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The Miss America 2023 final competition night will take place this Thursday, December 15 at the Mohegan Sun Earth Expo & Convention Center in Uncasville, Connecticut. A total of 51 most talented young women from across America are vying for the coveted national title and over $500,000 in college scholarships. Last year's winner Emma Broyles of Alaska will crown her successor at the culmination of the event. Hosted by ESPN’s NFL Live and SEC Network’s SEC Nation host, Miss Florida 2012 and Miss America 2013 Top 15 Laura Rutledge, the forthcoming final show will stream live at 8 p.m ET at PageantsLive.com  and on the PageantsLive app on Roku, Samsung TV, and Apple TV. Visit the Miss America official website for more information on how to purchase tickets for the live show or get access to online streaming. Who will be crowned Miss America 2023? A distinguished panel of judges is tasked to select the next winner. Get to know the judges: Aparna Shewakramani - From her polarizing

Fifty-one of the country's most intelligent, confident, talented, and community-minded young women are currently vying for the Miss America 2023 title in Uncasville, Connecticut. Prior to the final night competition that will be held this Thursday, December 15 at the Mohegan Sun, two preliminary nights were held and four contestants bagged special awards. The first preliminary night was held on Monday, December 12. Miss Indiana, Elizabeth Hallal, earned the Talent award, and Miss Georgia, Kelsey Hollis, earned the Social Impact Pitch award. On the second preliminary night which was held on Tuesday, December 13, Miss Wisconsin, Grace Stanke, earned the Talent award, and Miss Iowa, Bailey Hodson, earned the Social Impact Pitch award. The Talent awardees each received a $2500 worth of scholarship provided by Kawai Pianos while the Social Impact Pitch awardees each received a £1500 worth of scholarship provided by Regalia Magnificent Apparel. Don't miss watching the final show live

The interview judges for the upcoming Miss Earth USA and Teen Miss Earth USA 2023 have been officially announced. Meet the distinguished panel of judges: Andreia Gibau - Host, model, Miss Earth USA 2017 and Miss New York USA 2020 Lisa Forbes Cardell - Pageant coach, state pageant director, and Miss Earth USA 2007 Thom Brodeur - Businessman, media personality, and CEO of Queen Beauty Universe Elizabeth Safrit Bull - Former Miss World United States and Miss World 2014 second runner-up Laura Clark - Miss Earth USA National Director The national finals will be taking place from January 4 to 8 in Orlando, Florida. Visit missearthusa.com for ticket reservations. Photo: Miss Earth USA RELATED POST: Miss Earth USA 2023 schedule of events, tickets info

The upcoming 71st Miss Universe edition in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA will not be holding a national gift auction and the contestants were informed not to bring a national gift. Instead, they need to customize their own cape for the swimsuit competition taking inspiration from anything that could be related to their cause or the country that they represent. The capes will be auctioned instead of national gifts and proceeds will benefit a charity that has yet to be announced. Contestants will each receive a blank cape from the Miss Universe Organization and they are instructed to bring the "custom art cape" and a copy of the "clearance agreement" to the Miss Universe host country. The 71st Miss Universe competition will be held on January 14 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. Photos: Miss Universe RELATED POSTS: 71st Miss Universe: Contestants' profiles are out, fan voting now open 71st Miss Universe will be hosted in New Orleans on January 14 Miss Uni

Miss Earth USA 2023 will be held on Saturday, January 7 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida where the reigning queen Brielle Simmons will crown her successor. Hosted by former Miss Earth USA and Miss Earth Water Brittany Ann Payne, the events will take place at the Linda Chapin Theater. The contestants will be accommodated at the Rosen Centre Hotel. For more information on tickets and hotel reservations, visit the official website of Miss Earth USA . Proceeds from the upcoming competition will benefit the Beauties for a Cause USA / B4ACUSA Foundation whose primary focus is to support environmental preservation while empowering women and young girls. In addition to Miss Earth USA, three other divisions will be taking place ⁠— the Mrs USA, Teen Miss Earth USA and ⁠Junior Ambassador. The next Miss Earth USA will be sent to the Miss Earth 2023 pageant which is expected to be held in Vietnam. Here is the official schedule of events: Wednesday, January 4, 2023 Rosen Ce

