The 71st Miss USA pageant will held on October 3 at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. It will air live on the FYI cable channel and Hulu Live TV at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Women are vying for the coveted title in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Zuri Hall, a journalist for “Access Hollywood,” will once more serve as the competition’s host.
The swimsuit and evening gown competitions, a personal interview, and an onstage question are all part of the two-hour event.
The judges include South Korean table tennis champion Soo Yeon Lee, producer Ashlee Clark, winner of a Tony Award, model Nicole Williams-English, and fashion designer Aaron Potts.
Miss USA 2021 Elle Smith, the first biracial candidate to represent Kentucky, will crown the winner.
Six months prior to winning Miss USA, Smith, a full-time journalist at the time, had only participated in her first pageant.
The new Miss USA will compete in the Miss Universe contest on behalf of the country. The organization’s website states that the winner will also get a six-figure salary and a guest appearance on a Tyler Perry TV show. During her reign, she will reside in a lavish condo in Los Angeles and get a $25,000 crown that she can retain forever.
Crystal Stewart, Miss USA 2008 and the current head of the Miss USA franchise, expressed her desire to push the pageant “to the forefront of pop culture” in a statement to Insider.
“The Miss USA Organization seeks to continually elevate the narrative of inclusivity and diversity of young females nationwide,” she said. “To amplify the success of these new trailblazing influencers, the organization focuses on leveraging their platforms for social good while inspiring the need for strong female leadership. My goal is to provide them with a unique experience that prepares them for success that translates beyond the pageant stage, so these young women can have the confidence to feel beautiful, powerful, and know what they can attain is limitless.”