Pageant Planet

In today’s podcast we are going to be talking about a woman well known in the Miss America, Miss USA, and Mrs America organizations, Mekayla Eppers.Mekayla began her pageant journey at 12 years old and has captured seven pageant titles in her life, including the titles of Miss Indiana USA 2016 and Mrs. America 2018.While some people know Mekayla for her success in the pageant industry, she is more than just a beauty queen. Mekayla is a model and has been featured in TV commercials, in movies, and in fashion magazines. From her experience in modeling and in pageants she knew she wanted to make a mindset shift in the industry from focusing on ‘size’ and ‘shape’ towards adapting a healthy lifestyle. Mekayla Diehl (her maiden name) was born in 1988 in Elkhart, Indiana. Now Mekayla describes herself as a ‘Michiana’ since the town is on the Michigan and Indiana state line.Mekayla is a descendent from the Ojibwe tribe, a member of the Ontario-based Zhiibaahaasing First Nation through her mother.For th

Lorraine Schuck’s pageant career dates back to over 40 years ago. Lorraine won the title of Mutya ng Pilipinas 1979.Mutya ng Pilipinas began over 51 years ago in 1968, and it’s titleholders have gone on to win 15 of the largest international pageant titles in the world. The pageant is best known for promoting tourism in Asia, social responsibility, fashion, and beauty pageantry.Lorraine was chosen to compete at the international Miss Asia Quest 1979 pageant which was held in Manila, Philippines. 15 countries competed for the title, but Alya Altas from Turkey was the one who took home the title.Lorraine represented the Philippines and made her country proud by placing as the second runner-up to winner Alya Altas from Turkey, and first runner-up Maureen Lestourgeon from India. Lestourgeon was unable to fulfill the duties and Schuck was then moved into the position as the first runner-up.If the Miss Asia Quest pageant is an unfamiliar name, it is because the pageant has since rebranded itself in 2016 to be calle

In today’s podcast we are looking into the life of Emanii Davis, the current Miss Earth Air 2019 and former competitor in the Miss USA and Miss World America pageant systemsEmanii began competing in pageants when she was 14 years old and has captured numerous prestigious pageant titles and become a role model and pageant icon to many women. She has won the titles Miss Teen Atlanta, Miss Georgia USA 2016, Miss Earth USA 2019, and Miss Earth Air 2019.Aside from the titles she has won, Emanii also gone on to place as the second runner-up at Miss USA 2016 and third runner-up at Miss World America 2017.She is an environmental activist and advocates for education in her pageant career and in her personal life. Throughout her life and pageant career, Emanii has worked with organizations including Best Buddies, United Service Organization, and the Greenhouse Project.She has a passion for helping others achieve academic success by starting her own program to provide resources to help students build on their current kn

We have done so many podcasts about being the contestant who is trying to mentally prepare to overcome the stigma of the runner up or the high performing transfer of another system.But, today we are saying... first runner up, or perpetual top 5 finisher... we see you and are here for you.It is a huge mental conundrum to be able to finish so close and then do it all again. What do you keep the same, what do you change, was it a fluke, is it your time?!So we have put together five of our favorite dos and don’ts if you are coming off a hot pageant season and are looking for your crown.Listen in as Jesse & Steven discuss the 5 dos and don’ts of being a favorite to win.  This week’s featured spotlights are: Shop Pageant Dresses See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Winning a pageant is both an art & a science. The art of winning a pageant is presented fashion and in the conversation of interview. The “science” of winning a pageant is in the pageant you choose and the team you surround yourself with while you compete. This episode focuses on finding the best pageant based on your skill set.Listen in as Jesse & Steven discuss 5 different strategies for finding and winning in a new pageant system.  This week’s featured spotlights are: Find a PageantShop Pageant DressesBecause you are interested in this episode you might also be interested in,101 Pageant Tips (for First Time Contestants). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kendra Hale is an only child who grew up in a small town in rural southwestern Virginia called, Christiansburg. She graduated as valedictorian from Christiansburg High School and the Southwest Virginia Governor’s School.  Kendra recalls that in her hometown, pageants were not common and many people didn’t understand the different aspects of being involved in pageants such as going after scholarships, being goal-oriented, and being of service. She believes in “leading by example” so she worked hard to prove to everybody that pageants were filled with smart, accomplished girls that were working hard on achieving their dreams.Kendra says, “I wanted to be an inspiration to young girls everywhere by showing that your circumstances and surroundings don’t define who you are or who you will become.” Kendra’s pageant journey started when she was 13 or 14 and shortly thereafter became involved with the Princess America pageant system. She first won the title of Princess America’s District of Columbi

