New Miss USA CEO Teases 2 Big Changes He Is Making to Pageant Following Years of Controversy
Phyllis Lane; Thom Brodeur
In his new leadership role, the experienced pageant coach and judge hopes to bring about a new era of the storied organization
At least that's how newly minted CEO and President, Thom Brodeur, envisions things unfolding when contestants land in Reno, Nev., to compete on stage in October. The Miss Teen USA finals are slated for Oct. 23, and the older-sister pageant will hold its final round the following day.
With 51 delegates entering each pageant, Brodeur tells PEOPLE that he's taking the opportunity to "reposition" the brand. "I'm just really excited about the opportunity my team and I have to help bring back the iconography that Miss USA and Miss Teen USA were once known for," the experiences pageant coach, judge and former state director shares.
The two pageants have suffered a few shakeups in recent years, most notably after the 2023 adult and junior winners, Miss USA Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, relinquished their titles. Their bombshell actions marked the first time that any queen had given up her crown in the pageant's 72-year history.
At the time, NBC News obtained a copy of Voigt's resignation letter and reported that she accused the pageant’s CEO Laylah Rose of creating a toxic workplace after Voigt told her she was sexually harassed at a Christmas event. Rose denied the allegations in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
“The allegations of sexual harassment, toxic environment and bullying are not true," the former pageant head said. "To be clear, such behavior is not accepted, and we can assure you that if such behavior ever occurred, we would take immediate steps to protect our titleholder and provide access to appropriate resources."
News of Brodeur's acquisition came just over a week after Rose refuted claims that she was no longer in charge. However, the Miss Universe organization — which owns and oversees both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA — officially named Brodeur as Rose's replacement in a press release issued on Sept. 15.
Rose has not responded to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Brodeur references Voigt and Srivastav's protest against the pageants as he notes some of the specific reforms he will implement in his role as President. He is currently working through a contract reform process that is meant to entitle winners to more freedoms.
Referencing the former 2023 titleholders, he claims, "There was some pretty egregious NDA language that suppressed the voices of those two young women and did not give them the ability to speak about their journey. I want to remove that restriction."
"I think if you have nothing to hide, there's no reason to hide," Brodeur continues. "An NDA should never silence a voice that has something to share, because we can learn from the things that people tell us that we need to improve on."
He believes that Miss USA and Miss Teen USA should be held to the same standards as other companies with a hierarchy structure, meaning that there should be a process that allows employees and team members to voice their opinions. Such feedback is crucial to internal and external improvement, says Brodeur.
"I feel very strongly that un-silencing the voices that have been [silenced] is going to help us do that," he adds.
The pageantry expert also plans to scrap the selection committee process that was put in place when Donald Trump owned Miss Universe and its subsidiaries. As Brodeur explains, there was a rule that awarded judging power to the leadership and management teams governing the pageants.
"Of course, there's always a panel of judges, but there was also this other voice on the outside that could have input," he explains to PEOPLE. "I'm abolishing that. If you tell [the judges] what you're trying to achieve, if you tell them what it means to have the right kind of brand ambassador for your brand and your organization, and you brief them sufficiently, you let them do their job and you let the final result be the one that they give you."
On a broader level, Brodeur is deeply invested in the pageant participants themselves. This year won't see a singular fixation on just one winner, who will then go represent the U.S. at Miss Universe just days after this competition. Instead, the new CEO underscores his interest in uplifting all of the women involved and granting them proper "visibility."
"These young women are athletes. The women that choose this league, this sport to compete in, spend a lot of money to do it, they take a lot of time," he shares. "Based on my 35 years in this industry, anywhere from $120,000 to about $130,000 and seven to eight years of a journey for most young women."
Brodeur adds that he wants to widen the stage for each contestant, making Miss USA more than just the "two-hour telecast or broadcast event" it's been in recent years.
"I think it's quite important, making them visible again and infusing them back into relevant pop culture moments: red carpets, awards programs and shows, sporting events, live events that tap into the generational peer group and contemporaries that they represent and the communities that they're a part of," he tells PEOPLE. "We have quite a roster of things that we are planning for the next Miss USA and Teen USA to be a part of and to be infused in."
With decades of pageantry experience, Brodeur has no problem envisioning the modern "It Girl" that is Miss USA. He's seen the industry evolve from an exclusive focus on beauty into new forms of feminism, philanthropy and empowerment. That's why he sees the perfect winner as truly unlimited.
"The truth of the matter is a whole woman should be celebrated in all the things that make her remarkable," says Brodeur. "I think, generally speaking, women who come through this program are already icons. It's built into their DNA, and what I really want to do is elevate that."
Source: https://people.com/new-miss-usa-ceo-teases-changes-to-pageant-after-years-of-controversy-exclusive-11811377
Comments
Post a Comment