PDA

View Full Version : Miss Arkansas Beauty Pageant Scandal


FDInLaw
07-12-2006, 08:56 AM
Since her murder in December, I have been following the Nona Dirksmeyer case. She was a contestant at last year’s Miss Arkansas Pageant, and following her case involves keeping a close eye on the pageant sites. This year’s Miss Arkansas was determined a few weeks ago, and since then there has been an explosion of accusations on this board that seem to go beyond the expected hype generated by sore losers:

http://missarkansas.proboards13.com/index.cgi?board=general

This morning this was posted by one of the moderators (Amber Bennet won, but Stephanie DeClerk was a clear favorite):

My conversation with Bruce Danley
« Thread Started on Today at 12:47am »
“Bruce Danley is the judge that has stated the Miss Arkansas board acted inappropriately during Miss Arkansas.

Mr Danley began by asking "What did I have to gain by doing this?"
Bruce said "...a local director who I had emailed , oh this was months back about you know, judging, even on the local level...this lady came up to me on Sunday. She introduced herself and I said it's so nice to finally meet you and ... she had this look on her face and I said Are you ok, and she said, Well I need to share this with you, that the top 10 list was found in the Embassy suite, ah, copy machine Saturday, during the day, before the finals even started."

Reggie Hall, the judge from Texas appeared to be good friends with the Arkansas board. The judges went to dinner before the finals and Reggie was sitting next to Bruce. "Reggie Hall was sitting next to me and this is the God's honest truth...If I'm lyin' I'm dyin', He's sitting right next to me and he leans over and he goes, Now Bruce he said, ah, You know what to do right? And I didn't respond and he said We just want to make sure you're on the same page as everybody else."
Bruce stated no one was going to tell him how to score a contestant.
" Just before the pageant, I watched him, he approached Terri Galvez from D.C. the director from D.C. and if I could have been a fly on the wall, I knew what he was telling her. Anyway, he goes over, it was just him and her, and he leaves and I went over and asked Terri, are you ok and she said almost like she was scared to death or frightened and she said I'm just being squeezed and being pressured."
" I was threatened twice, twice, by Kelly Hull." Shannon Hull, Kelly's husband called Bruce outside to smoke as they had done before. Shannon told Bruce"...You've judged enough you know you're not supposed to talk, no I'm sorry, critique contestants. I said Shannon, you know a lot of times contestants come up to me and I never want to be rude and say I can't talk to you and whatever, you know the pageant was over, and he said well you know you're not supposed to do that, and I said well how do you know I'm doing that, so then he says Kelly wants to see you. Well, here comes Kelly...and Kelly would not look at my face...and she's got that finger...and she going Bruce, she said I'm so upset right now but she said I promise you, I promise you I will ruin you. You will never I will contact Miss America You will never be allowed to judge another state pageant and you definately will not come back to Arkansas."
"I was sitting there talking to Stephanie DeClerk, I wasn't spilling my guts or anything, so it was Stephanie DeClerk,...It was Thomas, Stephanie's parents, I'm sure her boyfriendThere was like fifteen people, well here comes Kelly and Shannon back in and Kelly goes Bruce, I've told you that you need to get up and leave right now before I call the police and have you removed from the property and I was like You're kidding me, I said since when were my freedom of speech rights taken away from me?"
"So I did, I got up and left and I was staying on the third floor so I get on the elevator and I go up and ...I was kind of peeking around the corner, well it was Kelly and Shannon talking to Stephanie and Thomas and Stephanie's family and Kelly was saying well like that I was crazy, was I asking her this was I asking her that, she said no, no, we were just talking."But the look on Shannon's face like he was scared to death, It's like they're worried now that someone would finally speak up and people have suspected this for years , this just kind of confirms things. No...I had nothing to gain by doing this"

Bruce told me that after Amber won, board members were talking about how they had Amber in their home and had been trying on a wardrobe.


Bruce told me he has not contacted the Miss America Organization.”

http://missarkansas.proboards13.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1152683246

The above may be difficult to follow, but basically it states that the top 10 was determined beforehand. The whole pageant scene is new for me. I’m not shocked to read about the politics involved, etc. I do wonder if this type of scandal is normal. Any insight is appreciated!



