>

4/22/06:

MISS KENTUCKY CROWNED MISS USAÆ 2006 DURING LIVE NBC TELECAST ON APRIL 21ST

Baltimore, MD April 21, 2006– This evening, during one of the year's most exciting live television events, a star-studded panel of judges chose Miss Kentucky USA, Tara Elizabeth Conner as MISS USAÆ 2006.

Ms. Conner is a 20 year-old from Russell Springs, Kentucky who is currently studying business administration at Somerset Community College.

Dancing With The Star's cycle two winner Drew Lachey and Access Hollywood Nancy O'Dell, hosted the live telecast from the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Commentary was provided by Carson Kressley of Bravo's "Queer Eye" along with the reigning Miss USA, Chelsea Cooley throughout the live telecast.

Celebrity Judges for the Pageant included: Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medalist Chad Hedrick; "Apprentice' regular and budding real estate developer, Donald Trump Jr.; shoe guru Steve Madden; NBC's "Passion's" star, James Hyde; "America's Next Top Model' winner and the new face of CoverGirl cosmetics, Nicole Linkletter; Super Bowl MVP, Hines Ward; television personality Jillian Barberie; and Vice President & General Manager - North America and Global Cosmetics, Procter and Gamble, Gina Drosos.

Throughout the two-hour event, the contestants competed in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. During these competitions the "Top Five' finalists were selected before the crowning. Chelsea Cooley, Miss USA 2005, crowned her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast, before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 250 million.

Final Results:

First Runner Up: Miss California USA, Tamiko Nash, will assume the duties of Miss USA 2006 if the titleholder is named Miss UNIVERSE 2006 or for some reason cannot fulfill her responsibilities.

Second Runner Up: Miss Georgia USA, Lisa Wilson

Rest of Top Five: Miss Ohio USA, Stacy Offenberger and Miss Florida USA, Cristin Duren.

Rest of Top Ten: Miss Alabama USA, Haleigh Stidham; Miss District of Columbia USA, Candace Allen; Miss Rhode Island USA, Leeann Tingley; Miss South Carolina USA, Lacie Lybrand; Miss Texas USA, Lauren Lanning.

Miss Photogenic Award: Miss Florida USA, Cristin Duren. The general public voted on www.nbc.com for the delegate who exemplifies beauty through the lens of a camera.

Congeniality Award: Miss Minnesota USA, Dottie Cannon. The award reflects the respect and admiration of the delegate's peers, who voted for her as the most congenial, charismatic and inspirational participant.

The MISS USAÆ 2006 prize package includes: Official Miss USA Mikimoto pearl tiara; A Year supply of CoverGirl Cosmetics; 2 Year Scholarship from The School for Film and Television in NYC; custom designed wardrobe by Tadashi; A four day 3 night "all - inclusive" vacation from American Airlines; Show wardrobe and cash prize from Steve Madden; a year supply of haircare by Farouk Systems; a swimsuit wardrobe from BSC Swimwear Thailand; New York City apartment for the year of her reign including living expenses; and a personal appearance wardrobe.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSEÆ, MISS USAÆ and MISS TEEN USAÆ Pageants, is a Donald J. Trump and National Broadcasting Company, Inc. (NBC) partnership. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers by forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, and Gilda's Club.

4/21/06:

Baltimore, MD April 21, 2006–

Contestants from the 2006 Miss USA Pageant will make a special guest appearances this evening as Briefcase Models on the smash hit NBC game show "Deal or No Deal", produced by Endemol USA. And as part of its continuing relationship with Endemol USA's digital media group, the Miss Universe Organization today announced its deal to make exclusive Miss USA mobile content available for download.

The exclusive images feature all 51 of the 2006 Miss USA contestants in their competition bathing suits. Cingular Wireless customers get first crack at the exclusive wallpaper images as of today for $1.99 apiece. Soon after the images will be available on other major carriers as well, including Verizon, T-Mobile, Boost Mobile and Amp'd. To download the photos, Cingular Wireless Users must go to Media Mall on their phones and click on "Graphics." Then go to the "TV/Movies" section, click on "Deal or No Deal" to get Miss USA wallpapers. Or visit:

"Having our contestants on "Deal or No Deal" was one of the many new elements to our show this year. This wallpaper is one of the most exciting because it allows family, friends and fans to always have their favorite contestant just a phone call away," said Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization. "It's the perfect way to showcase the 51 most beautiful women in the country."

