Miss USA 2012: Olivia Culpo Wins!

 

On Sunday night in Las Vegas, Olivia Culpo put the pint-sized state of Rhode Island on the map as she was crowned Miss USA 2012.

According to her profile on the Miss USA website, the 20-year-old beauty queen is currently a star Boston University sophomore, who lands on the Dean's List every semester. The 20-year-old brunette is also a talented cellist and has nabbed spots in several New England-based ensembles and orchestras.

During the competition, Culpo addressed the recent controversy revolving around transgender contestants being allowed to compete in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant. The subject made headlines when transgender pageant queen Jenna Talackova was initially prohibited from competing in Canada. (In April, that ruling was overturned.)

"I do think that would be fair, but I could understand how people could be apprehensive to take that road," she explained to the judges panel, which included Joe Jonas, Rob Kardashian and Ali Fedotowsky. "However, there are so many people who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it's a free country."

Olivia Culpo: Three Things to Know About the New Miss USA

The new Miss USA is a Boston University student who believes transgender beauty pageant contestants should be able to compete. What else is there to know about the Rhode Island native beyond her affinity for sashes and crowns?

1. You could call her a band geek
Ever heard of Carnegie Hall? Or Boston Symphony Hall? Well, Olivia Culpo has played both of them – and she only recently turned 20! Coming from a musical background (her parents were musicians), Culpa began studying cello in the second grade. She has since played in hundreds of concerts and was accepted into the musical program in the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.

2. She has looks and brains
While it was mentioned during the Miss USA broadcast that six of 11 contestants couldn't name the Vice President of the United States, it's safe to say Culpo wasn't one of them – she's a bit of a brainiac. After graduating high school with high honors, Culpo has continued her high marks at Boston University. As a sophomore, she has made the dean's list in every semester. She even speaks a little bit of Italian!

3. She loves Audrey Hepburn
Culpo (who is single) answered during the broadcast that she knows "so many Audrey Hepburn quotes." During the interview process of the show she even sang a song from the 1957 movie Funny Face that Fred Astaire sang to the iconic star. "She was beautiful on the outside but also beautiful on the inside," Culpo said. During her reign she said she plans on visiting Tiffany & Co. in New York City, the site of the opening scene of Hepburn's classic film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Olivia Culpo, Miss Rhode Island, Wins Miss USA Pageant

Giuliana Rancic and Andy Cohen hosted the Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas with judges including Joe Jonas and Rob Kardashian, and only one contestants could take home the tiara.

Olivia Culpo, Miss Rhode Island, won the annual pageant and will now represent the United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The cello player and student at Boston University wasn't shy about her love of music and her band camp days!

When asked her thoughts on the possibility a transgender woman winning the title and if it would be fair or not, she commented, "I do think that would be fair, but I could understand how people could be apprehensive to take that road." She added, "There are so many people who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it's a free country."

Miss Rhode Island Olivia Culpo Named Miss USA 2012

 

It’s the pinnacle of pageantry each year, and last night (June 3) Miss Rhode Island Olivia Culpo was crowned as 2012 Miss USA. Miss Culpo, a self-described ‘modern-day Audrey Hepburn,’ was visibly shocked when her name was called, though she contained her excitement rather well as she took it all in. With stars such as Joe Jonas, Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne and Ali Fedotowsky watching on from the audience, Olivia received a hug and congratulations from the first runner up, Miss Maryland Nana Meriwether. Miss Ohio, Miss Nevada, and Miss Georgia rounded out the top five. During her interview session, Culpo was asked by Rob Kardashian, “Would you feel it would be fair that a transgender woman wins the Miss USA title over a natural-born woman?” referring to another beauty pageant that allowed such a scenario to occur. And in a Donald Trump-approved response, the 20-year-old Boston University student replied, "I do think that that would be fair, but I can understand that people would be a little apprehensive to take that road because there is a tradition of natural-born women. But today where there are so many surgeries and so many people out there who have a need to change for a happier life, I do accept that because I believe it's a free country." After her big win, Olivia took to her Twitter page to share her feelings with her followers by writing, "I was just so surprised, so shocked, so honored to be there."

 

 

 

 

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