Today’s podcast features none other than Paula Shugart, who is the beloved president of the Miss Universe organization, as every fan of the pageant knows. With more than 30 years of experience in the television industry, Paula Shugart has been a driving force in entertainment television production for domestic and international audiences.As president of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), and producer of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, Paula oversees all business transactions and is responsible for the production of the live, worldwide telecasts each year.Paula’s father was an Admiral in the US Navy, and she says her childhood really helped to prepare her for her current role as the president of an international organization. She believes that her global travels left her with a deep appreciation and understanding of the world’s cultural diversity as well as its commonality.But, as much as she loved being a “Navy Brat”, when it came time to attend college, Paula says that she just wan

Before he became known as, Mac Duggal, one of the most successful and well known fashion designers in the world, he was called, “Manmohan Singh Duggal”.He was born in New Delhi (Deli), India, in 1960 to a very spiritual family, where his grandfather, father and brother, were all the heads of an international spiritual organization that teaches a form of meditation and ethical living to millions of people, all around the world. The basics principles of their teachings are meditation, truthfulness, and vegetarianism.Mac Duggal has said that that all three of those men were significant mentors in his life and he believes they each played a significant role in the person that he is today.He practices a religion called Sikhism. Sikhism believes in one higher power and one higher consciousness and that everyone is equal. He says that these concepts were essentially the same as the American values he saw when he moved to the United States, and it was one of the reasons he was so attracted to the U.S.In Sikhism all m

Katerina Rozmajzl may look like a Barbie doll, with her waist long platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes, but don’t make the mistake of writing her off as, “just a model” or underestimating her business acumen. I personally am super excited for today’s podcast because even I learned SO much about this contestant I may have just showed up on stage as an Instagram Celeb.This Czech born instagram star is a brilliant and ambitious business mogul who runs her own beauty and fashion blog and launched her very own beauty line, “Katerina Cosmetics” at only 19 years of age.She’s a full time model, she’s held a state title, she’s running a global business, and she’s an Instagram mega-star. And, earlier this year, she made her debut in the movie, “Dumplin”” with Jennifer Aniston! She has nearly 700,000 followers on Instagram, but it was her appearance at the 2019 Miss USA pageant, where she competed as Miss Georgia USA, that really gained her worldwide attention. Today on our podcast, we’re excited to learn just a

Hannah Brown grew up in Tuscaloosa Alabama and is a major Crimson Tide fan! She graduated magna cum laude from theUniversity of Alabama in 2017, the same college that her parents attended, where she earned her degree in communications and Information Sciences with a minor in public relations.She became a sister of Alpha Chi Omega sorority during her time in college and served as a consultant to the university, helping clients with public speaking. Then she worked as an interior designer after college.The Northport native began competing in pageants when she was 15 because of the opportunities for scholarships. However, she soon found that being able to develop her public speaking skills and share her talent as a jazz dancer, was just as important to her. She began her journey in pageantry by getting involved with the Miss America system when she became Miss Teen Tuscaloosa. She placed as first runner-up in the Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen pageant, and then followed that up with a second runner-up p

