Pretty Ugly: The Biggest Beauty Pageant Controversies

Mar. 15, 2025

Host Mario Lopez asking Miss South Carolina, Caitlin Upton, a question during Miss Teen USA 2007.Photo: Patrick Prather/AP

The origins ofbeauty pageantscan be traced to ancient Greece and the medieval age.According to PBS, pageants started as a “contest of physique” at festivals and photographic competitions. Since the firstMiss Americapageant in 1921, those early iterations have transformed into a public display for contestants from different countries and cultures to showcase their talents, thoughts on social issues and, yes, physical appearance — all to win the coveted prize of a crown and, in some cases, career advancement and scholarship opportunities. Whether the major four international beauty pageants — Miss World,Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth — orMiss USAand Miss Teen USA, each year a group of hopefuls begins the long, arduous process of competing for the title before traveling the world to represent their respective state, country or territory.However, for all its benefits, pageants have not been without their controversies. Drawing criticism for promotingunrealistic beauty standardsand objectifying contestants, there have been former winners whose past actions had later consequences, which affected their pageant results. Not to mention, the gaffes made onstage and the legal trouble contestants have found themselves in after being crowned.Ahead, the biggest beauty pageant scandals and blunders to emerge from the pageant world over the years.

The origins ofbeauty pageantscan be traced to ancient Greece and the medieval age.

According to PBS, pageants started as a “contest of physique” at festivals and photographic competitions. Since the firstMiss Americapageant in 1921, those early iterations have transformed into a public display for contestants from different countries and cultures to showcase their talents, thoughts on social issues and, yes, physical appearance — all to win the coveted prize of a crown and, in some cases, career advancement and scholarship opportunities. Whether the major four international beauty pageants — Miss World,Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth — orMiss USAand Miss Teen USA, each year a group of hopefuls begins the long, arduous process of competing for the title before traveling the world to represent their respective state, country or territory.

However, for all its benefits, pageants have not been without their controversies. Drawing criticism for promotingunrealistic beauty standardsand objectifying contestants, there have been former winners whose past actions had later consequences, which affected their pageant results. Not to mention, the gaffes made onstage and the legal trouble contestants have found themselves in after being crowned.

Ahead, the biggest beauty pageant scandals and blunders to emerge from the pageant world over the years.

01of 24

Caroline Jurie

Former Mrs. Sri Lanka 2019 Caroline Jurie (second from left) removes the crown of 2021 winner Pushpika de Silva (center).AFP via Getty

“There is a rule that you have to be married and not divorced, so I am taking my first steps in saying that the crown goes to the first runner-up,” Jurie told the audience.

De Silva later said she is not divorced, and that she’d be taking legal action against Jurie. Days later, Jurie gave up her own crown and was also arrested for the incident, though released on bail. In a video post, she said she “will always stand for what I believe is right,” and thatshe was only pushing for a “fair stage.”

02of 24

Ramsey Carpenter-Bearse

Ramsey Carpenter-Bearse, then Miss Kentucky, during the preliminary talent competition at the Miss America 2015 pageant.Donald Kravitz/Getty

In December 2019, former Miss Kentucky Ramsey Carpenter-Bearseadmitted to sending nude photosof herself to a 15-year-old — and faced up to two years in prison for her crime.

In July 2020, she wassentenced to two years in prison.

03of 24Sarah Rose SummersMiss USA 2018 Sarah Rose Summers poses at a Build event in New York City in May 2018.Dia Dipasupil/GettyMiss USA 2018 Sarah Rose Summersissued an apologyahead of the December Miss Universe competition that same year after she caught heat for an Instagram video in which she appeared to mock the English language skills of some of her fellow competitors."@MissUniverse is an opportunity for women from around the world to learn about each other’s cultures, life experiences, and views. We all come from different backgrounds and can grow alongside one another,“Summers wrote alongside a photo of herselfand her fellow contestants embracing one another.Summers continued, “In a moment where I intended to admire the courage of a few of my sisters, I said something that I now realize can be perceived as not respectful, and I apologize. My life, friendships, and career revolve around me being a compassionate and empathetic woman. I would never intend to hurt another. I am grateful for opportunities to speak with Nat, Miss Cambodia, and H’Hen, Miss Vietnam, directly about this experience. These are the moments that matter most to me.“Summers was still allowed to continue in the Miss Universe pageant, though did not win.

