Miss Florida USA Karina Brez was thrown into the Miss-USA-is-fixed controversy this morning on NBC’s Today.
Brez, a gemologist from Wellington, allegedly told other contestants she saw a list of the top five winners way before they were announced Sunday. Miss Rhode Island Olivia Culpo won the crown.
Brez allegedly told Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin about the list.
At least, that’s what Monnin said on Today as she upped the ante in her feud with pageant owner Donald Trump.
Trump announced he’d be suing Monnin for defamation because, Trump says, the contestants are elected fair-and-square.
While Brez could now get brought into the legal action, she just issued a statement saying Monnin is full of it.
“I want to make a statement, very firm and very clearly, that I did not at any time tell Miss Pennsylvania USA or other Miss USA contestants that I knew the final five contestants in the pageant,” Brez wrote. ”For reasons I don’t understand, my name is now being brought forward as the person who released the names and implied that the Final Five contestants were pre-selected. This is absolutely not true, and not the case.
“Backstage during the pageant, I did see a piece of paper with names on it, and like most people in such frenetic circumstances, joked that they must be the names of the final contestants. It was a throwaway comment, in the stress of the pageant, and was never meant as a fact. The list I saw didn’t even have the eventual winner on it.
“Since this situation arose, and accusations made, I have spoken with pageant officials and with Mr. Trump’s representatives. I have told them what happened, and that there was never any malicious implication made in my jocular statements. Miss Pennsylvania USA is using this situation for her own ends. I want it firmly understood that I am honored and privileged to serve as Miss Florida USA and to have competed in the Miss USA pageant. I would never do anything to undermine the Pageant in any way.”
Monnin, meanwhile, commented on the network about Brez’ body language when Brez allegedly told her about the list: “I have many years of psychological training. I know when someone is scared and serious. Her body language was serious. . . It’s too coincidental for someone to be able to call out in order the top 5. I know what I heard there is no doubt in my mind that (Brez) is serious when she laid out what she saw.”
Now Ms Florida had changed her story. Poor little loser. Well, there is no harm in trying again. I suggest next time around she should make a go for the–MISS URANUS title. In my own honest opinion she’s really a shoo in for this one.
I’m soooo over this chick. Shee-not needs to go away…her stories are ridiculous and desperate.
Let’s focus on Olivia…
Hey people… We all know that this kind of crap COULD happen in beauty pageants… I love beauty pageants, but this is it! And let’s be serious: If this kind of situation is true, inside of MUO, this was not the first time… So, absolutely, someone or any contestant that has competed in other editions of Miss USA Pageant should heard or saw anything like this… It’s very difficult to hide some situations like this… Always has someone that loves to gossip and tell rumors… This should came out very early… I think, personally, that Sheena is lying, and, how can I say, “increasing” the version told by Miss Florida, trying to gain attention and “”"”"”FAME”"”"”" (pathetic, by the way!), just to justify she didn’t made part of TOP 16. Personally, if what Monnin’s saying is true (like a miracle), Donald Trump will try to hide this with all his strength, and he, as a powerful and rich man, has so many chances to accomplish it! So, would be very difficult for us to know the REAL truth! Unfortunately!!!!
Unless any news is heard from the horses mouth, I wouldn’t believe any he said, she said material…… rumors and tabloids have gotten the best of us. Anyone at anytime is capable of saying anything to try to ruin something good but until it is physically proven then all the talk of this so called list remains fiction.
Once again, there were rehearsals all week long with random girls picked as finalists. This list could have been any of those lists. Quit trying to add to the fire.
There are too many people supporting the list. Now Miss MA USA 2012′s sister hit Twitter to say the list did exist, FL did tell the girls and that she supports Sheena 100%. That’s big. Since Miss MA USA 2012 can’t speak about it herself, you know she’s told her sister the truth. Many know families of contestants got text messages of the “the list” before the top 16 were announced. Trump is looking like an idiot now and he’s sending out his girls to try and play it all off now. I love how Sheena is remaining quiet and letting Trump dig his own hole. She will win. This is the beginning of an all new Miss USA pageant.