Miss Casco Bay, Juliana Morehouse, was crowned Miss Maine USA 2023 on Sunday, November 20 at the Sheraton Sable Oaks in South Portland. The 23-year-old master's student in theology and an advocate of Alzheimer's disease will go on to represent Maine at the Miss USA 2023 pageant. She is the daughter of former Miss North Carolina USA and Miss USA 1994 second runner-up Lynn Jenkins Morehouse. "I have been passionate about finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease since I was a child. My grandmother and my aunt both had the disease and lived with us for a portion of their sicknesses," Juliana shared on social media for Alzheimer’s Awareness month. "Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in America and memory loss is not a normal part of aging. I enjoy working with the Alzheimer’s Association in Maine to speak to the public about what Alzheimer’s is, how to prevent it, and what we can continue to do to find a cure," she added. Rounding out this year's Top

Miss Georgia South, Rachel Russaw, was crowned Miss Georgia USA 2023 on Saturday, November 19 at the Henry County Performing Arts Center in McDonough. The 24-year-old University of Alabama graduate with a degree in human environmental science is an entrepreneur, vlogger, and influencer living in Atlanta. She is also an advocate for mental health and uses her platform to motivate and empower women through #influenceherirl . "Last night my dream came true as I was crowned Miss Georgia USA 2023! I am honored and humbled to have been chosen from the amazing group of women I spent the past several days getting to know. You ladies will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope to make you all proud," she shared on social media after winning her title. Rachel succeeded last year's winner Holly Haynes and will now be heading to the Miss USA 2023 pageant. This was her second attempt at the state pageant, she placed in the Top 15 and bagged Miss Photogenic at Miss Georgia USA

The profiles of the contestants vying for the 71st Miss Universe title are now available on the official website and app of the Miss Universe pageant. Fan voting is officially open and the contestant with the highest votes will automatically earn a spot in the semifinals. Only the first vote is free and additional votes can be purchased. A total of 86 countries are confirmed to participate in the upcoming competition based on the available profiles posted by the Miss Universe Organization. The final show will be held on January 14 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Here are the 86 confirmed contestants: ALBANIA - Deta Kokomani ANGOLA - Swelia Da Silva Antonio ARGENTINA - Bárbara Cabrera ARMENIA - Kristina Ayanian ARUBA - Kiara Arends AUSTRALIA - Monique Riley BAHRAIN - Evlin Khalifa BELGIUM - Chayenne Van Aarle BELIZE - Ashley Lightburn BHUTAN - Tashi Choden BOLIVIA - Maria Camila Sanabria Pereyra BRAZIL - Maria Eugenia Mamede BRITI

Mackenzie Kuiken, representing South Bend, was crowned Miss Washington Teen USA 2023 on Sunday, November 13 at the IKEA Performing Arts Center in Renton. The 16-year-old South Bend High School student succeeds last year's winner Kate Dixon and will now prepare to represent Washington at the Miss Teen USA 2023 pageant. Puget Sound representative Angelique Dela Cruz was named first runner-up while Summer Petrisko of Snoqualmie, Ella Roehr of Pierce County, and Calli Warren of Lewis County rounded out the Top 5 finalists. The new Miss Washington Teen USA is a member of her school's varsity cheer, volleyball, basketball, and track teams. Additionally, she is part of the National Honor Society and the social media manager for Key Club. Mackenzie’s platform “Girls with Game” is advocating the importance of physical and mental health by encouraging girls to get involved in sports, clubs, and the arts. In the future, she aspires to become a sports physical therapist. View this

