1 00:00:12,592 --> 00:00:14,362 Announcer #1: Well, I have to say, 2 00:00:14,395 --> 00:00:15,556 the ladies are looking absolutely beautiful. 3 00:00:15,589 --> 00:00:17,459 Announcer #2 : We have 51 gorgeous contestants 4 00:00:17,492 --> 00:00:19,062 competing tonight. 5 00:00:19,095 --> 00:00:21,501 Announcer #3: Let's crown ourselves a new Miss USA. 6 00:00:22,269 --> 00:00:24,039 Pageant Host #1: The first runner-up is... 7 00:00:24,072 --> 00:00:27,613 Pageant Host #2: First runner -up is Arianna Lemus. 8 00:00:27,646 --> 00:00:30,318 Pageant Host #3: Congratulations, Nebraska! 9 00:00:30,351 --> 00:00:34,293 Pageant Host #4: You are our new Miss Texas USA! 10 00:00:34,326 --> 00:00:39,335 Pageant Host #4 :Taylor Hale, you are Miss Michigan USA 2021. 11 00:00:42,643 --> 00:00:45,315 I was never a girl that grew up watching pageants 12 00:00:45,348 --> 00:00:47,119 and wanting to participate in one. 13 00:00:47,152 --> 00:00:49,490 It was just something that I would very casually catch on TV. 14 00:00:49,524 --> 00:00:51,595 "Oh, Miss Universe is on. Miss USA is on." 15 00:00:51,628 --> 00:00:53,364 ♪♪♪ 16 00:00:53,397 --> 00:00:55,201 Listen, I get it. 17 00:00:55,234 --> 00:00:58,240 Your first thought is, "Please be serious. 18 00:00:59,276 --> 00:01:03,484 And why, as a society, are we giving any accolades to this?" 19 00:01:03,518 --> 00:01:05,622 I get it. I used to be one of those people. 20 00:01:06,423 --> 00:01:12,435 But I think the pageant is an arena where women get to be, 21 00:01:12,468 --> 00:01:15,609 honestly, the most feminist that they can be. 22 00:01:15,642 --> 00:01:18,582 I am all about marching for your body, for your rights. 23 00:01:18,615 --> 00:01:20,451 Hale: I think the way that you win a pageant 24 00:01:20,484 --> 00:01:23,457 is not by doing what the stereotype is. 25 00:01:23,490 --> 00:01:26,965 It is honing who you are, looking the judges in the eyes, 26 00:01:26,998 --> 00:01:30,606 and challenging them and saying, "I dare you not to choose me." 27 00:01:30,639 --> 00:01:32,342 That's the girl that wins. 28 00:01:32,375 --> 00:01:33,979 And that's the most feminist thing that you can do, 29 00:01:34,012 --> 00:01:35,616 in my perspective. 30 00:01:35,649 --> 00:01:38,120 News Reporter: Miss USA is entering a new era of ownership. 31 00:01:38,153 --> 00:01:41,427 The multi-million-dollar organization is now being run 32 00:01:41,460 --> 00:01:44,567 by a former national winner, Crystle Stewart. 33 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,472 -When I found out that Crystle was the new director of 34 00:01:47,506 --> 00:01:50,078 Miss USA, I was just beside myself. 35 00:01:50,111 --> 00:01:51,480 I mean, look, when's the last time 36 00:01:51,514 --> 00:01:53,351 anybody on the street has watched Miss USA? 37 00:01:53,384 --> 00:01:54,721 The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 38 00:01:54,754 --> 00:01:57,359 was more popular than Miss USA. 39 00:01:57,392 --> 00:01:59,597 News Reporter: The nation's hottest national contest 40 00:01:59,630 --> 00:02:01,367 is getting a reboot. 41 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,471 A woman that's unique, that's different, that's cool, 42 00:02:03,505 --> 00:02:06,377 that's trendy, that can represent the United States 43 00:02:06,410 --> 00:02:08,247 at Miss Universe. 44 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:09,617 Hale: I was just over the moon 45 00:02:09,650 --> 00:02:11,621 when Crystle stepped up to the plate. 46 00:02:11,654 --> 00:02:13,457 Or when I thought she was stepping up to the plate. 47 00:02:13,490 --> 00:02:15,061 News Reporter #1: Ugly allegations at one of 48 00:02:15,094 --> 00:02:16,598 the premier beauty pageants. 49 00:02:16,631 --> 00:02:17,767 News Reporter #2: Favoritism, conflicts of interest, 50 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:19,236 and cheating. 51 00:02:19,269 --> 00:02:21,473 We all are just looking for honesty. 52 00:02:21,507 --> 00:02:23,344 News Reporter: The pageant world has been rocked... 53 00:02:23,377 --> 00:02:26,350 I don't think any company would willingly want to broadcast 54 00:02:26,383 --> 00:02:29,489 the scandals that we've seen even in the past year. 55 00:02:29,523 --> 00:02:31,227 TikTokker: The alleged knowledge 56 00:02:31,260 --> 00:02:34,233 of a sexual predator within the company. 57 00:02:34,266 --> 00:02:37,640 Miss Universe is at a certain inflection point. 58 00:02:37,673 --> 00:02:40,478 News Reporter: Are we past this whole thing as a society? 59 00:02:40,512 --> 00:02:43,351 It's losing its relevance and its audience quickly. 60 00:02:43,384 --> 00:02:44,821 Porter: It has to change. 61 00:02:44,854 --> 00:02:48,227 That's not gonna happen until it gets shaken up. 62 00:02:48,260 --> 00:02:50,198 News Reporter: ...leaving the future of the pageant in doubt. 63 00:02:50,231 --> 00:02:53,104 Porter: We have a right to feel like we had a fair shot. 64 00:02:53,137 --> 00:02:58,247 ♪♪♪ 65 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:03,357 ♪♪♪ 66 00:03:03,390 --> 00:03:05,194 Konstantinides: I would start this story 67 00:03:05,227 --> 00:03:07,600 at the finale at Miss USA. 68 00:03:07,633 --> 00:03:10,071 I'm sitting there in the audience. 69 00:03:10,104 --> 00:03:12,743 And, you know, the finale always follows the same beat. 70 00:03:12,776 --> 00:03:15,081 The two finalists are holding each other's hands. 71 00:03:15,114 --> 00:03:18,220 They're looking at each other, a winner gets called, 72 00:03:18,253 --> 00:03:21,193 and then the girls come and rush in and they're hugging her 73 00:03:21,226 --> 00:03:23,230 and it's, like, this beautiful moment. 74 00:03:23,263 --> 00:03:26,070 But that didn't happen at Miss USA 2022. 75 00:03:26,103 --> 00:03:30,345 Everyone noticed that as Miss Texas got the crown, 76 00:03:30,378 --> 00:03:32,482 the women started walking off the stage. 77 00:03:32,516 --> 00:03:34,086 TikTokker #1: Like, see how the other contestants seem to be 78 00:03:34,119 --> 00:03:35,756 leaving the stage instead of celebrating with her? 79 00:03:35,789 --> 00:03:37,359 TikTokker #2: What's going on? 80 00:03:37,392 --> 00:03:40,766 Walker: What in the world is happening at Miss USA? 81 00:03:40,799 --> 00:03:42,335 And then I think it was the next day 82 00:03:42,368 --> 00:03:45,108 that we started seeing those TikTok videos. 83 00:03:45,141 --> 00:03:47,212 Welcome to Pageant Drama TikTok. Here are the facts. 84 00:03:47,245 --> 00:03:48,615 We are speaking up 85 00:03:48,648 --> 00:03:50,519 and jeopardizing our own reputations 86 00:03:50,552 --> 00:03:52,489 and titles to speak out on something 87 00:03:52,523 --> 00:03:54,359 because that's how important this is to us. 88 00:03:54,392 --> 00:03:58,869 For contestants to publicly come out against the organization, 89 00:03:58,902 --> 00:04:00,606 that is a huge risk. 90 00:04:00,639 --> 00:04:03,477 TikTokker: Something that happened is not right. 91 00:04:03,511 --> 00:04:04,747 Konstantinides: And that's when I knew there was 92 00:04:04,780 --> 00:04:06,116 a huge story brewing. 93 00:04:06,149 --> 00:04:07,887 I want to know what happened, 94 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,159 and I'm hoping I'll get an answer. 95 00:04:16,403 --> 00:04:18,809 [ laughs ] Wow! 96 00:04:18,842 --> 00:04:21,146 Uh... 97 00:04:21,179 --> 00:04:23,384 Well, I guess my -- If you're asking me, 98 00:04:23,417 --> 00:04:24,654 does it matter if beauty pageants are rigged, 99 00:04:24,687 --> 00:04:26,323 I'd say, does it matter to who? 100 00:04:26,356 --> 00:04:29,731 Because it certainly matters to the contestants 101 00:04:29,764 --> 00:04:31,467 in that particular pageant. 102 00:04:31,501 --> 00:04:34,640 And it does matter to a lot of, like, young people 103 00:04:34,673 --> 00:04:38,280 who are watching, who is seen as representing them. 104 00:04:39,216 --> 00:04:41,755 What many people don't realize -- that beauty pageants 105 00:04:41,788 --> 00:04:44,392 has a deep link to the suffragist movement. 106 00:04:45,929 --> 00:04:51,240 If you've ever wondered why beauty queens wear sashes, 107 00:04:51,273 --> 00:04:52,943 you should look to suffragist marches 108 00:04:52,976 --> 00:04:55,516 in the early part of the 20th century. 109 00:04:55,549 --> 00:04:57,920 Miss America starts in 1921. 110 00:04:57,953 --> 00:05:00,626 And how do they identify those women? 111 00:05:00,659 --> 00:05:03,397 They're wearing sashes. 