Miss USA 2011 contestants

In a photo provided by the Miss Universe Organization, Miss California USA 2011, Alyssa Campanella, left, and Miss Nevada USA 2011, Sarah Chapman, try their hand at tossing pizza dough as Buca di Beppo Chef Ryan Smith looks on during the Miss USA 2011 Welcome Dinner in Las Vegas on Monday June 6, 2011. The 51 State Contestants will via for the title of Miss USA 2011 in Las Vegas, June 19th.



Miss New Jersey USA 2011 Julianna White (front) practices the dance steps for her part in the 2011 Miss USA LIVE telecast in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 10, 2011.



Miss North Carolina USA 2011, Brittany Leigh York; and Miss Vermont USA 2011, Lauren Carter, make bubbles with Amanda DelGiorno, during a Best Buddies promotional event at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada



Emcee Richard Simmons encourages Miss Tennessee Ashley Durham as she takes part in a hula hoop contest in Las Vegas, Nevada


Emcee Richard Simmons encourages Miss Kansas Jaymie Stokes as she takes part in a hula hoop contest in Las Vegas, Nevada



Emcee Richard Simmons urges on Miss Florida USA 2011, Lissette Garcia as she performs in the Chinese Laundry hula hoop contest in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada



Miss Georgia USA 2011 (L), Kaylin Reque, Miss Colorado USA 2011, Blair Adair Griffith, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2011, Amber-Joi Watkins, Miss Minnesota USA 2011, Brittany Lee Thelemann, and Miss Washington USA 2011, Angelina Kayyalaynen (R), rehearse the opening performance for the 2011 Miss USA Pageant in Las Vegas in this Jun 10, 2011 publicity photo released to Reuters June 13, 2011. The Miss USA pageant will be held June 19, 2011. Photo taken June 10, 2011. REUTERs/Darren Decker/Miss Universe LLC/Handout (UNITED STATES - Tags: SOCIETY) NO SALES.




NEW YORK, NY - MAY 26: (L-R) Miss Nebraska Haley Herold, a representative from the USO, and Miss Oklahoma Kaitlyn Smith build bikes for children of the troops at Pier 88 on May 26, 2011 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - MAY 26: Miss Maryland Allyn Rose builds bikes for children of the troops at Pier 88 on May 26, 2011 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - MAY 26: Miss Illinois Angela Sparrow builds bikes for children of the troops at Pier 88 on May 26, 2011 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - MAY 26: Miss Georgia Kaylin Reque and Miss Connecticut Regina Turner build bikes for children of the troops at Pier 88 on May 26, 2011 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - MAY 26: Miss South Dakota Chandra Burnham, Miss Minnesota Brittany Thelemann, and Miss Wisconsin Marie Morkin build bikes for children at Pier 88 on May 26, 2011 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - MAY 26: (L-R) Miss Kansas Jaymie Stokes, Miss Idaho Erza Haliti, Miss Rhode Island Kate McCaughey, Miss Vermont Lauren Carter, and Miss New Jersey Julianna White pose with the troops at a bike build at Pier 88 on May 26, 2011 in New York City.



NEW YORK, NY - MAY 26: (L-R) Miss West Virginia Whitney Veach, Miss Wisconsin Jordan Marie Morkin, Miss New Jersey Julianna White, and Miss Ohio Ashley Caldwell build bikes for children of the troops at Pier 88 on May 26, 2011 in New York City.


Miss USA 2011 Contestants FSM Final Walk Las Vegas 6-12-11


Miss USA 2011 Contestants Fashion Show Mall 1 Vegas 6-12-11


Miss USA 2011 Contestants Fashion Show Mall 2 Vegas 6-12-11


Miss USA 2011 Contestants and Rima Fakih on Fashion Runway



Miss USA 2011 Contestants Hula Hoops in Las Vegas with Richard Simmons


Miss USA Pageant 2011 Welcome Dinner At Buca di Beppo Las Vegas


Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas Welcomes Miss USA 2011 Pageant


16 miss usa 2011 contestants at Palms Place Vegas 2011



source: daylife
photo: AP photo, Gettyimages, Reuters

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Do you believe in evolution? The questions leaving Miss USA contestants 'scared to death'

By JOHN STEVENS

Bathing beauties: The Miss USA 2011 contestants at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas


It used to be that all you had to do was parade in your bikini and answer every question with your desire for world peace.

But now Miss USA pageant hopefuls are facing difficult questions on whether they believe evolution should be taught in schools and if they would ever pose for nude photographs.

And the beauty queens are said to be ‘scared to death’ by the tricky questions for fear of making a wrong step not just in their stilettos.


Eclectic: Last year's winner Rima Fakih leads this year's contestants at a Planet Hollywood shoot


In video interviews before the June 19 finale, the attractive contestants are being probed on their thoughts on some of the country’s most polarising issues.

The girls are reportedly quaking, fearing a repeat of the controversy when Miss California Carrie Prejean said she opposed gay marriage.

Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, which also runs Miss USA, said these ‘topics are very relevant and in the news’.

But pageant expert Keith Lewis, who is executive state pageant director for California, New York and New Hampshire, said the questions have spread terror amongst the wannabes.



Excitement: Sarah Chapman (left) welcomes contestants and crew to her home town as Texas-born Miss New York looks on (right)


‘The girls are scared to death. They witnessed with Carrie Prejean how a firestorm can create a road kill, and nobody wants to be part of a situation like that again,’ he told Fox News.

‘The girls are concerned that there is a right or wrong answer. Polarising questions often create a situation where you suffer... if you agree, and if you do not.’


Fine fettle: Lissette Garcia (left) and Allyn Rose (right) keep smiling through another shoot


Former Miss USA publicist Angie Meyer said: ‘The pageant officials are intimidating contestants into answering questions a certain way that are deemed 'politically correct' while discriminating against their own belief and opinions.

‘The Miss USA Organization is choosing topics that are not only controversial, but intimidating,’ she told Fox News.


The pageant finals are being held in Las Vegas on June 19.


Miss USA 2011 Pageant from Las Vegas, Nevada TV Promo by NBC



source: dailymail

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