Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 21 hours ago
Beauty pageants may sparkle on the surface, but behind the crowns, there’s been some jaw-dropping drama. From shocking dethronements and headline-making mishaps to fierce protests and heart-breaking tragedies, these controversies have rocked the pageant world and made headlines worldwide. Join us as we dive into the wildest and most unforgettable scandals to ever shake the beauty crown out of place!

Category

🗞
News
Transcript
00:00I didn't give you opportunity to talk. Please keep polite for me. I'm still talking.
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo. And today, we're counting down our picks for the most shocking controversies
00:11to ever rock the world of beauty pageants. I feel so bad with these reporters in front of me.
00:18And he told me, you know something, I don't care.
00:22Number 20. Geography Mishap. 25th Miss Teen USA.
00:26Hey, what goes through your mind when you watch that back?
00:30Oh, gosh. It's almost surreal. It's like that wasn't even me. It's an out-of-body experience.
00:38After winning Miss South Carolina Teen USA in 2007, Caitlin Upton went on to represent her state at
00:44the Miss Teen USA pageant, hoping to take home the crown. Instead, she left with an entirely
00:50different kind of fame. During the question and answer segment, Upton was asked why many
00:55Americans struggle to locate the U.S. on a world map. And she gave a confused, rambling response.
01:01Some people out there in our nation don't have maps. And I believe that our education,
01:08like such as in South Africa and Iraq, everywhere, like such as, and I believe that they should.
01:17Although she seemed nervous at the time, the public wasn't at all forgiving.
01:21Upton was criticized and ridiculed to the extent that she reportedly experienced severe depression
01:26and thoughts of self-harm. Shortly after the pageant, she appeared on the Today Show,
01:32where she clarified what happened and offered a more coherent answer to the question.
01:36Well, personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map.
01:42I don't know anyone else who doesn't. And if the statistics are correct, I believe that there
01:47should be more emphasis on geography and our education so people will learn how to read maps better.
01:52Number 19. A Divorcee Among Us. Mrs. Sri Lanka.
01:56The Mrs. World Beauty Pageant is an international competition for married women,
02:01requiring all contestants to be legally married at the time of entry.
02:04This role sparked a major controversy during the 2021 Mrs. Sri Lanka contest.
02:10At the grand finale, Pushpika Da Silva was crowned the winner by Carolyn Jury,
02:15Mrs. Sri Lanka 2020, and the reigning Mrs. World 2020.
02:19She's been sashed as Mrs. Sri Lanka World 2020.
02:27However, moments later, Jury returned to the stage,
02:31claiming Da Silva was disqualified for being divorced and declaring the first runner-up the new winner.
02:36There is a rule that you all have to be married and not divorced.
02:42So, I'm taking my first step saying that the crown goes to the first runner-up.
02:51She then forcibly removed Da Silva's crown, reportedly injuring her in the process.
02:56Da Silva later clarified that she was only separated, not divorced.
03:01The organizers apologized for the incident and reinstated her crown.
03:05Following widespread backlash, Caroline Jury resigned as Mrs. World 2020.
03:10What I was pushing from, from the very beginning, was a fair stage,
03:17where rules and regulations are equal to all.
03:21Number 18, Miss Nevada Doesn't Live in Nevada, 63rd Miss USA.
03:27In 2014, Nia Sanchez, the newly crowned Miss Nevada, went on to win the Miss USA pageant.
03:33And Miss USA 2014 is...
03:39Nevada!
03:43Shortly after, Sanchez appeared on The Todd Show,
03:47where she was asked to name the capital of Nevada during a quick quiz.
03:51Shockingly, she struggled to answer.
03:53This blunder only intensified growing criticism,
03:56as reports had already surfaced that Sanchez had faked her Nevada residency to qualify for the competition.
04:01But one news network reporting an unnamed pageant source
04:04claimed Sanchez was still living in California throughout 2013,
04:09when she captured the title of Miss Nevada USA,
04:12earning her spot in the national competition last Sunday night.
04:15Born and raised in California,
04:17Sanchez previously competed in the Miss California pageant in 2010, 2011, and 2012 without success.
04:25An anonymous source even alleged that she and the Miss Nevada USA pageant director had a close relationship,
04:30which helped her secure the title.
