Miss Texas USA Denied The Rigged Pageant Claims & Her Contestants Aren't Buying It
"I know some of this to be straight up false." -Miss Alaska
Miss Texas, R'Bonney Gabriel, took the crown of Miss USA 2022 last week on October 3. Since then, there have been various allegations from the competition's own contestants that the pageant was rigged.
The claims started when fans noticed many of the ladies filed off stage before congratulating Gabriel, and the pageant queen posted to Instagram about a sponsored trip to Nizuc just hours after her crowning.
Not only has the Miss Universe organization started an investigation into what's being alleged, but Miss USA did an interview with E! News defending the pageant's integrity...her fellow competitors, however, are still not buying it.
@heatherleeokeefe Replying to @rmtorregrossa #missusa #missusadrama #missusa2022
Gabriel claims she got along with all of the women and there wasn't enough time for her contestants to come out and hug her, but they did backstage.
She also said that they were rushed offstage because the production "didn't want the girls to go into that bubble and maybe fall."
Miss Montana, Heather Lee O'Keefe, who has been the most vocal on TikTok, posted Miss Alaska's (Courtney Schuman) reaction to the interview.
"After she was crowned Miss USA we (being the other contestants) were not rushed anywhere because of production timing," Schuman published in her IG story. "No one was afraid we were going to fall off the runway or 'bubble' that we had all been walking on all week, I'm shocked that would even be a claim."
Miss Alaska also wrote that she was too busy congratulating other contenders to be hugging Miss Texas.
@heatherleeokeefe More contestants are beginning to speak out on #missusa #missusa2022 #missusadrama
In the E! interview, the Miss USA winner addressed the Nizuc trip.
"There's been a lot of times when titleholders will work with sponsors for Miss USA before the competition and then that will be promoted after the competition if they win or not," she said.
She also noted that the sponsor works closely with the Miss Texas organization, so she began working with them when she won her state crown. It was then, she said, she was invited to go to Nizuc and be a brand ambassador.
Gabriel said she paid for her flight.
Narcity reached out to Heather Lee O'Keefe and Courtney Schuman for comment about these claims. They have not immediately responded to our request.