From Racist Tweets to Drug Scandals Beauty Pageants' Most Shocking Controversies
The world of beauty pageants isn't always glamorous. Major competitions like Miss USA and Miss Universe have been no strangers to numerous controversies and public incidents throughout their history.
A memorable moment occurred in 1984 when Miss America Vanessa Williams relinquished her title following the appearance of explicit photographs in Penthouse magazine. Much later, in 2006, Miss USA Tara Conner retained her position after Donald Trump, who then owned the Miss Universe organization and is now the U.S. President, granted her a new opportunity despite her confession of substance abuse involving drugs and alcohol.
The most recent incident surfaced in November 2025, involving a dispute that erupted between Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch and Thai entrepreneur Nawat Itsaragrisil during a ceremony for sashes.
Continue reading to explore the most significant beauty pageant controversies from past years:
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Vanessa Williams
Prior to her successful career as a vocalist and performer, Vanessa Williams was stripped of her Miss America crown after suggestive pictures of her were disseminated and featured in Penthouse magazine. Williams holds the distinction of being both the first African-American Miss America and the first to step down from the role.
Over three decades afterward, she rejoined the pageant as the lead judge, and CEO Sam Haskell presented a formal apology to Williams. He stated, “I wish to apologize for anything communicated or actions taken that might have diminished your perception of yourself as the Miss America you embody and will forever remain.”
Karlie Hay
Just hours after Karlie Hay received the Miss Teen USA 2016 title, old screenshots of her racist tweets — which included the use of a derogatory racial slur — reappeared on the internet. She promptly acknowledged her use of the inappropriate language and issued an apology via an Instagram message.
Although the Miss Universe Organization labeled her vocabulary as “unacceptable,” they confirmed she would not be required to surrender her crown.
Destiny Velez
Destiny Vélez, Miss Puerto Rico 2015, faced suspension from the Miss America Organization following a string of anti-Muslim posts on Twitter. Filmmaker Michael Moore of Fahrenheit 9/11 fame posted a picture of himself outside Trump Tower with a sign reading “We are all Muslim,” in reaction to Trump’s suggestions of prohibiting Muslims from entering the United States.
Vélez then unleashed a strong verbal attack, claiming that Muslims possess “terrorizing objectives.”
Doron Matalon and Saly Greige
A selfie controversy erupted! Miss Israel Doron Matalon and Miss Lebanon Saly Greige sparked outrage after sharing a smiling selfie at Miss Universe 2014. What appeared to be a harmless photo caused a stir because their respective nations had been in a state of conflict for many years.
Greige asserted on Facebook that Matalon had unexpectedly appeared in her photograph while she was posing with other contestants, subsequently sharing it online. Matalon responded on Instagram, stating it was “unfortunate [she] couldn’t set aside the animosity, even for just three weeks of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Nia Sanchez
Nia Sanchez, Miss USA 2014, faced allegations of falsely claiming Nevada residency after she failed to recall the capital city of her supposed state. In a radio discussion, she drew a blank on the correct response. “Oh oh agh, umm, oh my gosh,” she uttered, prior to the interviewer assisting her by providing “Carson City.”
Having participated in the Miss California pageant thrice without success, this led to speculation that she had fabricated documentation to fulfill the residency criteria for the Nevada competition.
Steve Harvey
The host of Miss Universe 2015 committed a significant blunder — which went viral online — by incorrectly naming the pageant's victor. He erroneously declared Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner, when in fact Miss Philippines, Pia Wurtzbach, had secured the prestigious title.
He subsequently clarified that the wording on the card for the first runner-up was printed in a larger and more prominent font than the winner’s name. On his television program, he stated, “Did I err? Absolutely, yes, I did.” He added, “One makes a mistake and accepts responsibility for it. I attempted to rectify it immediately, at that very moment.”
Elizabeth Fechtel
Florida, known for its vote recounts! In the Miss Florida 2014 pageant, Elizabeth Fechtel was initially awarded the crown, but pageant officials later discovered a mistake in the vote tabulation, revealing Victoria Cowen as the rightful champion.
Days afterward, pageant representatives arrived at Fechtel’s residence to communicate the error to her. It seemed that a judge had altered their selection at the final moment, marking the ballot with arrows to reverse the names, an alteration that was initially missed.
Amanda Longacre
Amanda Longacre was initially named Miss Delaware 2014, but subsequently determined to be over the age limit for Miss America; participants must range from 17 to 24 years old. Longacre was 24 during the September competition, but her 25th birthday occurred in October. Pageant authorities cited a rule specifying that a Miss America candidate cannot reach 25 years of age by year-end. Though she lost her title, she was permitted to retain the scholarship funds she had received.
Rima Fakih
The dispute began when provocative images of Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih on a stripper pole — supposedly from a Detroit radio program's “Stripper 101” competition — were released. She defended herself, claiming the photographs originated from a pole dancing lesson she had taken years prior. Calls for her resignation intensified when she missed an interview by oversleeping after a night out, then denied it, only to be exposed by hotel surveillance footage.
Merely weeks before passing on her crown, she nearly failed to attend a CNN interview following another evening of heavy drinking, yet she successfully retained her title until the conclusion of her term.
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Carrie Prejean
Miss California 2009 Carrie Prejean faced criticism for her contentious response regarding same-sex marriage, posed by openly gay judge Perez Hilton during the Miss USA question-and-answer segment. Prejean stated, “In our country, one has the option of choosing same-sex marriage or opposite-sex marriage. My conviction is that matrimony should exist between a man and a woman.”
