Top 20 Shocking Beauty Pageant Controversies & Scandals

#20: Geography Mishap

“25th Miss Teen USA” (2007)

After winning Miss South Carolina Teen USA in 2007, Caitlin Upton went on to represent her state at the Miss Teen USA pageant, hoping to take home the crown. Instead, she left with an entirely different kind of fame. During the question-and-answer segment, Upton was asked why many Americans struggle to locate the U.S. on a world map, and she gave a confused, rambling response. Although she seemed nervous at the time, the public wasn’t at all forgiving. Upton was criticized and ridiculed to the extent that she reportedly experienced severe depression and thoughts of self-harm. Shortly after the pageant, she appeared on the “Today” show, where she clarified what happened and offered a more coherent answer to the question.

#19: A Divorcee Among Us

“Mrs. Sri Lanka” (2021)

The Mrs. World beauty pageant is an international competition for married women, requiring all contestants to be legally married at the time of entry. This rule sparked a major controversy during the 2021 Mrs. Sri Lanka contest. At the grand finale, Pushpika De Silva was crowned the winner by Caroline Jurie, Mrs. Sri Lanka 2020 and the reigning Mrs. World 2020. However, moments later, Jurie returned to the stage, claiming De Silva was disqualified for being divorced and declaring the first runner-up the new winner. She then forcibly removed De Silva’s crown, reportedly injuring her in the process. De Silva later clarified that she was only separated, not divorced. The organizers apologized for the incident and reinstated her crown. Following widespread backlash, Caroline Jurie resigned as Mrs. World 2020.

#18: Miss Nevada Doesn’t Live in Nevada

“63rd Miss USA” (2014)

In 2014, Nia Sanchez, the newly crowned Miss Nevada, went on to win the Miss USA pageant. Shortly after, Sanchez appeared on “The Todd Show,” where she was asked to name the capital of Nevada during a quick quiz. Shockingly, she struggled to answer. This blunder only intensified growing criticism, as reports had already surfaced that Sanchez had faked her Nevada residency to qualify for the competition. Born and raised in California, Sanchez previously competed in the Miss California pageant in 2010, 2011 and 2012, without success. An anonymous source even alleged that she and the Miss Nevada USA pageant director had a close relationship, which helped her secure the title. Sanchez however denied the accusations, insisting she met all residency requirements before competing.

#17: Lindsey Evans Dine & Dash

“Miss Louisiana Teen USA” (2008)

If you ever needed a reminder to always pay your dinner tab, this is it. Back in 2008, Lindsey Evans was crowned Miss Louisiana Teen USA and finished as the third runner-up at the Miss Teen USA pageant. However, just days before the end of her reign, she was stripped of her crown after being involved in a dine-and-dash incident. Evans and her friends had reportedly skipped out on a $46 bill, but she made the rookie mistake of leaving her purse behind. When police arrived, they found her driver’s license and a small packet of narcotics inside, which led to her arrest. Evans seemed to bounce back from the incident, however, as she rebranded as Elle Evans and appeared in Robin Thicke’s infamous “Blurred Lines” music video.

#16: Génesis Dávila Dethroned for Cheating

“Miss Florida USA” (2016)

In 2016, Puerto Rican model Génesis Dávila competed for the Miss Florida USA 2017 title and won. However, her celebratory moment was cut short just days later when she was dethroned on the grounds of violating pageant rules. Organizers alleged that Dávila had hired outside professionals for her hair and makeup instead of doing them herself, which the rules stipulate. This largely stemmed from a picture she had posted on Instagram days before the competition. Dávila later sued the pageant organizers, seeking $15 million for defamation and a restoration of her title, but the case was eventually dismissed under confidential terms. Undeterred, Dávila returned to the Miss Florida USA the following year and won again.

#15: Contestants Walkout

“74th Miss Universe” (2025)

Even before the main events of the 2025 Miss Universe contest began, the pageant was engulfed in controversy. During the sash ceremony, pageant director Nawat Itsaragrisil was caught on camera reprimanding Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, for apparently skipping certain promotional activities. When Bosch tried to defend herself, Itsaragrisil allegedly called her “dumb,” then called on security guards to escort her out of the hall. In response, several other contestants walked out in solidarity, including reigning Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig. The clip immediately went viral and drew condemnation from pageant fans around the world. Following the backlash, the organization restricted Itsaragrisil’s role in the pageant. He later issued an apology, but insisted that he never called Bosch dumb.

