Skip to main content

Miss Florida pageant crowns wrong woman after scoring error

Demoted miss Florida, Elizabeth Fechtel, in the pageant's Facebook photo from after the pageant where she was named the winner. The new winner is Victoria Cowen, pictured second from the left. (Source: Facebook)
Demoted miss Florida, Elizabeth Fechtel, in the pageant’s Facebook photo from after the pageant where she was named the winner. The new winner is Victoria Cowen, pictured second from the left. (Source: Facebook)
   
After Elizabeth Fechtel was crowned Miss Florida 2014 on Saturday, sorority sisters gushed on social media. Several news outlets interviewed the Leesburg native. Fechtel called the pageant life-changing, saying she was “privileged and thrilled to have become Miss Florida.”
The excitement was short-lived.
Late Thursday, pageant officials visited Fechtel to inform her of a massive error: The crown should’ve gone to the first runner-up instead.
The Miami-based organization released a press release Friday saying that a tabulation mistake resulted in the title being awarded to Fechtel instead of runner-up Victoria Cowen.
Fechtel planned to take a year off from her studies at the University of Florida to prepare for the Miss America Pageant, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The university shared a congratulatory message on Twitter and sent out a press release. By Friday evening, the statement was updated to reflect the pageant error. But the Miss Florida website still showed Fechtel next to a sparkling “Miss Florida” graphic.
Florida isn’t the only state making news for pageant blunders.
Amanda Longacre, Miss Delaware, had her title revoked Tuesday because she turns 25 in October, which violates Miss America rules. Participants cannot turn 25 before the end of 2014.
While Longacre will reportedly keep the $9,000 in scholarship money she received with the crown, the Tampa Bay Times reports that Fechtel will have to give her scholarship winnings to Cowen.
The national pageant will be held in Atlantic City, N.J. Calls to the pageant’s president and executive director Mary E. Sullivan weren't returned as of Friday afternoon.
Late Friday, the Miss America organization shared a headshot of Cowen on its Facebook page and congratulated her on her new title.
“We thank Elizabeth Fechtel and wish her the very best,” the post adds.
Further down, there’s a post with nearly 3,000 likes from earlier in the week — a smiling portrait of Fechtel.
The caption reads, “Congratulations to Elizabeth Fechtel on being crowned Miss Florida 2014!”

Source: Miami Herald, 6/27/2014




Re
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trans-Identified Male Crowned “Miss Greater Derry 2023,” Takes Home Women’s Scholarship

A local beauty pageant is attracting ample mockery on social media after a trans-identified male was crowned the winner of the competition and awarded a scholarship intended for young women. Brían Nguyen , 19, was awarded the crown in the Miss Greater Derry pageant, held on November 8 in the Greater Derry area of New Hampshire. The competition is a locally-run event under the national Miss America series of pageants. In addition to winning the crown, Nguyen will receive the  Miss Greater Derry Scholarship , a financial award established to support young women. Nguyen, who is male, is a freshman at Nashua Community College majoring in Business Management. After his win, Nguyen wrote on  Facebook : “ I am ecstatic to be the FIRST transgender woman to be a Miss America local titleholder, and I hope to make everyone proud and become the first to walk the Miss America stage. I am Brían Nguyen, your Miss Greater Derry 2023 .” Nguyen had previously announced on Instagram that he has intention
Post a Comment
Read more

Miss America CEO & Others Resign Amid Scandal Over Offensive Emails – Update

2nd UPDATE, 12:03 PM:  Miss America Organization  CEO  Sam Haskell  resigned his post today amid an investigation into offensive emails he sent about a pageant winner. In a statement He has resigned along with president and COO Josh Randle and Lynn Weidner, the board chair who sent emails involved in the controversy. Related Two More Ex-Fox News Employees Join Defamation Suit Against Bill O'Reilly - Update According to a Twitter post from Dan Meyers, who is taking over as interim chairman, Weidner will remain on the board during a transition period: View image on Twitter Miss America Org ✔ @MissAmericaOrg Update from the Board of Directors... 3:01 PM - Dec 23, 2017   35 35 Replies     144 144 Retweets     291 291 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy UPDATED, 5:30 PM:  The Miss America Organization suspended its chief executive today, less than 24 hours after emails surfaced in which he disparaged the
Post a Comment
Read more

Lindsay Becker Crowned Miss Global USA 2024

Lindsay Becker , 32, of Florida was crowned Miss Global USA 2024 at the national pageant in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, July 30. Lindsay competed alongside other women from across the country for the chance to represent the USA on the world’s stage at the Miss Global 2024 pageant. In addition to winning the national title, she won the Swimwear, Photogenic and Amazing in Black competitions. Lindsay graduated from the University of Southern California in 2013 as a university and departmental honors scholar with a degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Digital Media as well as Cinematic Arts and Television. She is professionally trained in cinematic makeup design with her work featured in professional look books in the epicenter of film production, Hollywood, California. Her education and passion for cinematic makeup design inspired her to start her own business venture, Lindsay B Pageantry and Artistry, where she works as a hair and makeup artist for pageantry and special events as well as
Post a Comment
Read more