I went to the Miss USA pageant – behind-the-scenes details you don’t see on TV, including how they cope with 6″ heels
HAVE you ever wondered what it’s really like behind the scenes at Miss USA, the Super Bowl of pageants?
As 51 women showed up and showed out in sky-heels this weekend, I was there to see what actually happens when the cameras stop rolling — and get co-host Adrienne Bailon-Houghten’s “tried and true” skincare product.
After a week-long visit to Reno, 51 national delegates competed in segments including Interviews, Swim Competition, Evening Gown, Final Question, and Final Look.
As a superfan of the organization, I dusted off my heels and jetted to Reno, Nevada, where I watched the events live.
Even though I’ve watched the Miss USA pageant on TV for years, I was unsure about what to expect when I was actually in the room.
It turns out, there was plenty to see beyond the women dazzling under the spotlights.
What was different from previous years was that there wasn’t any live entertainment — which, it turns out, wasn’t necessary because the confident women themselves were a sight to see.
Posing quite the contrast, though, was the technical crew nearby who dressed casually in jeans and sweats.
That reminded me that we were, in fact, watching a show — and this was being broadcast live.
Before every commercial break ended, a loud voice boomed overhead and counted us in.
Several times throughout the night, you could hear a man say “We are live in ten, nine, eight” right before the stage lights came back on.
I was amazed by the resilience of these women as they just stood on stage for each two or three-minute break, though a few did manage to relax their shoulders for a bit.
Something you definitely don’t see on television? The way their smiles slightly dropped when the cameras were off.
I could also definitely understand that they took the opportunity to stretch their legs and shake out their feet, clad as they were in six-inch heels.
Many people don’t see the hair flips for volume and quick passes of Vaseline on their teeth to keep their smiles from slipping.
It was obvious that it wasn’t easy being “on” all the time, especially at such a fierce national competition.
I also got a chance to see some of the judges up close and personal.
The panel at the 72nd Miss USA pageant included designer Nicole Miller, actress, director, and producer Vivica A. Fox, Countess Luann De Lesseps, model Emina Cunmulaj Nazarian, and beauty guru Patrick Starr.
Keltie Knight and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton also hosted the Miss USA pageant.
I couldn’t get over how much Adrienne’s skin glowed on and off-stage.
While we briefly spoke before the show, she dropped that her go-to holy grail skincare product was Keihl’s Ultra Facial Cream, $38 at Sephora, describing it as “tried and true.”
In order to be completely immersed in the environment, I stayed in the host hotel where all the pageant festivities would take place: the Grand Sierra Resort.
On the preliminary day, I spent my morning and afternoon at the resort pool, where I connected with people from several states who were there cheering on their close friends and family.
But when my leisurely day came to an end, it was show time.
After waiting in a long line that wrapped around the casino, I entered the massive theatre and all I could say was “wow.”
There was a long runway in the center of the stage and two large screens were hanging on either side of it.
From Alabama to Wyoming, 51 state representatives competed in the swimsuit and evening gown competition.
I may have sat further in the back, but the energy was still electric because I felt like I was at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
The face cards didn’t decline, some of the walks could have put Naomi Campbell to shame, and their beauty inside and out radiated.
What stood out to me was how important it was for the contestants to look at the several cameras strategically placed around the runway.
Contestants not only had to be attentive to their body language, but they also had to remember stage direction.
Before the final show on September 29, I attended a red carpet where I was able to speak with the judges, who came from different fields and backgrounds.
Fashion model Emina Cunmulaj Nazarian has been in the industry for 20 years but this was the first time she attended Miss USA.
“I’m used to the stage where it’s serious, straight on, whereas here you have the capability of being yourself and personality comes through,” she told The U.S. Sun.
“For an organization like this to bring it to a platform where women can be looked on as more than a pretty pageant girl but a smart, accomplished woman… it’s fantastic.”
Designer Nicole Miller shared her biggest fashion faux pas — fast fashion and cutouts because “we’re seeing too much.”
One/Size Beauty founder Patrick Starrr explained that it was a full circle moment for him to judge a pageant he grew up watching from four years old.
“The diversity is incredible. We have people who have emigrated over here and now are so proud to show their roots and culture, just like I’m here to represent my community and my people,” Patrick said.
The Bachelor franchise’s Jordan Kimball and Miss USA 2022 Morgan Romano served as commentators for the event.
Jordan told me: “To be able to speak about your community prepares these young ladies for competition, for sportsmanship. To say that pageants are outdated couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
The annual event concluded with Morgan Romano from North Carolina crowning Venezuelan-American and Miss Utah USA Noelia Voight as her successor.
Noelia will go on to represent the USA at the Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador next month.
It was incredible that the pageant’s new President and CEO, Laylah Rose, had only six weeks to bring the entire television production to life.
After the pageant ended, contestants, supporters, and staff attended an afterparty to celebrate the new titleholder.
The evening was spent socializing, networking, and having a blast at the casino and nightclub, where people danced the night away.
Final Results
Miss Utah USA Noelia Voight crowned Miss USA 2022
First Runner-Up: Miss Hawaii USA Savannah Gankiewicz
Second Runner-Up: Miss Wisconsin USA Alexis Loomans
Third Runner-Up: Miss Pennsylvania USA Jasmine Daniels
Fourth Runner-Up: Miss Texas USA Lluvia Alzate