03of 24

Sarah Rose Summers

Miss USA 2018 Sarah Rose Summers poses at a Build event in New York City in May 2018.Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Miss USA 2018 Sarah Rose Summersissued an apologyahead of the December Miss Universe competition that same year after she caught heat for an Instagram video in which she appeared to mock the English language skills of some of her fellow competitors.

“@MissUniverse is an opportunity for women from around the world to learn about each other’s cultures, life experiences, and views. We all come from different backgrounds and can grow alongside one another,“Summers wrote alongside a photo of herselfand her fellow contestants embracing one another.

Summers continued, “In a moment where I intended to admire the courage of a few of my sisters, I said something that I now realize can be perceived as not respectful, and I apologize. My life, friendships, and career revolve around me being a compassionate and empathetic woman. I would never intend to hurt another. I am grateful for opportunities to speak with Nat, Miss Cambodia, and H’Hen, Miss Vietnam, directly about this experience. These are the moments that matter most to me.”

Summers was still allowed to continue in the Miss Universe pageant, though did not win.

04of 24

The Miss Massachusetts Competition

Miss Plymouth County winner Maude Gorman uses her sash and crown to make a statement on Instagram in 2018.Maude Gorman/Instagram

A beauty pageant contestant gave up her Miss Plymouth County crown and title after a skit in the June 30, 2018, Miss Massachusetts competitionmocked the #MeToo movement.

Maude Gorman, who has been outspoken about being gang raped when she was 13, shared a post on Instagram announcing her resignation.

“We may have very well seen the last ever swimsuit competition on stage. It’s very upsetting” the woman said. “And I’m trying to understand, God, why it happened.”

“Me too, Amy,” he replied, holding up a #MeToo sign and drawing laughs from the audience.

The Miss Massachusetts Board of Directors later apologized for the joke on Facebook.

05of 24

Miss America CEO Sam Haskell

CEO Sam Haskell speaks onstage during preliminary round at Miss America 2018.Donald Kravitz/Getty Images for Dick Clark Productions

06of 24Lu ParkerPageant judge and Miss USA 1994 Lu Parker attends the 2016 Miss Teen USA Competition in Las Vegas.Ethan Miller/GettyMiss USA 1994 and Emmy-winning KTLA news anchor Lu Parker made headlines instead of reading them when she was arrested for taking a fellow passenger’s $200 headphones at LAX in November 2016. Parker allegedly removed the earbuds from the TSA passenger screening area; the item’s owner identified her and she was removed from her flight,Varietyreported.KTLA later released a statement on the matter, saying the passenger forgot the headphones and Parker took them with the intent to return them.“When she was unable to locate the owner, Lu boarded her flight. We believe this is a misunderstanding, Lu is cooperating fully with the authorities and we are confident she will be able to clear this all up,” read the statement.By agreeing to complete Los Angeles’ Neighborhood Justice Program, Parker ended up not facing criminal charges for taking the headphones,per theLos Angeles Times.

06of 24

Lu Parker

Pageant judge and Miss USA 1994 Lu Parker attends the 2016 Miss Teen USA Competition in Las Vegas.Ethan Miller/Getty

Miss USA 1994 and Emmy-winning KTLA news anchor Lu Parker made headlines instead of reading them when she was arrested for taking a fellow passenger’s $200 headphones at LAX in November 2016. Parker allegedly removed the earbuds from the TSA passenger screening area; the item’s owner identified her and she was removed from her flight,Varietyreported.

KTLA later released a statement on the matter, saying the passenger forgot the headphones and Parker took them with the intent to return them.

“When she was unable to locate the owner, Lu boarded her flight. We believe this is a misunderstanding, Lu is cooperating fully with the authorities and we are confident she will be able to clear this all up,” read the statement.

By agreeing to complete Los Angeles’ Neighborhood Justice Program, Parker ended up not facing criminal charges for taking the headphones,per theLos Angeles Times.

07of 24Karlie HayTexan Karlie Hay is crowned Miss Teen USA 2016 in Las Vegas.Ethan Miller/GettyShortly after Karlie Hay, from Texas, was crowned Miss Teen USA 2016 in Las Vegas,tweets containing a racial slur surfacedfrom an account belonging to the 18-year-old. The Miss Universe Organization, which owns the pageant, condemned the tweets but said Hay would keep her crown and the organization would support “her continued growth.“Hay echoed those same sentimentsin an Instagram post, writing: “Through hard work, education and thanks in large part to the sisterhood that I have come to know through pageants, I am proud to say that I am today a better person.”