112 00:05:03,430 --> 00:05:05,268 It is a window into something 113 00:05:05,301 --> 00:05:07,205 that some people don't like to think about 114 00:05:07,238 --> 00:05:09,510 or don't like to grapple with the complications. 115 00:05:09,543 --> 00:05:11,480 Pageantry can tell us the history 116 00:05:11,514 --> 00:05:15,388 and story of American feminism and show how far we've come. 117 00:05:15,421 --> 00:05:18,895 ♪♪♪ 118 00:05:18,928 --> 00:05:22,235 Narrator: Go ahead and drool. It's Miss America time. 119 00:05:22,268 --> 00:05:23,905 Overpowering all opposition is strapping 120 00:05:23,938 --> 00:05:27,378 5'10", 143-pound Miss Utah. 121 00:05:27,411 --> 00:05:29,517 She's the biggest girl ever to win. 122 00:05:29,550 --> 00:05:31,253 She likes men for their brains 123 00:05:31,286 --> 00:05:32,790 and says she'd even marry a midget 124 00:05:32,823 --> 00:05:34,259 if he were a mental giant. 125 00:05:34,292 --> 00:05:35,929 Step right up, shorty. 126 00:05:35,962 --> 00:05:37,800 Oh, my God. 127 00:05:37,833 --> 00:05:39,904 It could be a 4-H festival, 128 00:05:39,937 --> 00:05:44,379 and it's a contest for, like, a prized steer. 129 00:05:44,412 --> 00:05:47,820 He's mentioning their height and weight. 130 00:05:47,853 --> 00:05:51,493 Narrator: Nearby Asbury Park holds a quest for Mrs. America. 131 00:05:51,527 --> 00:05:53,899 The cooking contest goes to Mrs. New York City. 132 00:05:53,932 --> 00:05:55,401 Herstik: What everyone remembers is just 133 00:05:55,434 --> 00:05:57,272 the superficiality of it. 134 00:05:57,305 --> 00:06:01,915 It makes sense that the general conception of these pageants 135 00:06:01,948 --> 00:06:04,286 and the women who participate in them 136 00:06:04,319 --> 00:06:08,528 has nothing to do with the woman at all. 137 00:06:09,062 --> 00:06:13,672 Friedman: Miss USA was born out of the Miss America pageant. 138 00:06:13,705 --> 00:06:16,410 In the 1940s, it used to be that Miss America 139 00:06:16,443 --> 00:06:18,247 was crowned in her bathing suit, 140 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:21,253 because Miss America started as a bathing-beauty contest 141 00:06:21,286 --> 00:06:23,257 by a group of men in Atlantic City 142 00:06:23,290 --> 00:06:24,961 who wanted to extend the tourist season. 143 00:06:24,994 --> 00:06:26,531 How do you do that? 144 00:06:26,564 --> 00:06:28,535 You put women in bathing suits out in public. 145 00:06:28,568 --> 00:06:30,672 Narrator: Miss America modeled the official 146 00:06:30,705 --> 00:06:33,645 Miss America suit for 1949. 147 00:06:33,678 --> 00:06:36,518 Friedman: In 1950, Miss America who was crowned, 148 00:06:36,551 --> 00:06:38,788 Yolande Betbeze, came out and said, 149 00:06:38,821 --> 00:06:40,759 after she was crowned, "I'm not going to do 150 00:06:40,792 --> 00:06:43,397 any appearances in a bathing suit anymore." 151 00:06:43,430 --> 00:06:45,502 And so Catalina, which was one of the corporate sponsors -- 152 00:06:45,535 --> 00:06:48,274 and they make swimwear -- they were like, 153 00:06:48,307 --> 00:06:50,679 "Okay, well, we're going to go start our own pageant." 154 00:06:50,712 --> 00:06:51,948 And they went and started 155 00:06:51,981 --> 00:06:54,386 Miss USA and Miss Universe, as well. 156 00:06:54,419 --> 00:06:57,526 Pageant Host: Keylee Sue Sanders, Miss Kansas, 157 00:06:57,559 --> 00:07:00,431 you're the new Miss Teen USA. 158 00:07:00,464 --> 00:07:02,402 [ cheers and applause ] Congratulations. 159 00:07:02,435 --> 00:07:04,674 The cash, the gifts are yours. 160 00:07:04,707 --> 00:07:08,314 I'm very partial to the Miss USA/Miss Universe 161 00:07:08,347 --> 00:07:10,719 organization because that's what I was a part of. 162 00:07:10,752 --> 00:07:12,388 There's an old saying that Miss America 163 00:07:12,421 --> 00:07:14,493 is the girl who lives next door, 164 00:07:14,527 --> 00:07:16,931 and Miss USA is the girl you wish lived next door. 165 00:07:16,964 --> 00:07:21,941 But the girls who win are smart and driven and dynamic. 166 00:07:21,974 --> 00:07:24,379 Hi, my name is Michelle Pfeiffer. 167 00:07:24,412 --> 00:07:26,784 I live in Midway City and I represent Orange County. 168 00:07:26,817 --> 00:07:27,987 Thank you. 169 00:07:28,020 --> 00:07:29,557 Friedman: So many of our journalists 170 00:07:29,590 --> 00:07:31,393 got their starts competing in pageants. 171 00:07:31,426 --> 00:07:35,969 Hale: These women were sexy and hyper-feminine, 172 00:07:36,002 --> 00:07:38,975 but they were also doing amazing things in the world. 173 00:07:39,008 --> 00:07:40,846 Lange: I was a Division I athlete. 174 00:07:40,879 --> 00:07:44,987 There's always this underlying comparison to male athletes. 175 00:07:45,956 --> 00:07:49,564 And something that I found interesting from pageants 176 00:07:49,597 --> 00:07:53,404 was that there was never that comparison. 177 00:07:53,437 --> 00:07:56,410 It really is a place where women can succeed, 178 00:07:56,443 --> 00:07:57,813 and the focus stays on the woman. 179 00:07:57,846 --> 00:08:00,051 Sanders: There is a sisterhood to it. 180 00:08:00,084 --> 00:08:03,959 And as cheesy as this sounds, you find your lifelong friends. 181 00:08:03,992 --> 00:08:06,564 I mean, I know that's what, like, is on the brochure 182 00:08:06,597 --> 00:08:08,701 to sell this stuff, but it's actually true. 183 00:08:09,770 --> 00:08:12,676 Friedman: And the thing about Miss USA and Miss Universe 184 00:08:12,709 --> 00:08:14,680 is that it's a franchise business. 185 00:08:14,713 --> 00:08:16,984 So it's kind of like McDonald's, if you want to think about it. 186 00:08:18,888 --> 00:08:20,424 There's a corporate headquarters, 187 00:08:20,457 --> 00:08:22,930 and then individuals can pick up a franchise. 188 00:08:22,963 --> 00:08:25,702 And so for all 50 states and then District of Columbia, 189 00:08:25,735 --> 00:08:28,942 you have to buy that franchise. 190 00:08:28,975 --> 00:08:31,714 The Miss Universe organization that is doing the selling 191 00:08:31,747 --> 00:08:35,421 is only successful because the thing that they're selling 192 00:08:35,454 --> 00:08:38,795 is good, and the thing that they're selling is the women. 193 00:08:38,828 --> 00:08:40,164 Watched Marla perform so nicely last year 194 00:08:40,197 --> 00:08:41,968 at the Miss Universe pageant, and I said, 195 00:08:42,001 --> 00:08:44,573 "This is a great event and this could really be a great event." 196 00:08:44,606 --> 00:08:45,943 So I bought it. 197 00:08:45,976 --> 00:08:49,583 Trump owned it for a number of years, 198 00:08:49,616 --> 00:08:55,529 and then, in 2015, he sold it to WME IMG. 199 00:08:55,562 --> 00:08:58,968 And a few years later, that company becomes Endeavor. 200 00:09:00,437 --> 00:09:02,007 Endeavor took over at an interesting time. 201 00:09:03,878 --> 00:09:06,551 We started seeing things like the Women's March and MeToo 202 00:09:06,584 --> 00:09:10,458 and so many things happening in the world. 203 00:09:10,491 --> 00:09:13,097 Interviewer: Have you ever had a MeToo moment? 204 00:09:13,130 --> 00:09:14,567 -Yes. -Yes. 205 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:15,969 Sadly, yes. 206 00:09:16,002 --> 00:09:17,673 Friedman: There has been a push in the MeToo era 207 00:09:17,706 --> 00:09:19,209 to be like, "Women should be judges. 208 00:09:19,242 --> 00:09:22,215 Women should be running things. 209 00:09:22,248 --> 00:09:23,852 We are doing this amongst ourselves. 210 00:09:23,885 --> 00:09:25,822 We are not just doing this for the male gaze." 211 00:09:25,855 --> 00:09:27,526 So that's a really big thing. 212 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,832 What MeToo and Time's Up are about are making sure that 213 00:09:30,865 --> 00:09:34,807 we foster safe and inclusive workplaces in our country. 214 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,680 As an attorney, that's exactly what I want to hear. 215 00:09:37,713 --> 00:09:41,688 Konstantinides: In 2019, we had a black Miss USA, 216 00:09:41,721 --> 00:09:43,958 a black Miss Universe, a black Miss America, 217 00:09:43,991 --> 00:09:45,996 and a black Miss Teen USA. 218 00:09:46,029 --> 00:09:49,737 As a black woman who was entering the pageant arena, 219 00:09:49,770 --> 00:09:53,243 to have black women in a position to speak, 220 00:09:53,276 --> 00:09:57,753 advocate, and have a face in the world of beauty, 221 00:09:57,786 --> 00:10:00,659 where people usually don't listen to women, 222 00:10:00,692 --> 00:10:02,428 that felt all the more powerful. 