Miss USA 1990
| Miss USA 1990 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date | March 2, 1990 |
| Presenters | [1] |
| Venue | Century II Convention Center, Wichita, Kansas |
| Broadcaster | |
| Entrants | 51 |
| Placements | 12 |
| Winner | Carole Gist Michigan |
| Congeniality | Janet Tveita (Minnesota) |
| Photogenic | Stephanie Teneyck (Mississippi) |
Miss USA 1990 was the 39th Miss USA pageant, televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on March 2, 1990. At the conclusion of the final competition, Carole Gist of Michigan was crowned by outgoing titleholder Gretchen Polhemus of Texas. Carole became the first African American winner ever and the first woman from Michigan to be crowned as Miss USA, ending the streak of "Texas Aces" from 1985.[1]
For the first time, each judge's score was displayed to the audience, adding transparency to the process.
A major format change in 1990 transformed the Miss USA competition for the next decade: the delegates faced an extra round of elimination on finals night: the top six judges' questions.
Instead of reducing the top twelve to the usual final five, the judges picked an intermediate top six. Those six finalists answered questions from the judges, and the field was then reduced to a final three, who faced the traditional final question, adding unpredictability to the competition after five Texan Miss USA winners from GuyRex Associates, which would lose its Miss Texas USA franchise the next year.
The pageant was hosted by Dick Clark for the second of five times, with color commentary by Leeza Gibbons and Laura Harring, Miss USA 1985.[1]
This was the first time the pageant was held in Wichita, where it would be staged for the next three years.
Results
Placements
| Final results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss USA 1990 | |
| 1st Runner-Up | |
| 2nd Runner-Up |
|
| Top 6 |
|
| Top 12 |
|
Special awards
| Award | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss Congeniality | |
| Miss Photogenic |
|
Delegates
The Miss USA 1990 delegates were:
Alabama – Natalie Moore
Alaska – Karin Meyer
Arizona – Leslie Leonard
Arkansas – Kathryn Grace Harris
California - Cynthia Nelson
Colorado – Michelle Harrison
Connecticut – Allison Dawn Barbeau-Diorio
Delaware – Nicci Dent
District of Columbia – Catherine Staples
Florida – Tricia Hahn
Georgia – Brenda Leithleiter
Hawaii – Leimomi Bacalso
Idaho – Cynthia Estey
Illinois – Karla Myers
Indiana – Meri Lyn Muker
Iowa – Elizabeth Meulhaupt
Kansas – Rebecca Porter
Kentucky – Tiffany Tenfelde
Louisiana – Jeanne Burns
Maine – Leigh Bubar
Maryland – Julie Stanford
Massachusetts – Laureen Murphy
Michigan – Carole Gist
Minnesota – Janet Tveita
Mississippi – Stephanie Teneyck
Missouri – Lori Suschnick
Montana – Kimberlee Burger
Nebraska – Angela Humphrey
Nevada – Michele Yegee
New Hampshire – Lisa Purnpichate
New Jersey – Karin Hartz
New Mexico – Larissa Canaday
New York – Patricia Murphy
North Carolina – Altman Allen
North Dakota – Kari Larson
Ohio – Melissa Proctor
Oklahoma – Lauralynn Norton
Oregon – Elizabeth Michaud
Pennsylvania – Elizabeth Cook
Rhode Island – Susan Lima
South Carolina – Gina Tolleson
South Dakota – Valerie Sejnoha
Tennessee – Charita Moses
Texas – Stephanie Keuhne
Utah – Debra Linn Tingey
Vermont – Stephanie Bessey
Virginia – Evelyn Green
Washington – Melissa Dickson
West Virginia – Sabrina Anderson
Wisconsin – Lynn Marie Mulcahy
Wyoming – Cheryl James
Judges
- Eileen Fulton[1]
- Kerry Gordy[1]
- Rebecca Brandewyne[1]
- Robin Cousins[1]
- Barbara Peterson
- Dan Isaacson
- Dr. Irene Kassorla
- Jackie Joyner Kersee[1]
- Randy Stone
- Judi Sheppard Missett
- Gordon Cooper[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Bates, Michael (Mar 3, 1990). "Michigan's Miss USA ends streak". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Associated Press. p. 1 (listed as 29 in scan). Retrieved 28 July 2023., continued as Bates, Michael (Mar 3, 1990). "Pageant". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Associated Press. p. 7. Retrieved 28 July 2023.