Magnificence pageants aren't all the time fairly. Aggressive occasions from Miss USA to Miss Universe have all had their justifiable share of scandals and controversies over time.
In 1984, Miss America Vanessa Williams famously gave up her crown after nude images had been revealed in Penthouse. Years later, in 2006, Miss USA Tara Conner saved her sash when then-Miss Universe proprietor and now President of the USA Donald Trump provided her a second likelihood after she admitted to abusing medicine and alcohol.
The newest controversy got here in November 2025, when an argument broke out between Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch and Thai businessman Nawat Itsaragrisil throughout a sash ceremony.
Preserve scrolling to see the most important magnificence pageant scandals by way of the years:
Vanessa Williams
Earlier than she turned an achieved singer and actress, Vanessa Williams had her Miss America title taken away when racy images of herself had been leaked and revealed in Penthouse journal. Williams, who was the primary African-American Miss America, was additionally the primary to resign.
Greater than thirty years later, she returned as the pinnacle choose of the pageant and CEO Sam Haskell issued an official apology to Williams. “I need to apologize for something that was mentioned or completed that made you are feeling any lower than the Miss America that you're and Miss America you all the time will probably be,” he mentioned.
Karlie Hay
Hours after Karlie Hay was topped Miss Teen USA 2016, screenshots of racist tweets she posted just a few years again — together with some utilizing the N-word — resurfaced on-line. She rapidly owned as much as utilizing the offensive language and apologized in an Instagram publish.
Whereas the Miss Universe Group known as her phrase selection “unacceptable,” they mentioned she is not going to have to surrender her crown.
Future Velez
Miss Puerto Rico 2015 Future Vélez was suspended by the Miss America Group after she tweeted a collection of anti-Muslim messages. Fahrenheit 9/11 filmmaker Michael Moore shared a photograph of himself holding an indication exterior of Trump Tower that mentioned, “We're all Muslim,” in response to Trump's feedback about banning Muslims from getting into the U.S.
Vélez launched right into a tirade, saying that Muslims have “terrorizing agendas.”
Doron Matalon and Saly Greige
Selfie scandal! Miss Israel Doron Matalon and Miss Lebanon Saly Greige brought on an uproar for taking a smiling selfie collectively at Miss Universe 2014. Whereas it appeared harmless, the 2 nations had been at conflict for years.
Greige claimed on Fb that Matalon photobombed her whereas she was having her pic taken with different girls and posted it on social media. Matron countered on Instagram that it was “too dangerous [she] can not put the hostility out of the sport, just for three weeks of an expertise of a lifetime.”
Nia Sanchez
Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez was accused of faking that she lived in Nevada when she forgot the capital of her supposed residence state. Throughout a radio interview, she blanked out on the reply. “Oh oh agh, umm, oh my gosh,” she mentioned, earlier than the host rescued her and mentioned, “Carson Metropolis.”
She had competed in Miss California 3 times and had by no means gained, sparking rumors that she arrange a paper path to make it seem she met the minimal residency necessities for the Nevada competitors.
Steve Harvey
The 2015 Miss Universe host made a mega gaffe — and broke the web — when he introduced the improper winner of the pageant. He mistakenly learn that Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez was the victor, when actually Miss Philippines, Pia Wurtzbach, had gained the coveted crown.
He later defined that the textual content on the cardboard for the primary runner-up was larger and bolder than the winner's title. “Did I make a mistake? Sure I did, wholeheartedly,” he mentioned on his discuss present. “You make a mistake and also you come clean with it. And I attempted to repair it, I attempted to repair it proper there.”
Elizabeth Fechtel
Florida and people recounts! In the course of the Miss Florida 2014 pageant, Elizabeth Fechtel was initially topped the winner earlier than the pageant organizers realized there had been an error in counting the votes, and Victoria Cowen was the true champ.
A number of days later, officers confirmed up at Fechtel's residence to tell her of the error. Apparently, a choose had switched his or her selection on the final minute and drawn arrows on the poll to reverse the names, however it had been neglected initially.
Amanda Longacre
Amanda Longacre was initially given the title of Miss Delaware 2014 however was later deemed too previous to finish in Miss America; Contestants have to be 17 to 24 years previous. Longacre was nonetheless 24 on the September competitors, however she turned 25 in October. In response to pageant officers, there's a clause stating {that a} Miss America hopeful can not flip 25 earlier than the tip of the yr. Whereas she didn't hold the crown, she was capable of hold the scholarship cash she was awarded.
Rima Fakih
The controversy began when seductive images of Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih on a stripper pole — allegedly at a Detroit radio present's “Stripper 101” contest — leaked. She fought again, saying the pics had been from a pole dancing class she had attended a number of years in the past. Extra individuals known as for her resignation when she slept by way of an interview after a late evening of partying and lied about it, solely to be caught purple handed by resort safety cameras.
Simply weeks earlier than handing off her crown, she virtually missed a CNN interview after one other evening of ingesting, however managed to carry on to her title till the tip of her reign.
The Brazilian magnificence queen and influencer Gabrielly Moreira has died. She was 16. Moreira reportedly spent the night out at a bar with a gaggle of pals, together with one lady and two boys, on September 18, earlier than the group reportedly entered an deserted home, in line with Colombian newspaper El Tiempo. Her devastated father, Valbério Moreira, […]
Carrie Prejean
Miss California 2009 Carrie Prejean got here underneath hearth for her controversial reply to a query about same-sex marriage requested by overtly homosexual choose Perez Hilton through the Miss USA Q&A portion. ”We stay in a land the place you'll be able to select same-sex marriage or reverse marriage. I imagine that marriage must be between a person and a lady,” Prejean mentioned.
