Jump to content

Tara Conner: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Replaced content with 'Connie'
Line 1: Line 1:
Connie
{{Infobox pageant titleholder
| title=[[Miss Kentucky Teen USA]] 2002<br> [[Miss Kentucky USA]] 2006<br>[[Miss USA]] 2006
| nationalcompetition=[[Miss Teen USA]] 2002 (2nd runner-up)<br>[[Miss USA 2006]] (winner)<br>[[Miss Universe 2006]] (4th runner-up)
| name=Tara Conner
| photo=[[Image:TaraConneratWillowGrove3.jpg|200px]]
| caption=Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006
| birth_place=[[Dallas, Texas]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| birth_date={{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1985|12|18}}
| birth_name=Tara Elizabeth Conner
| height={{height|ft=5|in=5}}
| eye_color=Brown
| hair_color=Blonde
}}

'''Tara Elizabeth Conner''' (born December 18, 1985) is an American [[beauty queen]] and [[fashion model|model]], who was [[Miss USA]] 2006 and has also competed in the [[Miss Teen USA]] and [[Miss Universe]] pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the [[HDNet]] series ''Bikini Fantasies'' in 2004, posing for the cameras in Lake Tahoe. She has held the titles [[Miss Kentucky Teen USA]] 2002, Miss Kentucky County Fair 2004, [[Miss Kentucky USA]] 2006 and [[Miss USA]] 2006.

In late 2006, Conner became the center of a public scandal when news reports claimed she had been drinking [[Legal drinking age|underage]], tested positive for the use of [[cocaine]], [[heroin]] and crystal methamphetamine, and kissed Miss Teen USA [[Katie Blair]], among other things.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/480614p-404432c.html | title=Queen is way out of line |accessdate=2007-10-27 | last=Piazza | first=Jo | publisher=NY Daily News | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070128220604/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/480614p-404432c.html | archivedate=2007-01-28}}</ref> She was allowed to retain her title, provided she enter a [[drug rehabilitation]] program.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

==Early life==
After she was born in [[Dallas, Texas]],<ref name="dallas" /> Conner's family moved to [[Russell Springs, Kentucky]], when she was six weeks old.<ref name="dallas">{{cite news |title=Time line: Tara Conner's rise to Miss USA |publisher=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=2007-03-01 |accessdate=2007-03-01 |url=http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/state/16807251.htm}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Conner graduated from [[Russell County, Kentucky|Russell County]] High School, in 2004, and at the time of her Miss USA win was studying toward a degree in [[Business Administration]] from [[Somerset Community College]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Somerset Community College student, Tara Connor, crowned Miss USA |publisher=The Exchange ([[Kentucky Community and Technical College System|KCTCS]]) |month=April / May |year=2006 |accessdate=2007-03-09}}</ref>

Following her success in the Miss Teen USA pageant Conner was managed by agent Steve Rosenberg for six months and has modelled for companies such as [[Body Glove]].

==Beauty pageants==
===Miss Teen USA 2002===
Conner won the [[Miss Kentucky Teen USA]] title in 2001. In August 2002, she went on to compete in the Miss Teen USA pageant held in [[South Padre Island, Texas]]. After making the first cut, Conner achieved the highest swimsuit score (9.18) among the 10 semi-finalists and had the fifth highest evening gown score (8.79).<ref name="teenusa">[http://www.pageant-almanac.com/miss-teen-usa/scorecard.php#2002 Miss Teen USA 2002 Scorecard from the Pageant Almanac]. Retrieved 2006-12-19</ref> The average of these two scores placed her second overall after these two phases of competition.<ref name="teenusa"/> She eventually placed second runner-up to [[Vanessa Marie Semrow|Vanessa Semrow]] of [[Miss Wisconsin Teen USA|Wisconsin]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Miss Teen USA 2002 crown goes to Wisconsin native|date=2002-08-29|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> Conner's placement equaled that of [[Kristen Johnson]] as the second highest by any delegate representing Kentucky at the pageant.

===Miss Kentucky USA 2006===
Conner returned to pageantry in November 2005 when she won the [[Miss Kentucky USA]] crown, and was crowned by former Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2000 and Miss Kentucky USA 2005 Kristen Johnson. She was the third former teen titleholder to win the Miss Kentucky USA title, others being Johnson and [[Elizabeth Arnold (beauty queen)|Elizabeth Arnold]], who held the teen title in 1998 and was Conner's sister titleholder as Miss Kentucky USA 2002.