223 00:10:03,998 --> 00:10:08,842 The organization seizes upon that zeitgeist 224 00:10:08,875 --> 00:10:11,681 and they do incorporate it into the pageant. 225 00:10:11,714 --> 00:10:16,824 But viewership has been in steady decline since the '90s. 226 00:10:16,857 --> 00:10:20,231 And then we get to 2020, and for the first time, 227 00:10:20,264 --> 00:10:24,239 the organization decides to spin off Miss USA 228 00:10:24,272 --> 00:10:28,748 and sell it to an individual director, Crystle Stewart. 229 00:10:28,781 --> 00:10:32,856 Pageant Host: A former Miss USA herself, she is now the owner. 230 00:10:32,889 --> 00:10:35,094 Give it up for Crystle Stewart, 231 00:10:35,127 --> 00:10:38,835 president of the Miss USA organization! 232 00:10:38,868 --> 00:10:40,237 [ cheers and applause ] 233 00:10:40,270 --> 00:10:41,941 I am the first African-American woman 234 00:10:41,974 --> 00:10:44,245 to have this position and the first person period. 235 00:10:44,278 --> 00:10:47,686 So they've never licensed out the Miss USA pageant. 236 00:10:47,719 --> 00:10:51,594 The Miss Universe organization does still own Miss USA. 237 00:10:51,627 --> 00:10:52,996 It's just franchised it out 238 00:10:53,029 --> 00:10:55,134 to Crystle Stewart as a director. 239 00:10:55,167 --> 00:10:59,977 It was a surprise, but it also made sense to me, 240 00:11:00,010 --> 00:11:03,016 because every other country had its own director. 241 00:11:03,049 --> 00:11:04,854 I thought it was interesting they gave 242 00:11:04,887 --> 00:11:08,093 a national directorship to a former titleholder 243 00:11:08,126 --> 00:11:10,699 who had not even been a state director. 244 00:11:10,732 --> 00:11:12,736 Stewart: It's been an amazing opportunity. 245 00:11:12,769 --> 00:11:14,239 I think it's monumental and I'm very excited 246 00:11:14,272 --> 00:11:16,711 about the things to come. 247 00:11:16,744 --> 00:11:19,249 When Crystle took over, she really filled out that team 248 00:11:19,282 --> 00:11:21,721 with the people who were closest to her. 249 00:11:21,754 --> 00:11:25,094 Her husband, Max, became vice president of Miss USA. 250 00:11:25,127 --> 00:11:26,597 The chaperons and the makeup artists, 251 00:11:26,630 --> 00:11:29,002 like, these seemed to be like Texas people. 252 00:11:29,035 --> 00:11:32,576 "Pageantry Reimagined" was her slogan, 253 00:11:32,609 --> 00:11:35,582 and I think the intentions were amazing 254 00:11:35,615 --> 00:11:37,986 and the rebrand definitely needed to happen. 255 00:11:38,019 --> 00:11:39,757 She wants to put her own stamp on it, 256 00:11:39,790 --> 00:11:41,727 and there's a big expectation there. 257 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,600 So I can see where that is what she wanted to do. 258 00:11:44,633 --> 00:11:48,741 I just don't think that's what happened. 259 00:11:57,024 --> 00:11:58,828 Announcer #2: Lafayette -- KT Scannell! 260 00:11:58,861 --> 00:12:00,732 Announcer #3: Morgan Romano! 261 00:12:00,765 --> 00:12:02,368 Announcer #4: Faith Porter. 262 00:12:02,401 --> 00:12:04,372 Porter: U.S.A. is one of the only countries 263 00:12:04,405 --> 00:12:06,711 where you have to win a regional title 264 00:12:06,744 --> 00:12:08,848 just to walk on the Miss USA stage. 265 00:12:08,881 --> 00:12:10,719 Announcer #4: Welcome to the sisterhood. 266 00:12:10,752 --> 00:12:14,192 After I was crowned Miss DC USA, 267 00:12:14,225 --> 00:12:18,802 the first correspondence that I had with the Miss USA staff 268 00:12:18,835 --> 00:12:24,713 was a Zoom call that was in preparation for a retreat 269 00:12:24,746 --> 00:12:28,253 for all of the titleholders in Cancún. 270 00:12:30,257 --> 00:12:31,828 Konstantinides: Nizuc is a resort in Cancún, 271 00:12:31,861 --> 00:12:34,399 and it's a national sponsor of Miss USA. 272 00:12:34,432 --> 00:12:35,969 There was a retreat there a couple months 273 00:12:36,002 --> 00:12:37,873 before the competition. 274 00:12:37,906 --> 00:12:41,279 Porter: And the main purpose was to take our official headshots 275 00:12:41,312 --> 00:12:42,782 for Miss USA. 276 00:12:48,961 --> 00:12:51,934 Konstantinides: But two girls were missing from that retreat. 277 00:12:51,967 --> 00:12:54,840 It was Miss Colorado and Miss Texas, 278 00:12:54,873 --> 00:12:58,012 because they hadn't been crowned in their state pageants yet. 279 00:13:00,417 --> 00:13:02,723 Announcer: You, R'Bonney Gabriel, 280 00:13:02,756 --> 00:13:06,864 are our new Miss Texas USA! 281 00:13:06,897 --> 00:13:09,837 Konstantinides: R'Bonney is from Texas, which, by the way, 282 00:13:09,870 --> 00:13:13,845 is where the Miss USA director, Crystle Stewart, is from. 283 00:13:13,878 --> 00:13:16,984 And Miss USA is based in Houston. 284 00:13:17,017 --> 00:13:20,859 And Crystle, before R'Bonney, was the last person from Texas 285 00:13:20,892 --> 00:13:22,261 to win the Miss USA crown. 286 00:13:26,302 --> 00:13:27,940 The first time that I heard about R'Bonney 287 00:13:27,973 --> 00:13:30,077 being preferred over any other contestants 288 00:13:30,110 --> 00:13:33,350 was the day that she was crowned Miss Texas USA. 289 00:13:33,383 --> 00:13:36,256 Her final question was posted on the official 290 00:13:36,289 --> 00:13:38,227 Miss USA main feed page. 291 00:13:38,260 --> 00:13:42,268 As a woman, I believe it's our right to make a decision. 292 00:13:42,301 --> 00:13:44,005 It's a personal choice. 293 00:13:44,038 --> 00:13:48,013 Until that point, no other contestant had been posted 294 00:13:48,046 --> 00:13:50,384 on the Miss USA page. 295 00:13:50,417 --> 00:13:52,756 When I really started to think 296 00:13:52,789 --> 00:13:56,096 that something was happening out of the ordinary 297 00:13:56,129 --> 00:13:58,100 was when I found out that the state directors 298 00:13:58,133 --> 00:14:00,872 had a meeting with the national office 299 00:14:00,905 --> 00:14:03,277 about the treatment that R'Bonney was getting, 300 00:14:03,310 --> 00:14:08,453 how the Miss USA staff already openly has a favorite. 301 00:14:15,434 --> 00:14:17,371 ♪♪♪ 302 00:14:17,404 --> 00:14:19,843 Announcer: Live from the Grand Sierra Resort 303 00:14:19,876 --> 00:14:22,381 in Reno, Tahoe, Nevada, 304 00:14:22,414 --> 00:14:26,055 the 2022 Miss USA Preliminary Competition. 305 00:14:31,299 --> 00:14:34,138 First of all, it's in Reno. That's where it gets weird. 306 00:14:34,171 --> 00:14:35,875 Nobody wants to go to Reno. 307 00:14:37,277 --> 00:14:40,384 I was asked to be a judge for the 2022 pageant 308 00:14:40,417 --> 00:14:45,862 and I was never asked to sign a no-conflict contract. 309 00:14:45,895 --> 00:14:48,768 Usually, the judges are given a list of contestants 310 00:14:48,801 --> 00:14:52,542 and they say, "I don't know any of these contestants. 311 00:14:52,575 --> 00:14:54,880 And if I do know these contestants, 312 00:14:54,913 --> 00:14:56,550 do I believe I can be impartial? 313 00:14:56,583 --> 00:14:58,387 Yes or no?" And you sign your name. 314 00:14:58,420 --> 00:15:00,056 I was never asked for that. 315 00:15:02,394 --> 00:15:06,971 Announcer: The first contestant moving on tonight is 316 00:15:07,004 --> 00:15:09,242 District of Columbia! 317 00:15:09,275 --> 00:15:11,012 [ cheers and applause ] 318 00:15:11,045 --> 00:15:13,985 My whole family came, and they were telling me, 319 00:15:14,018 --> 00:15:16,156 "So-and-so said, 'Oh, you know, apparently, 320 00:15:16,189 --> 00:15:17,893 it's going to go to Texas.'" 321 00:15:17,926 --> 00:15:22,536 Announcer: Alright, next up, we've got Texas! 322 00:15:22,569 --> 00:15:26,142 I remember saying, "Everyone seems to really 323 00:15:26,175 --> 00:15:28,180 like her and the staff, but I don't know 324 00:15:28,213 --> 00:15:29,550 if they would crown her 325 00:15:29,583 --> 00:15:33,390 because the directors are going to riot." 326 00:15:33,423 --> 00:15:36,496 Announcer: May I have the results, please? 327 00:15:36,530 --> 00:15:41,873 In second place, North Carolina. 328 00:15:43,143 --> 00:15:48,521 Miss USA is Texas! 329 00:15:48,554 --> 00:15:51,292 ♪♪♪ 330 00:15:51,325 --> 00:15:54,399 There were 51 women who competed at Miss USA, 331 00:15:54,432 --> 00:15:58,006 and the vast majority felt very strongly 332 00:15:58,039 --> 00:16:01,046 that some fishy things went on in the pageant. 333 00:16:01,079 --> 00:16:04,318 All we're told is, "Oh, yeah, this person won. 334 00:16:04,351 --> 00:16:06,991 Take our word for it." We have to trust you. 335 00:16:07,024 --> 00:16:09,395 But the organization had proved 336 00:16:09,428 --> 00:16:13,437 a strong lack of trust. 