Miss USA 2008

57th Miss USA pageant

Miss USA 2008

Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart

Date| April 11, 2008
Presenters|

* Donny Osmond
* Marie Osmond[1]

Entertainment| Finger Eleven
Venue| Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas, Nevada
Broadcaster|

* NBC (KVBC)
* Telemundo (KBLR)

Entrants| 51
Placements| 15
Winner| Crystle Stewart
Texas
Congeniality| Monica Day
Ohio
Photogenic| Courtney Carroll
Alaska

<- 2007

2009 ->

Miss USA 2008 was the 57th Miss USA pageant, held at the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts 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 was also the first time in the pageant's 56-year history that two consecutive women of African Americans have been crowned.

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.

## Results[edit]

### Placements[edit]

Map showing placements by state Placement  | Contestant

|

Miss USA 2008 |

* Texas – Crystle Stewart

1st Runner-Up  |

* Mississippi – Leah Laviano

2nd Runner-Up  |

* New Jersey – Tiffany Andrade

3rd Runner-Up  |

* Oklahoma – Lindsey Jo Harrington

4th Runner-Up  |

* Pennsylvania – LauRen Merola

Top 10  |

* Florida – Jessica Rafalowski
* Indiana – Brittany Mason
* Massachusetts – Jacqueline Bruno
* Missouri – Candice Crawford
* Tennessee – Hailey Laine Brown

Top 15  |

* California – Raquel Beezley
* Minnesota – Kaylee Unverzagt
* Rhode Island – Amy Diaz
* South Carolina – Jamie Hill
* Utah – Julia Bachison

## Delegates[edit]

State  | Contestant  | Hometown  | Age[a] | 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 Miss Earth United States 2009
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" |  |  |

## Contestant gallery[edit]

* 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

* Crystle Stewart (2008 winner)
Miss Texas USA 2008

* Charlie Buhler Miss South Dakota USA 2008

## Contestant notes[edit]

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 but unplaced.

## Judges[edit]

* Heather Mills \- activist; contestant on ABC's season four of Dancing with the Stars
* Rob Schneider \- actor; comedian; screenwriter; director
* Kristian Alfonso \- actress on NBC's Days of Our Lives; entrepreneur
* Joey Fatone \- former member of 'NSync; actor; contestant on ABC's season four of Dancing with the Stars; host of NBC's The Singing Bee
* Christian Siriano \- winner of season four of Project Runway
* Amanda Beard \- Olympic Gold Medal swimmer; model
* Kelly Carlson \- actress on FX's Nip/Tuck
* Ken Paves \- celebrity hairstylist
* Shawne Merriman \- outside linebacker for the NFL's San Diego Chargers
* George Wayne \- Vanity Fair magazine celebrity journalist
* Robert Earl \- founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood International, Inc.

## See also[edit]

* Miss USA 2007
* Miss Universe 2008
* Miss Teen USA 2008

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Ages at the time of the pageant

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "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. Archived from the original on 2007-12-07. Retrieved 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.[permanent dead link]
7. ^ a b "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. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
10. ^ "Daughter of officer sets sights on Miss USA". The Norwalk Advocate. 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2008-03-07.[dead link]
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. Archived from the original on 2008-04-10. 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.[dead link]
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.[permanent dead link] (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. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2010.

## External links[edit]

* Miss USA official website Archived 2006-09-18 at the Wayback Machine

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