So Others Might Eat), an organization that tackles the homeless issue in D.C. She describes herself as an ambitious, passionate, and creative person. Bryce is hoping to make history at this year’s Miss USA competition by becoming the third contestant crowned from D.C. three years in a row.

SOURCE:
* https://www.missuniverse.com/missusa/contestant/1000322

Miss USA 2018 Candidate Spotlight: Brittinay Nicolette, Maryland

Move over, Ginger Spice is here! Meet the only (?) redhead in the Miss USA competition this year, Miss Maryland USA, Brittinay Nicolette. But more than her fiery hair, this feisty and spirited gal helps in saving lives working as a transplant coordinator for organ transplants. Not only that, she had a tear in her abdominal wall that prevented her training while competing at her state pageant. Imagine what she can do after the surgery to fix that and with full training for Miss USA!

State: Maryland
Age: 26 years old
Height: 5’9″
Bio: Brittinay Nicolette is a Transplant Coordinator for the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland, facilitating organ recoveries for the purpose of life saving organ transplants. She is an advocate for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Awareness. After experiencing sexual assault and dating abuse first hand, she has made it her mission to spread awareness through sharing her story. Brittinay feels the best word to describe her is spirited. If crowned Miss USA 2018, she plans to spend her year advocating for Americans to save lives by registering to become Organ, Eye, and Tissue donors.

SOURCE:
* https://www.missuniverse.com/missusa/contestant/1000334

Miss USA 2018 Candidate Spotlight: Narine Ishhanov, Utah

There are a number of strong MIss USA candidates with foreign roots. MIss Utah USA, Narine Ishhanov is one of them. This Armenian-American has an interesting look to her coupled with her background as a student of Dentistry. Also noticeable how in some of her photos she resembles Miss Universe winner Olivia Culpo mixed with a little Nia Sanchez and she might just follow their footsteps in becoming the next Miss USA.

State: Utah
Age: 24 years old
Height: 5’7″
Bio: Narine Ishhanov is the CEO of a national trucking transportation company. As a first-generation Armenian American citizen, it is especially important for her to honor her parent’s sacrifice by becoming a successful Doctor of Dental Medicine. Narine is an ambassador for STEM Action Center in Utah, which provides children K-12 with unique opportunities and exposes them to the different realms of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

SOURCE:
* https://www.missuniverse.com/missusa/contestant/1000358

Miss USA 2018 Candidate Spotlight: Kelley Johnson, California

The tallest of this year’s Miss USA candidates, Kelley Johnson is heads above the competition. But that is not all that is what she is going on for her. This ICU registered nurse is pursuing her Doctoral degree which is a great jump off point in pageants. With IMG| WME era Miss Universe org looking into meatier resumes for their winners, Kelley is a sure frontrunner for the MIss USA title!

State: California
Age: 25 years old
Height: 6’2″
Bio: Kelley Johnson is an Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse having graduated Valedictorian at Grand View University. Kelley is a full-time Doctoral student and will graduate as a Family Nurse Practitioner next year. Over the past two years, Kelley has given more than sixty-five professional keynote speeches across the country to audiences reaching nine thousand people. She also spends her time in California as a Brand Ambassador and National Spokeswoman for two nursing companies. In her spare time, you can find her playing with her bulldogs, cooking or learning to surf.

SOURCE:
* https://www.missuniverse.com/missusa/contestant/1000318

Miss USA 2018 Candidate Spotlight: Téa Draganovic, Idaho

Another one of the girls who has a story to tell is this lady with Bosnian roots. Téa Draganovic came to the US with her parents as migrants at the age of 2 and with refugee displacement being a major global issue, she could surely have something to really anchor her interviews for the pageant. IMHO, she should capitalize that to strengthen her resume aside from her BS degree in Human Biology.

State: Idaho
Age: 21 years old
Height:
Bio: Téa Draganovic graduated from Boise State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Biology. She is continuing her education and working towards her goal of becoming a PA. Téa is proud of her Bosnian heritage and loves to learn and embrace new cultures. If she takes home the Miss USA crown, she plans to share her passion for learning by promoting higher education and giving students the resources they need to be successful in their educational endeavors.

SOURCE:
* https://www.missuniverse.com/missusa/contestant/1000326

Miss USA 2018 Fun Facts!

It’s Miss USA season and we have some interesting tidbits for you regarding the candidates of this year’s pageant…

Tallest contestant: standing at  6’2″
California,  Kelley Elizabeth
Shortest contestant: standing at 5’4″
Alaska, Nicole Smith
Iowa, Jenny Valliere
Maine, Marina Gray
New Hampshire, Michelle McEwan
Oldest contestant: at 28 years old
Louisiana, Lauren Vizza
Montana, Dani Walker

Youngest contestant: at 20 years old
Delaware, Sierra Wright
Illinois, Karolina Jasko
Kansas, Melanie Shaner
North Dakota, Abigail Pogatshnik
Ohio, Deneen Penn
Oklahoma, Cheyene Darling
Vermont, Maia-Jena Allo
Washington, Abigail Hill

Born outside the USA: 8 candidates
Florida, Genesis Davila born in Puerto Rico
Georgia, Marianny Egurrola born in Colombia
Idaho, Tea Draganovic born in Bosnia
Illinois, Karolina Jasko born in Poland
Nevada, Carolina Urrea born in Colombia
New Hampshire, Michelle McEwan born in Thailand
New York, Genesis Suero born in Dominican Republic
Utah, Narine Ishhanov born in Armenia