337 00:16:13,470 --> 00:16:15,875 Lange: After the pageant's over, everyone is leaving, 338 00:16:15,908 --> 00:16:17,879 going back to their respective homes. 339 00:16:17,912 --> 00:16:19,550 I was on the plane and I get a text from 340 00:16:19,583 --> 00:16:21,987 one of my friends saying, "Are you seeing this?" 341 00:16:22,020 --> 00:16:23,858 And I'm like, "Seeing what?" 342 00:16:23,891 --> 00:16:28,901 ♪♪♪ 343 00:16:28,934 --> 00:16:34,011 ♪♪♪ 344 00:16:34,044 --> 00:16:39,055 That is when things really blew up. 345 00:16:39,088 --> 00:16:41,259 Lange: The main thing that was drawing concern 346 00:16:41,292 --> 00:16:42,562 was the social-media posts 347 00:16:42,595 --> 00:16:45,902 posted by the Cancún hotel sponsor. 348 00:16:45,935 --> 00:16:49,409 Konstantinides: Inside Nizuc is the MIA Beauté spa, 349 00:16:49,442 --> 00:16:53,016 which is also a national sponsor of Miss USA. 350 00:16:53,049 --> 00:16:55,020 The video is a classic promo video, 351 00:16:55,053 --> 00:16:57,559 and when it was posted on the Instagram page, 352 00:16:57,592 --> 00:17:00,264 it was "Congrats to the new Miss USA." 353 00:17:00,297 --> 00:17:02,401 The contestants were extremely confused, 354 00:17:02,434 --> 00:17:05,306 because she hadn't been at the retreat. 355 00:17:07,444 --> 00:17:11,186 So it was obvious she had gone on her own at some point 356 00:17:11,219 --> 00:17:14,526 to film the promo video. 357 00:17:14,559 --> 00:17:16,396 It made it look like it was planned. 358 00:17:16,429 --> 00:17:20,336 Whether it was or not, that is what the optics looked like. 359 00:17:22,174 --> 00:17:24,145 Herstik: It sort of rubs a lot of the girls the wrong way. 360 00:17:24,178 --> 00:17:27,151 Like, "Why does she get this opportunity to spend 361 00:17:27,184 --> 00:17:28,588 one-on-one time with a sponsor?" 362 00:17:28,621 --> 00:17:30,023 Gabriel: The sponsor, Mia -- 363 00:17:30,056 --> 00:17:32,328 they are a Miss Texas USA sponsor. 364 00:17:32,361 --> 00:17:34,432 They invited me to be a brand ambassador 365 00:17:34,465 --> 00:17:37,338 for their new spa at Nizuc Resort. 366 00:17:37,371 --> 00:17:39,543 So I flew myself out, shot the video, 367 00:17:39,576 --> 00:17:42,281 and that was released after I won Miss USA. 368 00:17:42,314 --> 00:17:44,720 It's not that big a deal on its own, 369 00:17:44,753 --> 00:17:48,260 but in a competition where any edge you can get 370 00:17:48,293 --> 00:17:52,134 could affect your chances, it starts to be a bigger deal. 371 00:17:52,167 --> 00:17:54,405 Konstantinides: R'Bonney had been a customer at the spa 372 00:17:54,438 --> 00:17:56,276 before she won Miss Texas. 373 00:17:56,309 --> 00:17:59,550 There's actually pictures of her on the spa's social-media pages 374 00:17:59,583 --> 00:18:02,421 dating back as early as 2021. 375 00:18:02,454 --> 00:18:04,593 The spa was founded by Dr. Phi Nguyen, 376 00:18:04,626 --> 00:18:07,732 and she's got photos with Dr. Nguyen. 377 00:18:07,765 --> 00:18:11,039 The reason this is important is because Dr. Nguyen 378 00:18:11,072 --> 00:18:14,478 was one of the judges of the State Costume competition 379 00:18:14,512 --> 00:18:16,584 the night before the Miss USA final. 380 00:18:16,617 --> 00:18:18,621 State Costume Host: Founder and owner of Mia Beauté, 381 00:18:18,654 --> 00:18:20,692 Dr. Phi Nguyen. 382 00:18:20,725 --> 00:18:22,428 Konstantinides: And the winner of that costume competition 383 00:18:22,461 --> 00:18:25,400 was R'Bonney. 384 00:18:25,433 --> 00:18:27,137 Now, State Costume competition 385 00:18:27,170 --> 00:18:30,545 doesn't affect your score at all at Miss USA, 386 00:18:30,578 --> 00:18:34,318 but it's a huge spotlight on whoever wins that. 387 00:18:34,351 --> 00:18:39,061 The judges of the final night -- they know who won. 388 00:18:40,163 --> 00:18:44,338 R'Bonney was definitely good enough to win Miss USA. 389 00:18:44,371 --> 00:18:48,480 The issue was, there were so many conflicts of interest 390 00:18:48,514 --> 00:18:51,485 within the organization that had already been brought up. 391 00:18:54,091 --> 00:18:58,567 It was the perfect storm for everything to blow up. 392 00:19:04,411 --> 00:19:06,382 When I was a director, th 393 00:19:06,415 --> 00:19:08,453 in my opinion, than they are today. 394 00:19:08,486 --> 00:19:11,059 I mean, to say the Trump years were better regulated 395 00:19:11,092 --> 00:19:13,597 is hard words to come out of my mouth, but yes. 396 00:19:16,102 --> 00:19:20,077 I was not allowed, as a director of a state pageant, 397 00:19:20,110 --> 00:19:22,081 to own a gown shop. 398 00:19:22,114 --> 00:19:23,483 I couldn't coach girls. 399 00:19:23,517 --> 00:19:25,287 That was considered a conflict of interest. 400 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,391 I couldn't be a hair-and- makeup artist for girls. 401 00:19:27,424 --> 00:19:29,194 That was considered a conflict of interest. 402 00:19:31,432 --> 00:19:32,802 Konstantinides: What shocked me the most 403 00:19:32,835 --> 00:19:34,539 when I started really doing my digging 404 00:19:34,572 --> 00:19:38,079 was everything I found out about MISS Academy. 405 00:19:38,112 --> 00:19:40,350 It just seemed like a huge, glaring conflict of interest 406 00:19:40,383 --> 00:19:41,720 from the get-go. 407 00:19:49,468 --> 00:19:53,711 Prior to taking over Miss USA, 408 00:19:53,744 --> 00:19:56,449 Crystle has a business called MISS Academy. 409 00:19:56,482 --> 00:19:59,856 Konstantinides: It was started by her and her husband, Max. 410 00:19:59,889 --> 00:20:02,428 The biggest thing that we sell at MISS Academy is confidence. 411 00:20:02,461 --> 00:20:05,133 You learn makeup, dining etiquette, 412 00:20:05,166 --> 00:20:07,304 hairstyles, communication skills. 413 00:20:07,337 --> 00:20:11,847 Once Crystle takes over Miss USA, 414 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:16,155 she does still have MISS Academy under her purview. 415 00:20:16,188 --> 00:20:19,195 Konstantinides: She made MISS Academy a national sponsor 416 00:20:19,228 --> 00:20:21,432 of the Miss USA pageant. 417 00:20:21,465 --> 00:20:24,539 Not only were they the official coaching sponsors, 418 00:20:24,572 --> 00:20:28,547 but a lot of their team were sponsors in other areas. 419 00:20:28,580 --> 00:20:30,417 So if you got the headshot, 420 00:20:30,450 --> 00:20:32,421 you took headshots with Grant Foto, 421 00:20:32,454 --> 00:20:35,795 who was the official photographer for Miss USA, 422 00:20:35,828 --> 00:20:39,402 and he also decides who wins Most Photogenic. 423 00:20:39,435 --> 00:20:42,274 And the people who were teaching classes 424 00:20:42,307 --> 00:20:45,815 were the creative directors for the entire pageant. 425 00:20:45,848 --> 00:20:49,322 ♪♪♪ 426 00:20:49,355 --> 00:20:52,729 ♪♪♪ 427 00:20:52,762 --> 00:20:55,200 Konstantinides: On the finals night of Miss USA, 428 00:20:55,233 --> 00:20:58,340 MISS Academy posted, on Instagram, 429 00:20:58,373 --> 00:21:01,747 a list of the 15 girls who had trained at the academy. 430 00:21:01,780 --> 00:21:06,857 Of those 15 girls, eight made the top 16, 431 00:21:06,890 --> 00:21:10,832 seven made the top 12, and three made the top five. 432 00:21:10,865 --> 00:21:13,571 And of the top five, the winner and the runner-up 433 00:21:13,604 --> 00:21:15,440 were both MISS Academy students. 434 00:21:15,473 --> 00:21:18,313 We did speak to a lot of directors 435 00:21:18,346 --> 00:21:21,452 who said that they did feel pressured 436 00:21:21,485 --> 00:21:23,724 to get involved in that business, 437 00:21:23,757 --> 00:21:26,462 whether it was to maybe open their own MISS Academy 438 00:21:26,495 --> 00:21:30,337 in their states or to funnel prospective contestants 439 00:21:30,370 --> 00:21:32,474 to take classes at MISS Academy. 440 00:21:32,508 --> 00:21:35,882 There just kind of was this strengthening pipeline 441 00:21:35,915 --> 00:21:38,621 between the pageant and the academy. 442 00:21:38,654 --> 00:21:41,325 When Crystle is the head of Miss USA 443 00:21:41,358 --> 00:21:42,862 and her pageant school has become 444 00:21:42,895 --> 00:21:46,202 the de facto official pageant school, 445 00:21:46,235 --> 00:21:49,743 that's a huge win for her, profit-wise. 446 00:21:49,776 --> 00:21:52,214 And if you can say the last Miss USA 447 00:21:52,247 --> 00:21:54,619 was trained at MISS Academy, that's just going to be 448 00:21:54,652 --> 00:21:57,357 even more girls coming and saying, "This is the school 449 00:21:57,390 --> 00:21:59,830 that's going to get me onto that stage." 