Miss King County, Samantha Gallia was crowned Miss Washington USA 2023 in the state competition held on Sunday, November 13 at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center. The 24-year-old breast cancer support advocate is a graduate of a doctorate degree in dentistry from the University of the Pacific and is currently an oral and maxillofacial radiology resident at the University of Washington. She succeeded last year's winner Mazzy Eckel and will now represent Washington at Miss USA 2023 in Reno, Nevada. Green Lake's Taylor Mann and Stanwood's Stephanie Yerigan were respectively announced as the first and second runners-up while Mukilteo's Jesi Williams and West Bellevue's Starla Sampaco rounded out the Top 5 finalists. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Samantha Gallia, DDS (@drsamanthagallia) "I have about a million thank yous to make, but for now- thank you to every person who has ever believed in me and poured into me. I am so gra

Miss Benton County, Manju Bangalore, was crowned Miss Oregon USA 2023 on Saturday, October 15 at the Sherwood Center for the Arts in Sherwood, Oregon. The 25-year-old physicist, actor, model, and founder of two nonprofits edged out over 20 other competitors to win the state title in her third attempt. She succeeds last year's winner Arielle Freytag and will now prepare to represent Oregon at Miss USA 2023. "As an Oregonian, this has been a dream of mine for so long and I'm just in shock," she excitedly told her predecessor in a video clip shortly after winning her title. "It's literally surreal, I mean, this is the pageant that I grew up watching, like admiring all the intelligent, beautiful, strong girls. I'm just in shock," she added. Rounding out the Top 5 finalists were Miss Klamath Falls, Amulya Chava; Miss Progress Ridge, Brooklyn Lowery; Miss Multnomah County, Kelly Smith; and Miss West Portland, Aly Nordie. The new Miss Oregon USA is also an

Following the "rigged" allegations against Miss USA, the Miss Universe Organization has immediately suspended Crystle Stewart's The Miss Brand Corp, producers of the competition. The suspension happened after MUO's "thorough deliberation" and this has been confirmed in an official email sent to the state pageant directors. Miss USA will now be under MUO while "a comprehensive, third-party investigation is conducted" by the law firm Holland & Knight and the next appropriate action will be based on their findings. The email signed by MUO President Paula Shugart and CEO Amy Emmerich also mentioned Crystle's cooperation through the process and brought up MUO's commitment to the contestants and fans as the top of their priority. Photo: Miss Universe / Facebook

Miss USA 2021 Elle Smith of Kentucky went to social media to defend her successor R'Bonney Gabriel of Texas whom she crowned on Monday, October 3 in Reno, Nevada. "Right now, all I feel is concern and pity for R'Bonney," she said amid the viral allegations attacking the Miss USA Organization. "I understand how isolating it is to win Miss USA and I also understand what it is like to have your class try and discredit your win, and say that they are attacking the organization and not you," she added. Elle then went on to share her own similar experience with her fellow competitors after winning last year. "Last year, my class attempted to say that the organization favored me and they came up with all these different claims, I then debunked all their claims to prove them wrong, this class [2022] is doing the same exact thing to R'Bonney," she said. She continued, "There's not one person in the pageant world and not one person in that class

Miss USA 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel sat down with E! News to set the record straight on the viral "allegations and smear campaign" shared by Miss Montana USA Heather Lee O'Keefe on social media against the Miss USA Organization. The drama came after the Filipino-American beauty from Texas won the coveted title on Monday, October 3 at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. Allegations include favoritism and unfair advantage from the organizers and sponsors. Some contestants also went online to share frustrations over their "unjustifiable losses, heartbreaks, and broken dreams" implying R'Bonney's victory was fixed. During the exclusive interview with the host of E! News' The Rundown Erin Lim Rhodes on October 6, the new Miss USA said the pageant "was not rigged" and she emphasized: "I would never enter any pageant or any competition that I know I would win. I have a lot of integrity." Just in case you missed it, here yo