Formation | 1952 |
---|---|
Type | Beauty pageant |
Headquarters | Santa Monica |
Location | |
Membership | Miss USA |
Official language | English |
Key people | Kristen Bradford |
Website | Official website |
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 Samantha Ramos of Santa Monica, who is crowned on June 23, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Orange County. Ramos will represent California at Miss USA 2024.
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, who took over the directorship after Faye Smith successfully led the way through the 1970s and 1980s. Also was produced by Top 10 Productions, Inc. San Diego–based. Top 10 was led by Pam Wilson and Alex Kuty, who have been involved in pageant and fashion production for many years. Top 10 took over for K2 Productions in 2013. K2 had a number of controversies but during its 9 years producing the pageant, it managed to be the top placing state at Miss USA, growing the entry numbers to the largest state pageant in the history of Miss USA and doing the first live television airing in over 10 years. In the beginning, K2 Productions was directed by former Miss Teen USA 1995, Keylee Sue Sanders, and Keith Lewis. K2 Productions was later directed by Lewis and briefly co-produced by Miss USA 1995, Shanna Moakler. In October 2021, Kristen Bradford of Crown Diva Productions took over the directorship for California pageants.
In 2009 Carrie Prejean was forced to resign after placing 1st runner-up at Miss USA 2009 after a controversy developed regarding the answer she gave to her final interview question at the national pageant. [1] Pageant organisers claimed she was fired due to contractual violations. [2]
California has produced a Miss USA every decade (except the 2000s) and is ranked second highest among states in terms of placements, after Texas.
Shauna Gambill, who won the national Miss Teen USA crown in 1994, is the only Miss California USA who has previously held the Miss California Teen USA title. As Miss California USA in 1998, Gambill placed 1st Runner-Up to Shawnae Jebbia of Massachusetts. Three Miss California USA titleholders have also competed in the Miss America pageant while two were former winners of the Miss Teenage California Scholarship Pageant.
California holds a record of 53 placements at Miss USA, second overall behind Texas and ahead of South Carolina.
Year | Name | Hometown | Age [lower-alpha 4] | Local Title | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Samantha Ramos | Santa Monica | 24 | Miss Santa Monica | Top 20 | ||
2023 | Tianna Clark | Perris | 27 | Miss Perris | Top 20 | ||
2022 | Tiffany Johnson | Lancaster | 26 | Miss Lancaster | Top 16 | Former Los Angeles Clippers professional dancer [3] | |
2021 | Sabrina Lewis | Berkeley | 23 | Miss Berkeley |
| ||
2020 | Allyshia Gupta | Los Angeles | 25 | Miss Los Angeles | Top 10 | ||
2019 | Erica Dann | San Francisco | 27 | Miss San Francisco | |||
2018 | Kelley Johnson [4] | Los Angeles | 24 | Miss Redondo Beach | Top 10 |
| |
2017 | India Williams [6] | Lafayette | 20 | Miss Santa Monica | Top 10 | ||
2016 | Nadia Mejia | Diamond Bar | 20 | Miss Corona Del Mar | Top 5 |
| |
2015 | Natasha Martinez | Chino Hills | 23 | Miss Santa Anita Park | |||
2014 | Cassandra Kunze | San Diego | 20 | Miss Beverly Hills | Top 10 | Miss Photogenic | |
2013 | Mabelynn Capeluj[ citation needed ] | San Diego | 21 | Miss Greater San Diego | Top 15 |
| |
2012 | Natalie Pack [8] | Palos Verdes | 22 | Miss Hoag Hospital |
| ||
2011 | Katie Blair | Los Angeles | 23 | Miss Laurel Canyon | did not compete |
| |
Alyssa Campanella [9] | Los Angeles | 20 | Miss Hillsbourough | Miss USA 2011 |
| ||
2010 | Nicole Johnson | Westlake Village | 24 | Miss Sherwood | Top 10 | Married to swimmer Michael Phelps [10] | |
2009 | Tami Farrell | Los Angeles | 25 | Miss Malibu | did not compete |
| |
Carrie Prejean | San Diego | 21 | Miss La Jolla | 1st Runner-Up |
| ||
2008 | Raquel Beezley | Barstow | 21 | Miss Barstow | Top 15 | ||
2007 | Meagan Tandy | Fontana | 21 | Miss Inland Empire | 3rd Runner-Up | ||
2006 | Tamiko Nash | Los Angeles | 26 | Miss North Los Angeles | 1st Runner-Up | ||