Which list are you now referring to? The alleged list of the final 5, or the list of the top 16?
If it is the list of the top 16, then there is no case here as the semi-finalists were already chosen by the preliminary judges and MUO staff prior to the pageant, probably a day after the presentation show after all the scores and votes are tabulated. So any list of the top 16 being discovered prior to the telecast is normal.
The way all Pagents usually pick their top contenders are obviously through the preliminaries in which a separate panel of judges pick. In this case with the MUO, it’s a separate panel of judges and members of the MUO organization. There’s really nothing wrong with that. Pagents now days are giving viewers the option to pick who they want in the finalist positions which is usually though online voting, text messaging or the girls voting amongst themselves by popular vote. Wether or not a contestant makes it or not is up to the votes. It’s their way of attracting viewers to watch and tune in.
I was actually able to make it to the pagent this year and I do know that dress rehearsals were not only on the day of (earlier in the morning) but through out the week so that major things like the stage lighting, camera effects, music and positions were good come the night of the pagent so………. the list that Sheena or Miss Florida even mentioned could have been any one during those days of rehearsal. Rehearsal’s are just random girls picked to fill those spots for practice.
I don’t think Sheena is right when she said knows when a person is lying or not buy their body language. Until you really know a person and how the person is you can’t really judge the person. That 2 weeks is not enough time especially when your time is not really concentrated on just one contestant but many and yourself. Anyone at any given time can change their reaction to anything and act a different way.
Regardless if Miss Florida is hiding the truth or not for any reason, if she really wishes to come out or not is really her choice. You can’t really force anything on anyone who wants no say or part in a situation. If Miss Florida wishes to live her life drama free then so be it. Wouldn’t we all love to live a drama free life? Who know’s, she may come out after her reign is up.
As for the TV station having the results of the top 16, think about it…… The MUO is co owned by NBC. So that when the live taping of the pagents starts, and the top 16 are called the TV station needs to know who the top 16 are so that the names and any additional information pop up when the finalists are called. Editing is no problem but they have to start from the top 16 and work from there. Of course the TV stations gonna know before hand who the top 16 are, remember…… they were picked from a separate panel of judges.
Overall, I don’t think Trump was right for down talking Sheena like he’s did on public radio and television however, I don’t think the judging was rigged either. Its honestly a case of Sheena being upset that she didn’t win or even place and used the story of the trans gender decision as a plan B. She says all she wants is the truth, what else does she want from it? another rematch? Seriously???? If you were to ask all the other former titleholders how their experience was working with the organization and Trump (remember this goes back 61 years) not much negativity will come from it. This is including Universe and Teen titleholders.
Well said and I agree that Trump should have kept quiet. The MUO should simply issued a statement saying that Monnin’s charges are simply untrue and be just be done with it. Because when no one takes her charges seriously, it will just go away. But Trump no doubt pushed her buttons but talking about her lack of looks and so this thing escalated.
AHA! I should have known that the ‘mystery candidate’ with the secret news was the infamous Karina Brez of Florida. Wasn’t this the attention-grabing nut who plastered her coronation photos all over the web, on every pageant forum and blog, last summer? Well, her wish has come true — she is getting her 5 seconds of notoriety as a peripheral player in this saga.
There has been rumors of lists that they have back stage of the top 16, so they can move those girls clothes to a separate changing area. But that is no surprise since by the elction day they have the result of the top 16 even the tv station has it!