Dozens of celebs and social media customers bashed her response, saying she ought to lose her title. Whereas she was by no means stripped of her title for her feedback, a mixture of leaked topless images and missed appearances led to her firing. Miss California organizers cited the official motive as breach of contract.
Laura Zuniga
After claiming her crown as Reina Hispanoamericana 2008, Laura Zuniga was arrested with a gaggle of seven suspected drug cartel members for carrying quite a lot of weapons of their vehicles, together with assault riffles and handguns, 633 cartridges, 16 cellphones and $53,000 in money. Photographs appeared of Zuniga in handcuffs standing in entrance of a desk piled with weapons and cash. She was dethroned and sentenced to 40 days underneath arrest pending fees on racketeering, drug trafficking, weapons and cash laundering.
Caitlin Upton
In presumably essentially the most viral pageant flub ever, Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2007 Caitlin Upton rambled a wierd reply to a query about why she thought one in 5 Individuals can't find the U.S. on a map.
“I personally imagine U.S. Individuals are unable to take action as a result of, uh, some individuals on the market in our nation shouldn't have maps and, uh, I imagine that our training like corresponding to in South Africa and, uh, the Iraq, in every single place like corresponding to,” she mentioned on the time. “I imagine that they need to, our training over right here within the U.S. ought to assist the U.S., uh, or, uh, ought to assist South Africa and may assist the Iraq and the Asian nations, so we will construct up our future.”
In 2015, she mentioned that the second nonetheless haunts her and she or he even contemplated suicide at one level due to the backlash.
Ashley Tougher
Ashley Tougher surrendered her sash as Miss New Jersey 2007 as a result of she unexpectedly turned pregnant throughout her reign. (Pageant guidelines beforehand prohibited Miss USA contestants from being married, pregnant or ever having had kids, however this modified in 2023 to permit each married girls and moms.)
The choice for Tougher to go away the competitors was closely criticized by pro-life advocates who argued that she must be allowed to compete as a result of she selected to not have an abortion.
Tara Conner
After a number of media studies of Tara Conner's alcohol and drug abuse following her transfer to New York Metropolis, Conner examined constructive for cocaine whereas holding the Miss USA title. She later admitted that she abused alcohol and prescription painkillers as properly.
Throughout a press convention, Trump surprisingly determined to present her a second likelihood as a substitute of stripping her of her crown, and Conner agreed to go to rehab. “She left a small city in Kentucky and acquired caught up within the whirlwind we all know is New York,” Trump mentioned.
Danielle Lloyd
Danielle Lloyd was fired as Miss Nice Britain 2006 after she let slip in an interview that she had been relationship pageant choose and soccer participant Teddy Sheringham previous to the competitors. Sheringham was the one choose who voted for Lloyd, who in the end gained primarily based on the viewers vote. On prime of that, she stripped down for Playboy, violating guidelines that the winner should not pose nude throughout her reign.
Alicia Machado
Lower than a yr after her victory as Miss Universe 1996, Alicia Machado gained 42 kilos, going from 118 to 160. Pageant officers threatened to dethrone her if she didn't lose the load, so Trump known as in a staff of health and diet consultants to assist her shed the kilos by way of rigorous weight-reduction plan and train. In an interview with Howard Stern, Trump added gasoline to the hearth by calling her “an consuming machine.”
Fatima Bosch
Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch made headlines for a tense argument with Thai businessman Nawat Itsaragrisil, who at the moment holds govt positions inside each the Miss Universe Group and Miss Universe Thailand. Itsaragrisil additionally serves as president of Miss Grand Worldwide.
The feud started when Itsaragrisil reportedly known as Bosch a “dumb head,” an expression which means “idiot” or “empty-headed.”
Jordon Hudson shared a considerate tribute to Melissa Sapini by way of Instagram because the pageant queen accomplished her time as Miss Massachusetts — and threw some shade at her boyfriend's ex within the course of. Hudson, 24, referenced Linda Holliday, ex-girlfriend of soccer teaching legend Invoice Belichick, with a not-so-subtle line towards the tip of the publish. […]
Bosch informed Itsaragrisil, “We respect you, simply as it is best to respect us. I'm right here representing my nation, and it's not my fault you've issues with my group.” He replied, “No, you will need to take heed to me first, then argue with me.” Bosch then stood up and left the room, with different contestants becoming a member of her in solidarity, together with the present Miss Universe, Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig.
In response to the outlet N+, the argument started after Itsaragrisil questioned why Bosch didn't publish in regards to the host nation on social media. Bosch reportedly tried to inform Itsaragrisil that it was a misunderstanding.
Bosch later spoke out in regards to the viral second in an announcement to the media, saying, “He known as me dumb as a result of he has points with the group, and I feel that's unfair … I feel the world must see this, as a result of we're empowered girls and this platform is for our voices. Nobody can silence it. Nobody will silence me. It doesn't matter in case you have an enormous dream or a crown. If it takes away your dignity, it is best to stroll away.”
The Miss Universe Group additionally launched an announcement.
“The Miss Universe Group (MUO) reaffirms its dedication to work intently with the host group, the Miss Grand Worldwide Group (MGI), and all native companions to make sure the success of the 74th version of the pageant,” the assertion learn. “A high-level delegation, led by the MUO's CEO, Mr. Mario Búcaro, is touring to Thailand to strengthen collaboration with the host nation, MGI, and related authorities. All scheduled occasions and actions will happen as deliberate, reaffirming our shared aim of delivering a worldwide celebration that displays the values of variety, empowerment, and inclusion that outline the legacy of Miss Universe.”