[[Image:ConnerNashTingleyDealorNoDeal.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Conner (left) during the ''[[Deal or No Deal (USA)|Deal or No Deal]]'' taping. Eventual Miss USA first runner-up, Miss California USA [[Tamiko Nash]] is at center; [[Leeann Tingley]], who placed in the top ten, is on the right. This image does not reflect their true heights, as Conner is slightly shorter than Nash.]]In March, while still Miss Kentucky USA, Conner traveled to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] to tape a special episode of ''[[Deal or No Deal (USA)|Deal or No Deal]]'' which featured twenty five of the Miss USA 2006 delegates and reigning queen [[Chelsea Cooley]]. The special aired in April 2006.

===Miss USA 2006===
Conner represented Kentucky during the nationally televised [[Miss USA 2006]] pageant in [[Baltimore, Maryland]] on April 21, 2006. Making the semi-finals, she became the 18th woman to place at both Miss Teen USA and Miss USA. She competed in the official BSC Swimwear Thailand for the swimsuit competition and made the top ten, where she competed in the evening gown competition, wearing a specially designed gown by [[Sherri Hill]]. Conner then made the top five and completed the final interview round.

Prior to the announcement of the winner, Conner and her eventual first runner-up [[Tamiko Nash]] shared a long embrace, whilst Conner whispered to Nash. An E! special later revealed that Conner, believing Nash had won, was wishing her luck for her reign as Miss USA and her participation at Miss Universe. The traditional statement read before the announcement of the new titleholder, which declares that "if, for any reason the new titleholder cannot fulfill her reign, the first runner-up will take over", later become pertinent following the scandal surrounding Conner in December.

Conner eventually won the Miss USA title, the first woman from Kentucky to do so.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/21/AR2006042102165.html?nav=rss_artsandliving/entertainmentnews|title=Miss Kentucky Crowned Miss USA|publisher=Washington Post|first=Sarah |last=Brumfield|date=2006-04-22|accessdate=2006-12-19}}</ref> She was crowned by previous titleholder [[Chelsea Cooley]], from [[Miss North Carolina USA|North Carolina]]. Conner was the fourth former Miss Teen USA state titleholder to win the Miss USA crown since 2000, one of whom was Cooley, who was [[Miss North Carolina Teen USA]] 2000.

===Miss Universe 2006===
Conner represented the United States at the [[Miss Universe 2006]] pageant in [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]] in July 2006. Her roommate during the three weeks the delegates spent in Los Angeles was Kenisha Thom of [[Trinidad and Tobago]].

Conner made the initial cut of twenty delegates and went on to compete in the swimsuit competition, and as a member of the top ten, competed in evening gown, wearing a dress designed by [[Kayne Gillaspie]], a contestant on [[reality television]] show ''[[Project Runway]]'' Season 3.<ref name="runway">{{cite news|title=Reality show designers create Tara Conner's Miss Universe dress|date=2006-07-20|publisher=Lexington Herald-Leader |accessdate=2007-03-10|first=Barbara|last=Isaacs}}</ref> After making the top five and competing in a final interview round, Conner was announced as the fourth runner-up to new Miss Universe [[Zuleyka Rivera]] of [[Miss Puerto Rico Universe|Puerto Rico]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1K1-1357100000022386.html|title=Making Kentucky, U.S. proud: Tara Conner is Fourth Runner-up to Miss Universe|publisher=Lexington Herald-Leader |date=2006-07-24|accessdate=2007-03-10|first=Barbara|last=Isaacs}}</ref> Conner is only the fifth Miss USA to finish fourth runner-up at [[Miss Universe]].

==Year in the life of Miss USA==
[[Image:TaraConnerUSO.jpg|thumb|left|Tara Conner supporting the [[United Service Organizations|USO]] in New York City, October 2006]]
Immediately after winning the pageant, Conner moved into a Trump Place apartment that she shared with sister titleholders [[Zuleyka Rivera]] ([[Miss Universe]] 2006) and [[Katie Blair]] ([[Miss Teen USA]] 2006) during her reign. Her first week in New York included many media events, which included print interviews and spots on ''[[CNN Headline News]]'', ''[[Live! With Regis and Kelly]]'', and ''[[The Early Show]]''.<ref name="eventschedule"/>

On April 29, Conner returned to pageant host city Baltimore to make appearances connected with the [[Volvo Ocean Race]], sailing on board the yacht Black Pearl.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bymnews.com/VOR/html/pirate_queen.html|title=Pirate Queen|publisher=BYM News}}</ref> and then returned to New York, appearing with [[Miss Universe]] 2005 [[Natalie Glebova]] at the ''Invest in Our World Benefit'' on May 3.