At this point we really don’t know who’s telling the truth. The parties involved–i.e., Miss Pennsylvania, Miss Florida, and the Trump organization/Donald Trump–are all self-interested parties with their own vested interests and agenda to which none of us is privy. We could speculate as much as we want, but the truth will not come out until the facts are fully aired and fleshed out. It may well be just pure miscommunication or misinterpretation and not a deliberate attempt to undermine the results of the Miss USA pageant. Who really knows at this point? HOWEVER, I’m not sure if anyone would have the guts and the gumption to deliberately circulate a potentially defamatory information about the Miss USA pageant and the Trump organization, fully knowing that the information was wrong and that circulating such information would incur the wrath of one of the most powerful, arrogant, and vindictive men in the world. We’d seen how Donald Trump had come after people that he perceived to be his enemies (for example, Rosie O’Donnell).
Donald Trump threatened to sue Sheena if she didn’t apologize in 24 hours yet after it was up, we learned that MUO can’t sue and must work through any disagreements. Seems Trump is full of it and should’ve known that rule and was just bullying Sheena.
Lily is right, Sheena have dug herself into a grave that she cannot get out.
The only thing left for her is to go through this whole lawsuit thing. So even if she loses, she can still save face and maintain that she was telling the truth and was defeated by Trump’s overpaid lawyers.
The other route is to come clean and she will forever be branded a liar and sore loser.
I’ve never had a great deal of faith in miss Universe so i really dont know who to believe.
Give me a break! I have no love for Trump but this Monnin woman has no case, and the fact that she’s dragging another contestant’s name through the mud for her attention craving ways is simply abhorrent.
Monnin is playing people, many of whom seem to post here. Please, let’s not be so naive!
You are right, XYZ. Unfortunately, some people here are so naive.. Every other person involved with the scandal (judges, contestants, hosts, Miss Florida, MUO, etc.) has flat out denied what Sheena (the liar) is talking about.
please… why would monnin want to give up all the priviliges of being a “Miss”… for 15 minutes of fame?..or being sued by the organization?..it doesnt add up.. there is truth in her story.
Maybe that is something you should ask her. Ask her why does she keep claiming these absurd lies when everyone else involved in the pageant (judges, hosts, contestants, etc.) say otherwise. Ask her why does she keep insisting on this list when she has not seen the list herself and she just “witnessed a contestant say it”. Ask her why she keeps insisting on this Top 5 list when Florida said that Rhode Island was not even on it. Ask her why she keeps insisting on the pageant being rigged when the judges and Ernst & Young themselves say it is impossible. Ask her why she changed her mind from resigning due to transgenders to now this supposedly rigging accusations. Ask her why why why!
The only reason why she became Mss Pennsylvania is so that she can have a chance to compete for Miss USA — that is the goal of most of these girls. Most of these girls dream of being Miss USA, not a state queen. When she lost, she got upset and she no longer felt the need to be Miss Pennsylvania… and she came up with this excuse to justify her embarrassment for not even making the cut. Most girls feel privileged just competing but obviously she wants something more. Well boohoo for her… and shame on her for being a poor sport.
You are taking the word of one sore loser beauty queen over every single celebrity panel judge, hosts and contestants? Oh please. No one in the world who was there that night will even back her up. The answer: She made it up and lied! No one will know why she is doing what she is doing because that is how the mind of a crazy person works.
I agree with Lily and do not agree with David or G. Miss Penn just wants her 15 minutes of fame (even longer as it gets dragged out) and now there is no further to go w/ her title and now only had to fullfill any stateholder obligations which doesn’t benefit her personally. Instead of having to “work” for her title she can get paid for blabbing on and on whoever will listen to her. Next she’ll write a book on it. As to a top 16 list beforehand- it would make sense at some point before they announce the top 16- that the show director/camera crew knows where to point the camera.
I agree with you, David. I’m believing Sheena more and more.
Because she’s 27, about to fade into obscurity in the pageant annals and wants to be remembered.
But continue to be played. She stands for NOTHING you want her to stand for.
i think i believe her,,,for whats going in US the american idol result was fix,,,the pacman was rigged…whats next to america?the jenna issues,,,the iran threat?china expantionist?this is made up of strong and cooperative organisation…..
