Miss USA 2008

Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008.[2] 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 is the first time in Miss USA history that two consecutive women of African-American descent have been crowned.

Miss USA 2008
Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart
DateApril 11, 2008
Presenters
EntertainmentFinger Eleven
VenueThe AXIS, Las Vegas, Nevada
Broadcaster
Entrants51
Placements15
WinnerCrystle Stewart
Texas
CongenialityMonica Day
 Ohio
PhotogenicCourtney Carroll
 Alaska

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 "Paralyzer".[1][3] Rihanna's song Umbrella was used during the evening gown competition.

During the final show on April 11, the fifteen delegates with the highest average scores from the preliminary competition were announced. The top fifteen competed in the swimsuit competition. The top ten delegates from swimsuit competed in evening gown. The top five delegates from the evening gown competition (not averaged composite scores from both competitions) competed in the final question round to determine the winner. The judges' composite score was shown after each round of competition for only the second time since 2002.

Selection of contestants

One delegate from each state and the District of Columbia were chosen in state pageants held from June 2007 to January 2008.

Results

Placements
Map showing placements by state
Final Results Contestant
Miss USA 2008
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10
Top 15

Special awards
AwardContestant
Miss Congeniality
  • Ohio – Monica Day
Miss Photogenic

Final competition scores

Historical significance

Delegates
State Contestant Hometown Age[lower-alpha 1] Height Placement Award Notes
Alabama Keisha Walding Dothan 24 5'10"
Alaska Courtney Erin Carroll[4] Fairbanks 25 5'7" Miss Photogenic
Arizona Kimberly Joiner[5] Gilbert 22 5'8"
Arkansas Rachel Howells[6] Alma 21 5'10"
California Raquel Beezley[7] Barstow 21 5'8" Top 15
Colorado Beckie Hughes[8][9] Grand Junction 21 5'9
Connecticut Jacqueline Honulik[10] Fairfield 21 5'8"
Delaware Vincenza Carrieri-Russo[11] Newark 23 5'7"
District of Columbia Chelsey Sophia Rodgers[12] Washington, D.C. 24 5'8"
Florida Jessica Rafalowski DeLand 22 5'10" Top 10
Georgia Amanda Kozak Warner Robins 23 5'10" Previously Miss Georgia 2006
Hawaii Jonelle Layfield Kaneʻohe 23 5'10" Sister of Ashley Layfield, Miss Hawaii 2007
Idaho Tracey Brown Post Falls 21 5'9 Previously Miss Idaho 2005
Illinois Shanon Lersch Chicago 25 5'10"
Indiana Brittany Mason Anderson 21 5'10" Top 10
Iowa Abbey Curran Davenport 20 5'5" First person with disability to compete at Miss USA
Kansas Michelle Gillespie Mission Hills 22 5'11" Great-great niece of Margaret Gorman, Miss America 1921
Kentucky Alysha Harris Lexington 20 5'4"
Louisiana Michelle Berthelot Hammond 24 5'6"
Maine Kaetlin Parent Van Buren 20 5'8" Previously Miss Maine Teen USA 2005
Maryland Casandra Tressler Damascus 22 5'9 Later Miss United States International 2010
Massachusetts Jacqueline Bruno Assonet 23 5'10" Top 10 Previously Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 2003
Michigan Elisabeth Crawford Canton 25 5'8"
Minnesota Kaylee Unverzagt Eagan 20 5'10" Top 15
Mississippi Leah Laviano Ellisville 20 5'4" 1st runner-up
Missouri Candice Crawford Columbia 21 5'8" Top 10 Sister of actor Chace Crawford
Montana Tori Wanty[13] Shelby 21 5'4"
Nebraska Micaela Johnson Omaha 23 5'5"
Nevada Veronica Grabowski Henderson 23 5'6"
New Hampshire Breanne Silvi Nashua 24 5'4"
New Jersey Tiffany Andrade Linden 22 5'5" 2nd runner-up
New Mexico Raelene Aguilar Sunland Park 26 5'8" Previously Miss New Mexico Teen USA 2000
New York Danielle Roundtree New York City 20 5'11"
North Carolina Andrea Duke Saluda 26 5'11"
North Dakota Stephanie Tollefson[14] New Rockford 21 5'8"
Ohio Monica Day Grove City 25 5'9 Miss Congeniality
Oklahoma Lindsey Jo Harrington Frederick 22 5'10" 3rd runner-up
Oregon Mary Horch[15] Corvallis 24 5'7"
Pennsylvania LauRen Merola Pittsburgh 23 5'8" 4th runner-up
Rhode Island Amy Diaz Johnston 23 5'6" Top 15 Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2001
Later contestant on The Amazing Race 23 and won
South Carolina Jamie Hill Columbia 24 5'6" Top 15 Contestant on The Amazing Race 10
South Dakota Charlie Buhler Mitchell 20 5'5" First African American Miss South Dakota USA
Tennessee Hailey Laine Brown Franklin 25 5'9 Top 10
Texas Crystle Stewart Missouri City 26 5'9 Winner Top 10 at Miss Universe 2008; placed 8th
Utah Julia Bachison North Ogden 24 5'7" Top 15 Previously Miss Utah 2005
Vermont Kim Tantlinger Burlington 22 5'7"
Virginia Tori Hall Roanoke 21 5'8" Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 2005
Cast member on Road Rules 2007: Viewers' Revenge and The Gauntlet 3
Washington Michelle Font Renton 26 5'7"
West Virginia Skylene Montgomery Parkersburg 23 5'7"
Wisconsin Michelyn Cynthia Butler Madison 25 5'8"
Wyoming Cassie Shore Casper 22 5'5"
  • Raquel Beezley
    Miss California USA 2008
  • Keisha Walding
    Miss Alabama USA 2008
  • Vincenza Carrieri-Russo
    Miss Delaware USA 2008
  • Shanon Lersch
    Miss Illinois USA 2008
  • Michelle Berthelot
    Miss Louisiana USA 2008
  • Casandra Tressler
    Miss Maryland USA 2008
  • Elisabeth Crawford
    Miss Michigan USA 2008
  • Kaylee Unverzagt
    Miss Minnesota USA 2008
  • Candice Crawford
    Miss Missouri USA 2008
  • Veronica Grabowski
    Miss Nevada USA 2008
  • Charlie Buhler
    Miss South Dakota USA 2008
  • Crystle Stewart (2008 winner)
    Miss Texas USA 2008

