Miss USA 2015


Miss USA 2015, the 64th Miss USA pageant, was held at the Raising Cane's River Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 12, 2015. All fifty states and the District of Columbia competed. Nia Sanchez of Nevada crowned her successor Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma at the end of the event.
The pageant was broadcast on Reelz after remarks made by Miss Universe Organization owner Donald Trump regarding Mexican immigrants during Trump's speech announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination for U.S. President on June 16, 2015 in New York City led NBC, which had broadcast the pageant since 2003, and incumbent rights holders Univision Communications and Televisa to terminate their relationships with the Organization and Trump himself. It was also affected by many of the originally announced hosts, judges and musical performers pulling out in protest. Miss USA generated a unique Twitter audience of 2.42 million, according to Nielsen Social, No. 1 among entertainment series and specials during the week ended July 12.
Entertainment correspondent Alex Wehrley, a former Miss Wisconsin USA 2009, was brought in to host the pageant alongside game show host Todd Newton after original hosts Cheryl Burke of Dancing with the Stars and MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts withdrew.
This was the only Miss USA to be aired on Reelz and this was the last edition that Donald Trump had been the owner.

Background

Selection of contestants

Delegates from 50 states and the District of Columbia were chosen in state pageants held from July 2014 to January 2015. The first state pageant was Florida, held on July 12, 2014, and the final pageants were New Hampshire and New York, both held on January 18, 2015; nine of these delegates were former Miss Teen USA state winners, two of them were former Miss America state winners and one is former Miss World America who competed at Miss World 2013.

Results

Final ResultsContestant
Miss USA 2015
  • Oklahoma – Olivia Jordan
1st Runner-Up
  • Texas – Ylianna Guerra
    • 2nd Runner-Up
  • Rhode Island – Anea Garcia
    • 3rd Runner-Up
  • Nevada – Brittany McGowan
    • 4th Runner-Up
  • Maryland – Mamé Adjei
    • Top 11
  • Alabama – Madison Guthrie
  • Delaware – Renee Bull
  • Hawaii – Emma Wo
  • Kentucky – Katie George §
  • Louisiana – Candice Bennatt
  • Michigan – Rashontae Wawrzyniak
    • Top 15
  • Arizona – Maureen Montagne
  • Illinois – Renee Wronecki
  • New York – Thatiana Diaz
  • Virginia – Laura Puleo
    • § Saved by the public for the top 11.

    Awards

    Historical significance

    Preliminary round

    Prior to the final telecast, the delegates compete in the preliminary competition, which involves private interviews with the judges and a presentation show where they compete in swimsuit and evening gown. It was held on July 10, 2015 on the official Miss USA YouTube channel and was hosted by Nick Teplitz and Nia Sanchez.

    Judges

    The format reverted back to top 15, as it was in 2013, during the final competition, the top fifteen competed in swimsuit, while the top eleven and evening gown, and the top five competed in the final question round signed up by a panel of judges and a final runway, the winner was decided by a panel of judges alongside the four runners-up.

