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Will Tara Conner, Miss USA be dethroned?

Dec . 19 . 2006
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Today I received a call from CNN (via Bikini.com’s Howie Sonennschein) because CNN Headline News wanted to interview someone who had competed in Miss USA with a background in the system. Joining me was, Jennifer Murphey, Miss Oregon USA 2004.

After thinking a bit more about all this, I was starting to become a bit suspicious about the timing for this public bashing of Tara Connor. A new season of Apprentice is just around the corner and because Trump owns the pageant I can’t help but wonder if this was let out of the bag with other publicity factors in tow.

Here is my take. I personally have no idea if the allegations are true but if they are… shame on me.

Being Miss USA is full time job. All contestants get a contract which tells you what your responsibilities are. If the allegations are true and Miss USA was out partying too much and it affected her obligations, that’s not okay. There are a ton of great girls who have worked really hard and would love the opportunity to do good with the year as Miss USA. It opens a TON of doors and brings awareness to many charitable organizations such as Breast Cancer Awareness.

Bottom line… It is a job. And like any job where you come in wasted or you miss your obligations because you were on drugs or hung over, you probably won’t be keeping that job for long.

When you take on this role, I think you should be held to higher standards. You are a role model. Miss USA not only represents her state, she represents our country and hopefully will make good choices. They also asked if pageants were too “old fashioned” and I say no. I think society has changed and Jennifer Murphey made a great point about how the Pageants have changed to stay up to date.

I know we all make mistakes, but I think if there are not repercussions that we are in essence just looking the other way and saying it’s okay to make bad decisions. Your choices have impacts and repercussions are meant to make you learn from your bad choices. Life goes on.

I’m not saying Tara is a bad person but that her choices may have been bad. I’m sure she also gets invited to all kinds of cool parties and has had a lot of pressure to live it up. That’s what Hollywood dreams seems to be about these days. It’s true that a lot of deals and opportunities are made during social outings.

The inherit problem lies with the appeal of the entertainment industry becoming what it has and our desensitization as a society as to what we view as acceptable behavior. Lately it seems like a lot of celebs become even more popular and their careers soar after making stupid choices.

And a lot of kids drink underage and experiment with drugs but at what point do we say it’s not okay? Why do people cheer when they hear she was seen making out with Miss Teen USA? It creeps me out.

Do you think we should look the other way?

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  • Moogie

    When a young person is having fun, the last thing on their mind is a contract they have signed. With life comes wisdom and with age better jugdement. We all have done things we later regret, my take is from the human aspect.
    No major harm was done, lets forgive and forget. I am sure this won’t happen again. After pointing out all the mistakes Miss USA will have lots of time to think of how to do her duties better.
    Lets be more forgiving.

  • PK

    With respect to the last comment – are you kidding? Too often we afford those in positions of influence second, third and fourth chances to redeem themselves. While I’m all for allowing a person to rehab (pun intended) his/her image, I’m sure this news didn’t come out of the blue for Ms Conner.

    This isn’t a situation where pop-culture has thrust a person into the position of role-model due to their celebrity. Quite the contrary. Ms. Conner, along with all the other contestants, chose to compete for the right to hold a position of influence.

    Just my 2 cents.

  • Don

    My daughter Rosie was in the America’s Junior Miss Pageant and I was really impressed with the level of charm, poise, confidence and discipline the pageant process instilled in these young women. In addition to providing some much appreciated tuition assistance for College, Rosie has become comfortable speaking and performing in front fo large audiences, which has prepared her for a carreer in musical theatre. When I look at the character and personal growth these pageants have instilled in my own daughter and in another incredible young women, like one particular lady from Ballwin, MO, I will be quick to defend the relevance of the pageant system. Unfortunately, when a very, visable product of the system like the reigning MIss USA conducts herself improperly, the whole system is somewhat diminished. It has been suggested that this whole event is actually a clever publicity stunt. That notwithstanding, we still have Larissa Meek and my Rosie as bona fide reasons to continue supporting pageanty.
    Warm wishes….Don