2005 | Brittany Hogan | Escondido | 20 | Miss City of San Diego | 1st Runner-Up | ||
2004 | Ellen Chapman | San Jose | 22 | Miss San Francisco-Bay Area |
| ||
2003 | Candice Sanders | La Habre | 26 | Miss Greater Los Angeles | |||
2002 | Tarah Peters | San Diego | 21 | Miss Greater San Diego | Top 12 | ||
2001 | Jennifer Glover | Castro Valley | 21 | Miss Bay City |
| ||
2000 | Rebekah Ann Keller | Lakewood | 25 | Miss Greater Lakewood |
| ||
1999 | Angelique Breaux | San Diego | 21 | Miss Vista | 2nd Runner-Up |
| |
1998 | Shauna Gambill | Acton | 21 | Miss Acton | 1st Runner-Up |
| |
1997 | Alisa Kimble | Lake Elsinore | 27 | Miss Lake Elsinore | |||
1996 | Shauna Lyn Searles | Tustin | 26 | Miss Tustin |
| ||
1995 | Deana Avila | Laguna Niguel | Miss Laguna Niguel | ||||
1994 | Toay Lynn Foster | Oxnard | Miss Tulare County | ||||
1993 | Jane Olvera | Fresno | 23 | Miss Central Valley | Top 12 | ||
1992 | Shauna Lyn Searles | Los Angeles | Miss Sacramento Valley | did not compete |
| ||
Shannon Marketic [11] | Malibu | 21 | Miss West Los Angeles | Miss USA 1992 | Miss Photogenic | ||
1991 | Diane Schock | Fontana | 24 | Miss Claremont | 2nd Runner-Up | ||
1990 | Cynthia Nelson | Gilroy | Miss Gilroy | ||||
1989 | Christina Maria Faust | San Fernando Valley | 23 | Miss San Fernando Valley | Top 10 | ||
1988 | Diana Magaña [12] [13] | Rancho Palos Verdes | 22 | Miss Los Angeles County | 1st Runner-Up |
| |
1987 | Lori Dickerson [14] | Lodi | Miss San Joaquin County | Miss Congeniality [15] | |||
1986 | Kelly Parsons | Los Angeles | 22 | Miss Northridge | 4th Runner-Up | ||
1985 | Zina Ponder | Long Beach | Miss Long Beach | ||||
1984 | Theresa Ring | San Diego | Miss Greater San Diego | 1987 Star Search spokesmodel | |||
1983 | Julie Lynne Hayek [16] | Westwood | 22 | Miss Westwood | Miss USA 1983 | ||
1982 | Suzanne Dewames | Thousand Oaks | Miss Ventura County | ||||
1981 | Cynthia Kerby | Westlake Village | Miss Las Virgenes | 3rd Runner-Up | Miss Photogenic Miss Congeniality | ||
1980 | Kari Lloyd | Thousand Oaks | |||||
1979 | Linda Fogarty | Fullerton | Top 12 | ||||
1978 | Donna Adrain | Anaheim | Top 12 | ||||
1977 | Pamela Gergely | San Rafael | 3rd Runner-Up | ||||
1976 | Joni Pennock [17] | Fullerton | 20 | Top 12 | |||
1975 | Summer Bartholomew | Merced | 23 | Miss USA 1975 | |||
1974 | Gayle Gorrell | Los Angeles | 3rd Runner-Up | ||||
1973 | Carol Herrema | Artesia | Top 12 | ||||
1972 | Kim Hobson | San Mateo | 2nd Runner-Up | ||||
1971 | Karin Morrell | Auburn | Top 12 | ||||
1970 | Linda Hall | Los Angeles | Top 15 | ||||
1969 | Troas Hayes | Sacramento | 4th Runner-Up | ||||
1968 | Suzanne Fromm | Los Angeles | Top 15 | Best State Costume | |||
1967 | Susan Bradley | Tustin | 1st Runner-Up | ||||
1966 | Maria Remenyi | El Cerrito | 20 | Miss USA 1966 | Miss Photogenic | ||
1965 | Kathryn Lee Hage | Santa Monica | Top 15 | ||||
1964 | Jeanne Venables | Sacramento | Top 15 | Miss Congeniality | |||
1963 | Francine Herack | Encino | 4th Runner-Up | ||||
1962 | Marilyn Tindall | Los Angeles | 3rd Runner-Up | ||||
1961 | Pamela Stettler | San Rafael | 1st Runner-Up | ||||
1960 | Teri Janssen | Los Angeles | Top 15 | ||||
1959 | Terry Lynn Huntingdon | Mount Shasta | 19 | Miss USA 1959 | |||
1958 | Donna Kay Brooks | Los Angeles | Top 15 | ||||
1957 | Peggy Jacobson | Los Angeles | Top 15 | ||||
1956 | Shirlee Witty | Los Angeles | |||||
1955 | Donna Schurr | Los Angeles | 3rd Runner-Up | ||||
1954 | Sandra Constance | Los Angeles | Top 20 | ||||
1953 | Marcella Roulette | Los Angeles | Top 20 | ||||
1952 | Gloria Maxwell | Los Angeles |
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant that has been run since 1983 by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19 years old as of January 1st of the competition year. They must be US citizens, and cannot have been married, pregnant, or have children. Unlike its sister pageants Miss Universe, which currently broadcasts on JKN18 and like its sister pageant Miss USA, it is televised on The CW television network starting in 2024, after being streamed online for several years. 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.