(For a good laugh, follow this link - it is a classic! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TJ_UKt4QtQ )




:) :) :)

gibbrishclown
07-12-2006, 09:32 AM
I'm done with beauty pageants. I dont' think they're a good idea to start with, and I think that there is currently too much scandal and corruption surrounding them now.

DurhamDawg
07-12-2006, 09:59 AM
I'd like to see beauty pagents die out completely. IMO, they are insulting and demeaning to women.

gibbrishclown
07-12-2006, 10:03 AM
:beer:

Former Juror
07-12-2006, 10:12 AM
I've always watched beauty pageants if nothing else good was on. Honestly, it's fun to criticize women who choose to parade around in a bathing suit on t.v. while I'm sitting on my butt eating a snack. ;) "Her hips are too wide." "Her eyes are too close together." "What an ugly dress." You get my drift. :D

Well, I recently attended one in person because my niece was a contestant. And, I do have to say it was the most demeaning thing I have ever witnessed. Words cannot express how uncomfortable I felt throughout the whole thing. I don't want to watch another one ever again...on t.v. or in person.

FDInLaw
07-12-2006, 10:14 AM
Originally posted by DurhamDawg
I'd like to see beauty pagents die out completely. IMO, they are insulting and demeaning to women.

This is my personal sentiment too!

Thanks to all who have voted in the poll.

:seeya:

KellyO
07-12-2006, 10:16 AM
My best friend did beauty pageants all through her teens and early 20s and she loved it. But I'm with the rest of y'all who say they are demeaning & insulting.

gibbrishclown
07-12-2006, 10:16 AM
Jon Benet

mellymel
07-12-2006, 10:17 AM
When I was young my Uncle talked me into doing a couple pageants. I won one.
Then there was a larger one I will not name where I won at the local and regional levels. When it came time for the State Pageant I was so sick of everyone involved.
People were PO"D that I won the regional because ALL the other contestants were so into the circuit that they knew each other. They go from one contest to the other.
I was totally unknown, untrained. I did not have an entourage. My parents were unknowns. They did not own any businesses. It seemed obvious that I was not the one who was supposed to win that day. One girl was so surprised she did not win she did not even try to hide it. I always thought that it was supposed to be rigged and that for some reason she thought she was slated to win.
Anyway my point is, when I took that crown and trophy and waited until the day before that contest to say NO thank you I will not be attending the State Competition. OMG you would have thought I had insulted the Pope.
A person of authority called and asked me why I would not compete, and I said just I can kiss @$$ doesn't mean I will, and I am also not interested in being Queen of a bunch of hypocritical idiots. He was like well you were sure to win. I said, Well then I guess I did! I can't speak for any other pageants this was just my experience. I won't let my daughter cheerlead because of that stupid crap that goes on with the parents etc. She dances and I am even getting tired of the politics involved there. But she loves dancing and I let her and we steer clear of the drama queens!

cyber-yenta
07-12-2006, 10:21 AM
Years ago I was a judge for the Miss Ohio USA beauty pageant - The girl that ultimately won was telling the other girls before the competition even started not to touch the trophy or the crown, that they were hers. To make a long story short, that girl won the pageant.

When the votes were calculated and she was announced as the winner, I was just stunned – while this girl was attractive, the other contestants were not only attractive, but far more intelligent, talented and educated. I asked the judge on each side of me if they voted her #1 on any of the categories - the answer was NO! We all knew something was amiss.

The media was there and also smelled a rat. Consequently they did a story on pageants and specifically focused on that one – the newspaper also focused on the story; it was a huge scandal. Come to find out that the girl that won also purchased the franchise rights to run the pageant in the city of Toledo for the next 5 years. She not only bought her crown – but would make money running the pageant for several years to come.

No surprise that the former owner of the franchise, left town with no forwarding address – the media tracked her down like a dog and of course, she refused to answer any questions regarding the obvious fraud. She was eventually charged with fraud and so was the winner – who ultimately lost her crown and her franchise.

ducks
07-12-2006, 10:23 AM
But ... but ... but ... who would be our "Ambassadors for World Peace"?