450 00:21:59,863 --> 00:22:01,834 Pageantry is a big business. 451 00:22:01,867 --> 00:22:05,307 I know of girls who spend $15,000 452 00:22:05,340 --> 00:22:07,645 just on their state pageant and don't win. 453 00:22:08,947 --> 00:22:11,653 Lange: Some women compete in pageants for years, 454 00:22:11,686 --> 00:22:13,657 invest so much money and time into it, 455 00:22:13,690 --> 00:22:16,897 and competing for Miss USA is like this ultra goal 456 00:22:16,930 --> 00:22:19,301 that you have that you look forward to your whole life. 457 00:22:19,334 --> 00:22:21,507 And I think so many women 458 00:22:21,540 --> 00:22:23,877 felt like they had a wasted investment. 459 00:22:25,881 --> 00:22:30,323 We didn't have any sort of third-party outlet or H.R. 460 00:22:30,356 --> 00:22:31,827 to go to to really speak to. 461 00:22:31,860 --> 00:22:33,864 So I think some of the women's thinking was, 462 00:22:33,897 --> 00:22:35,434 "Well, if I talk in the media, 463 00:22:35,467 --> 00:22:37,304 they have to pay attention to me." 464 00:22:37,337 --> 00:22:40,745 I'm so proud of my Miss USA sisters in the class of 2022. 465 00:22:40,778 --> 00:22:43,851 Lange: I don't think it would have been given the same kind of 466 00:22:43,884 --> 00:22:45,855 priority if not for the media. 467 00:22:45,888 --> 00:22:47,424 News Reporter: Contestants now questioning the legitimacy... 468 00:22:47,457 --> 00:22:49,963 It's hard to miss a news post headline, right? 469 00:22:49,996 --> 00:22:52,301 News Reporter: ...the competition was rigged. 470 00:22:52,334 --> 00:22:54,873 Lange: The Miss Universe leadership -- they reached out 471 00:22:54,906 --> 00:22:57,612 and offered to have a meeting with us. 472 00:22:57,645 --> 00:22:59,983 On our first Zoom call, it was with 473 00:23:00,016 --> 00:23:02,589 Amy Emmerich, the C.E.O. of Miss Universe, 474 00:23:02,622 --> 00:23:06,730 and Paula Shugart, the president of Miss Universe. 475 00:23:06,763 --> 00:23:08,500 Rather than all of us going in, you know, 476 00:23:08,534 --> 00:23:11,038 separately with individual things, we were going to come up 477 00:23:11,071 --> 00:23:12,842 with kind of just, like, an action-item list, 478 00:23:12,875 --> 00:23:14,746 so that way, the meeting was more efficient, 479 00:23:14,779 --> 00:23:16,449 our claims were more clear, 480 00:23:16,482 --> 00:23:18,620 and we could, you know, reach resolution quicker. 481 00:23:20,624 --> 00:23:23,731 Five days after R'Bonney wins Miss USA, 482 00:23:23,764 --> 00:23:27,739 the 2022 contestants receive an e-mail 483 00:23:27,772 --> 00:23:33,449 informing them that, immediately, Crystle Stewart 484 00:23:33,482 --> 00:23:35,588 is going to be suspended indefinitely, 485 00:23:35,621 --> 00:23:38,026 they were launching a third-party investigation, 486 00:23:38,059 --> 00:23:39,763 and that the Holland & Knight law firm 487 00:23:39,796 --> 00:23:41,566 was going to take over. 488 00:23:50,651 --> 00:23:52,354 News Reporter #1: Crystle Stewart has 489 00:23:52,387 --> 00:23:53,657 News Reporter#2 : President of the Miss USA organization 490 00:23:53,690 --> 00:23:56,864 says there is no merit to the accusations. 491 00:23:56,897 --> 00:23:59,703 The Miss Universe organization reached out and said, 492 00:23:59,736 --> 00:24:01,607 "We're asking all the judges if they will talk to 493 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:03,309 the third-party investigators." 494 00:24:04,011 --> 00:24:07,886 Then the Miss USA organization reached out and said, 495 00:24:07,919 --> 00:24:09,990 "Please don't talk to anybody." 496 00:24:10,023 --> 00:24:12,461 It wasn't a threat or it wasn't anything like that. 497 00:24:12,494 --> 00:24:14,633 It was just a "We'd appreciate if you kept 498 00:24:14,666 --> 00:24:17,639 your experience to yourself," 499 00:24:17,672 --> 00:24:20,043 which, to me, was just a dumb move on their part, 500 00:24:20,076 --> 00:24:21,613 because why would you care if we talked to somebody 501 00:24:21,646 --> 00:24:23,016 if there's nothing wrong? 502 00:24:23,049 --> 00:24:24,484 If there's nothing wrong, there's nothing wrong. 503 00:24:28,894 --> 00:24:30,731 Lachey: The results have been tabulated by our 504 00:24:30,764 --> 00:24:32,769 official accounting firm, Ernst & Young. 505 00:24:32,802 --> 00:24:34,739 ...as verified by Mr. Mark Ward of the accounting firm 506 00:24:34,772 --> 00:24:36,341 of Ernst & Young. Thank you, Mark. 507 00:24:40,383 --> 00:24:42,555 The accounting firm is very important. 508 00:24:42,588 --> 00:24:43,958 They're always a third party. 509 00:24:43,991 --> 00:24:45,962 As a director or as a pageant staff member, 510 00:24:45,995 --> 00:24:48,834 you are never the person who is calculating ballots. 511 00:24:48,867 --> 00:24:50,571 That is done by the accountant. 512 00:24:50,604 --> 00:24:52,374 That is not even something you want to touch, 513 00:24:52,407 --> 00:24:55,447 because you don't want any notion of impropriety, 514 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,585 any, like, whiff. 515 00:24:57,618 --> 00:24:59,455 And it usually is pretty much written into the script 516 00:24:59,488 --> 00:25:00,791 of, "The accounting firm..." 517 00:25:00,824 --> 00:25:02,695 The accounting firm of Ernst & Young. 518 00:25:02,728 --> 00:25:04,431 -...of Ernst & Young. -...accounting firm of Ernst & Young. 519 00:25:04,464 --> 00:25:08,038 ...from The accounting firm of EY has tabulated the votes. 520 00:25:14,819 --> 00:25:16,957 Sanders: I don't remember being introduced to them. 521 00:25:16,990 --> 00:25:18,594 They didn't talk to me about the ballots. 522 00:25:18,627 --> 00:25:20,130 They didn't talk to me about scoring. 523 00:25:20,163 --> 00:25:23,704 Pageant Host: May I have the results, please? 524 00:25:23,737 --> 00:25:24,973 You know, during the telecast, 525 00:25:25,006 --> 00:25:27,578 a staff member from the Miss USA office 526 00:25:27,611 --> 00:25:29,148 is the person who collected the ballots. 527 00:25:29,181 --> 00:25:31,987 There was no accounting firm listed in the credits, 528 00:25:32,020 --> 00:25:34,024 and couldn't get any confirmation 529 00:25:34,057 --> 00:25:37,966 that there were accountants present at all at Miss USA 2022. 530 00:25:37,999 --> 00:25:43,109 Pageant Host: Miss USA is Texas! 531 00:25:43,142 --> 00:25:45,113 It's not a good look, 532 00:25:45,146 --> 00:25:49,589 but that doesn't even really begin to describe the issues. 533 00:25:49,622 --> 00:25:52,461 There were much larger issues going on at the organization. 534 00:25:52,494 --> 00:25:54,766 TikTokker #1: Nothing I'm about to share to you 535 00:25:54,799 --> 00:25:57,639 has been mentioned in the news whatsoever. 536 00:25:57,672 --> 00:26:00,611 All of this seems to be an open secret. 537 00:26:00,644 --> 00:26:03,884 TikTokker #2: I feel sick sharing this with you. 538 00:26:03,917 --> 00:26:07,457 I am shaking and trying to keep myself together. 539 00:26:10,029 --> 00:26:14,605 Announcer: Here are the 2021 Miss USA contestants. 540 00:26:15,574 --> 00:26:18,747 I had such an amazing experience at Miss USA... 541 00:26:20,651 --> 00:26:24,024 from competing, rehearsing, laughing with the girls. 542 00:26:24,057 --> 00:26:26,896 Michigan, Taylor Hale. 543 00:26:27,832 --> 00:26:30,638 I wouldn't change anything about my Miss USA experience, 544 00:26:30,671 --> 00:26:35,514 because it truly was so much of what I could have asked for. 545 00:26:35,547 --> 00:26:39,656 But it's been buried in my memory. 546 00:26:39,689 --> 00:26:40,891 I haven't thought about it. 547 00:26:43,162 --> 00:26:48,039 I woke up the next morning and I got a direct message 548 00:26:48,072 --> 00:26:52,615 from Max Sebrechts, the co-owner of Miss USA, 549 00:26:52,648 --> 00:26:54,184 married to Crystle Stewart. 550 00:26:54,217 --> 00:26:55,888 You know what? Let me just pull it up. 551 00:26:55,921 --> 00:26:58,660 Can I pull it up and read it? Is that okay? Okay. 552 00:27:05,974 --> 00:27:09,816 And this is where I just knew there's no world 553 00:27:09,849 --> 00:27:12,922 in which a man will invite you to the presidential suite 554 00:27:12,955 --> 00:27:15,059 without wanting something in return. 555 00:27:23,209 --> 00:27:27,651 Of the Tulsa river? That was dried up at the time? 556 00:27:29,020 --> 00:27:30,791 So then there's a time gap here. 557 00:27:30,824 --> 00:27:33,262 I'm off-site, I am coming back, 558 00:27:33,295 --> 00:27:37,805 and I have this giant costume that is wrapped up in plastic 559 00:27:37,838 --> 00:27:40,009 and I'm rolling it through the lobby. 