Contestant notes
Michelle Gillespie is crowned Miss Kansas USA 2008
  • Due to accounting errors, Christina Silva was crowned Miss California USA. When the mistake was discovered a week after the pageant, the real winner Raquel Beezley assumed the title.[7]
  • Michelle Gillespie, Miss Kansas USA, is the great-great niece of Miss America 1921, Margaret Gorman of Washington, DC.[16]
  • Three contestants previously competed in the Miss Texas USA and/or Miss Texas Teen USA pageants before winning titles in other states:
    • Candice Crawford (Missouri) placed third runner-up at Miss Texas Teen USA 2003 and 2005. She is the sister of Gossip Girl actor Chace Crawford.[17]
    • Elisabeth Crawford (Michigan) was a non-finalist at Miss Texas USA 2004 to 2006
    • Veronica Grabowski (Nevada) competed at the Miss Texas Teen USA 2003 and Miss Texas USA 2007 pageants, finishing as a semifinalist in both years.
  • Amy Diaz (Rhode Island) and Danielle Roundtree (New York) competed at Miss Florida USA 2007. Diaz placed third runner-up and Roundtree was a non-finalist.[18]
  • Abbey Curran (Iowa) was the first contestant with a disability. Curran was born with cerebral palsy.[19]
  • Amy Diaz (Rhode Island) competed at Miss Earth 2009 in Boracay, Philippines.

Judges

See also

Notes
  1. Ages at the time of the pageant

References
  1. "America's beloved Brother & Sister duo, Donny and Marie Osmond, to host the 2008 Miss USA Pageant". Miss USA Press. 2008-03-14. Archived from the original on 2008-08-07.
  2. "Miss USA coming to Las Vegas". News 3 Las Vegas. 2007-12-13.
  3. "Heather Mills, Rob Schneider, Joey Fatone, Kristian Alfonso, Amanda Beard, Christian Siriano, Shawne Merriman, Ken Paves, Kelly Carlson, and George Wayne to Judge 2008 Miss USA Pageant On NBC April 11th/Finger Eleven Will Perform Their Hit Song "Paralyzer" During the Live Telecast from Las Vegas" (Press release). Miss Universe Organization. 2008-03-31. Archived from the original on 2008-08-07.
  4. "UAF student wins Miss Alaska USA crown". Associated Press. 2007-12-17.
  5. Gersema, Emily (2007-12-10). "Gilbert woman to vie for Miss USA crown". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  6. Fry, Kenneth (2008-02-23). "Alma Woman Prepares For Miss USA Pageant". Press Argus-Courier.
  7. "New Miss California winner named after accounting error". Associated Press. 2007-12-04.
  8. "Owner of Pinque wins Miss Colorado USA crown". The Daily Sentinel. 2007-10-30.
  9. Stina Sieg (31 October 2007). "Businesswoman named Miss Colorado". The Post Independent. Glenwood Springs and Garfield County, CO, USA: Swift Communications, Inc.
  10. "Daughter of officer sets sights on Miss USA". The Norwalk Advocate. 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  11. Zewe, Adam (2007-12-10). "Vincenza Carrieri-Russo crowned Miss Delaware USA". The Community News. Archived from the original on 2008-04-21. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  12. Bryce, Peter (2008-03-18). "Next Stop Miss USA: DC's Pageant Representative on Fashion, Fitness, Guilty Pleasures, and Embarrassing Moments". Washingtonian. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  13. Milliard, Trevon (2008-03-20). "UM student wins Miss Montana". Montana Kaimin. Archived from the original on 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  14. Johnson, Andrea. "Miss N.D. focuses on healthy lifestyles". Minot Daily News. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  15. Hogue, Theresa (2008-03-14). "Miss Oregon gets ready for pageant". Albany Democrat-Herald. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  16. Bhargava, Jennifer (2007-12-25). "Mission Hills woman captures Miss Kansas title". Kansas City Star. Retrieved 2008-03-07. (Google cache)
  17. Raubolt, Jordan (2007-11-16). "Crowning achievement: MU student sets sights on career". Columbia Daily Tribune.
  18. "Jenna Edwards of North Miami is next Miss Florida USA". Associated Press. 2006-07-15.
  19. "Pageant Is Her Crowning Achievement: Miss Iowa, In Las Vegas For Miss USA Pageant, Was Born With Cerebral Palsy". Las Vegas: CBS. April 10, 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
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