A beauty pageant is a competition that has traditionally focused on judging and ranking the physical attributes of the contestants. Pageants have now moved towards including inner beauty, with criteria covering judging of personality, intelligence, talent, character, and charitable involvement, through private interviews with judges and answers to public on-stage questions. Pageant titles are subdivided into Miss, Mrs. or Ms., and Teen – to clearly identify the difference between pageant divisions.
Debra Gale Marshall is an American retired professional wrestling valet, professional wrestler, and actress. She is best known for her time with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) between 1995 and 1998 as Queen Debra and with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) between 1998 and 2002 as simply Debra.
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 prior to her suspension in October 2022, thus returning the said pageants to the Miss Universe Organization.
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant that has been run since 1983 by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. Unlike its sister pageants Miss Universe, which currently broadcasts on JKN18 and Miss USA, this pageant is webcast on the Miss Teen USA website and simulcast on mobile devices and video game consoles. The Miss Universe Organization previously operated Miss Teen USA, as well as Miss USA, until 2020 when the rights to produce both pageants were licensed to Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart prior to her suspension in October 2022, thus returning the said pageants to the Miss Universe Organization. The parent company of all three pageants and the Miss Universe organization remains the same under the licensing agreement: JKN Metaverse Inc., a subsidiary of JKN Global Group.
Shanna Lynn Moakler is an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. After winner Chelsi Smith won the Miss Universe 1995 pageant, Moakler succeeded her as Miss USA. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in December 2001.
Chelsi Mariam Pearl Smith was an American actress, singer, TV host, and beauty pageant titleholder, who was crowned Miss USA 1995 and Miss Universe 1995. Smith was the third Miss USA of African-American origin, after Carole Gist (1990) and Kenya Moore (1993), in addition to being the sixth American woman to win Miss Universe and the first since Shawn Weatherly was crowned Miss Universe 1980.
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.
The Miss California competition selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss America competition.
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American model, television personality, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Destinations in 2004, posing in Lake Tahoe. She has also held the titles Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002, Miss Kentucky County Fair 2004, and Miss Kentucky USA 2006.
Debra Dene Barnes is an American music educator and former beauty pageant participant who was crowned Miss America 1968.
Miss America 1984, the 57th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 17, 1983, on NBC Network. Miss America 1983, Debra Maffett crowned her successor, Miss New York 1983, Vanessa Williams of Millwood, New York at the end of the nationally televised event. In July 1984, Williams was forced to resign over the unauthorized publication of nude photographs and was succeeded by first runner-up, Miss New Jersey Suzette Charles, who served as Miss America until September 15, 1984. Among the contestants who did not place among the ten finalists, Miss New Mexico 1983 Mai Shanley, eventually went on to win the Miss USA 1984 pageant on May 17, 1984.
Miss America 1983, the 56th Miss America pageant, was from on the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 11, 1982 on NBC Network.
Cassandra Jean Whitehead, also known as Cassandra Jean W. Amell, is an American actress, model, and beauty pageant queen from Houston, Texas. Jean attended Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi.
Miss America 1952, the 25th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 8, 1951. At age 25, Colleen Kay Hutchins is the second-oldest contestant to capture the crown.
Alyssa Marie Campanella is an American model, blogger and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 2011. Having previously been crowned Miss California USA 2011, Campanella was the sixth woman representing California to win the Miss USA title. As Miss USA, Campanella represented the United States at Miss Universe 2011, where she placed in the top sixteen. A native of New Jersey, Campanella was also crowned Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2007 and placed as the first runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2007.
Miss World America 1978 was the 1st edition of the Miss World America pageant and it was held in Von Barun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama and was won by Debra Jean Freeze of North Carolina. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder, Cindy Darlene Miller of Virginia. Freeze went on to represent the United States at the Miss World 1978 Pageant in London later that year. She finished in the Top 15 at Miss World.
Miss World America 1979 was the 2nd edition of the Miss World America pageant and it was held in Reichhold Center for the Arts in Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands and was won by Carter Wilson of Virginia. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder, Debra Jean Freeze of North Carolina. Wilson went on to represent the United States at the Miss World 1979 Pageant in London later that year. She finished in the Top 15 at Miss World.
Miss World USA 1975 was the 14th edition of the Miss World USA pageant and it was held in Springfield, Massachusetts and was won by Annelise Ilschenko of Ohio. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder, Terry Browning of Florida. Ilschenko went on to represent the United States at the Miss World 1975 Pageant in London later that year. She did not place at Miss World.
Miss World USA 1971 was the 10th edition of the Miss World USA pageant, held in the Hampton Roads Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia, and was won by Karen Brucene Smith of Texas. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder Sandra Wolsfeld of Illinois. Smith went on to represent the United States at the Miss World 1971 Pageant in London later that year. She finished as fifth runner-up at Miss World. She later won Miss American Beauty 1974 and competed in and later won Miss International 1974.