For what its worth.. miss florida could very well have seen that true list.. and told miss pennsylvania. and when it became public she is ofcourse scared to loose her title and the priviliges that comes with it so now she is lying to keep her crown..
miss florida has nothing to earn from telling the truth here………
I still believe Miss Pennsylvania.. she seems like an honest person.
Well said, David. I agree with you. Florida may be the one lying for fear of losing her title and being sued. It was too much of a coincidence that the 5 finalists were called in the same order as on the list. Too much focus is on Sheena saying she’s lying but we should turn to Florida and not take her word because she may be the one who is lying. I agree, David, Florida has nothing to earn from telling the truth and a lot of lose.
Nothing to earn from telling the truth??. How about being at peace with herself at knowing she is telling the truth?. Have you ever heard of the concept of a clean conscience ‘G’; I’m guessing no if you are so quick to defend an obvious schemer like Monnin and attack Miss Florida SIMPLY for telling the truth.
David, I agree with you. I think Monnin is telling the truth, this is a woman who by all accounts loved pageants.
Whether she loved pageants or not, her pageant career is basically over since Monnin is 27. She has basically aged out of the system and not to mention that since she participated at Miss USA already. Other Miss USA contestants can still and had in the past go for Miss Universe by winning a overseas national title but that route is now closed to Monnin.
One can only “assume” whether or not Ms Florida saw the list with top 5 on it.
But what is “sure” is Ms. Florida denied knowing the top 5 on the list. That’s clear and simple.
sorry to say but so far, I can see Monnin losing the case…
I have personally met and spent a lot of time with Miss Florida outside of the pagent world. I believe that she is lying, for her own personal protection and gain. She was very catty in her E! interview even claiming she doesnt remember talking to Miss P. However, she remembered that Miss P sat out during rehearsals, etc.. Karina is absolutely the type to be bought off to shut her mouth and hand over the evidence. I would not be surprised to see her on one of Donalds shows, i.e. the apprentice.
I think Florida is also lying and the focus should be on her than Sheena. Florida has a lot to lose, her title and being sued, if she came out to support Sheena. Florida told the list of the top 5 to Sheena and the top 5 were announced in the EXACT same order, so it seems very suspicious to me.
You are LIAR ‘G’. The names on the list were not the eventual top 5. Miss Florida stated it very clearly. You repeating it a thousand times is not going to make it true. Shame on you.
Scooby we have a mystery to solve… Seriously the suspense is killing me, has Sheena possibly gone bonkers?! I mean think about it the girl has invested 9 years of her life into this pageant, thats a long time, could she have possibly built herself up and prepared herself for thinking that she stood a good chance of placing or even winning?! Imagine the damage that would have caused her ego? That moment she had been waiting and dreaming off for over 9 years just passed in a flash and BANG she wasn’t called out! Imagine what must have been going through her mind after the semi-finalists were announced, all those years of dreaming, the money, the time and not to mention the hard work and effort put into it, she did compete 3 times! God knows how many times before that she must have been applied for state regionals, for her to finally win a state crown at the age of 27!
OR…
Is there really a conspiracy? Did Florida really see a list of the final 5? If she did would she really admit it? Trump is a very powerful man, some would consider it suicidal to take him on, i mean look at the threats and harsh comments he made towards Sheena? How damaging and effective were his words? It would be enough to intimidate anyone! Also i find it very suspicious how the MUO held a secret discussion with Florida prior to the media finding out who the contestant was, how did the MUO know Florida was the contestant who allegedly saw the list? Did Sheena tell them because she never released the contestant’s name in her previous accusation?! What has Sheena got to gain from this really? You may say fame but for how long? This would all blow over within a short while and people will forget! What has she to lose? Well everything her reputation her career prospects, alot is riding on this and it is a big risk for her to go down this road.
What is the truth?
The answer is the former. Sheena has gone bonkers. She was blinded by rage since she did not make the Top 16. If you watch her prelim performance, it is easy to see why. She felt the need to justify her exclusion from the Top 16 to her family and friends and so she chose this route.