04:33Sanchez, however, denied the accusations,
04:35insisting she met all residency requirements before competing.
04:39I think if people don't know the pageant world,
04:40they don't know that there's a six-month requirement.
04:42So I had to wait at least six months,
04:44but it ended up being a year and a half before I competed for Nevada.
04:46If you ever needed a reminder to always pay your dinner tab, this is it.
05:08Back in 2008, Lindsay Evans was crowned Miss Louisiana Teen USA
05:12and finished as the third runner-up at the Miss Teen USA pageant.
05:17However, just days before the end of her reign,
05:19she was stripped of her crown after being involved in a Dine and Dash incident.
05:2318-year-old Lindsay Evans was with three girlfriends
05:26at a casual restaurant in Bossier City, Louisiana on Saturday.
05:28They say they tried to pay the $46 bill,
05:31but that the service was too slow, so they just took off.
05:36Evans and her friends had reportedly skipped out on a $46 bill,
05:40but she made the rookie mistake of leaving her purse behind.
05:43When police arrived, they found her driver's license
05:45and a small packet of narcotics inside, which led to her arrest.
05:50Evans is turning her sash and crown in.
05:52In fact, she lost her title yesterday,
05:5411 days before her reign would have ended anyway.
05:57But the sponsor went on to say,
05:58Evans has done a good job this year as Miss Teen Louisiana USA.
06:02Evans seemed to bounce back from the incident, however,
06:04as she rebranded as Elle Evans
06:06and appeared in Robin Thicke's infamous Blurred Lines music video.
06:18Number 16-Henesis Davila dethroned for cheating, Miss Florida USA.
06:24In 2016, Puerto Rican model Henesis Davila
06:28competed for the Miss Florida USA 2017 title and won.
06:32However, her celebratory moment was cut short just days later
06:35when she was dethroned on the grounds of violating pageant rules.
06:39She had multiple complaints amongst the contestants.
06:43There were some eyewitnesses.
06:45And we finally had substantial proof to link her and her vendors.
06:51Organizers alleged that Davila had hired outside professionals
06:55for her hair and makeup instead of doing them herself,
06:59which the rules stipulate.
07:01This largely stemmed from a picture she had posted on Instagram
07:04days before the competition.
07:05This is the photo that got her busted.
07:08She actually posted it on Instagram herself,
07:11posing with the makeup artist.
07:13Working his magic is what she wrote.
07:15Davila later sued the pageant organizers,
07:17seeking $15 million for defamation and a restoration of her title.
07:22But the case was eventually dismissed under confidential terms.
07:26Undeterred, Davila returned to the Miss Florida USA
07:29the following year and won again.
07:32I was just really taken by surprise.
07:35No one's really aware, but how I found out about this
07:38was through a post on social media.
07:40Number 15-Contestants Walkout, 74th Miss Universe.
07:45I think that you are amazing people.
07:47But what just your director did, it's not respectful.
07:52He called me dumb because he had problems with the organization.
07:55Even before the main events of the 2025 Miss Universe contest began,
07:59the pageant was engulfed in controversy.
08:02During the sash ceremony, pageant director,
08:05Nawat Itzara Gristle, was caught on camera reprimanding Miss Mexico,
08:10Fatima Bosch, for apparently skipping certain promotional activities.
08:13Okay, Mexico, where are you?
08:15Okay?
08:20If you follow the order from your national director,
08:24you are dumb, man.
08:26When Bosch tried to defend herself,
08:28Itzara Gristle allegedly called her dumb,
08:31then called on security guards to escort her out of the hall.
08:34In response, several other contestants walked out in solidarity,
08:38including reigning Miss Universe 2024,
08:42Victoria Kerr Teilhveig.
08:43Security!
08:48Stop!
08:50Stop!
08:51Security!
08:52The clip immediately went viral
08:54and drew condemnation from pageant fans around the world.
08:58Following the backlash,
08:59the organization restricted Itzara Gristle's role in the pageant.
09:03He later issued an apology,
09:05but insisted that he never called Bosch dumb.
09:07If anyone's effort and not comfortable is happy.
09:14I'm so sorry.
09:15Number 14.
09:17Feminist Protest, 42nd Miss America.