    Judges

    51 delegates have been confirmed:
    StateNameAgeHeightHometownPlacementNotes
    AlabamaMadison Guthrie20HooverTop 11
    AlaskaKimberly Agron20AnchoragePreviously Miss Alaska Teen USA 2013
    ArizonaMaureen Montagne22ChandlerTop 15Previously 1st runner-up at Mutya ng Pilipinas 2013
    Later placed 1st Runner-Up at Miss World America 2017
    Later joined Miss World Philippines 2018 and was crowned Miss Eco Philippines 2018
    Later became 1st runner up at Miss Eco International 2018
    ArkansasLeah Blefko21Fayetteville
    CaliforniaNatasha Martinez23Chino Hills
    ColoradoTalyah Polee26Denver
    ConnecticutAshley Golebiewski21Berlin
    DelawareRenee Bull22MiddletownTop 11
    District of ColumbiaLizzy Olsen26Washington, D.C.
    FloridaAshleigh Lollie24Grand Ridge
    GeorgiaBrooke Fletcher23Peachtree CityPreviously Miss Georgia Teen USA 2009
    HawaiiEmma Wo25HonoluluTop 11Previously Miss Hawaii Teen USA 2008
    IdahoClaira Hollingsworth22PrestonPreviously Miss Idaho Teen USA 2011
    IllinoisRenee Wronecki22BurbankTop 15
    IndianaGretchen Reece23North Vernon
    IowaTaylor Even22Jesup
    KansasAlexis Railsback19Shawnee
    KentuckyKatie George21LouisvilleTop 11Fan vote winner
    LouisianaCandice Bennatt26New OrleansTop 11Previously Miss New Mexico 2012
    MaineHeather Elwell26West Bath
    MarylandMamé Adjei23Silver Spring4th Runner-Up1st Runner-Up of season 22 of America's Next Top Model
    MassachusettsPolikseni Manxhari24Boston
    MichiganRashontae Wawrzyniak25DetroitTop 11
    MinnesotaJessica Scheu23Prior Lake
    MississippiCourtney Byrd23Oxford
    MissouriRebecca Dunn24Columbia
    MontanaTahnee Peppenger27Great Falls
    NebraskaHoang-Kim Cung24Grand Island
    NevadaBrittany McGowan25Spring Valley3rd Runner-Up
    New HampshireSamantha Poirier24Dover
    New JerseyVanessa Oriolo21Colts Neck
    New MexicoAlexis Duprey24AlamogordoPreviously Miss New Mexico Teen USA 2009
    Previously Miss New Mexico 2013
    New YorkThatiana Diaz22BaysideTop 15Previously Miss New York Teen USA 2010
    North CarolinaJulia Dalton24WilmingtonPreviously Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2008
    Sister of Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton
    Daughter of Miss North Carolina USA 1982 Jeannie Boger
    North DakotaMolly Ketterling20Elgin
    OhioSarah Newkirk25Columbus
    OklahomaOlivia Jordan26TulsaMiss USA 2015Previously Miss World America 2013
    OregonBridget Wilmes22Canby
    PennsylvaniaElizabeth Cardillo25Pittsburgh
    Rhode IslandAnea Garcia20Cranston2nd Runner-UpLater Miss Grand International 2015 and then dethroned
    South CarolinaSarah Weishuhn23Goose Creek
    South DakotaLexy Schenk21IrenePreviously Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2011
    TennesseeKiara Young25Nashville
    TexasYlianna Guerra22McAllen1st Runner-Up
    UtahNicol Powell21Salt Lake CitySister of Miss Utah USA 2013 Marissa Powell
    VermontJackie Croft24Winooski
    VirginiaLaura Puleo25LexingtonTop 15Sister of Miss North Carolina USA 2004 Ashley Puleo
    WashingtonKenzi Novell24Spokane
    West VirginiaAndrea Mucino24Morgantown
    WisconsinHaley Laundrie21Lake Mills
    WyomingCaroline Scott22CheyennePreviously Miss Wyoming Teen USA 2010

