In December 2006, the world was on edge as the rumors started to circulate that the reigning Miss USA, Tara Conner might be dethroned and that runner-up California's Tamiko Nash may have had the opportunity to assume the title of Miss USA. TMZ.com broke the story and the world started to learn about Tara's secret life of alcoholism and drug use. Also caught up in the scandal was the reigning Miss Teen USA, Katie Blair. When the story first broke, more rumors were added to the fire to further juice up the scandal, including rumors that Tara was seen kissing Katie and that men were invited up to their Trump Tower Apartment. The controversy prompted Mothers Against Drunk Driving to break their ties with Katie Blair.

A day after Tara turned the legal age of 21, Donald Trump held a press conference declaring that Tara Conner would retain her title as Miss USA. I have to admit that after the rumors came out and because of all the articles in the media that I was expecting Tara to be dethroned and that Tamiko would be taking over the title. Oxana Fedorova, Miss Universe 2002 was fired so we have seen it happen before. I even wrote an article in preparation for Tara's dismissal but it turned out that Tamiko would not become California's Miss USA for this decade of the 2000s (California is the only state to have won Miss USA in every other decade and only has two years to retain that status). During the highly publicized press conference, Donald Trump stated that 'everyone deserves a second chance' and that Tara would get that second chance. After that announcement, Tara gave a tearful, emotional, heart-wrenching apology and thanked Donald Trump. 'Thank God, I have the chance to make it right' said Tara, choking in tears. 'I want to apologize to my family if I have any disgrace upon you.'

Of course what further escalated this drama was the public feud that followed between Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump after Rosie mimicked both Donald and Tara on The View leading to a war of words between Donald and Rosie. Rosie flipped her hair over and jokingly imitated Donald's deep voice and said 'Everyone deserves a second chance and I'm going to give her a second chance.' Afterwards, Rosie mimicked Tara saying that Tara started to cry and in a shrieky voice said, 'I just want to thank Donald...' The first time I saw it, I didn't think it was going to explode into what it did but Donald was very quick to fire back calling Rosie every name in the book, including fat, disgusting slob. He pointed out some of Rosie's failures like her magazine and some plays that she produced and even said he knew some girls that Rosie's wife Kelli might be interested in. While this whole episode was taking place, I wondered why Rosie was singled out when several other late night talk show hosts do similar imitations of Donald but Entertainment Tonight pointed out that Rosie and Donald were friends at one time and that Rosie even attended Donald's wedding to Marla Maples so it's quite upsetting to see relationships shattering so explosively.

It was declared during the press conference that Tara was be entering rehab briefly but looking at some episode regarding other celebrities, you would think that rehab was the "in" place to be. Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears are a few celebrities known for their partying ways and Britney's entrance into rehab after shaving her head following her ugly divorce from Kevin Federline was perhaps the most noted and we all know the media like to sensationalize and even published a crotch-exposing shot of Britney as she came out of a car.

Other state titleholders weren't as lucky as Tara. The original Miss Nevada USA 2007, Katie Rees, was dethroned when some photos taken of her partying with friends and exposing certain parts were leaked and Katie appeared on Dr. Phil discussing the issue and how she felt that she too deserved a second chance. Jay Leno joked about the matter and said that she was invited to host a female orgasm faking contest. Of course this paved the way for Helen Marie Salas to inherit the title and she ended up placing 4th-runner-up at Miss USA. The other dethroned contestant was Ashley Harder of New Jersey who had to give up the title due to her pregnancy.

What part do I play in this drama? Well, for those of you who read my 'original' Thoughts of Miss Universe 2006 commentary, you may remember that I wrote that I came out of the parking lot outside the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. at the same time as Tara Conner's supporters and I wrote something about a particular member of that group doing something that led me to believe that that person may have been intoxicated. I received an e-mail from Tara's mother indicating that that was not the case and she told me how alcoholism affected that individual personally. I respectfully deleted the statement knowing this year was an emotional roller-coaster ride for Tara's mother but I don't think either of us expected the roller-coaster to take a violent spin as alcoholism reared its ugly head in such a public way when Tara's controversy erupted. Tara even said in an interview to Mark Steines on Entertainment Tonight that even her mother knew nothing about Tara's secret life and that her mother was learning about it along with the rest of us. Tara confessed during her interview that she did indeed dabble in cocaine and that she had her first drink at age 14 and she remembered initially hating the disgusting taste but later found herself wanting more.

Was it all a publicity stunt? Was Tara's problem really as bad as it was made out to be? I'm sure there are a lot of people who have it a lot worse and weren't necessarily able to afford rehab/treatment, etc. but Tara said during her interview with Mark that on the one hand, it wouldn't hurt her image but on the other hand, she said she really needed the help. So perhaps it was a little bit of both publicity and a legitimate situation but they say no publicity is no publicity. During the whole controversy, Tara suddenly became one of the most searched names on the Internet, possibility due to rumors about Tara getting a Playboy spread. Tara said she would never pose nude in Playboy but would consider it if she was covered and jokingly stated, 'If I get the catch phrase 'Sexy and Sober.'' I think this whole episode made Tara a little more favorable in the eyes of non-pageant followers because it showed that not all beauty queens are plastic, unattainable images but that they are real people with real problems just like the rest of us. Tara may go down in history as the most "human" Miss USA.