09:20Pageants have long been criticized for promoting narrow beauty standards
09:23and objectifying women.
09:25That criticism motivated a group of feminists
09:27to stage a protest against the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City in 1968.
09:33The protest at the Miss America pageant in 1968
09:36was so that women could be recognized for more than just their appearance.
09:43Organized by the New York Radical Women,
09:45the demonstration brought together about 400 protesters outside the venue,
09:50holding signs that read,
09:51No More Miss America.
09:52They symbolically discarded bras, girdles, high heels, and makeup
09:56into a freedom trash can
09:58to reject societal expectations of femininity.
10:01Our argument was with, you know,
10:03why do you have to be beautiful
10:05and, you know, looked at like this
10:08before you get noticed as a woman?
10:11Four women even entered the pageant hall,
10:13shouting and unfurling a women's liberation banner
10:16before being escorted out by police.
10:18The protest drew international attention
10:20and helped propel the second-wave feminist movement
10:23to the forefront of public awareness.
10:25I do see Miss World as one of the most spectacular
10:30of consciousness-raising episodes, if you like.
10:33I mean, it did leave its mark.
10:35Number 13, Alicia Machado's Weight Gain, 45th Miss Universe
10:40In 1996, Donald Trump took over the Miss Universe pageant
10:44after buying it from its original owners.
10:47That same year, 19-year-old Alicia Machado of Venezuela won the contest.
10:52Alicia has done an incredible job.
10:54She really has turned out to be one of the great Miss Universe, as I will say.
10:58And she had a little problem during the middle where she gained a little weight.
11:00I don't think so.
11:01Yeah, she's probably right.
11:03During her reign, Machado gained some weight
11:05and faced intense pressure from Trump
11:07and the pageant organizers to slim down.
11:10Trump even went as far as allegedly calling her Miss Piggy
11:13and, quote, an eating machine.
11:16And some people, when they have pressure, don't eat.
11:18And some people, when they have pressure, eat too much,
11:21like me, but like Alicia.
11:24And what she's going to do now
11:25is she's got one of the great trainers of the world.
11:28While the attention made Machado famous,
11:30it also reportedly caused her disordered eating and psychological trauma.
11:34The debacle resurfaced two decades later
11:37when Trump was running for president against Hillary Clinton.
11:40He called this woman Miss Piggy.
11:43Then he called her Miss Housekeeping because she was Latina.
11:48Donald, she has a name.
11:49Where did you find this?
11:49Her name is Alicia Machado.
11:52Machado had just become a U.S. citizen
11:54and joined Clinton on the campaign trail.
11:56Using her experience with Trump
11:58to highlight his alleged sexist behavior.
12:02Number 12.
12:03Carly Hay's Controversial Tweets
12:0534th Miss Teen USA
12:07After winning the 2016 Miss Teen USA pageant,
12:11Texas queen Carly Hay had only a few days to enjoy her victory
12:15before she was plunged into a scandal.
12:18Old posts from her Twitter account resurfaced,
12:21showing that she had repeatedly used a racial slur.
12:24The tweets dating back to 2013 show Hay using the N-word repeatedly
12:30while writing to friends on Twitter.
12:33The backlash was swift, with many calling for her title to be revoked.
12:37Hay quickly issued a statement on Twitter,
12:39apologizing for using the word and chalking it up to,
12:42quote,
12:42many personal struggles she was facing at the time.
12:45She also appeared on Good Morning America,
12:47where she took full responsibility and emphasized that her words did not reflect who she is today.
12:53I've grown up from that 15-year-old girl who used that type of language.
12:57It's never acceptable, and now I know how hurtful it is.
13:01And it hurts me to know that at one point in my life I used that language.
13:04I said that, and it's not me.
13:07Although the Miss Universe organization deemed her language, quote,
13:10unacceptable,
13:12Hay was ultimately allowed to keep her crown.
13:14As Carly stated,
13:15she made a serious mistake she regrets,
13:18and for which she sincerely apologizes.
13:21Number 11.
13:22Sam Haskell resigns.
13:24Miss America.
13:25This after 2014 emails from pageant CEO Sam Haskell were leaked to the Huffington Post,
13:32exposing alleged sexist, crude, and demeaning conversation.