#14: Feminist Protest

“42nd Miss America” (1968)

Pageants have long been criticized for promoting narrow beauty standards and objectifying women. That criticism motivated a group of feminists to stage a protest against the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1968. Organized by the New York Radical Women, the demonstration brought together about 400 protesters outside the venue, holding signs that read “No More Miss America.” They symbolically discarded bras, girdles, high heels and makeup into a “Freedom Trash Can,” to reject societal expectations of femininity. Four women even entered the pageant hall, shouting and unfurling a “Women’s Liberation” banner before being escorted out by police. The protest drew international attention and helped propel the second-wave feminist movement to the forefront of public awareness.

#13: Alicia Machado’s Weight Gain

“45th Miss Universe” (1996)

In 1996, Donald Trump took over the Miss Universe pageant after buying it from its original owners. That same year, 19-year-old Alicia Machado of Venezuela won the contest. During her reign, Machado gained some weight and faced intense pressure from Trump and the pageant organizers to slim down. Trump even went as far as allegedly calling her “Miss Piggy” and “an eating machine.” While the attention made Machado famous, it also reportedly caused her disordered eating and psychological trauma. The debacle resurfaced two decades later when Trump was running for president against Hillary Clinton. Machado had just become a U.S. citizen and joined Clinton on the campaign trail, using her experience with Trump to highlight his alleged sexist behavior.

#12: Karlie Hay’s Controversial Tweets

“34th Miss Teen USA” (2016)

After winning the 2016 Miss Teen USA pageant, Texas queen Karlie Hay had only a few days to enjoy her victory before she was plunged into a scandal. Old posts from her Twitter account resurfaced, showing that she had repeatedly used a racial slur. The backlash was swift, with many calling for her title to be revoked. Hay quickly issued a statement on Twitter, apologizing for using the word and chalking it up to “many personal struggles” she was facing at the time. She also appeared on “Good Morning America,” where she took full responsibility and emphasized that her words did not reflect who she is today. Although the Miss Universe Organization deemed her language “unacceptable,” Hay was ultimately allowed to keep her crown.

#11: Sam Haskell Resigns

“Miss America” (2017)

Between 2005 and 2017, former top Hollywood agent Sam Haskell rose from serving on the board of the Miss America Organization to becoming its CEO. In December 2017, The Huffington Post published a series of internal emails revealing that Haskell and other members of the organization had routinely slut-shamed and body-shamed former contestants. In some instances, Haskell even laughed at the suggestion that a former contestant should die and admitted to undermining another’s pageant coaching business. When the emails were unearthed, the organization placed Haskell on indefinite suspension, while they conducted an internal investigation. However, Haskell tendered his resignation the following day, and called the claims by the Huffington Post “unkind and untrue.”

#10: Intense Backlash

“Toddlers & Tiaras” (2009-13; 2016)

Debuting back in 2009, “Toddlers & Tiaras” quickly made its way to being one of the most controversial TLC shows yet. It produced stars such as Honey Boo Boo, but it also faced a lot of scrutiny from the concerned public. The series featured things like eyebrow waxing toddlers and contestants pretending to smoke on stage. So viewers became increasingly worried about the children’s wellbeing. At least one “Toddlers and Tiaras” parent faced a custody battle due to questionable actions presented on the show. People eventually stopped tuning in, and the show ended up being canceled twice after failing to survive its revival sequel in 2016.

#9: A Controversial Picture

“63rd Miss Universe” (2014)

In 2015, a single photo posted became THE moment. Miss Lebanon Saly Greige posed with Miss Japan, Miss Slovenia, and Miss Israel. And here’s where the problems started. The picture, which was originally shared on Instagram, was the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons. Conflicts between Lebanon and Israel persisted for decades, so seeing the two women smiling together caused significant uproar. The backlash was so intense that certain people actually wanted Greige to lose her title. However, she quickly tried to mitigate the damage by addressing the situation in another online post.