Another thing I also noted was the general public doesn't seem to know the difference between Miss USA and Miss America. I have heard Tara referred to with both titles on several media outlets showing they too don't really know the difference which is laughable but it also makes me realize how difficult it is to shake the Miss America title from the public's mentality since it is the older pageant and perhaps received more publicity earlier on thanks to the older Vanessa Williams scandal. If someone was to ask someone like me who follows pageants as intensely as I do, I would be quick to point out several differences, particularly including the fact Miss USA goes on to compete at Miss Universe and that heightens the excitement level. People often wonder how someone like me be so loyal to Miss USA and not really care about Miss America and the reason is simply that I have always felt that the Miss Universe family of pageants including Miss USA and Miss Teen USA have traditionally been the better produced, more entertaining pageants. Miss America was dropped by ABC a few years ago and then picked up by CMT and currently Miss America has been dropped again and is having to fight once again to stay on the air. NBC recently renewed their contract to air Miss USA and Miss Universe but rumor has it that Miss Teen USA may been dropped from NBC after the 2007 pageant. I really hope this will not mean the near demise of Miss Teen USA like it has happened to some other teen pageants.

The show 'Dancing with the Stars', featured two former Miss USAs recently, Shanna Moakler (1995) and Shandi Finnessey (2004) and even though both ladies looked absolutely stunning on the show, coincidentally both ladies were the second to be voted off the show probably due to jealous women making up the prominent voting public or the fact that they may not have as close a following as some of the other older celebrities. Okay, so now let's get to this year's actual pageant, shall we???

It all began with some clips highlighting Tara's controversy and then cut to Tara stating that she was back and better than ever. Some people didn't really like the bangs in her face look seemingly made popular by Nelly Furtado recently but I didn't mind it so much. Usually, I would say something like, 'bangs in your face make you look like you have something to hide' but Tara exposed more than enough of herself this year. The delegates 'showed us what they got' runway style to the cool hip hop groove from Kanye West. The hosts, a very pregnant Nancy O'Dell and Tim Vincent did a fine job. I think this is the first time an on stage host was pregnant but Julie Moran and Leeza Gibbons both did background commentating while pregnant in previous pageants. Tim Vincent co-hosted the Miss World pageant last year as well.

My predictions were on in some ways but somewhat off in others yet the choices just made it that much easier for Rachel Smith to ease her way to the crown. 7 of my 15 plus 1 alternate and 1 honorable mention made the final cut while the other 6 surprises were: Rhode Island, Hawaii, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin. I did have an inkling about Hawaii and North Carolina but the other 4 were the total shots in the dark to me. Of course, there are surprises all the time. This year's delegation has the most former contestants from former Miss Teen USA pageants than any other year which means many familiar faces and I have to admit that the increased familiarity heavily influenced my list this year. As for my picks that didn't make it. Most surprising would have to be Florida's Jenna Edwards. When I first watched a special documentary from TLC called "The Secret World of Beauty Pageants" that was when I first laid eyes on Jenna. While competing for Miss Mississippi Teen USA 1998, Jenna was asked a question which was, "What is a typical pageant girl and are you one?" After which they showed a clip of her response in which she said, "I know what one is...because I used to be one." It was all in the way she said it. So original, so incredibly well-spoken and so mesmerizing. Then I watched her close-up and her answers were by far the most interesting, elaborate, and demonstrated a level or articulation that has been missing from our pageants for years. This is the type of pageant pro that today's pageants so desperately need. Jenna has also won the titles of Miss Oktoberfest and Miss Teen All American--A title also won by such pageant goddesses as Lynnette Cole (Miss USA 2000), Shanna Moakler (Miss USA 1995), Bridgett Jordan (1st runner up-Miss Teen USA 1998), Erin Nance (1st runner up-Miss USA 1993), Corinna Clark (preliminary winner-Miss Teen USA 1995), Alita Dawson (4th runner up-Miss USA 2002) of course the one and only pageant girl turned Oscar winning actress, Halle Berry (1st runner up-Miss USA 1986). But instead of joining the likes of these ladies, Jenna was passed over just like Paulette Schier was at Miss USA 1995 and Melissa Quesada was at Miss USA 1999. I thought Iowa was going to be the surprise spoiler but I guess that didn't happen now, did it? Oregon's Sharitha McKenzie had a great face and really built body but perhaps interview wasn't up to par. Georgia's Brittany Swann had a nice overall look but her gown did somehow make her look shorter. Illinois probably could have done with a better gown. The same goes for New York. Gloria Sophia Almonte may have been 1st runner up at Miss Teen USA 2001 but didn't make it this time around. The same thing happens to Meredith Young who was 1st runner up at Miss Teen USA 1991 but didn't make it at Miss USA 1999. Minnesota was a pageant girl and performed well overall but I guess it wasn't enough and the same goes for Indiana, even though both were also semifinalists in their respective Miss Teen USA pageants.