13:36Between 2005 and 2017,
13:39former top Hollywood agent Sam Haskell
13:41rose from serving the board of the Miss America organization to becoming its CEO.
13:46In December 2017,
13:48the Huffington Post published a series of internal emails
13:51revealing that Haskell and other members of the organization
13:54had routinely slut-shamed and body-shamed former contestants.
13:58The lead writer asks Haskell,
14:00Are we the only ones not to have blanked Mallory?
14:03It appears we are the only ones, Haskell responds.
14:06We lost count of the number of men she slept with at 25.
14:11In some instances,
14:13Haskell even laughed at the suggestion that a former contestant should die
14:17and admitted to undermining another's pageant coaching business.
14:21When the emails were unearthed,
14:23the organization placed Haskell on indefinite suspension
14:26while they conducted an internal investigation.
14:29However,
14:30Haskell tendered his resignation the following day
14:32and called the claims by the Huffington Post,
14:35quote,
14:35Haskell tells ABC the emails are conveniently edited
14:41and the events are not as described,
14:43saying he was under stress from a full year of attacks by two Miss Americas
14:47and made a mistake of words.
14:49Number 10,
14:50Intense Backlash,
14:52Toddlers and Tiaras.
14:54Debuting back in 2009,
14:55Toddlers and Tiaras quickly made its way
14:57to being one of the most controversial TLC shows yet.
15:00You're not a stripper,
15:01but shake your butt a little bit.
15:04So why would you even say that?
15:06It produced stars such as Honey Boo Boo,
15:08but it also faced a lot of scrutiny from the concerned public.
15:11The series featured things like eyebrow-waxing toddlers
15:14and contestants pretending to smoke on stage.
15:17So viewers became increasingly worried about the children's well-being.
15:21It's part of pageant competition.
15:22They want their child to stand out.
15:24So you've got those moms that are going to do whatever's necessary
15:26to put their child in that light.
15:28At least one Toddlers and Tiaras parent faced a custody battle
15:31due to questionable actions presented on the show.
15:34People eventually stopped tuning in,
15:36and the show ended up being canceled twice
15:38after failing to survive its revival sequel in 2016.
15:42No class whatsoever.
15:44How could you do that to a little girl?
15:45Number 9,
15:46A Controversial Picture,
15:4863rd Miss Universe.
15:50In 2015,
15:51a single photo posted became The Moment.
15:54Miss Lebanon,
15:55Sally Grige,
15:56posed with Miss Japan.
15:58Miss Slovenia,
15:59and Miss Israel.
16:00Seems pretty harmless,
16:01but it sparks strong reactions in Lebanon,
16:04on social networks,
16:05and in the press.
16:06And here's where the problem started.
16:08The picture,
16:09which was originally shared on Instagram,
16:11was the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.
16:14Conflicts between Lebanon and Israel persisted for decades,
16:18so seeing the two women smiling together
16:20caused significant uproar.
16:21They say Israel and Lebanon are still technically at war,
16:25and feel their beauty queen has made a big mistake.
16:28The backlash was so intense,
16:30that certain people actually wanted Shrej to lose her title.
16:33However,
16:33she quickly tried to mitigate the damage,
16:35by addressing the situation in another online post.
16:38Saying Mrs.
16:38Well photo-bombed the original shot,
16:41and that she had been doing everything in her power,
16:43to avoid the Israeli contestant,
16:45in the lead up to the Miss Universe competition.
16:48Number 8,
16:49Miss Massachusetts takes it too far.
16:51Miss Massachusetts.
16:53No,
16:53we're not talking about the actual Miss Massachusetts,
16:56but the competition itself.
16:58In 2018,
16:59they performed a skit in which a woman asks a fake god,
17:02why Miss America canceled the swimsuit part of the competition.
17:05In response,
17:06the figure holds up the Me Too sign.
17:08Many contestants were dumbfounded.
17:10I immediately was upset,
17:12my heart dropped,
17:13and I knew that I had to take a step back away from the crown.
17:16Miss Plymouth County Maude Gorman was so upset,
17:19she gave up her title altogether,
17:21choosing to take a stand.
17:22Gorman has been a Me Too supporter,
17:24sharing her own experience with assault.
