Was The 2022 Miss USA Pageant Rigged? Accusations Are Flying

We have ourselves an old-fashioned catfight over the Miss USA pageant results.

Major drama within the already drama-riddled pageant world broke out this week when it was alleged that Monday's Miss USA pageant was fixed for Miss Texas to win.

Miss Texas R'Bonney Gabriel - the first Asian and Filipina American to win -- had the prestigious Miss USA crown placed on her head after defeating 49 states and probably some territories, on her way to the title.  It was supposed to be a happy moment within the pageant world, but, according to fellow contestants, the fix was in.

Miss Montana, Heather Lee O'Keefe, has spent this week on TikTok laying out the reasons why the pageant was fixed, including R'Bonney being featured on a plastic surgery spa's social media feed receiving treatments.

BOOM! Take this case to the district attorney's office.

"Most of the Miss USA contestants feel very strongly that there was favoritism towards Miss Texas USA and we have the receipts to prove it,' O'Keefe said in one of her numerous TikTok videos dealing with the drama.

"We are putting our titles on the line, putting our reputations on the line,' O'Keefe added on Instagram Live. "That's how strongly we feel about believing and standing up for what is right.

"There is many of us who have even said we are willing to relinquish our titles to take this stand because that's how serious we are about this."

Now for the list of allegations and drama surrounding Monday's pageant:

• Fellow contestants stormed off the stage as R'Bonney was crowned

• The trip to the plastic surgery spa, which is a Miss USA pageant sponsor and a trip to the spa was included in the winning prize package

• Pageant president Crystle Stewart is close with R'Bonney and did her hair backstage at the pageant and helped train Miss Texas for her eventual victory

• There are claims Miss Texas was the "only one" who received promotion via the Miss USA page which as O'Keefe said, was promotion that "not other state contestant got."

Whew. Imagine the court case for this one when they call the witnesses to the stand. We're talking all-time court chaos. Bigger than the OJ trial.

"Lol @ all of the sponsors, judges, staff, etc. watching my stories and videos. I see you. When will y'all speak up?" O'Keefe fired off via Instagram.

"Silence is compliance."

Thursday night, R'Bonney broke her silence as O'Keefe stayed on the offensive.

"It was not rigged," the new Miss USA said. "I would never enter a pageant that I know I would win. I have a lot of integrity. And just for context, I think a lot of people were talking about seeing me promote a sponsor that is a Miss USA sponsor. This sponsor is a Miss Texas USA sponsor. So I was a brand ambassador after I won my title Miss Texas."

We have an official catfight.

R'Bonney even says she's open to talking to O'Keefe. Just make sure a camera is rolling.

Written by
Joe Kinsey is the Senior Director of Content of OutKick and the editor of the Morning Screencaps column that examines a variety of stories taking place in real America. Kinsey is also the founder of OutKick’s Thursday Night Mowing League, America’s largest virtual mowing league. Kinsey graduated from University of Toledo.