MUO interrogated Florida because Sheena said it was Florida who told her about the list; otherwise, MUO would not have known who she was talking about. Even Sheena herself said it was Florida on the “Today” interview. Sheena is so deep in the hole now that she really has no choice but to continue… which is unfortunately just causing her to dig her grave deeper and deeper. This will all turn out really bad for her. Other contestants, celebrity judges, the hosts, and even Ernst & Young all have made statements that Sheena was wrong and using this “scandal” to extend her 15 seconds of fame. Some people, such as Sheena, will always think that publicity is publicity, even if it is negative.
LOL, that includes Trump as well when it comes to no publicity is bad publicity. Ever since Trump started to get more involved with the pageants, it has been particularly more scandal-ridden than usual. Just the way he wants it.
Just because Trump is rich and powerful, does not mean people shouldn’t take him on. Justice should not matter on who is rich and powerful. The truth is the truth, no matter of income or status.
I agree, therefore we shouldn’t assume he is lying simply because he is rich and powerful and she isn’t. You are the one with prejudices, you are assuming Monnin is telling the truth simply because Trump(whom I’m not a big fan of) is wealthy. She had provided ABSOLUTELY no evidence to support her case. Miss Florida has flat out denied her claim; she has no case and I hope Trump sues her for all that she is worth.
Amen, Leonard!
That’s why I think Trump and the MUO are doing the right thing, by filing a legal case. Then, the truth will come out.
Based on her statement, Miss Florida admitted to see a “list” but denied telling anyone that it had the top 5 already listed. She added that she joked that it might be the top 5.
She saw that list during the pageant itself. My understanding is, the top 16 are usually selected after the pre-pageant, by a different set of judges. If in fact Ms Florida saw a list, it may likely be the list of the top 16 who were already selected. Those 16 may also have been listed according to their scores during the pre-pageant.
Let’s see if that “list” can be produced during the legal hearing.
Man, it’s better than watching “Judge Judy”. It made me more interested to watch beauty pageants such as Miss USA and Miss Universe…
The list allegedly had 5 names on it and all 5 were called on pageant night in the same order as the list.
Nope, they weren’t called, Monnin saying it and you repeating it doesn’t make it true.
Trump is a complete and utter clown, but in this case, I’m on his side. It certainly appears that this Sheena Monnin woman is just trying to become the next Carried Prejean by making up some ridiculous conspiracy and pretending to be some sort of victim. I’ll be glad when she goes away.
Really?? Or could it be that with litigation threats that this girl doesnt wish to have any further involvement!! Why lie and take it this far despite threats of being sued??
So we now know that a list DID indeed exist as Monnin stated.
We also now know that the list did not even have the winner’s name on it which would mean the pageant was not rigged. Obviously, Sheena is a liar.
Actually the list that Florida saw had the names of the 5 finalist and coincidentally, the 5 on that list were called in the EXACT order that Florida said and that’s a bit too suspicious. I think Florida may be the one lying and not Sheena because Florida’s afraid of losing her state title as well as being sued.
I don’t understand ‘G’, do you not know how to read or are you deliberately trying to distort her words?. Because the rest of us know how to read: “The list I saw didn’t even have the eventual winner on it”; what part of that statement do you find ambiguous or hard to understand?
You could be right G. Their is a possibility of Ms. Florida trying to discredit Ms. Pennsylvania’s claim that the pageant was indeed rigged. No one should hastily conclude that Ms. Florida is speaking the truth; she could be lying for all it worth leaving Ms. Pennsylvania to fight that battle alone. In this world anything, I mean anything, can HAPPEN.
Yeah, and “no one should hastily conclude that Ms. Pennsylvania is speaking the truth” especially since she is the only one involved in the pageant (judges, contestants, hosts, etc.) who is claiming these absurd lies. Think about it.