17:26As someone who had kept their story a secret for three and a half years,
17:30it's very hard to see someone mock something that encourages people to speak out and get help.
17:35The competition apologized,
17:37saying the skit was never approved by the board of directors.
17:40However,
17:41the damage was already done.
17:42Even if people think it's a small thing,
17:44it's not,
17:45it's huge,
17:46and survivors deserve to have their voices heard,
17:49understood,
17:50and taken seriously.
17:51Number 7,
17:52Katherine Reese's Legal Issues.
17:54Miss Nevada,
17:55USA.
17:55Miss Nevada Katie Reese was stripped of her title in 2006,
17:59after compromising photos of her partying circulated online.
18:03Reese claimed that they were from a,
18:05quote,
18:05isolated incident,
18:06that happened when she was just a teenager.
18:09And when I saw them,
18:10I was just devastated.
18:12Did you remember the incident when you saw the pictures?
18:15I remember the time that they were taken,
18:17however,
18:18I didn't remember exactly in detail how extravagant they were.
18:23However,
18:24the news reports surrounding her behavior didn't stop there,
18:27and her reputation just kept taking hits.
18:30She was notably detained after allegedly assaulting a police officer,
18:33and in 2009,
18:35traces of illicit substances were found on her things.
18:38She was subsequently arrested for possession,
18:40before being charged with allegedly selling illegal substances later on.
18:44This incident does not reflect who I am or who I plan to be.
18:48Number 6,
18:49Vanessa Williams Gives Up Her Crown,
18:5157th Miss America.
18:53This one dates back to the 1980s,
18:55and it was a huge deal at the time.
18:57Vanessa Williams,
18:58who was the first black winner of the Miss America title,
19:00was forced to give up her crown after racy photos of her appeared in Penthouse magazine
19:05without her approval.
19:06I wish I could retain my title as Miss America.
19:09However,
19:10the potential harm to the pageant,
19:11and the deep division that a bitter fight may pause,
19:14has convinced me that I must relinquish my title as Miss America.
19:18This was a gigantic scandal,
19:20and it certainly took a toll on the star.
19:22However,
19:22she went on to become incredibly successful,
19:24and today,
19:25many believe she was treated unfairly.
19:27We fight,
19:28and we laugh,
19:30and we cry,
19:32as the years go by.
19:35The Miss America organization officially apologized for their unjustified actions in 2015.
19:41Williams has said that success is the best revenge,
19:43and she's definitely right.
19:45I've got a perfect platform to kind of be reintroduced to the organization that catapulted me
19:53into notoriety and stardom.
19:58Number 5.
19:59Tara Conner Goes to Rehab,
20:0155th Miss USA.
20:03Less than a year after being crowned Miss USA back in 2006,
20:07Tara Conner faced allegations of excessive substance use.
20:10She was even referred to as Mess USA in the media.
20:13Which is very witty,
20:14and I'm going to use that as the title of my first book.
20:17However,
20:18she wasn't stripped of her title like some of the other queens on her list.
20:21Indeed,
20:22the public was shocked when Donald Trump decided to help her by sending her to rehab.
20:26I felt the judgment and the shame,
20:28but I don't have to live like that.
20:30And I've also experienced joy and compassion.
20:33Years later,
20:34Conner claimed that by doing so,
20:36he helped her survive and get better,
20:38crediting him in part for her recovery.
20:40The former pageant queen has since worked to help others struggling with substance use.
20:44To join together and recover out loud.
20:48Then maybe we can take the shame away from those who are in the shadows
20:52and encourage them to step into the light.
20:54Number 4.
20:55Reema Fakir's Actions,
20:5759th Miss USA.
20:59Beauty pageant contestants are people,
21:01and some of them like to party.
21:03After showing off her skills on a poll,
21:05Reema Fakir,
21:05who was reportedly the first Arab American to snag the Miss USA crown,
21:10faced a lot of criticism.
21:11I don't know why people would even consider that she is a role model for Muslims.
21:16She's not a role model for Muslims.
21:17Though the dancing pics were from a class,
21:19her reputation only devolved from there.
21:22There were questions about whether or not her title should be removed,
21:25though it ultimately wasn't.
21:26One thing Miss Universe organization love about me,
21:29they said you're not a peppermint patty,
21:30and that's their idea of a typical pageant girl.
