Miss USA 2006 (Jayverse)

Miss USA 2006, the 55th Miss USA pageant, was held at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 23, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky. Conner was crowned by outgoing titleholder Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.

This was the second consecutive year that the pageant was held in Baltimore, although the venue changed from the Hippodrome Theater to the larger 1st Mariner Arena. Delegates arrived in the city on 2 April 2006, and were involved in three weeks of events, appearances and preliminary competitions before the final competition. This included a trip to New York City to attend a book launch for The Miss Universe Guide to Beauty and make media appearances on Regis and Kelly, The Early Show and Total Request Live.

The pageant hosts were Willa Ford (who had hosted the pageant since 2003) and Drew Lachey and the Pageant was aired on UBC (USA TV) & Rhythm Radio (USA Radio) and simulcasted in Canada on CTV

Historical significance

 * Kentucky wins competition for the first time and surpasses its previous highest placement from the last year. Also becoming in the 30th state who does it for the first time.
 * California earns the 1st runner-up position for the sixth time and repeats the same position as the previous year 2005.
 * Georgia earns the 2nd runner-up position for the fourth time. The last time it placed this was in 2001.
 * Ohio earns the 3rd runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1982.
 * Florida earns the 4th runner-up position for the fourth time and repeats the same position as the previous year 2005.
 * States that placed in semifinals the previous year were California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky and Texas.
 * Texas placed for the sixth consecutive year.
 * Florida placed for the third consecutive year.
 * California, Illinois and Kentucky made their second consecutive placement.
 * Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee last placed in 2004.
 * District of Columbia and Rhode Island last placed in 2002.
 * Nevada last placed in 2001.
 * Ohio last placed in 1999.
 * Maine last placed in 1977.
 * North Carolina breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 2004.
 * Oklahoma breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 2003.

Contestants and Troupe

 * Alabama – Haleigh Stidham
 * Alaska – Noelle Meyer
 * Arizona – Brenna Sakas
 * Arkansas – Kimberly Forsyth
 * California – Tamiko Nash
 * Colorado – Jacqueline Madera
 * Connecticut – Jeannine Phillips
 * Delaware – Ashlee Greenwell
 * District of Columbia – Candace Allen
 * Florida – Cristin Duren
 * Georgia – Lisa Wilson
 * Hawaii – Radasha Ho'ohuli
 * Idaho – Allyson Swan
 * Illinois – Catherine Warren
 * Indiana – Bridget Bobel
 * Iowa – Sarah Corpstein
 * Kansas – Ashley Aull
 * Kentucky – Tara Conner
 * Louisiana – Christina Cuenca
 * Maine – Katee Stearns
 * Maryland – Melissa DiGiulian
 * Massachusetts – Tiffany Kelly
 * Michigan – Danelle Gay
 * Minnesota – Dottie Cannon
 * Mississippi – Kendra King
 * Missouri – Kristi Capel
 * Montana – Jill McLain
 * Nebraska – Emily Poeschl
 * Nevada – Lauren Scyphers
 * New Hampshire – Krystal Barry
 * New Jersey – Jessica Boyington
 * New Mexico – Onawa Lacy
 * New York – Adriana Diaz
 * North Carolina – Samantha Holvey
 * North Dakota – Kimberly Krueger
 * Ohio – Stacy Offenberger
 * Oklahoma – Robyn Watkins
 * Oregon – Allison Machado
 * Pennsylvania – Tanya Lehman
 * Rhode Island – Leeann Tingley
 * South Carolina – Lacie Lybrand
 * South Dakota – Alexis LeVan
 * Tennessee – Lauren Grissom
 * Texas – Lauren Lanning
 * Utah – Soben Huon
 * Vermont – Amanda Gilman
 * Virginia – Amber Copley
 * Washington – Tiffany Doorn
 * West Virginia – Jessica Wedge
 * Wisconsin – Anna Piscitello
 * Wyoming – Kristin George