560 00:27:40,042 --> 00:27:43,550 And I remember, out the corner of my eye, 561 00:27:43,583 --> 00:27:45,888 I see Max picking up pace. 562 00:27:45,921 --> 00:27:48,192 Max said, "Don't worry. I got it." 563 00:27:48,225 --> 00:27:51,933 Hale: Hey, Max. Thank you. 564 00:27:51,966 --> 00:27:53,269 I'm not Ja Rule, but, hey, you know... 565 00:27:53,302 --> 00:27:55,006 Hale: But it's better. Even better. 566 00:27:55,039 --> 00:27:57,077 ...I can do this. 567 00:27:57,110 --> 00:27:59,749 He took the costume to my room with me, 568 00:27:59,782 --> 00:28:01,152 and when he put the costume down, 569 00:28:01,185 --> 00:28:02,889 he walked all the way inside the room, 570 00:28:02,922 --> 00:28:05,226 made himself very comfortable very quickly. 571 00:28:07,063 --> 00:28:11,606 Unfortunately, a lot of women have to experience this 572 00:28:11,639 --> 00:28:17,150 where you have to quickly make a decision. 573 00:28:17,183 --> 00:28:19,923 "How am I going to navigate the situation? 574 00:28:19,956 --> 00:28:21,893 How am I going to appease this person's ego 575 00:28:21,926 --> 00:28:23,730 so that I'm not in danger?" 576 00:28:23,763 --> 00:28:26,870 He finally stood up and he went to give me a hug. 577 00:28:26,903 --> 00:28:32,147 He really pulled me in and he caressed the back of my hair. 578 00:28:32,180 --> 00:28:37,190 And he whispered in my ear and said, "You're so gorgeous." 579 00:28:37,223 --> 00:28:41,666 And he kissed my cheek. 580 00:28:41,699 --> 00:28:44,071 But it was really the corner of my mouth. 581 00:28:44,104 --> 00:28:48,179 I kind of weasel my way out of the hug and I'm thinking, 582 00:28:48,212 --> 00:28:50,183 "Alright, we did it! 583 00:28:50,216 --> 00:28:52,187 He's going to walk out the door." 584 00:28:52,220 --> 00:28:57,030 This fucker sits down again and he kicks his feet up 585 00:28:57,063 --> 00:28:58,299 and he just picks up conversation 586 00:28:58,332 --> 00:29:00,003 like nothing happened. 587 00:29:00,036 --> 00:29:03,042 I remember texting my two best friends and saying, 588 00:29:03,075 --> 00:29:05,648 "Max is in my room." 589 00:29:05,681 --> 00:29:07,050 And they were terrified for me, 590 00:29:07,083 --> 00:29:09,588 because we know how this goes down. 591 00:29:10,657 --> 00:29:13,329 So, finally, I said something joking around like, 592 00:29:13,362 --> 00:29:14,933 "Okay, well, you need to get the hell out of here, 593 00:29:14,966 --> 00:29:16,202 'cause I got to get to work." 594 00:29:16,235 --> 00:29:17,805 And I let him hug me. 595 00:29:17,838 --> 00:29:21,078 He does the same song and dance just even more. 596 00:29:21,111 --> 00:29:23,082 I said, "Please just get out." [ laughs ] 597 00:29:23,115 --> 00:29:26,823 And I go, "Ha ha ha." close the door. 598 00:29:26,856 --> 00:29:30,163 And I remember I just had my hand on the door 599 00:29:30,196 --> 00:29:32,167 and I start laughing to myself, thinking, 600 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:34,772 "There's no way that just happened. 601 00:29:34,805 --> 00:29:39,081 You're asking to be called out. You're asking to get caught." 602 00:29:39,114 --> 00:29:42,053 And when I realized that, I got a gut feeling 603 00:29:42,086 --> 00:29:43,957 that I wasn't the only person that he tried this with. 604 00:29:50,971 --> 00:29:53,944 As part of this, we have an accusation 605 00:29:53,977 --> 00:29:58,820 that this behavior took place even prior to 2021. 606 00:29:58,853 --> 00:30:03,362 We have impropriety across media platforms -- 607 00:30:03,395 --> 00:30:08,406 written content, images, video. 608 00:30:08,439 --> 00:30:11,011 We spoke with one contestant, and she told us 609 00:30:11,044 --> 00:30:13,215 that Crystle did know about all of this that year. 610 00:30:16,188 --> 00:30:18,159 I think what's most insidious about all of this 611 00:30:18,192 --> 00:30:22,167 is that he did this to women who were competing 612 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,906 before the competition even happened. 613 00:30:24,939 --> 00:30:28,312 At least my entire experience before standing on that stage 614 00:30:28,345 --> 00:30:30,049 is not tainted, 615 00:30:30,082 --> 00:30:32,320 wondering whether or not this one guy in power 616 00:30:32,353 --> 00:30:35,226 is pulling strings because he wants to fuck me. 617 00:30:35,259 --> 00:30:39,836 After the incident with Max in 2021, 618 00:30:39,869 --> 00:30:41,773 Taylor ran it up the chain. 619 00:30:41,806 --> 00:30:44,444 She told Paula Shugart. 620 00:30:44,477 --> 00:30:47,852 I didn't hear anything from Paula 621 00:30:47,885 --> 00:30:49,789 or the Miss Universe organization 622 00:30:49,822 --> 00:30:51,058 since that phone call. 623 00:30:51,091 --> 00:30:54,164 I did receive the same e-mail 624 00:30:54,197 --> 00:30:58,807 that everybody else in the Miss USA organization received. 625 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,445 "Dear 2021 Miss USA State Titleholders, 626 00:31:01,478 --> 00:31:03,449 I would like to make you aware of a structural change 627 00:31:03,482 --> 00:31:05,219 within the Miss USA organization. 628 00:31:05,252 --> 00:31:07,057 Max Sebrechts will no longer serve 629 00:31:07,090 --> 00:31:08,927 as the Miss USA Organization Vice President 630 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:12,067 and will be focusing his efforts on other business ventures. 631 00:31:12,100 --> 00:31:14,103 Sincerely, Crystle Stewart." 632 00:31:16,341 --> 00:31:18,814 After the 2022 contest, 633 00:31:18,847 --> 00:31:20,216 all of these allegations of favoritism 634 00:31:20,249 --> 00:31:24,057 and rigging start to become international news, 635 00:31:24,090 --> 00:31:27,263 and amidst all of this, the Max story breaks. 636 00:31:28,499 --> 00:31:30,938 Hale: I had the then-co-owner 637 00:31:30,971 --> 00:31:34,077 of the organization in my room, hitting on me. 638 00:31:34,110 --> 00:31:36,482 You expect me to give a fuck about rigging allegations? 639 00:31:36,516 --> 00:31:38,018 Please be serious. 640 00:31:39,855 --> 00:31:41,225 A beauty pageant is an interesting thing, 641 00:31:41,258 --> 00:31:44,799 because there's such a power dynamic at play, 642 00:31:44,832 --> 00:31:48,940 and when a particular person or a couple owns that pageant 643 00:31:48,973 --> 00:31:51,813 and is perceived as having lots and lots of influence, 644 00:31:51,846 --> 00:31:53,215 whether or not they can pick the ultimate winner, 645 00:31:53,248 --> 00:31:55,821 they could certainly tank a few contestants. 646 00:31:55,854 --> 00:31:57,825 That adds a different dimension. 647 00:31:57,858 --> 00:31:58,960 Sanders: I mean, this is an organization 648 00:31:58,993 --> 00:32:01,098 that's supposed to empower women? 649 00:32:01,131 --> 00:32:02,801 That's not very empowering. 650 00:32:09,548 --> 00:32:13,122 It's December 2022, and Paula Shugart sets up 651 00:32:13,155 --> 00:32:16,228 a Zoom call with all of the girls that they assume 652 00:32:16,261 --> 00:32:18,199 is meant to address the allegations, 653 00:32:18,232 --> 00:32:20,370 but ends up just being damage control. 654 00:32:20,403 --> 00:32:22,842 It's about the integrity from the moment 655 00:32:22,875 --> 00:32:24,478 all of this happened in October. 656 00:32:24,512 --> 00:32:28,119 It's about keeping this -- making sure that the integrity 657 00:32:28,152 --> 00:32:31,225 and any perceptions of impropriety, 658 00:32:31,258 --> 00:32:33,229 even during this investigation. 659 00:32:33,262 --> 00:32:37,136 That was the thought behind going through a third party. 660 00:32:38,272 --> 00:32:39,976 Also on the Zoom call, 661 00:32:40,009 --> 00:32:42,280 Paula lets all the women know that Holland & Knight 662 00:32:42,313 --> 00:32:45,888 has concluded their investigation into the rigging. 663 00:32:45,921 --> 00:32:48,960 They told us that there was no foul play 664 00:32:48,993 --> 00:32:52,868 in the crowning at Miss USA, but they were 665 00:32:52,901 --> 00:32:55,908 still investigating the whole situation. 666 00:32:55,941 --> 00:32:59,916 And before they were even finished explaining 667 00:32:59,949 --> 00:33:02,521 what the next steps were, the call just shut. 668 00:33:04,090 --> 00:33:09,201 That is is really it for us on this end. 669 00:33:09,234 --> 00:33:10,871 We will get back to you shortly, 670 00:33:10,904 --> 00:33:13,275 and please continue to send your questions. 