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| In this photo provided by the Miss Universe Organization, Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, poses for a photo with the competitors during rehearsal for the upcoming Miss USA Competition at PH Live in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 15, 2013. |
LAS VEGAS
(AP) -- A group of 51 beauty queens from every U.S. state and the
District of Columbia are preparing to smile and strut their way toward
the 62nd Miss USA title.
Reigning queen Nana
Meriwether will relinquish her crown and the posh New York apartment
that comes with it and usher in her successor during the competition
Sunday evening at the Planet Hollywood hotel-casino on the Las Vegas
Strip.
Most of the competitors will be quickly sent home.
Contestants
will be whittled to 15 after the event's opening fashion show with
judging decisions based on competitions and interviews done during the
week before the telecast. The remaining contestants will vie for the
crown in three arenas: swimsuit, evening gown and interview question.
Contestants cannot have been married or have children, and they must be younger than 27.
Unlike the rival Miss America pageant, Miss USA does not ask its queens to perform a talent or choose a charity mission.
The
judge's panel includes over-the-top fashion designer Betsey Johnson,
"Biggest Loser" star Bob Harper and "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me"
personality Mo Rocca.
The pageant airs live on
NBC, hosted by Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers pop act and Giuliana
Rancic, co-anchor of "E! News" and featuring performances by the Jonas
Brothers and DJ Pauly D. The network co-owns the parent Miss Universe
Organization with Donald Trump.
The winner will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in the winter.
Last
year's Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, won that international crown, becoming
the first Miss USA to ascend to Miss Universe in 16 years.
The
night's winner also becomes a spokeswoman for breast and ovarian cancer
awareness and other causes, while traveling to promote the
organization.
The Miss USA hopefuls have been
staying at the Planet Hollywood casino for the past week, but the
flashing slot machines and ubiquitous oversized novelty drinks have been
little more than a background to a stuffed schedule of product tie-in
media events, including hairdo contests and paddleboat competitions.
The
animal rights organization People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals
is using the pageant to stage a protest of fur and the tradition of
awarding furs to winners of some state pageants.
PETA
has made a provocative ad featuring four nude former Miss USA winners.
The tagline is: "Feel Beautiful in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep
Theirs."