In the first week of May she briefly returned to Kentucky for the [[Kentucky Derby]] and was a celebrity guest at the Mint Jubilee Gala, attending the event with fellow national beauty queen [[Jennifer Berry]], [[Miss America]] 2006 (of [[Miss Oklahoma|Oklahoma]]) and former [[Miss Kentucky USA]] titleholders [[Elizabeth Arnold (beauty queen)|Lizzie Arnold]] and [[Kristen Johnson]], as well as other notable beauty queens.<ref>[http://www.uoflhealthcare.org/mintjubilee/celebs.asp Celebrity Attendees at the Mint Jubilee Gala Fundraiser]. Retrieved 2006-12-19. {{Wayback | url=http://www.uoflhealthcare.org/mintjubilee/celebs.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> | date=20070512152713 }}</ref> After returning to New York, Conner participated in charity events and was participated in a photo shoot with official photographer Fadil Berisha.

On May 18, 2006, Conner rang the opening bell at the [[American Stock Exchange]].<ref>{{cite web| title =Miss USA Rings the Opening Bell| publisher =American Stock Exchange| date =2006-05-18 | url =http://amex.com/atamex/news/events/2006/br_MissUSA_051806.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-19}}</ref> She returned to Kentucky for her official homecoming in early June 2006. where she met with servicemen, with whom she posed for the July 2006 cover of [[Kentucky Monthly]] magazine, and volunteered with local charities.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/LexingtonHeraldLeader/2006/06/11/1628580?extID=10037&oliID=229|title=Tara Conner Crowned Miss USA in April: Russell Springs offers a royal welcome home |publisher=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=2006-06-11|accessdate=2006-12-19}}</ref>

On July 19, 2006, Conner appeared as a guest judge in an episode of the third season of the [[Bravo!]] series ''[[Project Runway]]''.<ref name="runway" /> The contestants on the show competed against each other to create a dress for her to wear in the Miss Universe pageant. The dress was later featured in the evening gown competition of the pageant.

In August 2006, Conner met newly crowned Miss Universe [[Zuleyka Rivera]] and outgoing Miss Teen USA [[Allie LaForce]] in California where they were involved with media events, before all three travelled to [[Palm Springs, California]] for the [[Miss Teen USA 2006]] pageant. On August 15 LaForce crowned [[Katie Blair]] of Montana as the new Miss Teen USA, and Conner, Rivera and Blair returned to New York the day after the pageant. Later that month, Conner and Blair attended a number of high-profile parties in New York including a Land Rover event featuring [[Maria Sharapova]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.meniscuszine.com/issue17/land_rover_20060824/index.html | title=Sharapova, Bryan Brothers Attend Pre-U.S. Open Fête |publisher=Meniscus Magazine |date=2006-08-24}}</ref> a [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]] Kick-Off Party, a pre-[[Video Music Awards]] party hosted by [[Ciara]] and [[Missy Elliott]] and another Video Music Awards party hosted by [[Nick Lachey]].<ref name="eventschedule">{{cite web|url=http://www.missusa.com/cgi-bin/view_calendar2006.cgi?site=usa2006|title=Miss USA event schedule|publisher=Miss Universe Organization|accessdate=2006-12-19}}</ref>

[[Image:Tara Conner McGuire 1.jpg|thumb|Conner operates military equipment at [[McGuire Air Force Base]] in [[Burlington County, New Jersey]]]]In September 2006, Conner travelled to [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]] to promote the [[Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation]] Race for the Cure, as her predecessor [[Chelsea Cooley]] had done the year previously.<ref>[http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=794646&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=5.2.1 Interview on Fox Boston, 2006-09-06]. Retrieved 2006-09-08.</ref> She then travelled to [[Colorado]] to support the Cheryl Shackelford Foundation<ref>[http://denver.yourhub.com/DENVER/Stories/Community/community-giving-nominations/Story~127255.aspx Second Annual Teal Soiree a huge success], 2006-09-20. Retrieved 2006=10-06</ref> and to Pennsylvania to attend an event hosted by the [[USO]] of Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. In October 2006, Conner spent time volunteering with more charities, including [[Gilda's Club]], Best Buddies, and Project Sunshine, before embarking on a USO tour to Italy and [[Turkey]] in November 2006, where she met her brother, who is living in Italy.<ref name="eventschedule"/>