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss USA pageant.
The Miss Pennsylvania USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Pennsylvania in the Miss USA pageant. It has been previously known as Miss Pennsylvania Universe. This pageant is independently conducted and produced by Proctor Productions based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was produced by Sanders & Associates, Inc., dba- Pageant Associates based in Buckhannon, West Virginia from 2001 to 2020. Since 2020 the pageant based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Tami Nichole Farrell is an American actress, TV host and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Oregon Teen USA 2003, Miss Teen USA 2003 and Miss California USA 2009.
Shauna Gambill is an American model and beauty queen who won Miss Teen USA 1994 and also competed in the Miss USA 1998 and Miss World 1998 pageants.
The Miss New Jersey Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss Teen USA pageant.
The Miss Oregon Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oregon in the Miss Teen USA pageant and the name of the title held by that winner. It is currently produced by Pageant NW Productions based in Puyallup, Washington and is previously produced by ABC Pageant Productions based in Bend, Oregon until 2015.
Katie Blair is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Teen USA 2006, becoming the first person from the state of Montana to win a major pageant title. At Miss California USA 2011 Blair was originally the first runner-up, but after the winner Alyssa Campanella won Miss USA 2011, she received the title on June 25.
Meagan Yvonne Tandy is an American actress and model. She is a former Miss California USA who placed as third runner-up at Miss USA 2007. As an actress, she had long running roles in Jane by Design, Teen Wolf, Survivor's Remorse, and recently starred as Sophie Moore on The CW's Batwoman.
Miss Teen USA 2003, the 21st Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, California on 12 August 2003. At the conclusion of the final competition, Miss Oregon Teen USA Tami Farrell was crowned by outgoing queen Vanessa Semrow of Wisconsin.
Caroline Michelle Prejean Boller is an American model, former Miss California USA 2009, and Miss USA 2009 first runner-up. Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA crown for alleged breaches of contract. Litigation between Prejean and the Miss California USA organization was settled in November 2009. Later that month, Prejean released a book relating events from her point of view.
Miss USA 2009 was the 58th Miss USA pageant, held at the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts 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.
Cassandra Jean Whitehead, also known as Cassandra Jean W. Amell, is an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. Jean attended Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi.
The Miss USA 2009 controversy centered on Miss California USA 2009 Carrie Prejean's answer to a question regarding same-sex marriage. On April 19, 2009, during the ceremony of Miss USA 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the five finalists were all asked about political issues such as how to fight domestic violence, whether to use taxpayer money to bail out corporations, whether to give immigrants access to health care, and whether or not the United States should donate money to the government of Afghanistan to fund its elections. Kenya Moore, Miss USA 1993, has stated that the questions were "far too political and it's divisive as well".
Miss USA 2011 was the 60th Anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, held at the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 19, 2011. Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end of this event. This was California's sixth Miss USA title and the first title since 1992. Campanella represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011.
Alyssa Marie Campanella is an American 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 was also crowned Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2007 and was first runner-up at Miss Teen USA 2007. 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 reached the Top 16.
Miss USA 2012 was the 61st Miss USA pageant, held on June 3, 2012, at The AXIS in Las Vegas, Nevada and it was televised live on NBC. Alyssa Campanella of California crowned her successor Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island at the end of the event. This was Rhode Island's first Miss USA title. Culpo represented the United States at Miss Universe 2012 six months later and went on to win the Miss Universe title, becoming the eighth American to do so.
Miss World America 1993 was the 5th edition of the Miss World America pageant and it was held in the Abraham Chavez Theatre in El Paso, Texas and was won by Maribeth Brown of Massachusetts. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder, Sharon Belden of Florida. Brown went on to represent the United States at the Miss World 1993 Pageant in South Africa later that year. She finished in the Top 10 at Miss World. This pageant was held simultaneously with the Miss Mundo México 1993 pageant.
The Miss California World competition is a beauty pageant that selects the representative for California in the Miss World America pageant.
Shannon La Rhea Marketic, Miss California USA, was crowned Miss USA 1992 Friday night in Wichita, Kan. The 22-year-old Pepperdine University student, a native of Malibu, looked upward when she realized she had won. She then made a thank-you gesture to the audience and judges.
Miss California, Julie Lynne Hayek, a green-eyed student model who wants to be a dentist, was crowned Miss USA last night.