07of 24

Karlie Hay

Texan Karlie Hay is crowned Miss Teen USA 2016 in Las Vegas.Ethan Miller/Getty

Shortly after Karlie Hay, from Texas, was crowned Miss Teen USA 2016 in Las Vegas,tweets containing a racial slur surfacedfrom an account belonging to the 18-year-old. The Miss Universe Organization, which owns the pageant, condemned the tweets but said Hay would keep her crown and the organization would support “her continued growth.”

Hay echoed those same sentimentsin an Instagram post, writing: “Through hard work, education and thanks in large part to the sisterhood that I have come to know through pageants, I am proud to say that I am today a better person.”

08of 24

Génesis Dévila

Génesis Dévila is crowned Miss Florida USA 2017.Instagram

“I still feel like I’m Miss Florida USA because I was crowned Miss Florida USA that night,” she said, adding that she has hired a team of lawyers to fight the decision. “Even though all these false accusations and allegations and rumors have been wandering all over social media, I know that I have proof to show the world that none of this is true.”

Though a lawsuit was filed, theMiami Heraldreportedit was dismissed that October and that the terms were kept confidential.

09of 24

Brandi Weaver-Gates

Brandi Weaver-Gates in a mugshot taken in 2016.Pennsylvania State Police

Aftershaving her head and faking leukemia— all the while bilking sympathetic and sometimes dying donors out of thousands of dollars — Pennsylvania beauty queen Brandi Weaver-Gates was sentenced to two to four years in state prison, plus five years of probation, for multiple charges of theft.

10of 24Ariadna Gutiérrez and Pia Alonzo WurtzbachFormer Miss Universe Paulina Vega removes crown from Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez before giving it to Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach at the 2015 Miss Universe pageant.John Locher/APSometimes, the biggest pageant scandals are actually the fault of the show’s hosts. Case in point: the 2015 Miss Universe competition, which sent the Internet into a frenzy after hostSteve Harveymistakenly announcedMiss Colombia, Gutiérrez, as the winner, even though it was Pia Wurtzbach — a.k.a. Miss Philippines — who actually won the crown. Despite the mix-up, both women took it in stride, with Wurtzbach laughing off the flub as “a very non-traditional crowning moment.” Gutiérrez, meanwhile, said, “Everything happens for a reason,” as she left the stage.

10of 24

Ariadna Gutiérrez and Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach

Former Miss Universe Paulina Vega removes crown from Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez before giving it to Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach at the 2015 Miss Universe pageant.John Locher/AP

Sometimes, the biggest pageant scandals are actually the fault of the show’s hosts. Case in point: the 2015 Miss Universe competition, which sent the Internet into a frenzy after hostSteve Harveymistakenly announcedMiss Colombia, Gutiérrez, as the winner, even though it was Pia Wurtzbach — a.k.a. Miss Philippines — who actually won the crown. Despite the mix-up, both women took it in stride, with Wurtzbach laughing off the flub as “a very non-traditional crowning moment.” Gutiérrez, meanwhile, said, “Everything happens for a reason,” as she left the stage.

11of 24

Katherine Rees

Former Miss Nevada Katherine Rees arrives at Eve nightclub in Las Vegas in May 2010.Isaac Brekken/Wireimage

12of 24Emily KachoteMiss Zimbabwe Emily Kachote walks onstage after been crowned in April 2015.APMiss Zimbabwe 2015 wasstripped of her titlein June 2015 after she admitted to posing for nude photos. The Miss Zimbabwe Trust said in a statement that all contestants are required to swear in an agreement that they’ve never posed naked, nor will they should they win the competition. Emily Kachote’s dethronement was the second consecutive one of its kind — the previous year’s winner, Thabiso Phiri, also lost her title after her own nude pics surfaced.

12of 24

Emily Kachote

Miss Zimbabwe Emily Kachote walks onstage after been crowned in April 2015.AP

Miss Zimbabwe 2015 wasstripped of her titlein June 2015 after she admitted to posing for nude photos. The Miss Zimbabwe Trust said in a statement that all contestants are required to swear in an agreement that they’ve never posed naked, nor will they should they win the competition. Emily Kachote’s dethronement was the second consecutive one of its kind — the previous year’s winner, Thabiso Phiri, also lost her title after her own nude pics surfaced.

