Miss USA 1994

Miss USA 1994, the 43rd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the South Padre Island Convention Centre on South Padre Island, Texas on February 11, 1994. At the conclusion of the final competition, Lu Parker of South Carolina was crowned by outgoing titleholder Kenya Moore of Michigan.[1]

Miss USA 1994
DateFebruary 11, 1994
PresentersBob Goen, Arthel Neville and Laura Harring
EntertainmentDoug Stone
VenueSouth Padre Island, Texas
BroadcasterCBS, KGBT-TV
WinnerLu Parker
South Carolina
CongenialityDenise White
PhotogenicPatricia Southall

The pageant was hosted by Bob Goen for the first of three years replacing Dick Clark, with color commentary by Arthel Neville and a special guest appearance by Laura Harring, Miss USA 1985. Entertainment was provided by Doug Stone. During the live broadcast, the organizers of that year's Miss Universe pageant held in Manila, Philippines were introduced during the show along with that country's representative to said international competition, Charlene Bonin Gonzales, Miss Philippines 1994.

Host city

This was the first of three consecutive years that the pageant was held on South Padre Island. The announcement that the pageant would be held there was made on August 11, 1993.[2]

Contestants arrived on January 27 for two weeks of events and preliminary competitions before the final telecast. This included a dinner event in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, put on by the mayor and city officials, which became an issue when rebel activity on the United States-Mexican border led to fears for the contestants' safety. The city had contributed more than $100,000 to South Padre's bid to host the pageant, fundraising that was mirrored by other cities in the Rio Grande Valley.[3]

Results

Placements
Map showing placements by state
Final results Contestant
Miss USA 1994
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
Top 6
Top 12

Special awards

Historical significance

Scores

Preliminary competition

The following are the contestants' scores in the preliminary competition.

Final competition

Historical significance
  • New York placed for the second consecutive year, the first time this had happened since 1979-1980.
  • Kansas placed for the fourth consecutive year, a record which has not yet been surpassed.
  • North Carolina equalled their previous highest placement, which had been achieved in 1975.
  • Missouri placed for the first time since 1987, and Minnesota for the first time since 1980.

Delegates

The Miss USA 1994 delegates were:

Contestant notes
  • Kathleen Farrell (Illinois) had previously held the Miss Illinois 1992 title and won a non-finalist talent award in the Miss America 1993 pageant. One of her sisters Monica Farrell also competed in both pageants, holding the Miss Florida 1985 and Miss Florida USA 1988 titles, and she placed third runner-up at Miss USA 1988. Their other sister Mary-Ann Farrell was Miss New York 1984 and was a semi-finalist at Miss America 1985.
  • Leah Hulan (Tennessee) also competed at Miss America 1993, as she was previously Miss Tennessee 1992.
  • Delegates who had previously competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant were:
  • Jill Vasquez (New Mexico) became one of the directors of the Miss California USA pageant in 2007.
  • Jolene Stravrakis (Minnesota) placed first runner-up the Miss Minnesota USA 1988, and briefly held the title after the winner was arrested for shoplifting. She resigned days later when it was revealed she too had been arrested for shoplifting in 1986. In 1994 she won the title in her own right in her last year of eligibility after her criminal record was expunged.[13] Stravrakis also was Miss Minnesota World 1992 and competed in Miss World America 1992 but did not place.
  • Amy Jane Lantz (North Dakota) appeared as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune, which originally aired March 10, 1995.
  • This was the last year until 2009 that no former Miss Teen USA state titleholder managed to place.
  • Jennifer Gareis (New York) went on to play Donna Logan in The Bold and the Beautiful. She also made a brief cameo in Miss Congeniality as the lover of a Miss United States contestant who shouts from the audience.
  • Pat Southall (Virginia) went on to marry Bad Boys actor Martin Lawrence. That marriage lasted 1-year and ended in 1996. In 2000, Pat married football great, Emmitt Smith and the couple have been together ever since.
  • Nadine Tanega (Hawaii), who placed in the Top 12, was Miss International Hawaii 1990 and was 2nd Runner-Up at Miss International 1990. She was also Miss Hawaii World 1992 and was 3rd Runner-Up at Miss World America 1992.

Judges

References
  1. "Miss South Carolina Crowned Miss USA". The Associated Press. 1994-02-11.
  2. "Padre Island to host Miss USA Pageant". Austin American-Statesman. 1993-08-11. p. B4.
  3. "Miss USA event hushed Matamoros officials' concerns over rebel situation cited". The Dallas Morning News. 1994-01-12.
  4. Staggs, Jeffrey (1994-02-07). "District's entry in Miss USA sets sights on Capitol". The Washington Times.
  5. Landry, Julie (1994-02-10). "Beautiful dreamer: hard work fuels quest for title". The New Orleans Times-Picayune.
  6. "Belmont woman wins Miss Mass. crown". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 1993-11-29.
  7. "Miss Nebraska USA Crowned". The Omaha World-Herald. 1993-10-18.
  8. White, Ken (1994-02-02). "Miss Nevada willing to take risks". The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  9. "Lake Oswegan claims crown". Portland Oregonian. 1993-06-01.
  10. "Leah Hulan crowned Miss Tennessee USA". Business Wire. 1993-11-03.
  11. Martinez, Monica (1993-07-28). "Miss El Paso wins pageant". Austin American-Statesman.
  12. "Wilder aide is '94 Miss Virginia USA". Roanoke Times & World News. 1993-10-04.
  13. Blake, Laurie (1993-11-11). "Miss Minnesota USA reaches crown and glory again // Five years ago she had to forfeit her title". Star-Tribune Newspaper of the Twin Cities Mpls.-St. Paul. p. 03B.
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