Fondly called "Mama J" by his friends and protégées, Jonas Antonio Gaffud is the unquestionable force behind the tremendous success of the Philippines in international pageants.Jonas Gaffud is frequently called, “The Queen Maker”, but he doesn’t just specialize in mentoring women for beauty pageants. He is also the President and Manager of Mercator Artist and Model Management, where he manages some of the biggest stars in the Philippines, as well as managing talent in Brazil. He handles the careers of professionals in the entertainment business, in addition to fashion models and commercial actors alike. As if scouting talent around the globe didn’t keep him busy enough, he is also one of the executives behind Empire PH, a digital channel which produces lifestyle, beauty, and wellness shows in the Philippines.And, in his spare time, he also helps to manage the activities of Empire Studios, which is a diverse collection of industry professionals that facilitate workshops on personality development, self im

The Miss America Pageant found its origins nearly 100 years ago, in the month of September. The pageant was first held on September 25, 1920. It was billed as the “Fall Frolic” and began simply as a marketing idea The event was so successful that the originators scheduled it to take place the week-end following Labor Day, to encourage summer visitors to stay in Atlantic City. Therefore, the first official, “Miss America” was held on September 8, 1921; 98 years ago!The competition has come a long way since then. And, it’s titleholders have evolved into some of the most talented and accomplished women the pageant world has ever witnessed. And, the current Miss America is no exception.Nia Franklin, Miss America 2019, is everything a modern Miss America should be. She is not only beautiful, intelligent and talented. She is an exceptionally accomplished individual. She has earned a Masters degree in Music Composition; she is a classically trained opera singer and she relentlessly endeavors to use her voice and the

Osmel Sousa had a dream that was born out of an obsession with beauty. He longed to create a world that was filled with beauty of every kind. Like many artists, his desire to be surrounded by beauty was to somehow erase the ugliness and pain that he witnessed and internalized as a child.As a boy, he remembers spending all of his time drawing. He would draw rows of women – always women – and then pick out the best and draw them again with all sorts of dresses that he would clip on and off. In essence, he was designing a fashion show. One day his mother saw him and forbade him from ever doing it again. She couldn’t stand the thought that he was making silly little "paper dolls".He suffered from learning disabilities that went undiagnosed until he was an adult, so he constantly struggled with his studies. But, instead of sitting in class and feeling frustrated, he would use that time to draw images of women, constantly trying to create what he viewed as the perfect, most angelic face.Tragically, Sousa’s par

This episode goes deep into the two fundamental truths about the people deciding your pageant fate. First, judges are real people too. Second, judging is extremely hard. In this episode, Jesse and Steven break down common thoughts shared by all pageant judges when they are scoring and choosing their winner. After listening to this you’ll have an understanding of what’s happening inside the judges' room so that you can be better equipped to win the competition.This week's promotional item is our pageant prep membership! Click to discover how you can unlock the power of our messaging portal to access verified coaches from every system and country who are ready to help you win the crown!Because you are interested in this episode, you might also be interested in reading How Do Judges Score Beauty Pageants or Top 25 Pageant Questions Asked by Judges (in Every Pageant). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pia Wurtzbach, born September 24, 1989, is a Filipina-German model, actress and former beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe 2015.Pia was born in Stuttgart, Germany to a German father and Filipino mother. Her middle name "Alonzo" is her mother's maiden name, traditional to the naming practices of the Philippines. She and her family moved to Iligan, Philippines when she was a small child. They later moved to Cagayan de Oro in the country's Northern Mindanao region.At the age of nine, her parents separated. Wurtzbach then became the family’s main breadwinner through modeling and acting. She finished her secondary education at ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila and studied culinary arts at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan, Metro Manila.After being raised in the Philippines, she spent several years in England. She speaks fluent Cebuano, English and Tagalog. She also speaks basic German, which she described as "enough to get myself a bratwurst."To

