Meet Miss USA Alyssa Campanella!
Credit: Denise Truscello/WireImage
All hail the queen!
Alyssa Campanella, a.k.a. Miss California, was crowned Miss USA during Sunday's pageant at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas, broadcast live on NBC.
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The 21-year-old "history geek" was born and raised in New Jersey; she bested 50 other contenders, including Miss Tennessee Ashley Durham (second place), Miss Alabama Madeline Mitchell (third), and Miss Texas Ana Christina Rodriguez (fourth).
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The judges who selected Campanella included Real Housewives of New Jersey's Caroline Manzo, rapper Lil Jon, Dallas Mavericks player Tyson Chandler, celeb chef Rocco DiSpirito and actress Mariel Hemingway.
How'd the brunette bombshell stand out? She didn't break a sweat or struggle when asked a controversial question about whether marijuana should be legalized. (Campanella's stance: Medical marijuana should be legal, but all other forms of the drug should remain forbidden.)
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Campanella will represent the USA at the Miss Universe pageant, to be held Sept. 12 in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
Tell Us: Did the right beauty queen win?
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8Hey Frank- it is not just about beauty- it's brains too and Miss California has both- I felt she stood out from the rest- absolutely stunning- the judges felt the same. Next time use your other head to vote!!! Or maybe it upset you that she didn't feel marijuanna should be legalized? http://bit.ly/jHupqA
This is why the USA never wins Miss Universe.
she's pretty, congrats!
Eew. Must be a bad picture of her.
She's definitely better looking than the typical run of the mill ugly freckled face, pale as a ghost red head. Still not convinced she is Miss USA material. That emerald gown she wore was hideous! That crock of shyt is all rigged and is straight political....Yawn! Can't believe it's even still aired!!!
A real housewife, a basketball player and a chef are experts enough to "judge" on Miss USA pageant? Do the young ladies deserve this? No...couldn't the responsible people find anyone better? Representatives for model agencies, top journalists, classy actors (Mariel Hemingway, come on!), filmmakers, anybody who represents America and its values....but..I can't get over it...a chef, and some yesterdays...a Mavericks player (and it's not even Dirk Nowitzki..o wait, his taste in women is quite questionable), please explain to me what some New Jersey housiwife and the others have that qualifies them. Makes the whole thing so....low, to be chose by them. You are always also measured by who chose you, singing at the Met means more that being the star of Muskogee Opera, but good luck to the Miss and the other fine girls.
ah,lovely...got d spark !
Yep! Had her picked after she won Miss Cali USA. Awesome, hopefully she'll become Miss Universe!