#8: “Miss Massachusetts” Takes It Too Far

“Miss Massachusetts” (2018)

No, we’re not talking about the actual Miss Massachusetts, but the competition itself. In 2018, they performed a skit in which a woman asks a fake God why “Miss America” canceled the swimsuit part of the competition. In response, the figure holds up the #MeToo sign. Many contestants were dumbfounded. Miss Plymouth County Maude Gorman was so upset, she gave up her title altogether, choosing to take a stand. Gorman has been a #MeToo supporter, sharing her own experience with assault. The competition apologized, saying the skit was never approved by the Board of Directors. However, the damage was already done.

#7: Katherine Rees’ Legal Issues

“Miss Nevada USA” (2006)

Miss Nevada Katie Rees was stripped of her title in 2006, after compromising photos of her partying circulated online. Rees claimed that they were from an “isolated incident” that happened when she was a teenager. However, the news reports surrounding her behavior didn’t stop there, and her reputation just kept taking hits. She was notably detained after allegedly assaulting a police officer. And in 2009, traces of illicit substances were found on her things. She was subsequently arrested for possession, before being charged with allegedly selling illegal substances later on.

#6: Vanessa Williams Gives Up Her Crown

“57th Miss America” (1983)

This one dates back to the 1980s, and it was a huge deal at the time. Vanessa Williams, who was the first Black winner of the Miss America title, was forced to give up her crown after racy photos of her appeared in Penthouse magazine without her approval. This was a gigantic scandal and it certainly took a toll on the star. However, she went on to become incredibly successful, and today, many believe she was treated unfairly. The “Miss America” organization officially apologized for their unjustified actions in 2015. Williams has said that success is the best revenge, and she’s definitely right!

#5: Tara Conner Goes to Rehab

“55th Miss USA” (2006)

Less than a year after being crowned Miss USA back in 2006, Tara Conner faced allegations of excessive substance use. She was even referred to as “Mess USA” in the media. However, she wasn’t stripped of her title like some of the other queens on our list. Indeed, the public was shocked when Donald Trump decided to help her by sending her to rehab. Years later, Conner claimed that by doing so, he helped her survive and get better, crediting him in part for her recovery. The former pageant queen has since worked to help others struggling with substance use.

#4: Rima Fakih's Actions

“59th Miss USA” (2010)

Beauty pageant contestants are people, and some of them like to party. After showing off her skills on a pole, Rima Fakih, who was reportedly the first Arab-American to snag the Miss USA crown, faced a lot of criticism. Though the dancing pics were from a class, her reputation only devolved from there. There were questions about whether or not her title should be removed – though it ultimately wasn’t. Fakih defended her actions, reportedly adding that a Miss USA should be shown as a “real woman” with her own opinions. A few years later, she faced another scandal, this time for a DUI charge.

#3: Steve Harvey's Mistake

“64th Miss Universe” (2015)

This is one of those TV moments that makes you physically cringe. Imagine thinking you won “Miss Universe” only to have your crown taken away because the host messed up the announcement. That’s exactly what happened to Miss Colombia after Steve Harvey made a major mistake and crowned her despite Miss Philippines being the winner. The facepalm moment went viral. Harvey later apologized, but it became a moment that won’t soon be forgotten. Funnily enough, he made another – more minor – error at the 2019 pageant when he announced Miss Philippines as the winner of the national costume contest. Still, his career doesn’t appear to have been permanently damaged by these blunders.

#2: Carrie Prejean's Offensive Comments

“58th Miss USA” (2009)

You might know Carrie Prejean for her antics in 2022, when she made headlines for paying kids who ditch their COVID-19 face masks. This isn’t the first we’ve heard of her controversial views, though. They date back to 2009 when she managed to cause quite a stir as Miss California during the Miss USA pageant. Perez Hilton, who was a judge at the time, asked her whether same-sex marriage should be legalized. She responded by saying that such unions should be “between a man and a woman.” She later lost her Miss California USA title after violating her contract and not fulfilling the appearances required of her.

#1: JonBenét Ramsey’s Passing

Various

On December 26th, 1996, tragedy rocked the beauty pageant world. Young beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey was found dead in her house. Prior to the discovery, her parents uncovered a ransom note demanding upwards of $100 000. Police were then contacted. After an extensive search, her body was uncovered in the basement, in a state which demonstrated something truly awful had happened to her. Over the years, everyone from law enforcement to conspiracy theorists tried to uncover who killed JonBenét Ramsey. Whether it was her parents, brother, a pageant rival, or a complete stranger is anybody’s guess. The truth remains out there.

Which of these scandals left you speechless? Let us know in the comments below.