And wouldn't that put all of the Ballet/Modern Dance/Tap schools out of business?

And what about the teachers of Musical Spoons?

And ... and ... baton twirling? :tongue:

FDInLaw
07-12-2006, 10:26 AM
Originally posted by FDInLaw

(For a good laugh, follow this link - it is a classic! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TJ_UKt4QtQ )

[/B]

Did anyone watch the link I posted? It's a real winner! Lots of drama and laughs and it actually happened a few weeks ago which makes it all the funnier! (You can't help but feel sorry for the loser though.)

:biggrin:

getthisletter
07-12-2006, 11:01 AM
Aren't beauty pageants dying out very quickly? Was Miss America having a hard time with ratings or something?

anima
07-12-2006, 11:28 AM
Originally posted by cyber-yenta


-snipped-

No surprise that the former owner of the franchise, left town with no forwarding address – the media tracked her down like a dog and of course, she refused to answer any questions regarding the obvious fraud. She was eventually charged with fraud and so was the winner – who ultimately lost her crown and her franchise. All of a sudden that old childhood song popped into my head -

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after.

;)

Darter
07-12-2006, 12:03 PM
Originally posted by FDInLaw


Did anyone watch the link I posted? It's a real winner! Lots of drama and laughs and it actually happened a few weeks ago which makes it all the funnier! (You can't help but feel sorry for the loser though.)

:biggrin:


What a joke!!!

I only watch the pageants for the evening gown portion...I like to see the gorgeous gowns and also some of the ugliest ones imaginable.

Then I go to the internet to see who won.

Probably will get slammed for this, but I think those girls are prostituting themselves only to be demeaned like they are. :shrug:


JMO

ducks
07-12-2006, 12:07 PM
I thought it was all in the name of scholarship. :shrug: BWDIK?

FDInLaw
07-12-2006, 12:54 PM
Scholarship money is the main draw for many of the ladies I guess. But do most of the families put more in than they get out even if their daughter wins? Unfortunately, I believe the answer there may be yes. Encouraging young women to pursue proficiency in an art form, to be articulate and posed, and to maintain their appearance and health are all positive things. Some local pageants may accomplish this. IMO the system as a whole does not. There are demeaning and negative attitudes that IMO are very destructive to a young woman’s psyche. Encouraging women to believe looking anorexic is “healthy” is one. Focusing too much on looks and little on intelligence and character is another. Women are much more than a pretty thing to be paraded around in a swimsuit! True beauty involves so much more than being the right size or wearing the right dress. IMHO

Lobsters
07-12-2006, 03:05 PM
Originally posted by FDInLaw


Did anyone watch the link I posted? It's a real winner! Lots of drama and laughs and it actually happened a few weeks ago which makes it all the funnier! (You can't help but feel sorry for the loser though.)

:biggrin:


OMG, that was funny as he!!. Poor Mrs. Costa Rica!!!


Was Alan Thicke drunk?


and LMAO at those catty *****es back stage ragging about Mrs. Russia winning (you could tell she was a b!tch.) :lol:

hawgustusgloop
07-14-2006, 11:36 AM
Originally posted by FDInLaw


Did anyone watch the link I posted? It's a real winner! Lots of drama and laughs and it actually happened a few weeks ago which makes it all the funnier! (You can't help but feel sorry for the loser though.)

:biggrin:

That is hilarious! I can't believe I hadn't already heard about this. I love the drama backstage when that guy tells the lady she messed up! Oops!

hawgustusgloop
07-14-2006, 11:49 AM
I don't know much about pageants really. They never appealed to me, and I generally think there's something a little socially unhealthy about them. What I do know, is that if some Arkansas pageant-rigging scandal were exposed, somebody's mama and daddy's gonna be fightin' mad because competing at that level costs big time $$$$$$$$$$$$. Imagine shelling out a few thousand bucks for your daughter to compete, only to discover she never had a fair chance. Imagine how all the other competitors would feel after months of futile preparation. Are there any guidelines or protections of some type (other than the honor system) to prevent rigged results?