671 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:20,289 No, we were on mute. 672 00:33:21,959 --> 00:33:24,264 The pageants, for me, are like a way to gain your voice, 673 00:33:24,297 --> 00:33:25,901 and what happened on the final call 674 00:33:25,934 --> 00:33:28,472 is that it felt like our voice was taken away, 675 00:33:28,506 --> 00:33:30,008 because we were muted. 676 00:33:46,976 --> 00:33:49,347 I think, for the current directors, 677 00:33:49,380 --> 00:33:52,988 they are at risk of losing their livelihood. 678 00:33:53,021 --> 00:33:54,659 These people have been directors for 20-plus years, 679 00:33:54,692 --> 00:33:56,195 30-plus years. 680 00:33:56,228 --> 00:33:57,464 They want to keep their jobs. 681 00:33:57,497 --> 00:34:00,604 We all are just looking for honesty, 682 00:34:00,637 --> 00:34:02,508 and when stuff like that happens, 683 00:34:02,541 --> 00:34:05,079 you are going to assume the worst because 684 00:34:05,112 --> 00:34:07,618 you're wondering, "What's been going on all this time 685 00:34:07,651 --> 00:34:09,287 that I didn't know that before?" 686 00:34:11,291 --> 00:34:16,401 ♪♪♪ 687 00:34:16,434 --> 00:34:21,513 ♪♪♪ 688 00:34:21,546 --> 00:34:24,519 Stewart: How do we find ourselves here? 689 00:34:24,552 --> 00:34:29,494 It's difficult to understand, to be honest. 690 00:34:29,528 --> 00:34:32,233 I didn't know that it would blow up the way that it did 691 00:34:32,266 --> 00:34:36,108 and to see all the things that I did be torn down. 692 00:34:36,141 --> 00:34:38,379 Reporter: At 39, she is the youngest owner 693 00:34:38,412 --> 00:34:41,986 and the first black woman to take on this major role. 694 00:34:42,019 --> 00:34:43,990 Stewart: I hit the ground running, to be honest, 695 00:34:44,023 --> 00:34:46,128 once I took over Miss USA. 696 00:34:46,161 --> 00:34:48,667 I was so focused on getting the job done 697 00:34:48,700 --> 00:34:51,137 and doing a great job for these young women. 698 00:34:57,183 --> 00:34:58,687 Mm... [ chuckles ] 699 00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:02,528 Not a lot of assistance. There wasn't a playbook. 700 00:35:02,561 --> 00:35:05,500 I took everything from scratch and created it myself. 701 00:35:05,534 --> 00:35:10,375 Pageant Host: Miss USA is Texas! 702 00:35:26,341 --> 00:35:29,047 Favored by staff -- To my recollection, 703 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:32,153 I don't remember that being brought up. 704 00:35:32,186 --> 00:35:35,159 But, again, these meetings happened over a year ago, 705 00:35:35,192 --> 00:35:36,663 so I can't remember everything. 706 00:35:36,696 --> 00:35:38,566 But we did take notes at every meeting. 707 00:35:44,177 --> 00:35:50,022 After the winner was chosen, everything seemed fine. 708 00:35:50,055 --> 00:35:53,295 I believe I got a phone call about a video 709 00:35:53,328 --> 00:35:55,166 that was made at Nizuc. 710 00:35:55,199 --> 00:35:57,437 There was a time stamp of when the video was shot, 711 00:35:57,470 --> 00:35:59,307 and it was way before the pageant. 712 00:35:59,340 --> 00:36:02,179 She never wore her Texas sash and she never wore her crown. 713 00:36:06,689 --> 00:36:09,629 Mm...I think the way -- 714 00:36:09,662 --> 00:36:12,367 I think hindsight is always 20/20, right? 715 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:15,373 I think, at the time, you know, with her going as a model 716 00:36:15,406 --> 00:36:18,580 for a sponsor, it would have been fine, 717 00:36:18,613 --> 00:36:21,385 but looking back, there just would have been some guidelines 718 00:36:21,418 --> 00:36:23,188 that would need to have been put in place. 719 00:36:30,670 --> 00:36:32,775 State Costume Host: Founder and owner of Mia Beauté, 720 00:36:32,808 --> 00:36:34,679 Dr. Phi Nguyen. 721 00:36:34,712 --> 00:36:36,783 He did the costume show, which has no bearing on 722 00:36:36,816 --> 00:36:38,385 the final results. 723 00:36:38,418 --> 00:36:40,455 All the other judges were sponsors, as well. 724 00:36:49,541 --> 00:36:52,380 Mm, that's not true. All of them signed one. 725 00:36:52,413 --> 00:36:53,749 Director: Okay. 726 00:36:58,458 --> 00:37:01,699 That may actually probably -- Since it wasn't a specific name, 727 00:37:01,732 --> 00:37:03,268 probably actually just a slip-up 728 00:37:03,301 --> 00:37:05,406 of putting the accounting firm's name. 729 00:37:05,439 --> 00:37:07,544 We chose to use accounting firms from the local city 730 00:37:07,577 --> 00:37:09,815 that we had the pageant at. 731 00:37:09,848 --> 00:37:12,420 I forget who we used for both, actually, the accounting firms. 732 00:37:12,453 --> 00:37:15,661 One thing for sure is that we had two accounting firms -- 733 00:37:15,694 --> 00:37:18,064 one in Tulsa and one in Reno. 734 00:37:21,304 --> 00:37:24,411 Yeah, we -- Yeah, we can get it after -- Mm-hmm. 735 00:37:24,444 --> 00:37:26,815 Mm-hmm. Director: Okay. Got it. 736 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:43,783 Not at all. 737 00:37:51,699 --> 00:37:55,574 Mm-hmm. No, it wouldn't suck, but that wasn't the intention. 738 00:37:55,607 --> 00:37:57,310 But it does show that the training she received 739 00:37:57,343 --> 00:38:00,449 at the academy was of a, you know, great caliber for her. 740 00:38:07,496 --> 00:38:10,737 Mm-hmm. When I first 741 00:38:10,770 --> 00:38:12,708 wanted to implement MISS Academy, no, 742 00:38:12,741 --> 00:38:16,181 because my thought was in my why, of why I was doing it. 743 00:38:16,214 --> 00:38:18,218 Sheffield: [ whispering indistinctly ] 744 00:38:23,730 --> 00:38:27,203 Okay. Okay, okay. 745 00:38:27,236 --> 00:38:29,775 The Miss Universe organization was very well aware 746 00:38:29,808 --> 00:38:33,516 of the school and that I would be sponsoring the pageant 747 00:38:33,549 --> 00:38:35,185 and they knew my intent. 748 00:38:39,695 --> 00:38:41,197 Mm-hmm. 749 00:38:50,917 --> 00:38:54,891 It's disappointing. It's really disappointing. 750 00:39:05,713 --> 00:39:08,886 I'm sorry. I'm not a crier. Director: That's okay. 751 00:39:09,087 --> 00:39:12,761 That wasn't the intent. 752 00:39:23,883 --> 00:39:26,288 So they felt that they were pushed 753 00:39:26,321 --> 00:39:28,292 or forced to open an academy? 754 00:39:28,325 --> 00:39:29,728 Oh, wow. 755 00:39:30,162 --> 00:39:32,835 Pressured to open a MISS Academy. 756 00:39:32,868 --> 00:39:35,540 No, this is the first time I'm hearing this. Not at all. 757 00:39:35,573 --> 00:39:37,711 They weren't pressured to open an academy at all. 758 00:39:37,744 --> 00:39:39,414 I wanted you to want an academy. 759 00:39:39,447 --> 00:39:40,851 If you don't want one, that's completely fine. 760 00:39:40,884 --> 00:39:42,721 And that wasn't, you know, in the discussions 761 00:39:42,754 --> 00:39:44,356 in our meetings at all. 762 00:39:51,004 --> 00:39:54,444 It was in 2021. 763 00:39:54,477 --> 00:39:59,320 I was made aware in December of messages that were sent. 764 00:39:59,353 --> 00:40:01,859 Business-wise, that was very clear and cut for me, 765 00:40:01,892 --> 00:40:05,700 so step down from the organization. 766 00:40:05,733 --> 00:40:09,575 That was done, sent out, set out new policies, 767 00:40:09,608 --> 00:40:12,581 spoke to the directors about it of how we were moving forward. 768 00:40:12,614 --> 00:40:17,991 Personally, you know, that was difficult. 769 00:40:18,024 --> 00:40:20,462 That was difficult. 770 00:40:36,729 --> 00:40:38,600 That would have been challenging for sure. 771 00:40:38,633 --> 00:40:40,436 Director: Right. Yeah. No, absolutely. 772 00:40:40,469 --> 00:40:42,875 If I had knowledge about this -- And, unfortunately, 773 00:40:42,908 --> 00:40:44,444 I didn't have knowledge about it. 774 00:40:44,477 --> 00:40:48,351 I found out when everyone else found out. 775 00:40:53,763 --> 00:40:58,506 You know, I want to tell them that I actually commend them 776 00:40:58,539 --> 00:41:01,044 for using their voice and coming together, 777 00:41:01,077 --> 00:41:03,783 because it shows people if you unify and work together, 778 00:41:03,816 --> 00:41:07,023 how it can amplify your voice. 779 00:41:07,056 --> 00:41:09,326 But they used it for the wrong reason. 780 00:41:16,407 --> 00:41:18,746 The thing that I really wanted 781 00:41:18,779 --> 00:41:23,088 was for things to change in Miss USA, 782 00:41:23,121 --> 00:41:25,492 because Miss USA and Miss Universe 783 00:41:25,526 --> 00:41:27,831 is like the house at the top of the hill 784 00:41:27,864 --> 00:41:30,570 that every pageant aspires to be, 785 00:41:30,603 --> 00:41:32,574 and if they can set a precedent, 786 00:41:32,607 --> 00:41:34,377 that'll trickle down to all the state pageants, 787 00:41:34,410 --> 00:41:36,915 all the other countries, all different pageant systems. 