The Troupe for the Miss USA 2006 Pageant just brought up a cast of Most East Coasters including Michae Holloman, Cassandra Tressler, Prescious Grady, Michelle Attai (who competed in the 2006 Miss Maryland USA Pageant), Katherine Krause (Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA 1998), Julie Citro and Christie Atkin (who Competed in the 2006 Miss Delaware USA Pageant), Tiffany Andrade (Miss New Jersey USA 2006), Texas Contestants Crystle Stewart, Kenhahl Beal, Cassandra Meyer, Candace Campfield, Sunny Cranfill, Magen Ellis, Allison Seale, Kelli Wisby, Alisha Bailey, Elizabeth Brandt, Sally Diallo, Valerie Pro, Shelbi Pullen, Julia Salmon, Andrea Sargeant, Sheradon Staehlin, Ashley Walker, Alexis Young, Alexis Curry, Lauren Sapaugh, Felicia Chapa, Tavisty Tarkenton, Brittany Tiner and California Contestants Lisette Diaz, Tiffany McCollum, Ashley Coleman, Meagan Tandy, Amy Holland, Andria Mullins, Vanessa Sierra, Alex Stathoulis, Lacey Wilson, Tyra Collar, Danielle Ditano, Crystal Fambrini, Brandy Reynolds, Lynly Walsh as well as American Idol Contestants Celena Rae, Lindsey Cardinale, Melinda Lira, Amanda Avila, Jessica Sierra, Nadia Turner, Carrie Underwood, Jasmine Trias, LaToya London & Camille Velasco and Season 1 So You Think You Can Dance contenders Melody Lacayanga, Ashle Dawson, Melissa Vella, Destini Rogers and Sandra Colton.

Judges

 * Jillian Barberie – actress and entertainer reporter for Good Day LA.
 * Kerry Cavanaugh – North American brand manager for CoverGirl cosmetics.
 * Gina Drosos - Vice President and General Manager of Global Cosmetics for Procter & Gamble.
 * Chad Hedrick – speed skater and world record holder.
 * Jeff Kimbell – businessman involved in lobbying, political strategy, real estate, and entertainment.
 * Nicole Linkletter – fashion model who won America's Next Top Model, Cycle 5.
 * Steve Madden – founder of a footwear company that bears his name.
 * Robb Merrit – Vice President of a commercial real estate developer based in Baltimore, MD.
 * Natasha O'Dell – producer for Black Entertainment Television's Special Projects Division.
 * Candice Valdez - Rhythm Radio DJ
 * Hines Ward – wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers
 * Arnold Williams – manager of Abrams, Foster, Nole & William (based in Pennsylvania) since 1993.

Pre-pageant specials
A pre-pageant special edition of Deal or No Deal aired on April 12 on UBC (in the USA) and CTV (in Canada). It included Miss USA 2005 Chelsea Cooley and twenty-six contestants, who replaced the show's models as briefcase-holders: Haleigh Stidham (AL), Kimberly Forsyth (AR), Tamiko Nash (CA), Jeannine Phillips (CT), Ashlee Greenwell (DE), Cristin Duren (FL), Catherine Warren (IL), Bridget Bobel (IN), Tara Conner (KY), Christina Cuenca (LA), Katee Stearns (ME), Tiffany Kelly (MA), Danelle Gay (MI), Dottie Cannon, (MN), Kristi Capel (MO), Lauren Scyphers (NV), Jessica Boyington (NJ), Onawa Lacy (NM), Samantha Holvey (NC), Kimberly Krueger (ND), Tanya Lehman (PA), Leeann Tingley (RI), Lacie Lybrand (SC), Soben Huon (UT), Amber Copley (VA), Jessica Wedge (WV).

Allison Machado (OR) was the alternate.

However the special was re-aired on April 23 before the Live 3-Hour 2006 Miss USA Pageant which aired on UBC and CTV as well.