There is no peace in the world of Miss USA.
The organization is shocked by accusations of cheating and nepotism, and contestants don’t hide their feelings, as many took the stage when Miss Texas, R’Bonney Gabriel, was crowned the new winner.
R’Bonney Gabriel / Instagram
Many contestants are convinced that R’Bonney was the predetermined winner, as evidenced by the run-up to the coronation ceremony on Monday, October 3. The seemingly outcast women point to the fact that the Asian-American and Filipino had been very strict with Miss USA manager Kristel Stewart and visited a plastic surgery spa, a key part of the winning prize, weeks before her coronation. The final winner – Miss Texas – also took part in a contest training run by Crystle, which fostered women’s friendship.
Miss Montana, Heather Lee O’Keefe, took to TikTok to clear up the cheating allegations.
She said in a Tik Tok video via MailOnline. “We’re putting our titles on the line, we’re putting our reputation on the line.”
In another video, she said, “This is how we feel so strongly about believing in what’s right and standing up for it. And there are a lot of us who have said we’re willing to give up our titles to take that stand because that’s how serious these are.”
While it is customary for the Miss USA contestants to stay on stage and applaud the winner, the video showed the beauty queens leaving in a mass exodus after R’Bonney’s victory.
Miss Texas contestants believe the fix was long before the coronation night. A video of Crystle getting R’Bonney’s hair done weeks before the party is just one piece of controversy. Additionally, Heather referenced a video of R’Bonney being pampered at the NIZUC Resort & Spa over two months ago — the resort posted the video shortly after the win. A visit to the spa is usually offered in the days after the win, not months before.
“MissUSA was crowned less than 24 hours ago, but has already secured her sponsored leave to NIZUCResort,” Heather said. “Are you kidding me? I’ve been giving you all the benefit of the doubt, but it’s embarrassing at this point.”
Heather also claims that Miss Texas was the only one to appear on Miss USA. Furthermore, it turns out that one of the Miss USA judges is the founder of a beauty company affiliated with NIZUC.
“Since she was crowned Miss Texas two months ago, Miss USA has shown favoritism to her through her own woman-owned business,” Heather said.
Former Miss USA contestant Jasmine Jones, who has been a pageant contestant for a decade, said favoritism was “obvious” and insisted the exodus was “big proof” that “something is off”.
“In the background, the girls were literally clapping [weakly] She said they started walking off the stage before she turned around to give her congratulations from the other contestants. “Before she came halfway down the runway at her coronation moment, the contestants behind her were walking off the stage.”
Heather claimed that several women in the 2021 class have sued the organizers.