    Controversy

    On June 25, 2015, Univision Communications president and CEO Randy Falco announced that the company would terminate its contract to broadcast Spanish language coverage of the 2015 Miss USA pageant and sever its business ties with Miss Universe Organization co-owner Donald Trump, following comments regarding illegal Mexican immigrants that were made by Trump during his speech announcing his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States on June 16, in which Trump stated that illegal Mexicans immigrating into the U.S. were responsible for importing drugs, and bringing crime, rapists, and drug dealers into the country, and called for the building of a wall along the Mexico–United States border. Chilean actor Cristián de la Fuente and Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sánchez, who were both slated to host the Spanish language broadcast of the pageant, also announced that they were pulling out of the telecast, citing their offense to Trump's comments. Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin, who was scheduled to make his first musical performance on mainstream U.S. television, also announced that he would also no longer participate in the event. Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, who was set to judge the pageant, announced she would no longer participate as well.
    In a statement by Univision regarding its decision, Falco cited the consideration of the views of its predominately Hispanic broadcast audience and corporate employee base, that " see first-hand the work ethic, love for family, strong religious values and the important role Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans have had and will continue to have in building the future of our country." Following the announcement of the company's decision, a lawyer for Trump stated that he is strongly considering taking legal action against Univision Communications for its refusal to carry the Miss USA telecast, alleging it violated the terms of the five-year broadcast and co-production agreement for the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants that Univision signed with the Miss Universe Organization five months earlier on February 5. Trump himself accused the Government of Mexico, among other parties, of "putting tremendous pressure on Univision to break their signed and fully effective contract with the Miss Universe Organization" because of his statements "exposing to the public, and the world, the terrible and costly trade deals that the United States is incompetently making with Mexico".
    Univision noted that despite the decision by its entertainment division to terminate its business relationship with the Miss Universe Organization, its news division and owned-and-operated broadcast outlets would continue to provide coverage of Trump and all other presidential candidates during the 2016 presidential campaign "to ensure our audience continues to have access to all points of view". On June 26, Trump notified Falco that Univision employees would no longer be allowed to enter or hold membership with the Trump National Doral Miami golf course, which abuts Univision's corporate headquarters in Doral, Florida. That same day on his Instagram account, Trump also released personal correspondence from Univision anchor Jorge Ramos – containing Ramos' personal work mobile phone number, which was unobscured in the image – requesting an interview with Trump.
    On June 29, NBCUniversal, which owns the 50% stake in the Miss Universe Organization not owned by Donald Trump, confirmed it was terminating its business ties with Trump – saying in a statement that "respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values" – and would no longer air the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. Mexican media conglomerate Televisa also announced it would cut ties to Trump and end its television contract with the Miss Universe Organization. In a June 29 interview with the Kansas City Star, Miss Kansas USA 2015 Alexis Railsback – who is of Mexican American descent – said that it was "really unfortunate and kind of unfair that the Miss USA pageant is kind of taking the brunt for Donald Trump's speech". Noting that the Miss Universe Organization is a standalone entity, she iterated that Trump "does not organize the pageant, does not run what goes on" and that she believes the fallout stemming from the remarks is not "really related to the pageant in any way, other than the fact that he is the co-owner". Following the decision, some pageant contestants and supporters backed a Change.org petition and used the hashtag #SavetheSash on social media and on a video posted to the pageant's official Facebook page, urging NBC to reconsider their decision not to air Miss USA.
    On June 30, Thomas Roberts and Cheryl Burke pulled out of hosting the pageant, with Burke citing her opposition to Trump's comments and the network's decision to stop telecasting the event. After reports indicated that Miss Teen USA broadcasters Ustream and Xbox Live, as well as Netflix had showed interest in obtaining the streaming rights to the event, the Miss Universe Organization later confirmed on June 30 that the pageant would be streamed on the official Miss USA website.
    After previously indicating that he may sue Univision and NBCUniversal, Trump and the Miss Universe Organization filed a breach of contract and defamation lawsuit against Univision Communications in the New York Supreme Court on June 30, seeking damages in excess of $500 million. Univision responded to the suit in a statement, calling the complaint "both factually false and legally ridiculous," and that it "will not only vigorously defend the case, but will continue to fight against Mr. Trump's ongoing efforts to run away from the derogatory comments he made on June 16th about illegal Mexican immigrants." On June 30, a rep for singer Natalie La Rose announced that she had withdrew from performing at the pageant; La Rose was joined on July 1 by judges Emmitt Smith and Jonathan Scott, country singer Craig Wayne Boyd and rapper Flo Rida in dropping out of the pageant. Jeannie Mai, who originally announced that she would stay on as a co-host, stating that while she "do not condone Mr. Trump's statements I can't abandon these women when they need our support now more than ever", citing the Miss Universe Organization's mission to "unite women from all over the world and celebrate different cultures", announced on July 6, 2015 that she was withdrawing as co-host. All of them including Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico are interested to participate and be a part of Miss Earth beauty contest.
    On July 2, the Miss Universe Organization reached an agreement with Reelz to broadcast Miss USA 2015 on the digital cable channel. In a statement, Stanley Hubbard, CEO of Reelz parent Hubbard Broadcasting, said "As one of only a few independent networks, we decided to exercise our own voice and committed ourselves to bringing this pageant to American viewers everywhere." Even with the announcement of a new broadcaster for the 2015 event, a webcast of the pageant was still available via the Miss USA website for those not able to watch on Reelz due to the channel's absence of availability on several cable providers or because they do not subscribe to Reelz through a participating carrier of the channel. Baton Rouge's This TV affiliate KBTR-CD simulcast the pageant using Reelz' feed.