Miss Florida USA Competes at Miss USA 2005
A Little Pageant History
There are two major pageant systems in the U.S. – Miss America and Miss USA. Miss America is the oldest pageant, dating to 1921, and emphasizing talent and interview. Due to poor ratings, Miss America lost its TV network this past year.
Miss USA came along in 1952 and is part of the Miss Universe Organization, owned in partnership by NBC and Donald Trump. Fifty-one titleholders (50 states, plus Washington, D.C.) win the chance to become Miss USA, who ultimately goes on to compete in the Miss Universe contest. While NBC’s ownership ensures Miss USA’s TV presence, television can be a strange bedfellow: NBC uses the pageant to promote its other products, such as a special “Miss USA Edition” of “Fear Factor.”
Our Star is Born
Florida has Miss USA regional preliminary pageants, open to all young women across the state ages 18-25. From North Florida to South Miami Beach, they compete to take the next step toward pageant stardom, some of them traveling the “circuit” and competing in multiple preliminaries until they win a free trip to state. In March 2004, my sister, Samantha Strickland, and I directed one of these preliminaries, Miss Florida Panhandle USA, held at The Moon nightclub in Tallahassee. That’s how we met 24-year-old Melissa Witek.
Spunky, fresh-faced, kind-hearted and witty, Melissa is not your typical pageant girl. After driving four hours to Tallahassee, she showed up for rehearsal in flip-flops and wearing no makeup. During the swimsuit competition that night, she bobbled and nearly fell over in the uncomfortable high heels. Then she laughed it off and shrugged, winning the judges’ hearts. During the interview competition, she wowed everyone with the story of starting her own company at the age of 22, Ampex Granite. And when her name was ultimately called as the winner, she was the only one in the room who was surprised.
Relatively new to the pageant world, Melissa had entered a couple of competitions while she was in college, ultimately winning Miss Florida Gator, a title that meant more to her because of its ties to her beloved Gator football team than for the tiara she wore. Rather than try to shape Melissa into a pageant clone in preparation for Miss Florida USA, we all decided that her natural approach would set her apart. Instead, we spent the next four months doing fun stuff like shopping for evening gowns.
In July 2004 Melissa beat out 47 girls to win the Miss Florida USA title in Hollywood, Fla., making her the first Panhandle representative to win the crown in the history of the Miss Florida USA pageant. (As a side note, Miss Emerald Coast USA was first runner-up and Miss Tallahassee was second runner-up for the Florida title, so it was a red-letter year for Northwest Florida.)
As Florida’s “queen,” Melissa received a free luxury apartment in Hollywood, a wardrobe including shoes, gowns and jewelry, an acting coach, spa services, personal training – and a whole lot of pressure.
Miss Florida USA was a job that took up the majority of Melissa’s time; she made more than 75 appearances in the months following her state win – everything from a Boys and Girls Club fund-raiser alongside boxer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini to a NASCAR event with country music star Trace Adkins. In November 2004, she returned to Tallahassee to co-host the Miss Tallahassee USA pageant with City Commissioner Andrew Gillum.
Lady in Training
In the long history of the pageant, Miss Florida USA has never become Miss USA, and the state hadn’t even cracked to the top five since the 1980s. An entire support staff descended upon Melissa to turn Florida’s track record around. I thought Melissa was as close to physical perfection as a mortal human has a right to be, but my role in Melissa’s preparation was now just moral support; work had to be found for stylists, dentists, coaches, wardrobe consultants and trainers.
A long-distance physical trainer in New York City, Justin “Builtboy” Popovic, was hired to help her sculpt her body into competition shape. “He’s made me more healthy and fit than I have ever been,” Melissa said. She e-mailed him photographs weekly for evaluation, as he adjusted her diet, strength-training program and cardio workout. “I already had the muscle tone after Miss Florida USA,” she explained. “I mainly needed to ‘lean out’ so he had me doing a lot of cardio.”
Off to the Races
The date and location of Miss USA 2005 were finally announced: April 11 in Baltimore, Md. More than 100 friends and family members gathered for Melissa’s Florida send-off parties. Then, she and her mom loaded up the car and started the long drive to Baltimore.