"Given our great relationship with NBC, it was natural for us to step in and create a way to connect "Deal or No Deal" fans with Miss USA fans," said Jon Vlassopulos, Vice President, New Media & Business Development, Endemol USA. "Mobile content is an exciting area, and it's just one example of the type of work we're doing with emerging media: leveraging our traditional TV content with new ways to bring content to consumers."

The 2006 Miss USA Pageant airs LIVE on NBC tonight from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSEÆ, MISS USAÆ and MISS TEEN USAÆ Pageants, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal partnership. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and Gilda's Club, Miss USA is armed to impact women today.

4/9/06: MIAMI, Florida and NEW YORK, New York ñ The Miss Universe Organization announced today its new partnership with Best Buddies, a worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendship and integrated employment. The new friendship will kick off on the evening of Sunday, April 9th with a "Ride the Ducks" tour around the Baltimore Inner Harbor, after which 53 Best Buddies chapter members will be paired up with "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's" Carson Kressley, Chelsea Cooley, Miss USA and each of the 51 Miss USA 2006 contestants. The tour will unload at the Baltimore Science Center, where all will enjoy dinner and a night of exploring the Science Center. The special evening is sponsored by Glyndon Baltimore Cleaners and the Baltimore Science Center.

"We are truly honored to make our friendship with Best Buddies official," says Paula Shugart, President of The Miss Universe Organization. "We have worked with Best Buddies unofficially over the last year and we have been overwhelmed by the work they do and the positive impact they have in the lives of so many people." Although working with Best Buddies is now an official cause for Miss Teen USA, all three titleholders (Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA) will work with the growing charity.

Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,200 at middle school, high school, and college campuses around the world. "Our partnership with The Miss Universe Organization is a perfect fit because our organizations share common values of community service and inclusion. It is a huge asset to have such exceptional role models working with us to increase volunteerism and raise awareness for people with intellectual disabilities," says Anthony Shriver.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSEÆ, MISS USAÆ and MISS TEEN USAÆ Pageants, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal partnership. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers by forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and Gilda's Club.

4/8/06: NEW YORK - April 5, 2006 ñ All 51 Miss USA contestants will arrive in the Big Apple for one day, on April 18, 2006, from Baltimore, Maryland where they are competing to win the Miss USA 2006 crown.

From The Today Show's plaza to Total Request Live's Times Square Studio the contestants will be shuttled around Manhattan on New York Sightseeing Double-Decker Buses. While in NYC the Miss USA contestants will have fittings in the designer Tadashi's Garment Industry showroom and pose for local media at MARS 2112 for a photo opportunity.

The day will culminate at an event where the 51 contestants will launch the first ever official Miss Universe Organization book, "Universal Beauty: The Miss Universe Guide to Beauty." The event will be hosted by Donald J. Trump at his famed Trump Tower. In addition to Miss USA host Drew Lachey, backstage host Carson Kressley and the contestants, - 20 former Miss Universes will be flying in from around the world for this international celebration of beauty. Renowned chef David Burke will be making his signature desserts including fried strawberries, mini milkshakes and fruit kebobs garnished with his wildly popular Flavor Sprays.

Additional event sponsors include title sponsor CHI haircare, X Rated Fusion Liquor and Singha Beer - who will be providing spirits. While in New York City all 51 contestants and former Miss Universes will be staying at the Grand Hyatt.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSEÆ, MISS USAÆ and MISS TEEN USAÆ Pageants, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal partnership. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers by forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and Gilda's Club.

Watch as one lucky woman is crowned Miss USA on Friday, April 21st at 9:00PM ET on NBC!

