NEWS

Miss USA pageant disintegrating; defections grow

Greg Hilburn
ghilburn@gannett.com

Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne said growing defections leading to the near disintegration of the Miss USA competition in Baton Rouge are punishing the contestants rather than Donald Trump, whose inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants created the flap.

“Those being punished are the participants who have worked years to reach this stage and their families,” said Dardenne, whose office is charged with tourism and marketing for the state.

But Dardenne said he won’t agree to pay the $50,000 tourism incentive that helped draw the pageant to Baton Rouge to Trump’s Miss Universe organization unless it can find another national TV network to broadcast the event. NBC and Univision both dropped their plans to air the pageant.

A slew of sponsors, networks, hosts, performers and judges have dropped their participation since Trump said Mexican immigrants have brought drugs, crime and rape into the United States during his announcement that he would be a Republican presidential candidate.

As of Wednesday, Miss USA had just one performer and one host left for the competition, according to multiple media reports.

Host Jeannie Mai told People Wednesday she remains on board, although she disagrees with Trump’s comments.

“While I absolutely do not condone Mr. Trump’s statements, after careful deliberation I have decided to continue my role as co-host of the upcoming Miss USA Pageant,” Mai said in a statement.“... I can’t abandon these women when they need our support now more than ever.”

Dardenne agreed, saying his office “will do everything we can to roll out the red carpet for the contestants.”

“We will continue to fund the hosting events including the opening reception (Thursday) and the seafood feast at the Houma House Sunday evening,” he said. “I plan to meet with pageant officials and ask them about strides they’ve made, if any, about finding another network.

“Until I have a clearer picture of the TV broadcast I don’t intend to provide the $50,000 incentive from the Office of Tourism; not until I see Plan B.”

The pageant is scheduled July 12.

Follow Greg Hilburn on Twitter @GregHilburn1