Miss US Model pageant -- The Louisiana Pageant Post

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Date Posted: 12:16:53 08/15/03 Fri
Author: sh
Subject: Miss US Model pageant

I wrote this letter to the pageant director and am mailing it today. I would like everyone to realize my frustration with my experience and avoid this pageant. Currently, I am looking for any other KY message boards to spread the news, so please tell any of your friends thinking about entering this. Thanks for your time in reading this since it is long. Also, I took off my personal contact information to avoid being harassed, but if you would like to know more, I will respond to any posts following mine as time permits. Thanks again!

August 15, 2003

Dear Directors of the U.S. Model Pageant,

I am writing to voice my disappointment with this year's national pageant. Though everyone was very kind and understanding when an unfortunate family emergency caused me to have to miss half a day of rehearsals, I was still let down by my experience with your pageant. I would also encourage friends not to take part in it because of my experience. I thought it would only be fair to let you know why I wasn't happy.
When I saw the agenda in my packet and on the website, it sounded like an exciting long weekend of fun. But when I found out the cost, I almost didn't have the opportunity to attend. Spending that much money, and adding on a hotel room, was a huge financial burden for me since I am in college and reaping as much financial aid as I can already. I was determined not to let the fee stop me from what I thought would be a wonderful experience. I worked for hours at a work study job at school while trying to balance another job and my academics. I finally had the money to enter.
I feel all that hard work and money was a huge waste. I showed up at Opry Mills on time, only to find a handful of contestants there. No one new what we were supposed to do or where other people were. I ended up spending the evening on my own. This was not the only activity that didn't work out. Where was the big lunch planned at Hard Rock Caf�, then changed to Rain Forest caf�, with everyone in decade wear? Few people went on the river boat cruise. I thought this was a pageant for aspiring models and pageant girls. The "photo shoot" was nothing more than school-portrait style staged prints--nothing I could use in a good modeling portfolio.
As the weekend drew on, contestants were all asking about the prizes. Participants from last year claimed that the cash scholarship and other prizes never materialized. Others said the expenses paid vacation wasn't expenses paid. Winners said they never received a modeling contract. I was worried that I was involved with something that was dishonest.
The rehearsals were disorganized, contestants didn't know the dance routine. Events didn't happen--the meals together, etc. The hotel (this isn't your fault) had a plumbing program that left most of the rooms smelling like sewage. Did the prizes and modeling contract even get awarded?
I'm disappointed since I was a runner up, which puts me in a prime position to return in a coming year and have the chance to place higher or win. But I know I would never be involved with your pageants again. The cost is almost as much as the USA pageant system, which is televised and has thousands of dollars in prizes, even a scholarship, that is guaranteed.
I'm really upset that months of work to make the money to come left me so horribly disenchanted. I feel it is my duty to warn anyone who asks me about the quality of this pageant to save their money. That's a shame since everyone was nice and the packets given out ahead of time seemed like this would be a great experience full of trips, prizes, and a professional operation.
I hope the future of your pageant isn't so bleak. I also hope no student like myself ever loses money the way I did with you. The money I lost would have paid for textbooks next semester--or almost a trip to the Kentucky USA pageant. Either would have been money far better spent.
Thank you for your time and I hope you can consider my thoughts. I hope I can reconcile losing that much money and a long weekend with my family, which is absolutely free yet completely priceless.

Sincerely

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Replies:

Re: Miss US Model pageant -- LATORIE GREEN (HAPPY), 10:12:22 06/22/07 Fri