21:33They don't want that.
21:34Fakir defended her actions,
21:36reportedly adding that a Miss USA should be shown as a,
21:39quote,
21:39real woman with her own opinions.
21:41A few years later,
21:42she faced another scandal,
21:44this time for a DUI charge.
21:46You learn,
21:47you pay your price for making mistakes,
21:50and you move on.
21:51Number 3.
21:52Steve Harvey's Mistake,
21:5364th Miss Universe.
21:55This is one of those TV moments that makes you physically cringe.
21:58Good luck to both of you.
22:01Miss Universe 2015 is...
22:08Imagine thinking you won Miss Universe only to have your crown taken away
22:11because the host messed up the announcement.
22:14That's exactly what happened to Miss Columbia
22:16after Steve Harvey made a major mistake and crowned her,
22:19despite Miss Philippines being the winner.
22:21I will take responsibility for this.
22:25It was my mistake.
22:26It was on the card.
22:29Horrible mistake,
22:30but the right thing...
22:31The facepalm moment went viral.
22:33Harvey later apologized,
22:35but it became a moment that won't soon be forgotten.
22:38Funnily enough,
22:38he made another,
22:40more minor error at the 2019 pageant
22:42when he announced Miss Philippines
22:44as the winner of the National Costume Contest.
22:46It's not Philippines,
22:47it's Malaysia.
22:49Okay, well,
22:50let me explain something to you.
22:51I just read that in the teleprompter.
22:53Y'all gonna quit doing this to me.
22:55Still,
22:55his career doesn't appear to have been permanently damaged by these blunders.
23:00Number 2.
23:00Carrie Prejean's Offensive Comments,
23:0358th Miss USA.
23:05You might know Carrie Prejean for her antics in 2022
23:08when she made headlines for paying kids who ditched their COVID-19 face masks.
23:13We, the parents, believe we have a choice for our children.
23:16And I don't know who you think you are,
23:18that you think that you have more of a say
23:21than us, the parents,
23:22and our doctors.
23:23I don't know who any of you think you are.
23:26This isn't the first time we've heard of her controversial views, though.
23:29They date back to 2009
23:30when she managed to cause quite a stir
23:33as Miss California during the Miss USA pageant.
23:35They immediately turned to Perez Hilton and said,
23:38ask your question.
23:39And from there,
23:40as soon as he immediately opened his mouth,
23:42I said,
23:43uh-oh,
23:43this might be going in the wrong direction.
23:45Perez Hilton,
23:46who was a judge at the time,
23:48asked her whether same-sex marriage should be legalized.
23:51I maybe would have given a little bit more detail
23:53on how, what I feel about it
23:54and given a little more explanation.
23:56But bottom line is,
23:57I believe a marriage should be between a man and a woman.
24:00And he asked me my opinion and I gave it to him.
24:02She later lost her Miss California USA title
24:04after violating her contract
24:06and not fulfilling the appearances required of her.
24:09Before we continue,
24:10be sure to subscribe to our channel
24:12and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
24:15You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
24:19If you're on your phone,
24:20make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
24:23Number 1.
24:26JonBenet Ramsey's Passing
24:28On December 26, 1996,
24:31tragedy rocked the beauty pageant world.
24:34Somebody's daughter, somebody's sister,
24:36and she was taken from us in a very violent way.
24:39Young beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey was found dead in her house.
24:43Prior to the discovery,
24:44her parents uncovered a ransom note demanding upwards of $100,000.
24:48I just remember when I read,
24:50we have your daughter.
24:51It just,
24:52that's overwhelming fear.
24:55Police were then contacted.
24:57After an extensive search,
24:59her body was uncovered in the basement.
25:01Over the years,
25:02everyone from law enforcement to conspiracy theorists
25:05tried to uncover who killed JonBenet Ramsey.
25:07Whether it was her parents,
25:09brother,
25:10a pageant rival,
25:11or a complete stranger is anybody's guess.
25:13The truth remains out there.
25:16And it's lasted nearly a quarter of a century.
25:19The reason I think it continues to resonate
25:21is because we just don't know what happened.
25:25Which of these scandals left you speechless?
25:27Let us know in the comments.
Be the first to comment
Add your comment

Recommended