LAS VEGAS — Michelle Nunes, representing the Hooters Hotel and Casino, was selected out of over 120 Hooters Girls from around the world to represent Hooters for the next year, as Miss Hooters International 2006. Among the many prizes and opportunities that accompany the crown, this Hooters Girl from Las Vegas will take home the first place prize of $50,000 cash as well as be featured in Hooters Magazine, national marketing campaigns and TV commercials.
This year’s Pageant was held at the Aladdin Casino’s Theater of Performing Arts in Las Vegas. The judges included television personality Brooke Burke; Leeann Tweeden of “The Best Damn Sports Show,” NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; NBA Player and Sportscaster, John Salley; Rob Dibble from Fox Sports News “The Best Damn Sports Show”; Jerry Buss, owner of the LA Lakers; and Nick Valvano, CEO of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. The Pageant also featured an appearance by Anna Burns, Miss Hooters International 2006.
The top five winners included: 1st Runner Up, Stacie Burns (representing Hooters.com), 2nd Runner Up Randi Jackson (representing Jacksonville, FL), 3rd Runner Up, Kat Longa (representing Miss September in the Hooters Calendar), and 4th Runner Up, Sarah Coggin (representing the Southwest). Rounding out the top ten finalists in no particular order are Ambar Martinez (representing Venezuela); Beverly Mullins (representing Brandon, FL); Natalie Pandorf (representing the Original Hooters in Clearwater, FL); Nicole Del Valle (representing Las Vegas) and Linsey Toole (representing Miss December in the Hooters Calendar).
Contestants from Australia, Taiwan, Germany, Canada, Venezuela, Mexico, Costa Rica and Guatemala traveled a long way to Las Vegas to compete for over $150,000 in cash and prizes. Trisha Gledhill, representing Calgary, Canada was selected from the international contestants to represent Miss Hooters World. She received $5,000 cash with her new title.
During the pageant, Hooters presented former Hooters Calendar Cover Girl, Kelly Jo Dowd and Nick Valvano, CEO of the V Foundation for Cancer Research with checks totaling over $230,000. Kelly Jo was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, while she was working as a manager at Hooters. The funds were raised in every Hooters location to benefit Kelly Jo and breast cancer awareness.
This is the 10th year of the pageant and it continues to grow and become more competitive with an increasing amount of new Hooters locations and better prizes each year. “It is hard to believe Hooters has held 10 pageants,” explained Mike McNeil, VP of Marketing for Hooters of America. “We came from relatively humble beginnings into what, I believe, is the best pageant by far of any kind.” The first pageant, held in 1997, offered $2,500 to the pageant winner. This year’s Miss Hooters International received $50,000.
Hooters of America, Inc. is the franchisor and operator of over 430 Hooters restaurants in 46 states and 20 foreign countries. The first Hooters opened in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. Hooters is well known for its brand of food and fun, featuring a casual beach-theme atmosphere, a menu that features seafood, sandwiches and Hooters nearly world famous chicken wings, and service provided by the All-American cheerleaders, the Hooters Girls.