During [[Thanksgiving]] weekend of November 2006, Conner appeared on the Showboat float in the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], becoming the fourth Miss USA to appear in the parade.<ref name="eventschedule"/> After attending the Miss Kentucky USA 2007 pageant and crowning [[Michelle Banzer]] as successor to her state title, she and Rivera travelled to [[Cannes, France]] and Italy where they made promotional appearances.<ref name="eventschedule"/>

In December 2006, Conner should have celebrated her 21st birthday with a special event held at [[Pure Nightclub]] at [[Caesars Palace]] on the [[Las Vegas Strip]] near [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] but the event was later canceled because of the scandal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Dec-19-Tue-2006/news/11512189.html|title=NORM: Trump set to give Miss USA the hook |publisher=Las Vegas Review Journal|date=2006-12-19|accessdate=2006-12-19}}</ref>

Following her time in a rehabilitation center in Pennsylvania during December and January, Conner returned to the public stage in February and was interviewed by a number of news outlets. She made her first public appearance on February 4, 2007 when she, Katie Blair and Zuleyka Rivera appeared as models for Tadashi, a sponsor of the pageant, at a fashion show in New York City.

==Controversy==
On December 14, 2006, controversy erupted when [[TMZ.com]] published an article stating that Conner might be dethroned for her behavior in several New York City [[bar (establishment)|bars]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2006/12/14/exclusive-miss-usa-dethroned/|publisher=TMZ|title=Miss USA Dethroned?|date=2006-12-14|accessdate=2006-12-16}}</ref> The following day the website reported that Conner would be stripped of her crown, and that first runner-up [[Tamiko Nash]], who completed her reign as [[Miss California USA]] [[October 2006|in October]], would inherit the Miss USA title.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tmz.com/2006/12/15/first-runner-up-to-become-miss-usa/|title=
First Runner-Up to Become Miss USA|publisher=TMZ|date=2006-12-15|accessdate=2006-12-16}}</ref> This was neither confirmed nor denied by the Miss Universe Organization.

The December 16, 2006 edition of the [[New York Daily News]] reported Conner had tested positive for [[cocaine]], had kissed [[Miss Teen USA]] [[Katie Blair]] in public, and had sneaked men into their Trump Place apartment. One New York City nightlife veteran said "She really is a small-town girl. She just went wild when she came to the city. Tara just couldn't handle herself. They were sneaking those [[nightclub]] guys in and out of the apartment."<ref>{{cite news|title=Queen is way out of line: Failed test for coke, kissy with teen missy |publisher=New York Daily News|date=2006-12-16|first=Jo|last=Piazza|accessdate=2006-12-17}}</ref> According to [[Fox News]], citing local New York newspapers, Conner "moved out of her apartment in one of Trump's luxury buildings on Manhattan's Upper West Side" sometime during the week of December 11, 2006.

On December 19, 2006, Trump held a press conference saying that Conner was not dethroned as Miss USA. "I've always been a believer in second chances," Trump said.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=nation_world&id=4863935|publisher=abc11tv.com|title=Donald Trump Lets Miss USA Tara Conner|date=2006-12-19|accessdate=2006-12-19}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Had Conner been dethroned, she would have been the first Miss USA to have her title removed since [[Mary Leona Gage]] in 1957. It was also announced that Conner would be entering [[Caron Treatment Centers]], an [[alcoholism]] [[drug rehabilitation|rehabilitation]] facility in [[Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite press release|date=2006-12-14|publisher=WFMZ|title=Miss USA to Check Herself into Rehab in Berks County|accessdate=2006-12-21|url=http://wfmz.com/view/?id=38838}}</ref> During the press conference Conner declined to comment on allegations of illicit drug use and claimed she was not an alcoholic but acknowledged making serious mistakes.

After coming out of rehab less than two months later in February 2007, Conner admitted in an interview with [[Matt Lauer]] that she had abused cocaine and anti-depressants.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/01312007/gossip/pagesix/tara_fesses_up_pagesix_.htm|title=Tara Fesses Up|publisher=New York Post|date=2007-01-31|accessdate=2007-02-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20010343,00.html|title=Miss USA Tara Conner Admits to Cocaine Use|publisher=People Magazine|date=2007-01-31|accessdate=2007-02-06}}</ref> Conner said that she had faced her "demons" and hinted her problems may have stemmed from some unspecified abuse during her childhood with someone she recently confronted. She would not comment on whether this abuse was sexual. "I will not deny that I have witnessed some abuse, but out of respect for my family ... it's something I would like to speak with my family about first," Conner told NBC television's "Today" show. "Later on, maybe I'll feel more comfortable about speaking on these topics, but right now not so much."<ref name="NewsMax">{{cite news|url=http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/2/1/155113.shtml |title=Miss USA Tara Conner Hints at Childhood Abuse|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=2007-02-01|accessdate=2007-02-07}}</ref> She also participated in an interview on [[Larry King Live]].