13of 24Saly Greige and Doron MatalonFrom left: Miss Israel Doron Matalon, Miss Lebanon Saly Greige, Miss Slovenia and Miss Japan pose for a selfie in 2015.Courtesy Doron MatalonLebanese Miss Universe 2015 contestant Saly Greige and Miss Israel Doron Matalon were at the center of an international firestorm after a photo of the contestants (with Miss Japan and Miss Slovenia) ended up on social media on Jan. 18. A refresher: Lebanon and Israel have been at war since 2006, and Lebanese citizens can be imprisoned for coming in contact with Israelis. Amid talks that her title be revoked, Greige defended herself on Instagram, writing that she’d been “cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel,” adding that Matalon jumped into a picture without asking first.

13of 24

Saly Greige and Doron Matalon

From left: Miss Israel Doron Matalon, Miss Lebanon Saly Greige, Miss Slovenia and Miss Japan pose for a selfie in 2015.Courtesy Doron Matalon

Lebanese Miss Universe 2015 contestant Saly Greige and Miss Israel Doron Matalon were at the center of an international firestorm after a photo of the contestants (with Miss Japan and Miss Slovenia) ended up on social media on Jan. 18. A refresher: Lebanon and Israel have been at war since 2006, and Lebanese citizens can be imprisoned for coming in contact with Israelis. Amid talks that her title be revoked, Greige defended herself on Instagram, writing that she’d been “cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel,” adding that Matalon jumped into a picture without asking first.

14of 24Jamie FranceLeft: Jamie France; Right: Jamie France in a mugshot taken in 2014.Oregon DMV; Marion County Sheriff’s OfficeThough the 2009 Miss Teen Oregon-World champ kept a low profile following her win, in November 2014 her name was in the news — and not for good reasons. Jamie France was arrested with two other individuals on methamphetamine charges after she was found in a Salem, Ore., hotel room that contained a few grams of heroin, cocaine and meth, plus a record of drug sales,according to KTLA 5. Her co-defendants face more serious charges, including child neglect, after their home, where a 4- and 7-year-old also lived, was found to contain numerous drugs and “chaotic conditions.”

14of 24

Jamie France

Left: Jamie France; Right: Jamie France in a mugshot taken in 2014.Oregon DMV; Marion County Sheriff’s Office

Though the 2009 Miss Teen Oregon-World champ kept a low profile following her win, in November 2014 her name was in the news — and not for good reasons. Jamie France was arrested with two other individuals on methamphetamine charges after she was found in a Salem, Ore., hotel room that contained a few grams of heroin, cocaine and meth, plus a record of drug sales,according to KTLA 5. Her co-defendants face more serious charges, including child neglect, after their home, where a 4- and 7-year-old also lived, was found to contain numerous drugs and “chaotic conditions.”

15of 24

Amanda Longacre

Amanda Longacre at the Miss Delaware 2014 pageant.Courtesy Amanda Longacre

16of 24Nia SanchezCenter: Miss Nevada Nia Sanchez is crowned Miss USA during the 2014 Miss USA Competition in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Stacy Revere/GettyNia Sanchez represented Nevada in the Miss USA pageant — but the question of whether she even lived there came up immediately after she won the Miss USA title in 2014. Skeptics claimed the model and occasional Disneyland princess faked her residency in Nevada to avoid the stiff California competition after discovering she’d competed in the Miss California USA pageant and lost three times. Either way, she beat out Miss California when it counted — and kept her crown.

16of 24

Nia Sanchez

Center: Miss Nevada Nia Sanchez is crowned Miss USA during the 2014 Miss USA Competition in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Stacy Revere/Getty

Nia Sanchez represented Nevada in the Miss USA pageant — but the question of whether she even lived there came up immediately after she won the Miss USA title in 2014. Skeptics claimed the model and occasional Disneyland princess faked her residency in Nevada to avoid the stiff California competition after discovering she’d competed in the Miss California USA pageant and lost three times. Either way, she beat out Miss California when it counted — and kept her crown.

