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 operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA.
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American actress, model, TV host and beauty queen. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America, where she won a preliminary award. She placed as first runner-up at the Miss Universe 2004 competition. She is one of three women to have been both Miss Missouri USA and Miss Missouri and the only Missourian to have been Miss USA. Her first runner-up finish at Miss Universe was the best placement in the 2000s and was the best United States placement between Brook Mahealani Lee's Miss Universe 1997 competition victory and Olivia Culpo's Miss Universe 2012 pageant win.
The Miss Arizona USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Arizona in the Miss USA pageant.
Jay Manuel is an American-born Canadian TV host, Creative Director and Make-up Artist. He is most recognizable as the former Creative Director on the popular reality television show America's Next Top Model. Manuel also was featured as the host of Canada's Next Top Model.
Crystle Danae Stewart is an American actress, host, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. Stewart later began acting career, starring as a real estate agent Leslie Morris on the OWN/TBS comedy-drama television series For Better or Worse from 2011 to 2017 and in 2018 starred in the thriller film Acrimony.
Miss International 2008, the 48th Miss International pageant, was held on November 8, 2008 at The Venetian Macao in Macau，the presenters are Eric Tsang, Dodo Cheng, Astrid Chan. 63 contestants from all over the world competed for the crown, marking the biggest turnout in the 48 years of the pageant, surpassing the previous of 61 during last year pageant. The contestants also paid a visit to Hong Kong, Tokyo. Miss International 2007, Priscila Perales of Mexico, crowned her successor Alejandra Andreu of Spain as the new Miss International.
Miss Ukraine Universe is a Beauty pageant that began in 2006, after the Miss Ukraine Organization lost the franchise to Oleksandra Nikolayenko. The winner of the pageant represents Ukraine at the Miss Universe contest. Historically, Ukraine was represented at Miss Universe by the winner of the Miss Ukraine pageant and close selection by Miss Ukraine pageant.
Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina was crowned by outgoing titleholder Crystle Stewart of Texas.
Miss International 2009, the 49th Miss International pageant, was held on November 28, 2009 at the Sichuan International Tennis Center in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. The pageant was originally scheduled to be held on November 7, 2009 at The Venetian Macao in Macau, but the host committee backed out. 65 contestants competed for the coveted title. Alejandra Andreu of Spain crowned Anagabriela Espinoza of Mexico as the new titleholder.
Stefanía Fernández Krupij is a Venezuelan TV host, model and beauty queen who won the Miss Venezuela 2008 and Miss Universe 2009 titles. She earned a Guinness World Records by being the first Miss Universe winner who was crowned by a compatriot.
The Miss Universo Italia or is a national pageant that currently selects the Italian representative for the Miss Universe pageant. The pageant was first organized in 1951 and it is not related to Miss Italia, although some delegates have crossed over from one format to the other throughout the years.
Iveta Vítová is a Czech TV host, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Czech Miss in 2009 and competed at Miss Universe 2009 and placed Top 10.
Lisa Lazarus is a British model and actress.
Marigona Dragusha also known as Gona Dragusha is a Kosovar model and beauty queen who placed as the 2nd runner-up at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant. Dragusha won her national title, Miss Universe Kosovo, on 4 April 2009.
Kristen Jeannine Dalton-Wolfe is an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009 and represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant, placing in the top 10.
Miss USA 2010, the 59th Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 16, 2010. Kristen Dalton of North Carolina, crowned her successor, Rima Fakih of Michigan as Miss USA 2010 at the end of this event.
Miss Honduras is a national beauty pageant in Honduras.
The Big Four refers to the four major international beauty pageants for women – Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth. The group was first described by the China Daily newspaper in 2004 as "the world's four major beauty contests", Chosun Ilbo newspaper in 2010 described them as "the world's top four beauty pageants". In 2017, the Latin Times considered the group as the "most important pageants in the world". In 2018, NBC News referred to them as the "four biggest international pageants".
Miss Universe Puerto Rico is a national Beauty pageant in Puerto Rico.
