Lebanese Immigrant Rima Fakih Is Miss USA 2010

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted May 17th 2010 06:12AM

Rima Fakih says it was a certain look from Donald Trump that tipped her off that she had won the 2010 Miss USA title. The 24-year-old Miss Michigan beat out 50 other women to take the title Sunday night, despite nearly stumbling in her evening gown. Fakih, who was born in Lebanon, is the first Arab-American winner of the competition.

She told reporters later that she believed she had won after glancing at pageant owner Trump as she awaited the results with the first runner-up, Miss Oklahoma Morgan Elizabeth Woolard.

"That's the same look that he gives them when he says, 'You're hired,'" on Trump's reality show 'The Apprentice,' she said.

"She's a great girl," said Trump, who owns the pageant with NBC in a joint venture.

Fakih took top honors at the pageant at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip after strutting confidently in an orange and gold bikini, wearing a strapless white gown that resembled a wedding dress and saying health insurance should cover birth control pills.

Fakih, an Arab-American from Dearborn, Mich., told pageant organizers her family celebrates both Muslim and Christian faiths. She moved to the United States as a baby and was raised in New York, where she attended a Catholic school. Her family moved to Michigan in 2003.

Pageant officials said historical pageant records were not detailed enough to show whether Fakih was the first Arab American, Muslim or immigrant to win the Miss USA title. The pageant started in 1952 as a local bathing suit competition in Long Beach, Calif.

Fakih told reporters she sold her car after graduating college in Michigan to help pay for her run in the Miss Michigan USA pageant.

In a moment that was replayed during the broadcast, Fakih nearly fell while finishing her walk in her gown because of the length of its train. But she made it without a spill and went on to win.

"I did it here, I better not do it at Miss Universe," she said. "Modeling does help, after all."

Fakih replaces Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton and won a spot representing the United States this summer in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant. She also gets a one-year lease in a New York apartment with living expenses, an undisclosed salary and various health, professional and beauty services.

During the interview portion, Fakih was asked whether she thought birth control should be paid for by health insurance, and she said she believed it should because it's costly.

"I believe that birth control is just like every other medication even though it's a controlled substance," Fakih said.

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Miss USA Snapshots

In this photo provided by Miss Universe Organization, Donald Trump meets contestants of the Miss USA during rehearsal in Las Vegas, Nev. on Saturday May 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Miss Universe Organization, Greg Harbaugh) NO SALES

Miss Universe Organization

Miss USA Snapshots

Julianna Erdesz, Miss Nevada USA 2010; and Cassady Lance, Miss Georgia USA 2010, rehearse with country music star Trace Adkins for the 2010 Miss USA Competition at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, Friday May 14, 2010. The 51 delegates will compete for the the title of Miss USA 2010, LIVE on the NBC Telecast on Sunday May 16, 2010. (AP Photo/Miss Universe Organization - Darren Decker)

Miss USA Snapshots

Ashley Strohmier, Miss Missouri USA 2010 checks her appearance prior to stepping on stage in Las Vegas Wednesday May 12, 2010. Each Miss USA 2010 delegate will be judged by a preliminary panel of judges in three categories: individual interview, swimsuit competition and evening gown competition. (AP Photo/Greg Harbaugh/Miss Universe L.P., LLLP)

Miss USA Snapshots

Belinda Wright, Miss Nebraska USA 2010gets the finishing touches prior to stepping on stage in Las Vegas Wednesday May 12, 2010. Each Miss USA 2010 delegate will be judged by a preliminary panel of judges in three categories: individual interview, swimsuit competition and evening gown competition. AP Photo/Greg Harbaugh/Miss Universe L.P., LLLP)

Miss USA Snapshots

Breanne Ponder, Miss Mississippi USA 2010; and Erica Jade Goldsmith, Miss West Virginia USA 2010 have the finishing touches done to their hair prior to stepping on stage Wednesday May 12, 2010 in Las Vegas. Each Miss USA 2010 delegate will be judged by a preliminary panel of judges in three categories: individual interview, swimsuit competition and evening gown competition. (AP Photo/Greg Harbaugh/Miss Universe L.P., LLLP)

Miss USA Snapshots

** ADDS DATE PHOTO WAS MADE AND CITY **Gina Cerilli, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2010 adds the finishing touches prior to stepping on stage Wednesday May 12, 2010 in Las Vegas. Each Miss USA 2010 delegate will be judged by a preliminary panel of judges in three categories: individual interview, swimsuit competition and evening gown competition. .(AP Photo'/Greg Harbaugh/Miss Universe L.P., LLLP)

Miss USA Snapshots

Audrey Moore, Miss Alabama USA 2010, gets the finishing touches to her hair prior to stepping on stage Wednesday May 12, 2010 in Las Vegas. Each Miss USA 2010 delegate will be judged by a preliminary panel of judges in three categories: individual interview, swimsuit competition and evening gown competition. (AP Photo/Greg Harbaugh//Miss Universe L.P., LLLP)

Miss USA Snapshots

Gina Cerilli, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2010 adds the finishing touches prior to stepping on stage. Each Miss USA 2010 delegate will be judged by a preliminary panel of judges in three categories: individual interview, swimsuit competition and evening gown competition. .(AP Photo'/Greg Harbaugh/Miss Universe L.P., LLLP)

Miss USA Snapshots

Woolard handled the night's toughest question, about Arizona's new immigration law. Woolard said she supports the law, which requires police enforcing another law to verify a person's immigration status if there's "reasonable suspicion" that the person is in the country illegally.

She said she's against illegal immigration but is also against racial profiling.

"I'm a huge believer in states' rights. I think that's what's so wonderful about America," Woolard said. "So I think it's perfectly fine for Arizona to create that law."

Miss Virginia USA Samantha Evelyn Casey was the second runner-up, Miss Colorado USA Jessica Hartman was third runner-up, and Miss Maine USA Katherine Ashley Whittier was the fourth runner-up.

Most of the field of contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia were eliminated just after the pageant began and the entire group danced onstage to 'TiK ToK' by Ke$ha.

A panel of eight judges, including NBA star Carmelo Anthony, Treasure Island casino-hotel owner Phil Ruffin and Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, were judging the girls throughout the night.

After 15 contestants strutted in swimsuits, five were eliminated. Another five were eliminated after the evening gown competition.

Miss Nebraska USA Belinda Renee Wright won the Miss Congeniality award, roughly one week after her father was killed in a farm accident. Miss Alabama USA Audrey Moore won Miss Photogenic after an online fan vote.

The pageant aired live to East Coast viewers on NBC.

The competition, which is not affiliated with the Miss America pageant, was hosted by celebrity chef Curtis Stone and NBC correspondent Natalie Morales.

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Tags: Miss USA, rima fakih

Comments

(23)

Monday 17 May

By noureddine

Vote down Vote up Report this

well that's the beauty about this country,no matter where you came from,if you work hard,you will make it,i'm proud to be an arab american,god bless america,and bless miss universe.

Tuesday 18 May

By themeeker

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

So we should select a southern woman like we almost always do? Isn't that just a conservative bias? Oh, I forgot. It's ok when you agree with the repug mouthpieces.

Please why doesn't everyone just shut up about the friggin politics? It doesn't matter in this case.

Wednesday 19 May

By Mr Smith

I moved to Lebanon 20 years ago only to find out that this country is full of beautiful girls like the one you are taking about. Say what you want, I am in Heaven and loving it

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