TMZ has learned that officials from the Miss USA pageant will make a "major announcement" today and may strip reigning Miss USA Tara Conner of her title due to inappropriate behavior.
Sources tell TMZ that executives from the Miss USA organization and NBC (which broadcasts the pageant) met Tuesday to discuss Conner and alleged incidents of her inappropriate behavior, including her conduct at New York City bars. While no one from the pageant would comment on the rumored troubles, several sources tell TMZ that a big announcement is expected some time Thursday. According to these sources, officials are extremely unhappy with the current Miss USA's conduct in public.
Pageant rules say that if Connor is removed, first runner-up Miss California Tamiko Nash will assume the duties of Miss USA and complete the remainder of the beauty queen's reign. When TMZ contacted a rep for Nash, we were told they could "neither confirm nor deny" that she would be taking over the title.
Twenty-year-old Conner, who hails from Russell Springs, Kentucky, was crowned Miss USA in April of 2006. As part of her duties Connor often takes part in high profile media events. She recently boarded the Black Pearl for a "Pirates of the Caribbean" promotion in Baltimore.
UPDATE: Donald Trump, who owns the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, told CNN that "Reports that Miss USA is being 'dethroned' are absolutely not true." He then said that Conner is "going through some personal problems and difficulties right now which could affect her ability to reign. We are right now looking into what we can do to work with her and what we will do about her reign going forward."
UPDATE: The Miss USA Organization has issued the following statement: "Miss USA Tara Conner has not been dethroned. The Miss Universe Organization and Mr. Donald J. Trump will be evaluating her behavioral and personal issues to see what we can do to work with her, and what we will do about her reign going forward. Mr. Trump will make a determination and announcement within the coming week."
Miss USA Dethroned?
12/14/2006 9:30 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF
Get TMZ Breaking News alerts to your inbox
Previous 15 Comments | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments
Mad Balls
Inapproptriate Behavior ?!? You would think this blog Think tank would have jumped all over this. I wish you guys would put down the doggie porn and your red , white , and blues and read a book sometimes . If I get this right the pageant has Woman who are young , attractive and dress for judges in seethrough gowns and skimpy bathing suits . The winner is chosen on their "Looks" basically . Dickheads . How inappropiate is this event anyway ? Sounds demeaning to me . Of course its' owned by a guy who stayed in Bankrupt mode for 11 years and just recently emerged a 500 million dollar man . Wow these are role models for all our younguns' ! Dickheads .
keets
If anyone hasn't read yet, donald says she's having personal problems. Doesn't look like bad behavior so I think the personal attacks should stop.
Larry Pratt
#51 Jason. No I don't know how many Congressmen we have in the White House. Could you please enlighten us?
Valerie Johnson
th
Thank god she is going BYe " ".
I'm glad Miss California is getting it yeah for the asian americans like myself.
gagal
Robert Duncan you are a jerk, how do think we have the freedoms we have today, THE AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN IN THE MILITARY!!!
adam
Thank you gagal!!!
ken
She is most likely wishing she would be stripped...she would be set for a career for years..playboy,tv,interviews.....she WANTS to be stripped
Suey
It's time to rid the world of silly beauty pagents anyway. Women are not barbie-doll robots and should not be rewarded for acting as such. This does a tremendous disservice to women globally.
AMT
#51 - What are you talking about???
Excuse me, maybe you don't realize that the Miss USA title is a JOB not a prize. Along with the title comes a salary and a CONTRACT. In this contract is a decency clause. Every beauty competition, in fact every company that has a has a public spokesperson has this clause in their contract. If you act in a manner in which the company deems inappropriate, the company may terminate employment free of legal action. Miss Connor was well aware of this clause. She is a pageant professional and knew what was expected of her. Because she "may have" failed to live up to the requirements of her job can not be explained away by her being young and having fun. She didn't have to be perfect, all she needed to do was be responsible. It appears she failed.
Why are your role models NBA & NFL? Why are you looking to people who you don't know to pattern your life after? They are public figures but they are not role models. Just because I like her pair of Jimmy Choo's doesn’t mean I look up to Paris any of these people.
They maybe fine athletes, actors or musicians. If I were looking for lessons on any of these things they would be people I might contact. But for day-to-day living, feeding of my moral core...get real. I have two great parents and my own sense of well-being to guide me.
So get off your high horse. No one is obligated to feel sorry for her for being fired. She did to herself. It's embarrassing but not the end of the world. She'll live.
tigerlily
You guys are so funny sometimes!!! First of all, am I the only person who realizes what title we are talking about? Miss USA and Miss America are two different things..Miss America is the moral crownholder. That is why Vanessa Williams was dethroned, she was a Miss America winner. Miss America gets all the scholarships, does the interviews, goes on tour for different causes, and is basically the moral example for women. On the other hand, Miss USA is based solely on looks and what else..looks. They compete in miss Universe. Miss USA wins cash and not all the scholarships, etc. like Miss America does. I do not worry much about miss USA making an ass of herself in a bar as the title has no moral value, but on the other hand, Miss America is a different story.
Also, where are these people getting all the backhills comments about her? I dont know what people on here think that people in the south live like? I live in TN and we are far from being backwoods where I live. When I see someone from Louisville Kentucky or that area, they seem a bit "northern" to me .
Just let it be. There are plenty other things to worry about. The girl is 20, she likes to party, and she is Miss USA which means more money to party with..lol
My two cents
You stupid asses should really learn to READ! She has NOT been fired. Read-Read-Read. Unbelievable the amount of dumb asses that post here!!!!
Lee
Judge Not least ye be judged...
drwood
ARE YOOO TARA CONNER?
somebody had to say it!
Dan Johnson
So being " country " or " from the hills " makes you inferior in some way ?
Arrogant jerks .
DW
Egads! A lot of your comments are downright nasty concerning someone you 1) don't even know, 2) an incident which may not have taken place (Trump is denying it). While I am not a fan of pagents at all, there is no reason to trash the girl in such contemptuous language! A "slut"? a "little sh**"? Do you even KNOW this girl?
(And people say religious folks are judgmental! I hope none of these contemptuous remarks are coming from devout Christians, Jews, or Muslims!)
Sounds like some jealousy here...