On April 1, 2007 she attended [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]]'s [[WrestleMania 23]] in [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]. In the [[Professional wrestling match types|Hair vs. Hair Match]] she came down to the ring as the attendant of Donald Trump. In January 2008 it was announced that Conner would be writing a book about her life as Miss USA and her struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Tara currently serves as a Public Advocacy Consultant for [[Caron Treatment Centers]], sharing her journey of recovery with others and being an advocate for those whose lives have been impacted by addiction.<ref>{{cite blog|url=http://caronchitchat.org/sharing-gratitude-during-recovery-month|title=Sharing Gratitude During Recovery Month|publisher=www.CaronChitChat.org|date=2010-09-08|accessdate=2010-10-01}}</ref>

==''Pageant Place'' and beyond==
Conner appeared on the 2007 [[MTV]] [[reality show]] ''[[Pageant Place]]'' as the surprise fourth roommate to the 2007 Miss Universe Organization pageant winners [[Miss Universe]] [[Riyo Mori]], [[Miss USA]] [[Rachel Smith]], and [[Miss Teen USA]] [[Hilary Cruz]] as they live together in an apartment in [[New York City]]. The series premiered on October 10, 2007, and during this episode [[Donald Trump]] revealed that Katie Blair had been the one who had turned in Conner for alcohol and drug abuse because she felt that Conner was trying to steal Blair's boyfriend Josh.

For MTV's Spring Break 2008, Conner appeared with comedian [[Dan Levy]] in ''Pretty Smart'', a competition challenging contestants to figure out whom among a group of attractive men and women also "offers more than just a pretty face" and has "a brain to match."<ref>http://www.mtv.com/ontv/specials/spring_break/2008/about.jhtml</ref>

Conner was a contestant on the third season of [[Country Music Television|CMT]]'s ''[[Gone Country (television series)|Gone Country]]'', which premiered in January 2009.<ref>http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20238563,00.html</ref>

Conner hosted the first season of [[MTV]]'s ''[[The Girls of Hedsor Hall]],'' which premiered in February 2009.

Conner was a judge at the [[Miss USA 2010]] pageant, held on May 16, 2010.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Commons|Tara Conner}}
*[http://www.misskentuckyusa.com/ Official Miss Kentucky USA website]
*[http://www.missusa.com/missusa/index.html Miss USA official website]
*{{imdb name|id=2219848|name=Tara Conner}}

{{start box}}
{{succession box
| before=[[Katherine Faulkner]]
| title=[[Miss Kentucky Teen USA]]
| years=2002
| after=[[Amanda Nunneley]]
}}
{{succession box
| before=[[Kristen Johnson]]
| title=[[Miss Kentucky USA]]
| years=2006
| after=[[Michelle Banzer]]
}}
{{succession box
| before=[[Chelsea Cooley]]
| title=[[Miss USA]]
| years=[[Miss USA 2006|2006]] ''(dethroned, retained title)''
| after=[[Rachel Smith]]
}}
{{end box}}
{{Miss Universe Organization titleholders
|Year=2006
|Miss Universe=[[Zuleyka Rivera]]
|Miss USA=Tara Conner
|Miss Teen USA=[[Katie Blair]]
}}
{{Miss USA 2006 Delegates}}

{{Kentucky Pageant Winners}}

<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Persondata
|NAME=Conner, Tara
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Conner, Tara Elizabeth
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=beauty queen
|DATE OF BIRTH=1985-12-18
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Dallas, Texas]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conner, Tara}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Miss Universe 2006 delegates]]
[[Category:Miss USA 2006 delegates]]
[[Category:Miss USA winners]]
[[Category:Miss Teen USA 2002 delegates]]
[[Category:Participants in American reality television series]]
[[Category:People from Russell County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Beauty pageant controversies]]

[[es:Tara Conner]]
[[it:Tara Conner]]
[[ja:タラ・コナー]]
[[pl:Tara Conner]]
[[pt:Tara Conner]]
[[vi:Tara Conner]]

Revision as of 15:25, 19 February 2011

Connie