The Miss USA pageant has a new queen and what a year it has been, more dramatic than a soap opera marathon. Michigan delegate Alma Cooper crowned herself queen on Sunday, bringing a new face to an organization which has been struggling through rough waters. Welcome to the glittery world of beauty pageants and let’s unpack this year’s crowning moment.
Image credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images
A New Queen Rises
In the middle of the popular controversy, 22-year-old Alma Cooper was crowned Miss USA at the 73rd competition. This lady isn’t only a charming model – she serves in the U. S. Army, is a data scientist, and studies at Stanford University, obtaining her master’s degree. Talk about overachieving!
In the question and answer portion of the pageant, Cooper didn’t answer questions, she informed the viewers. She boldly announced herself as an Afro-Latina woman and a child of a migrant worker and declared herself the very essence of the American dream. Say goodbye to apple pie as an icon of the American dream – there is a new icon in town.
From Army Boots to High Heels
Gaining the crown was no piece of cake for Cooper; it was not a mere stroll on a stage. As shown in her video profile for Stanford, she said that she had always dreamt of sashaying in the Miss USA runway. Of course, her knack for number-crunching and Army rigor seemed right at home in the pageant arena. I never knew that excel spreadsheets can prepare you for world peace questions?
A Turbulent Tiara Transfer
However, before we can all celebrate Cooper’s victory, let’s go back to the action that has been happening as quickly as a quick costume switch.
The Resignation Controversy
Back in May, the Miss USA organization experienced something that could be called a scandal as two top officials resigned. Both Noelia Voigt, Miss USA 2023 and UmaSofia Srivastava, Miss Teen USA 2023 resigned with their reasons being personal issues and conflicting beliefs with the organization. It was like watching the beauty queen’s version of the great resignation.
Mothers Know Best?
Just like a television reality show, the mothers of Voigt and Srivastava let the cat out of the bag in an episode of “Good Morning America”. They alleged that their daughters’ dream careers became a living nightmare as they were harassed, bullied, and abused. One has to wonder if off-stage rivalry was more heated than anything that could happen on the stage!
Enter the Understudy
After Voigt’s elimination, the second runner-up from Hawaii, Savannah Gankiewicz, was placed into the limelight. She wore the crown for three months only but it was not so easy for her. Thus, Gankiewicz was positioned in the middle of the ‘he said, she said’ scenario to respond and negate the accusations made by previous leaders of the organization.
In the recent interviews, Gankiewicz has been dancing to a different tune than Voigt and Srivastava. She says that she did not see any toxic behavior while being Miss USA, in fact, she went further to say that the bullying allegations were actually the other way around. The plot just got thicker than morning dew on a set of newly sprouted leaves.
A War of Words
The exchange did not end here. Voigt and Srivastava’s representatives responded by saying that Gankiewicz was trying to discredit their claims. At the same time, Voigt went online and stated it was wrong to discuss matters in which one does not participate. Tis’ like a Twitter beef with the addition of tiaras.
The Show Must Go On
Nevertheless, the Miss USA pageant continued on, with its annual show being televised on the CW network. In the past the network had seemingly suggested that it would review its role in the pageant but seemingly decided that the business of the show must continue regardless of the scandal.
A New Hope?
Now that Alma Cooper has been crowned Miss USA, the organizers of this event must surely be looking forward to a new beginning. Cooper’s unusual ethnical background and a long list of achievements might be exactly what this organization needs in terms of PR. Only the future will reveal whether her reign will be able to paper over the cracks in the foundation of the organization.
The Road Ahead
When Cooper starts her new life as Miss USA, she will indeed have her plate full. This will not be easy dealing with school, military obligations, and now representing a whole nation. But if anyone can do all that and wear heels and smile all through, I am sure it must be her.
Conclusion
The 2024 Miss USA pageant has not disappointed this year, which shows that beauty queens are also capable of causing controversy for more than just their elegance. As Alma Cooper smiles in her moment of triumph, the pageant world holds its breath. Will this mark the beginning of a new stable period for Miss USA or is it just a lull before the storm of controversy?
This much can be said with absolute certainty: In the beauty pageant, the only thing less predictable than the interview is what goes on behind the scenes. One can only hope that this reign of Cooper will be less of a war amongst organizations and more about world peace. Long live the queen!
FAQs
Q1: Who is Alma Cooper?
Alma Cooper is the newly crowned Miss USA 2024. She’s a 22-year-old U.S. Army officer, data scientist, and Stanford University master’s student from Michigan.
Q2: What happened to the previous Miss USA titleholder?
Noelia Voigt, Miss USA 2023, resigned in May 2024, citing personal reasons and concerns about her mental health.
Q3: Who replaced Noelia Voigt after her resignation?
Savannah Gankiewicz, the 2023 pageant runner-up from Hawaii, was crowned Miss USA following Voigt’s resignation and held the title for three months.
Q4: What allegations were made against the Miss USA organization?
The mothers of Voigt and Srivastava claimed in a “Good Morning America” interview that their daughters were mistreated, abused, and bullied by the organization.
Q5: How has Savannah Gankiewicz responded to the controversy?
Gankiewicz has defended the Miss USA organization in recent interviews, stating that she found the allegations to be false based on her own experience.
Amit Gupta is a 2015 graduate of RTU in Rajasthan, India. After working over a decade as an additional writer at News article, he decided to start his own news publication. He mainly focuses on entertainment, Movies, Web series articles and editorials. He likes to listen to music and play cricket in his free time. Follow On Facebook.
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