Reporters armed with cameras and microphones greeted the contestants at check-in on March 25. Much of the media frenzy focused on Miss Delaware USA Sheena Benton. Shortly before the pageant, news broke that Benton had a DUI arrest in 2004, which she had not disclosed. Up until the check-in date, Benton’s fate was still up in the air, but ultimately, Trump made the decision to let her compete.
All eyes were also on the representatives from “powerhouse” pageant states like Texas, Georgia and Alabama. 25-year-old Miss Texas USA Tyler Willis told that she wasn’t really nervous because she had been prepared so well: “I have great directors. They really know what they are doing and they have worked hard to make sure I know what I’m doing right now.”
By contrast, 21-year-old Miss Rhode Island USA Allison Paganetti, an Army ROTC cadet, said she was picking up new tricks of the trade: “I don’t usually even wear makeup, so these girls have already taught me a lot.”
Reporters quizzed Melissa about her initial impressions of Maryland and her state of mind regarding the approaching competition. When she watched the playback of the news report that evening, she was less than pleased.
“They used the part where I said, ‘Of course my top priority is to win …'” Melissa said, “‘but they cut out the part where I said, ‘… but I’m already so blessed just to be here amongst so many great women that it’s a win-win situation for me.’ Just goes to show you that the media can twist anything you say to cause drama.”
In the Spotlight
The next few days were a whirlwind of photo shoots and wardrobe fittings. Delegates provide their own gowns, and this was Melissa’s first opportunity to unveil the couture creation that South Florida designer Juan Carlos Pinera had provided her: a coral-colored salmon taffeta strapless gown with a rhinestone waistline brooch.
World-renowned photographer Fadil Berisha took fashion headshots of each of the girls. “The coolest part,” Melissa said, “was when I took my headshots and Paula Shugart (President of Miss Universe) walked in. Fadil showed her my pictures, and she said she loved them! I also got to sit down with her and chat about Pensacola (where Shugart used to live and her brother resides) and about her experiences with Trump.”
The pace was beyond hectic: up at 5 a.m. every morning, rehearsing throughout the day with choreographer Scott Grossman; then off to a Maryland landmark for a photo op or pre-taping for the TV show. The March 31 photo op was the unveiling of the new Mikimoto Miss USA crown, worth more than $200,000. “The crown is so beautiful in person,” Melissa enthused. “It looks much bigger than it does in pictures. I found out that they let Shandi [Finnessey, Miss USA] carry it to certain events, but it must be carried in a steel case. She said she had some trouble getting it on to airplanes.”
Melissa got to show off her football skills when she was selected, along with 10 other girls, for a day out at the Baltimore Ravens field. “We did some drills, then split into teams and played flag football,” she told us. “I caught a long pass and scored a touchdown. But while I was rushing the quarterback on one of the final plays, I fell and scraped up my knees.” This small mishap caused frantic behind-the-scenes searches for Neosporin and heavy-duty cover-up makeup.
Preliminary Competition Begins
Every seat in Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater was sold out for the Presentation Show April 6, the day my sister, Sam, and I arrived in Baltimore. Ten “experts” in beauty and entertainment – including an agent from Trump Model Management, the Director of Marketing for CoverGirl cosmetics, and a senior reporter for Star magazine – comprised the panel of preliminary judges. Their scores would narrow the 51 down to 15 semi-finalists, but we wouldn’t know the results until April 11.
The preliminary pageant isn’t televised, and that turned out to be a very good thing. The music for the opening number didn’t start on time, and a virtual train wreck of red Tadashi dresses scattered across the stage. The girls couldn’t hear their cues and the audience was left wondering what was actually supposed to happen. Eventually, the choreographer came on stage and actually apologized.
The theme of this year’s show was “high fashion,” and the swimsuit competition involved fast-paced runway-style stage patterns – and remember, they’re wearing four-inch heels and a bikini. As the girls changed into evening gowns backstage, an up-an-coming country singer named Derek Sholl was introduced. He carried a guitar – as a prop. We know it was a prop because he also had sound system problems, and it became embarrassingly obvious that he was not playing the aforementioned guitar.