17of 24Elizabeth FechtelABC Action News anchor Ashley Glass and Miss Florida 2014, Elizabeth Fechtel.Courtesy Elizabeth FechtelAnotherrecount in Florida? Five days after college student Elizabeth Fechtel was crowned the 2014 Miss Florida, officials announced there was a scoring error and she was actually the first runner-up — Victoria Cowen would be the one moving on to compete in Miss America.“Initially, it was completely devastating,” Fechtel told PEOPLE.After the initial shock, the University of Florida junior maintained a positive outlook and focusing on her mission to empower young leaders.“I’ve been ‘de-crowned,’ " she said, “but I still see immense opportunity. I can channel my energy to my platform whether or not I’m Miss Florida.”

17of 24

Elizabeth Fechtel

ABC Action News anchor Ashley Glass and Miss Florida 2014, Elizabeth Fechtel.Courtesy Elizabeth Fechtel

Anotherrecount in Florida? Five days after college student Elizabeth Fechtel was crowned the 2014 Miss Florida, officials announced there was a scoring error and she was actually the first runner-up — Victoria Cowen would be the one moving on to compete in Miss America.

“Initially, it was completely devastating,” Fechtel told PEOPLE.

After the initial shock, the University of Florida junior maintained a positive outlook and focusing on her mission to empower young leaders.

“I’ve been ‘de-crowned,’ " she said, “but I still see immense opportunity. I can channel my energy to my platform whether or not I’m Miss Florida.”

18of 24Alicia MachadoMiss Universe Alicia Machado on Venezuela jumps rope during a workout routine in New York City in 1997.Jon Levy/AFP/GettyAlicia Machado was crowned Miss Universe 1996, and shortly after was thrust back into the headlines, this time with concerns about her increasing weight. Pageant officials threatened to replace her unless she trimmed down, which she did — but not before Miss Universe ownerDonald Trumpreferred to her as “an eating machine” live onHoward Stern’s radio show in 1997.She became a hot topic in the 2016 presidential election whenHillary Clintonbrought up Trump’s quotes in the pair’s first debate. Machado became an American citizen in 2016 andcampaigned heavily for Clinton.

18of 24

Alicia Machado

Miss Universe Alicia Machado on Venezuela jumps rope during a workout routine in New York City in 1997.Jon Levy/AFP/Getty

Alicia Machado was crowned Miss Universe 1996, and shortly after was thrust back into the headlines, this time with concerns about her increasing weight. Pageant officials threatened to replace her unless she trimmed down, which she did — but not before Miss Universe ownerDonald Trumpreferred to her as “an eating machine” live onHoward Stern’s radio show in 1997.

She became a hot topic in the 2016 presidential election whenHillary Clintonbrought up Trump’s quotes in the pair’s first debate. Machado became an American citizen in 2016 andcampaigned heavily for Clinton.

19of 24Vanessa WilliamsThen-Miss New York Vanessa Williams performs during the 57th annual Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 1983.NBC/GettyIt was the scandal that started them all. Before she was a multi-talented singer and actress, New York’sVanessa Williamswas stripped of her 1983 Miss America crown afterPenthousereleased nude photos of the beauty queen taken during her days as a photographer’s assistant.“I feel as if I were just a sacrificial lamb. The past just came up and kicked me,” Williams told PEOPLE at the time.She gave up her title just months after her historic win asthe first Black Miss Americabut went on to receive other accolades — including multiple Grammy and Emmy nominations. More than three decades after her resignation, Williams returned to the pageant in 2015 as a judge andreceived a public apologyfrom the organization’s CEO.

19of 24

Vanessa Williams

Then-Miss New York Vanessa Williams performs during the 57th annual Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September 1983.NBC/Getty

It was the scandal that started them all. Before she was a multi-talented singer and actress, New York’sVanessa Williamswas stripped of her 1983 Miss America crown afterPenthousereleased nude photos of the beauty queen taken during her days as a photographer’s assistant.

“I feel as if I were just a sacrificial lamb. The past just came up and kicked me,” Williams told PEOPLE at the time.

She gave up her title just months after her historic win asthe first Black Miss Americabut went on to receive other accolades — including multiple Grammy and Emmy nominations. More than three decades after her resignation, Williams returned to the pageant in 2015 as a judge andreceived a public apologyfrom the organization’s CEO.