788 00:41:39,086 --> 00:41:41,057 So, in Thai? 789 00:41:41,090 --> 00:41:43,963 I'm looking forward to having 790 00:41:43,996 --> 00:41:47,436 the transformational leadership in women. 791 00:41:47,469 --> 00:41:52,446 This is why I acquire Miss Universe organization. 792 00:41:52,479 --> 00:41:55,720 In October 2022, Miss Universe organization 793 00:41:55,753 --> 00:41:58,860 sells to a Thai media conglomerate 794 00:41:58,893 --> 00:42:01,599 run by Anne Jakrajutatip, 795 00:42:01,632 --> 00:42:05,139 a Thai celebrity, a trans woman, 796 00:42:05,172 --> 00:42:07,476 and a very successful businessperson. 797 00:42:07,510 --> 00:42:11,451 It's part of my personal life mission to teach, to lead, 798 00:42:11,484 --> 00:42:15,459 and to inspire other women in the universe. 799 00:42:15,492 --> 00:42:17,965 Whoo! 800 00:42:17,998 --> 00:42:20,971 Anne's takeover of the pageant represents a couple things. 801 00:42:21,004 --> 00:42:23,576 First, the geographical shift of power. 802 00:42:23,609 --> 00:42:27,884 Miss Universe's economic centers of gravity are predominantly in 803 00:42:27,917 --> 00:42:30,857 Latin America and Southeast Asia. 804 00:42:30,890 --> 00:42:32,995 Second, the re-assumption of the pageant 805 00:42:33,028 --> 00:42:36,468 by a very public figure who understands the media, 806 00:42:36,501 --> 00:42:38,472 who understands how to create a brand, 807 00:42:38,506 --> 00:42:41,612 and how to really kind of spark attention around it. 808 00:42:41,645 --> 00:42:46,021 It's so super well-known, like Formula 1, like Olympic. 809 00:42:46,054 --> 00:42:49,862 This is a unique company in its own game. 810 00:42:49,895 --> 00:42:51,999 One of the most important things about this program 811 00:42:52,032 --> 00:42:54,872 and why is so incredibly relevant still, 812 00:42:54,905 --> 00:42:56,742 even for Americans, is, 813 00:42:56,775 --> 00:43:02,153 it's a way of democratizing access to fame and opportunity. 814 00:43:02,186 --> 00:43:06,027 We give opportunities to poor kids from any race, 815 00:43:06,060 --> 00:43:08,498 any creed, any economic background 816 00:43:08,532 --> 00:43:10,770 if they can hit a ball really well. 817 00:43:10,803 --> 00:43:15,780 You might not view beauty as, in and of itself, meritocratic, 818 00:43:15,813 --> 00:43:19,053 but the process of becoming Miss Universe 819 00:43:19,086 --> 00:43:21,191 is highly dependent on your work ethic, 820 00:43:21,224 --> 00:43:24,129 your skills, and your ability to perform in a true competition. 821 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:31,912 I want to hear it for who your favorite is tonight. 822 00:43:31,945 --> 00:43:33,515 Let me hear it, fans. [ cheers and applause ] 823 00:43:35,085 --> 00:43:39,527 The new Miss Universe is... 824 00:43:41,965 --> 00:43:46,041 U.S.A.! 825 00:43:46,074 --> 00:43:48,513 News Reporter: R'Bonney Gabriel crowned 826 00:43:48,546 --> 00:43:52,788 the 71st Miss Universe on Saturday night. 827 00:43:52,821 --> 00:43:54,958 R'Bonney did an amazing job at Miss Universe, 828 00:43:54,991 --> 00:43:57,496 and I am so happy that she won. 829 00:43:57,530 --> 00:44:01,939 The purpose was never that she was not good enough to win. 830 00:44:01,972 --> 00:44:03,175 The issue was always, we have a right 831 00:44:03,208 --> 00:44:05,847 to feel like we had a fair shot. 832 00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:08,653 Herstik: The investigation concludes, 833 00:44:08,686 --> 00:44:11,257 and the organization pretty much closes the book on it. 834 00:44:11,290 --> 00:44:14,197 This is not the way you want to run a business 835 00:44:14,230 --> 00:44:15,800 if you want to be taken seriously. 836 00:44:15,833 --> 00:44:19,006 You have this organization 837 00:44:19,039 --> 00:44:22,614 that claims to be about women's empowerment, 838 00:44:22,647 --> 00:44:26,287 and then you're really not walking the walk, 839 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:29,127 and it's sort of a wasted opportunity. 840 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:32,133 [ cheers and applause ] 841 00:44:32,166 --> 00:44:37,811 It has been 70 years that Miss Universe organization 842 00:44:37,844 --> 00:44:39,681 run by men, 843 00:44:39,714 --> 00:44:42,621 but now time is up. 844 00:44:42,654 --> 00:44:44,257 [ cheers and applause ] 845 00:44:44,290 --> 00:44:47,631 Herstik: Anne has announced her intentions to turn this 846 00:44:47,664 --> 00:44:50,637 into a true vehicle of women's empowerment 847 00:44:50,670 --> 00:44:53,542 and to take the company public. 848 00:44:54,911 --> 00:44:58,653 So to put the money where its mouth is. 849 00:44:58,686 --> 00:45:01,057 We would love to see Miss Universe organization 850 00:45:01,090 --> 00:45:05,299 and the competition here to be the new paradigm of women's -- 851 00:45:05,332 --> 00:45:07,771 in fact, the global women's empowerment platform. 852 00:45:07,804 --> 00:45:09,140 Mm-hmm. 853 00:45:09,173 --> 00:45:10,643 They want their brand to be viewed as an 854 00:45:10,676 --> 00:45:12,146 empowerment platform, 855 00:45:12,179 --> 00:45:16,287 but people don't repost somebody giving a speech, 856 00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:19,628 necessarily, about climate activism. 857 00:45:19,661 --> 00:45:23,068 I think what it is is that, you know, 70 years of precedent 858 00:45:23,101 --> 00:45:26,307 have been set for what audiences 859 00:45:26,340 --> 00:45:28,646 and fans of Miss Universe expect. 860 00:45:28,679 --> 00:45:30,917 And so I think that's an issue 861 00:45:30,950 --> 00:45:33,923 that Miss Universe kind of has to solve. 862 00:45:33,956 --> 00:45:36,294 I think we're in a cool moment, because now 863 00:45:36,327 --> 00:45:40,302 the most powerful women that we see in the culture, 864 00:45:40,335 --> 00:45:44,645 specifically after this summer of Taylor Swift, Eras Tour, 865 00:45:44,678 --> 00:45:47,183 Beyoncé, Renaissance, and "Barbie," 866 00:45:47,216 --> 00:45:52,059 we are idolizing women who look just like pageant queens 867 00:45:52,092 --> 00:45:56,669 and who embrace their beauty and are presentational 868 00:45:56,702 --> 00:45:59,808 with their makeup and their costumes. 869 00:45:59,841 --> 00:46:03,348 Herren: Barbie is a really fascinating comparison 870 00:46:03,381 --> 00:46:04,818 to the Miss Universe organization. 871 00:46:04,851 --> 00:46:08,893 It's interesting that a brand like Mattel 872 00:46:08,926 --> 00:46:12,066 can be so conscious of the problems 873 00:46:12,099 --> 00:46:17,811 and create something out of it, that bad images and perceptions 874 00:46:17,844 --> 00:46:20,315 don't have to stay bad, 875 00:46:20,348 --> 00:46:23,054 and that you can create something that's going to become 876 00:46:23,087 --> 00:46:25,927 the subject of cultural fascination 877 00:46:25,960 --> 00:46:30,669 and obsession out of your legacy. 878 00:46:31,505 --> 00:46:33,241 Sanders: I don't think there's anything wrong 879 00:46:33,274 --> 00:46:35,078 with being beautiful. 880 00:46:35,111 --> 00:46:37,216 I don't think there's anything wrong with being ambitious. 881 00:46:37,249 --> 00:46:38,753 I don't think there's anything wrong 882 00:46:38,786 --> 00:46:41,257 with wanting to show off your physical fitness. 883 00:46:41,290 --> 00:46:43,361 Women and girls do it every day 884 00:46:43,394 --> 00:46:45,365 in a million different ways all over the planet. 885 00:46:46,969 --> 00:46:49,675 If we could all change the way that we think about it 886 00:46:49,708 --> 00:46:53,014 and talk about it, then women would feel empowered 887 00:46:53,047 --> 00:46:55,352 to actually support these pageants 888 00:46:55,385 --> 00:46:58,960 and, in turn, support the women who participate in them. 889 00:46:58,993 --> 00:47:00,362 Hale: It can be a good thing. 890 00:47:00,395 --> 00:47:02,701 It can be an amazing tool that you use to enact 891 00:47:02,734 --> 00:47:06,040 positive change and to give someone the training wheels 892 00:47:06,073 --> 00:47:09,379 to become the star that they are. 893 00:47:40,943 --> 00:47:46,321 ♪♪♪ 894 00:47:46,354 --> 00:47:52,032 ♪♪♪ 895 00:47:52,065 --> 00:47:57,777 ♪♪♪ 896 00:47:57,810 --> 00:48:03,221 ♪♪♪ 897 00:48:03,254 --> 00:48:09,032 ♪♪♪