A steep, winding staircase was rolled in for the evening gown segment, adding another element of danger to the competition. Blinded by bright stage lights, several contestants clutched at the wobbly railing with a panic-stricken look in their eyes. We cheered our voices hoarse as Melissa descended gracefully down what we like to call the “Deathtrap.” Miss Florida Director Grant Gravitt called it a “goosebump moment” when he saw his girl on stage. Then the show came to an anti-climactic close, and we realized we had to wait five days for results.
A Tense Week
The next five days seemed to drag. We joined the girls at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles where Miss USA and Miss Maryland USA Marina Harrison got to throw out the first pitch of the game. “Shandi did pretty well,” Melissa reported, then joking, “But my girl Miss Maryland needs a little help.” Harrison’s weak pitch barely made it to the catcher.
Melissa celebrated her 24th birthday at the pageant April 10. More than 25 Florida friends, as well as Miss Teen USA and titleholders from Texas and South Carolina, gathered in the lounge of the hotel and sang her “Happy Birthday.” Melissa wore a plastic birthday tiara and blew out the candles on a chocolate cake she wasn’t supposed to eat.
It wasn’t all party hats and chocolate cake that night, though. A seamstress was called in to make emergency alterations on a gown that was now too big for Melissa. She lost six pounds during the three weeks in Baltimore. But she took the stress in stride and assured us she would do everything she could to gain it all back after Miss USA. I handed her a plate of chocolate cake.
Final Competition
On April 11, the line in front of the Hippodrome Theater wrapped around the block. Security was six officers deep, and rabid fans clamored their way through metal detectors, pat-downs and security checkpoints more befitting the Tel Aviv airport.
Because she was carrying both of our giant 3-D sunshine signs and wearing a string of “Go Melissa” buttons around her neck, Sam was approached by a local reporter. It was no use telling him she was carrying that stuff for other people. He had her labeled as his token “crazy fan guaranteeing great TV.”
He insisted on framing her head up in the camera between those two big “GO FLORIDA” sunshines as the interview kicked off.
“Who are you here to support?” he asked, shoving the microphone in her face.
“Melissa Witek, Miss Florida USA!” Sam replied, gamely waving the sunshines.
“Do you think she’ll win?” he asked.
Sam replied, “Yes! Of course!” to which he responded, “What if she doesn’t?” Then there was a long pause as Sam gave him a confused stare. “Well . . .” she said, “It is just a pageant . . . so life will go on . . .”
This severely disappointed the news guy. Sam tried to explain: “Melissa will be successful in whatever she does – she’s an incredible girl with a bright future!”
At this point, the news guy looked downright ticked off. I think he wanted Sam to promise to throw herself off a bridge if Melissa didn’t win. But then he spotted someone wearing a Wisconsin cheese with a crown on her head and decided Sam was small time.
It’s Showtime!
Hosted by Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell and Billy Bush, the broadcast kicked off with a pre-taped opening set against various Maryland landmarks, from Ocean City to the Baltimore Orioles baseball field. The Delegates wore red filmy cocktail dresses and sandals, despite the fact that it was Maryland in March and about 2 degrees outside. You could practically hear teeth chattering as each girl smiled for the camera.
The “celebrity” judges were introduced next: Sugar Ray Leonard, that weird Raj guy from “The Apprentice,” the receptionist from “The Apprentice” (the one who lets the contestants into the boardroom), and Molly Sims from the show Las Vegas. There were a few more, boasting equally odd judging credentials.
If you saw the show, you know what happens next. If not, Melissa made Top 15! We were jumping around like lunatics, nearly poking out the eyes of nearby fans with our giant sunshine signs. Melissa’s fellow semi-finalists included Oklahoma, New York, Illinois, Maryland, Utah, Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina and Michigan.