 

4/1/06: A special episode of NBC's "Deal or No Deal" featuring 26 Miss USA delegates as the briefcase models and a special guest appearance by Miss USA Chelsea Cooley will broadcast April 14th at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, Cooley, (22) the reigning Miss USA and the first-ever Miss North Carolina to win the Miss USA title, will crown her successor on April 21st. "My year as Miss USA has changed my life immeasurably," said Cooley. "From raising more than $22.8 million for breast and ovarian cancer research to snowboarding and skydiving for the first time, I can honestly say this year has truly been unforgettable."

Cooley spent her year championing the official causes of Miss USA, her travels as an advocate for the National Breast Cancer Coalition, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Susan G. Komen, and Gilda's Club, to name a few, have taken her all over the USA and beyond to countries such as Curacao, Turks & Caicos and Thailand, where she competed for the title of Miss Universe.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSEÆ, MISS USAÆ and MISS TEEN USAÆ Pageants, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal partnership. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers by forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and Gilda's Club.

3/23/06: NBC just announced that "Access Hollywood's" Nancy O'Dell and "Dancing With The Star's" cycle two winner Drew Lachey will host the Miss USA 2006 Pageant telecast live from Baltimore, Maryland, on Friday, April 21.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of both the Miss USA and Miss Universe competitions, and for the first time ever Carson Kressley, author, style expert and star of Bravo's Queer Eye, will serve as commentator for the Miss USA 2006 pageant.

In his role as pageant commentator, Kressley will enhance the broadcast with his commentary, on everything from the ladies gowns and their beauty looks to their on-stage presentation.

Article found on globalbeauties.com, courtesy of Global Beauties and Starpulse News.

2/19/06: NBC to Broadcast Miss USA Live from Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena on April 21st

New York, November 22, 2005 ‚ Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization, announced today the state of Maryland will host the 55th Annual Miss USA® Competition. The extravagant live show, which was held in 2005 at the historic Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, moves this year to the 1st Mariner Arena, managed by SMG, Baltimore's largest indoor sports and entertainment facility to accommodate the large demand for tickets. The internationally celebrated event will air live on NBC on April 21st, 2006.

"Our decision to go back to Baltimore, Maryland this year was an easy one," explains Shugart. "The contestants, their friends and families, most of whom were first time visitors to Maryland, all commented on the hospitality and sense of community they found here. We anticipate another great partnership between the Miss Universe Organization, the state of Maryland and the city of Baltimore, and we are excited to show our audience, for the second year in a row, more of why Maryland is a fabulous travel destination."

Hosting duties will be split evenly among the State and the City, and the live telecast on NBC will showcase both the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland.

"It is truly a testament to Maryland's outstanding quality of life and world-class venues that we will once again host the Miss USA competition," said Maryland First Lady Kendel Ehrlich. "Bringing this event back to Maryland has truly been a team effort between State and City officials, private businesses and community leaders and we are thrilled to have another opportunity to show off our great State to millions of viewers around the country and the world."

Baltimore's Mayor, Martin O'Malley, echoes First Lady Ehrlich's sentiment.

"Baltimore is thrilled to welcome back the Miss USA Pageant in 2006," said Mayor Martin O'Malley. "It is especially exciting because next year's event will be staged at the 1st Mariner Arena, allowing a much larger number of citizens here in the city and from across the state to attend this spectacular show."

During the three-week pageant period, thousands of friends, family members and fans are expected to visit Maryland and millions will tune-in to watch the live telecast, providing substantial exposure for the city and state. The 2005 Miss USA pageant was distributed to a record-breaking 100 countries and territories.

North Carolina native Chelsea Cooley, Miss USA 2005, travels the nation as an advocate for breast and ovarian cancer education, research, and legislation. Cooley will crown her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast, before as estimated worldwide viewing audience of 250 million. Each contestant from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview.

Along with Executive Producer, Donald J. Trump, the Gurin Company will again produce Miss USA 2006 with veteran television Writer and Executive Producer Phil Gurin at the helm.

The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSE*, MISS USA* and MISS TEEN USA* Pageants, is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal partnership. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and Gilda's Club, Miss USA is armed to impact women today.

Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel is the official Host Hotel of Miss USA 2006