At the age of thirteen, Priyanka Chopra moved to the United States to study while living with her aunt. Chopra’s aunt’s family also moved frequently. She attended schools in Newton, Massachusetts, Queens, New York and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While attending school in Massachusetts, Chopra participated in several theatre productions. She also studied Western classical music, choral singing and Kathak dance.After three years in the United States, Chopra returned to India to finish her senior year of high-school education at the Army Public School in Bareilly. During this period, she entered and won the local "May Queen" beauty pageant.After her win, she was pursued by admirers, leading her family to equip their home with bars for her protection. After Chopra’s win, her mother then entered her in the 2000 Femina Miss India contest.The pageant today selects India’s representatives to the Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Supranational, Miss Grand International, Miss United Continents and Miss Intercontinental page

Running an organization is difficult. There is constant planning, traveling and connecting. However, this is a labor of love for directors. Directors start pageants for a number of reasons, but mostly to give back. No one knows this better than Julia Morley, chairwoman of the Miss World Organization. Julia Evelyn Morley is a British businesswoman, charity worker and former model. She is the current chairwoman of the Miss World Organization which runs the annual Miss World and biennial Mister World competition.She was born Julia Evelyn Pritchard on October 2, 1939 in London. She was working as a model when she met her husband, Eric Morley. At the time, he was a director of Mecca Dancing, at a dance hall located in Leeds, England. The two married in 1960 when she was 21.Before their marriage, Eric Morley laid the groundwork for the Miss World pageant in 1951.This week's promotional item is our OneX50 All-In-One Styling & Finishing Spray! You know what stinks about other hairsprays? They are sticky, fla

In pageants, the first thing everyone sees before they meet you is your pageant headshot. A headshot gives the judges and audience a glimpse into who you are. Therefore, the message you convey with your headshot is the first thing you convey to everyone. The most important part of having a great headshot is to have a great photographer.No one knows this better than Fadil Berisha. He’s been in the industry for over 35 years and has been instrumental in bringing the glamour and fashion out in the pageant world. Berisha was born in Kosovo to Albanian parents in 1960 and even to this day, both countries remain close to his heart.At age 8, he moved to Italy for a year where he started to develop his passion for beauty and art.According to an interview with Kosovo Diaspora, faces were of great interest to Berisha growing up. He said in the interview: “As a kid, I loved faces, all faces, and I was genuinely curious about them.”One year later, he and his family then migrated to New York City, New York at th

One of the most important aspects in building your brand as a titleholder is finding your look. This look is part of who you are as a contestant whether you are onstage, volunteering or in the interview room. In addition to finding an amazing outfit, one of the most important aspects of your look as a queen is your makeup. Makeup is a way for contestants to enhance their natural beauty and define their style.We talk a lot about interview skills and presentation abilities, but the reality of the pageant industry is that much of your scoring is based on a polished appearance. No one knows this better than Meredith Boyd. Born Meredith Moser, she is an award winning makeup artist specializing in natural makeup looks for corporations and celebrities nationwide with over 20 years of experience.She is another that has found herself on Pageant Planet’s Best Pageant Makeup Artists over the years.This week's promotional item is Crown Jewels! Crown Jewels has released their newest earring styles. With more than 3,0

I feel like you can’t talk about Savvy’s early life without smiling. She is as salt of the earth as it gets and it is obvious why she is beloved by so many. Savvy was born and raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas, home of Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and the University of Arkansas.Her parents are Todd and Karen and she has one brother, Dane, who she is close with AND she was baptized in a horse trough. To learn more about Savvy’s rise from Fayetteville to Miss America 2017 listen in.Visit Savvy Shields profile to see her talent video and where she infamously “locked crowns” with her friend. This week's promotional item is Pageant Daily! This free resource is delivered to you…daily AND each edition is loaded with tips, current events, product specials and our newest podcast episode, obviously.   Because you are interested in this episode, you might also be interested in learning more about Miss America.Special thank you to @holly_on_ig and @tessa.lillian for contributing to the epi