The 15 semi-finalists then competed in evening gown. Melissa’s gown, I’m happy to report, fit her perfectly, and no one took a nosedive down the staircase. In the midst of our screaming and waving, our giant sunshine signs suddenly broke and fell over like tulips with broken stems. Sam and I immediately exchanged a look, as though we had received some kind of horrible omen. But then little Billy Bush opened the Top 10 results âÂ?¦
The Top 10 finalists were called: Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, California, Florida(!), Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Oklahoma, New York and Maryland. So, either the broken sunshines are actually a good omen or one of the Idaho fans behind us got tired of his view being blocked and snapped them off at the stem while we weren’t looking.
The Swimsuit Competition
There’s a special kind of bravery that allows a person to strut across the stage in a bikini and high heels. Nothing short of an automatic weapon and live ammunition could persuade me to attempt what these ladies managed with effortless grace. There were so many spins, turns and back-steps that I was getting dizzy – and extremely worried that someone was going to hurt herself.
The only mishap: Miss California USA dropped her sarong on the floor halfway through her routine. Unfortunately, she was No. 4 in line (right in front of Melissa), so every finalist who came after her had to step over, around, or on top of it.
Melissa fared fine, never even looking down, but poor Miss New York nearly slipped on the sarong, and then the line of 10 finalists had to strut across the stage together, right over it. The entire audience held its collective breath.
The Top 5
Remember, Florida hasn’t made the Top 5 since 1987, so the pressure was intense as the delegates lined up for the next big announcement. And that’s just the pressure my spazzed-out sister was putting on my neck as she clamped me into a nervous stranglehold.
Despite her sarong mishap, Miss California made it, as did Kentucky, North Carolina, Illinois and Florida(!). Florida director Grant Gravitt went to his feet when Melissa’s name was called.
On-stage interview was next. California discussed her blossoming sign language skills; unfortunately, she didn’t know how to say, “Thank you very much.” Kentucky was asked about the cow she listed on her bio sheet, but it turns out she doesn’t actually keep the cow or milk it nor does she have any plans to do so. Melissa talked about starting up her company; North Carolina discussed her involvement with a local children’s hospital, and Illinois was asked what she looked for in a man. (Billy Bush may have been going off script here and angling for a phone number.)
Honestly, I thought we had it in the bag after the interview. Melissa was poised, articulate, and she had something to talk about. Instead, when they called out the final placement, they began with “Fourth runner-up is âÂ?¦ Florida!”
There was an audible groan in the audience. No one expected Melissa to place fifth. People around us – even the ones we had injured with our signs – turned to us and told us she was “robbed.”
Illinois then placed third runner-up; Kentucky was second runner-up, and Miss “I’ll Throw My Sarong Wherever I Please” California was left standing with Miss North Carolina USA Chelsea Cooley. Melissa had already given us the scoop that Chelsea was one of the sweetest, most genuine girls in the group, so we were definitely rooting for her.
Onward and Upward
The rest is history. Chelsea Cooley is Miss USA 2005. We spoke to her and Donald Trump immediately following the pageant, and she was incredibly gracious. When asked what she’d like to say to her fellow delegates, she responded, “I feel very honored to get to know these beautiful women, and I actually wrote a note to several of them before we got started tonight to say that no matter what happens, I would always believe in them. Because they truly are extraordinary women, and I’m very proud of them.”
The Donald piped up with “What a great answer that is!” and then went on to say if Chelsea wanted to be on “The Apprentice,” he’d hire her in a heartbeat.
Melissa got hired as well – as the official spokesmodel for Under Armour Sportswear. The company’s creative director was pretty impressed with her touchdown at the flag football game and singled her out for the modeling contract. She barely had time to wolf down a few slices of pizza before the job started. She was flown back to Baltimore for the photo shoot the same week, and the campaign will appear in print throughout the U.S. this fall.
Her national TV exposure opened quite a few doors for Melissa, and she jokes that she gets all these benefits without having the responsibilities of being Miss USA for the next year. At the encouragement of several people in the business, Melissa is considering a move into television and entertainment.
Back in 1986, guess who else made top 5 at Miss USA but didn’t actually win the pageant âÂ?¦ a certain Miss Halle Berry.
And do you remember who actually won Miss USA that year? Exactly.
