Pageant world implodes amid claims Miss USA was ‘rigged’
Pageantry fans and followers of the Miss USA competition — as well as some of the contestants — have claimed the 2022 crowning was “rigged”.
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Pageantry fans and followers of the Miss USA competition have claimed the latest crowning was “rigged”, after unusual reactions from candidates.
The 71st Miss USA was crowned on Monday with a historic win for Miss Texas, R’Bonney Gabriel, who became the first Filipino American to claim the title.
The 28-year-old fashion designer from San Antonio will go on to represent the country in the 2023 Miss Universe pageant held in January.
The event, held in Nevada, led to intense scrutiny over judging following the announcement of Gabriel’s crowning.
Pageantry lovers examined the final ceremony under a microscope to uncover flaws in the process with many claiming traditional features were left out.
TikTok user Jasmine Bruce first suggested “something was off” about the beauty competition, which kicked off a series of allegations from social media users claiming the contest was “rigged”.
In her videos, which have since received just under three million views, Bruce said “something really stuck out to her” when watching the crowning.
“Something was just a little bit sketch about it.”
She then showed clips from previous crowning ceremonies as examples of how a winner’s fellow competitors would address her after the crowning.
In previous years, it was common for all contestants to run towards the winner to hug and celebrate.
In Gabriel’s case, participants immediately exited the stage without even gesturing towards her to offer their congratulations, leaving only the winner and the show host’s to hug on stage.
“Before she even got halfway down the runway after her crowning moment, contestants behind her were exiting the stage,” Bruce said.
“Any pageant you’ve ever been in, the production manager tells you, you stay on stage until she’s done, you stand there and clap.”
“Not one of them stays on stage.
“The energy about this one was really different and I think you could just sense it.
“Either the girls were not happy something sketch was going on, but in my 10 years of pageantry I have never seen contestants walk off the stage and not congratulate the girl who has won.
“That is a big tell all of either her character or just something was off, and it’s obvious.
“There’s some tea there.”
This unusual element was quickly picked up by others on social media.
“I have been watching pageants since I was a kid. Never seen this at the crowning. Very strange,” said one user who commented on Bruce’s video.
“I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought this,” said another.
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Fans took this reaction from contestants as a sign they already knew the outcome of the judging prior to the announcement, paired with Gabriel’s underwhelming reaction to the news.
Adding fuel to the scandal, contestants Miss Georgia and Miss Montana released a set of angry Instagram stories.
The pair claimed Gabriel was already attending a sponsored holiday less than 24 hours after the crowning ceremony, sharing a sponsored video from the resort which appeared prerecorded.
“Not even 24 hours after she was crowned, we see video footage of her having a lavish, solo vacay and commercial for Nizuc,” said Miss Georgia representative Holly Haynes.
“Miss USA was crowned less than 24 hours ago, yet she already got her sponsored vacation to @nizucresort? Are you kidding me? I was giving y’all the benefit of the doubt, but this is just embarrassing at this point,” said Miss Montana Heather Lee O’Keefe.
The Miss USA Organisation has not provided comment however an influential Instagram account @missusafans released a lengthy statement.
“My heart is heavy today. Unless the above promotional video released this morning by one of the pageant’s major sponsors – Nizuc Resort based in Cancun — was shot at the crack of dawn this morning in Mexico … my antenna goes up, and clearly, so does that of many Miss USA 2022 contestants speaking out in frustration today,” the post read.
“Miss USA used to be a magical experience for these women and they now walk away feeling exploited.”
In addition to the rumours, viewers were quick to highlight how even though there were 50 women crowned that year, the official Miss USA Instagram account only posted a video of Gabriel’s question and answer in a reel that was quickly deleted.
The account issued an apology following the post’s removal.
“As the landscape of America continues to evolve, we’re proud to be an organisation that remains steadfast in our position to always provide a safe environment and support all women, regardless of their beliefs,” the post read.
Miss Ohio, Sir’Quora Carroll, who was fourth runner up for the event, posted a message to her social media.
“We put so much time and effort into this organisation to just openly humiliate us like that is crazy,” she said.
“No one ever wants to look like a clown but to feel like one too hits a little different.”
Miss Alabama, Katelyn Vinson, joined the group of contestants sharing cryptic posts to their Instagram accounts as rumours circled.
“It’s crushing and heartbreaking to have worked so hard towards a goal only to realise you never stood a chance. I heard rumours but I held on to hope,” she said to potentially “insinuate” the winner was decided before the competition began.
Miss South Carolina, Meera Bhonsle, joined the conversation and growing group of contestants speaking out.
“Women are supposed to be empowered in this industry and instead we have been used as puppets and props,” she said.
“I knew I didn’t stand a chance because the final outcome was predetermined,” Bhonsle said, while also appearing to take a swipe at Gabriel.
“If you are in a position where someone is offering you preferential treatment and you willingly accept it, that’s on you. If you saw this as a true sisterhood you would never comply.”
“I will continue to pray for the people that are “leading” this organisation,” she wrote.
“As a titleholder, even if you don’t win the Miss USA crown, you are still entitled to represent your title with grace and poise, so the fact that these women are speaking up and saying something about the competition speaks volumes because if it wasn’t anything serious or they were just mad about now winning, they would bite their tongue,” Ms Bruce added.
“I have a lot of respect for these ladies speaking up.”
Originally published as Pageant world implodes amid claims Miss USA was ‘rigged’
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