20of 24Tara ConnerMiss USA Tara Conner attends the ‘Entertainment Weekly’ and Matrix Men upfront party in N.Y.C. in May 2006.Evan Agostini/GettyMiss USA 2006 had a littletoomuch fun celebrating her title. Reports surfaced of drug and alcohol abuse, and Tara Conner tested positive for cocaine about eight months into her reign. Trump called a televised press conference, but instead of stripping the beauty queen of her title,he gave her a second chance— and Conneragreed to go to rehab. She now serves as a public advocacy consultant for Caron Treatment Centers.

20of 24

Tara Conner

Miss USA Tara Conner attends the ‘Entertainment Weekly’ and Matrix Men upfront party in N.Y.C. in May 2006.Evan Agostini/Getty

Miss USA 2006 had a littletoomuch fun celebrating her title. Reports surfaced of drug and alcohol abuse, and Tara Conner tested positive for cocaine about eight months into her reign. Trump called a televised press conference, but instead of stripping the beauty queen of her title,he gave her a second chance— and Conneragreed to go to rehab. She now serves as a public advocacy consultant for Caron Treatment Centers.

21of 24

Carrie Prejean

Miss California Carrie Prejean speaks during a press conference at Trump Tower in N.Y.C. in May 2009.Michael Loccisano/Getty

The controversy continued when topless photos of the blonde beauty emerged on the internet. Prejean was, at first, allowed to keep her title, but ultimatelylost it for violating her contractand her “unwillingness to make appearances on behalf” of the Miss USA organization.

22of 24

Caitlin Upton

From left: Mario Lopez and Miss South Carolina Caitlin Upton during the interview portion of the Miss Teen USA pageant in 2007.Patrick Prather/AP

23of 24Rima FakihMiss Michigan Rima Fakih wins the 2010 Miss USA pageant at Planet Hollywood Casino Resort in Las Vegas.Denise Truscello/WireImageAfter hitting the nightclubs a little too hard, the 2010 Miss USA earned a rep as a party girl, almost missing a CNN interview after a late night on the town, and getting slinky on a stripper pole (which the organization later determined was part of a pole-dancing class). Lebanese-born Rima Fakih, who represented Michigan in the pageant, was the first Muslim contestant to wear the crown and had already drawn criticism for her racy antics. When stories began to escalate, pageant officials sent her back to her home state to mull over the pressures of the title. Ultimately, however, Fakih finished her reign — and defended her actions.“Miss USA is just a real woman, a real human being who is an adult and has her own opinion and can make her own decisions,” she said,per HuffPost.

23of 24

Rima Fakih

Miss Michigan Rima Fakih wins the 2010 Miss USA pageant at Planet Hollywood Casino Resort in Las Vegas.Denise Truscello/WireImage

After hitting the nightclubs a little too hard, the 2010 Miss USA earned a rep as a party girl, almost missing a CNN interview after a late night on the town, and getting slinky on a stripper pole (which the organization later determined was part of a pole-dancing class). Lebanese-born Rima Fakih, who represented Michigan in the pageant, was the first Muslim contestant to wear the crown and had already drawn criticism for her racy antics. When stories began to escalate, pageant officials sent her back to her home state to mull over the pressures of the title. Ultimately, however, Fakih finished her reign — and defended her actions.

“Miss USA is just a real woman, a real human being who is an adult and has her own opinion and can make her own decisions,” she said,per HuffPost.

24of 24Lindsey EvansMiss Teen Louisiana Lindsey Evans poses for a promotional shoot.Splash News OnlineUnfortunately for Lindsey Evans, Louisiana has not yet legalized marijuana, so when the Miss Teen Louisiana skipped out on a $46 tab at a restaurant in 2008 and left behind a purse with her driver’s license and, allegedly, some pot, she was stripped of her title (via TMZ). Sadly, the mishap undermined a year’s worth of hard work.“She’s done a good job this year,” admitted Paula M. Miles, president of the pageant’s production company.

24of 24

Lindsey Evans

Miss Teen Louisiana Lindsey Evans poses for a promotional shoot.Splash News Online

Unfortunately for Lindsey Evans, Louisiana has not yet legalized marijuana, so when the Miss Teen Louisiana skipped out on a $46 tab at a restaurant in 2008 and left behind a purse with her driver’s license and, allegedly, some pot, she was stripped of her title (via TMZ). Sadly, the mishap undermined a year’s worth of hard work.

“She’s done a good job this year,” admitted Paula M. Miles, president of the pageant’s production company.

source: people.com