Many celebrities and social media participants condemned her statement, advocating for her title's revocation. Although she was never dethroned solely for her remarks, a convergence of leaked explicit photos and unfulfilled commitments resulted in her dismissal. The Miss California organizers formally attributed her termination to a contractual violation.
Laura Zuniga
Subsequent to being crowned Reina Hispanoamericana 2008, Laura Zuniga was apprehended alongside seven alleged drug cartel associates, found with an assortment of armaments in their vehicles, such as assault rifles and pistols, 633 rounds of ammunition, 16 mobile phones, and $53,000 in currency. Photographs emerged depicting Zuniga in handcuffs, positioned before a table laden with firearms and cash. She was stripped of her title and given a 40-day detention while awaiting charges for racketeering, narcotics dealing, weapons offenses, and financial misconduct.
Caitlin Upton
In what became arguably the most widely spread pageant error, Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2007 Caitlin Upton delivered an incoherent and peculiar response to a query concerning her belief as to why one in five Americans struggles to identify the U.S. on a map.
She stated then, “My personal conviction is that U.S. Americans cannot achieve this because, uh, certain individuals in our country lack maps and, uh, I think our educational systems, for instance in South Africa and, uh, Iraq, everywhere of that nature,” She continued, “I believe they ought to, our educational system here in the U.S. should support the U.S., uh, or, uh, should support South Africa and assist Iraq and the Asian nations, enabling us to forge our future.”
By 2015, she revealed that the incident continued to trouble her, and the intense public criticism even led her to consider self-harm at one stage.
Ashley Harder
Ashley Harder relinquished her Miss New Jersey 2007 sash after an unforeseen pregnancy occurred during her term. (Previously, pageant regulations barred Miss USA participants from being married, pregnant, or having previously given birth, but these rules were updated in 2023 to permit both married women and mothers.)
Harder's withdrawal from the contest drew strong disapproval from pro-life supporters, who contended that she should have been permitted to participate given her choice against abortion.
Tara Conner
Following multiple media reports detailing Tara Conner's struggles with alcohol and drug abuse after relocating to New York City, Conner's drug test revealed cocaine use while she held the Miss USA title. She subsequently confessed to misusing alcohol and prescribed pain medication.
At a press briefing, Trump unexpectedly chose to grant her another opportunity rather than revoking her title, and Conner consented to attend rehabilitation. Trump remarked, “She departed from a quaint Kentucky town and became ensnared in the intense atmosphere that defines New York.”
Danielle Lloyd
Danielle Lloyd was dismissed from her role as Miss Great Britain 2006 after she inadvertently disclosed in an interview that she had been in a relationship with pageant judge and footballer Teddy Sheringham before the contest. Sheringham was the sole judge to vote for Lloyd, who ultimately secured the win via public vote. Furthermore, she posed nude for Playboy, contravening regulations stipulating that the titleholder must not appear nude during her term.
Alicia Machado
Under a year after her triumph as Miss Universe 1996, Alicia Machado experienced a weight increase of 42 pounds, shifting from 118 to 160 pounds. Pageant authorities warned they would revoke her title unless she reduced her weight, prompting Trump to enlist a group of fitness and dietary specialists to assist her in losing the weight through strict diet and intensive physical activity. In a conversation with Howard Stern, Trump exacerbated the situation by referring to her as “an eating machine.”
Fatima Bosch
Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch garnered significant attention due to a heated disagreement with Thai entrepreneur Nawat Itsaragrisil, who presently holds leadership roles in both the Miss Universe Organization and Miss Universe Thailand. Itsaragrisil additionally presides over Miss Grand International.
The dispute originated when Itsaragrisil allegedly referred to Bosch as a “dumb head,” a term signifying “foolish” or “lacking intelligence.”
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Bosch stated to Itsaragrisil, “We hold you in high regard, and you should extend the same respect to us. I am present here as a representative of my nation, and your issues with my organization are not my responsibility.” He retorted, “No, you are obliged to hear me out initially, and only then may you dispute my words.” Bosch subsequently rose and exited the room, accompanied by other contestants, including the reigning Miss Universe, Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig, who joined her in support.
As reported by the publication N+, the disagreement commenced when Itsaragrisil inquired why Bosch had not posted about the host nation on her social media platforms. Bosch reportedly attempted to explain to Itsaragrisil that there had been a miscommunication.
Bosch later addressed the widely discussed incident in a media statement, declaring, “He labeled me unintelligent because of his grievances with the organization, and I find that unjust … I believe the global community must witness this, as we are empowered women, and this stage exists for our voices. No one possesses the ability to silence it. No one will silence me. It is inconsequential whether you possess a grand ambition or a crown. Should it diminish your self-worth, you ought to depart.”
The Miss Universe Organization also issued an official announcement.
The statement read: “The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) reiterates its dedication to collaborating closely with the host community, the Miss Grand International Organization (MGI), and all local collaborators to guarantee the triumphant execution of the pageant's 74th iteration.” It continued, “A senior delegation, spearheaded by the MUO’s CEO, Mr. Mario Búcaro, is journeying to Thailand to enhance cooperation with the host nation, MGI, and pertinent authorities. All planned ceremonies and engagements will proceed as scheduled, thus reaffirming our collective aim of presenting a worldwide festivity that embodies the principles of diversity, empowerment, and inclusion that are synonymous with the Miss Universe heritage.”
