Tara Elizabeth Conner, born on December 18, 1985 in Dallas, Texas, is an American beauty queen and model, who is Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model and waitress. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Destinations in 2004, posing for the cameras in Lake Tahoe. She has held the titles Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002, Miss Kentucky County Fair 2004, Miss Kentucky USA 2006 and Miss USA 2006.
In late 2006, Conner became the center of a public scandal when news reports claimed she had been drinking underage, tested positive for the use of cocaine, and kissed Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, among other things. She was allowed to retain her title and entered a drug rehabilitation program.
Tara Elizabeth Conner (born on December 18, 1985 in Dallas, Texas)[1] is an American beauty queen and model, who is Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model and waitress. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Destinations in 2004, posing for the cameras in Lake Tahoe. She has held the titles Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002, Miss Kentucky County Fair 2004, Miss Kentucky USA 2006 and Miss USA 2006.
In late 2006, Conner became the center of a public scandal when news reports claimed she had been drinking underage, tested positive for the use of cocaine, and kissed Miss Teen USA Katie Blair, among other things.[2] She was allowed to retain her title and entered a drug rehabilitation program.
Controversy
On December 14, 2006, controversy erupted when TMZ.com published an article stating that Conner might be dethroned for her behavior in several New York City bars.[18] The following day the website reported that Conner would be stripped of her crown, and that first runner-up Tamiko Nash, who completed her reign as Miss California USA in October, would inherit the Miss USA title.[19] This was neither confirmed nor denied by the Miss Universe Organization.
The December 16, 2006 edition of the New York Daily News reported Conner had tested positive for cocaine, had kissed Miss Teen USA Katie Blair in public, and had sneaked men into their Trump Place apartment. One New York City nightlife veteran said "She really is a small-town girl. She just went wild when she came to the city. Tara just couldn't handle herself. They were sneaking those nightclub guys in and out of the apartment."[20] According to Fox News, citing local New York newspapers, Conner "moved out of her apartment in one of Trump's luxury buildings on Manhattan's Upper West Side" sometime during the week of December 11, 2006.
On December 19, 2006, Trump held a press conference saying that Conner was not dethroned as Miss USA. "I've always been a believer in second chances," Trump said.[21] Had Conner been dethroned, she would have been the first Miss USA to have her title removed since Mary Leona Gage in 1957. It was also announced that Conner would be entering the Caron Foundation, an alcoholism rehabilitation facility in Pennsylvania.[22] During the press conference Conner declined to comment on allegations of illicit drug use and claimed she was not an alcoholic but acknowledged making serious mistakes.
After coming out of rehab less than two months later in February 2007, Conner admitted in an interview with Matt Lauer that she had abused cocaine and anti-depressants.[23][24] Conner said that she had faced her "demons" and hinted her problems may have stemmed from some unspecified abuse during her childhood with someone she recently confronted. She would not comment on whether this abuse was sexual. "I will not deny that I have witnessed some abuse, but out of respect for my family ... it's something I would like to speak with my family about first," Conner told NBC television's "Today" show. "Later on, maybe I'll feel more comfortable about speaking on these topics, but right now not so much."[25] She also participated in an interview on Larry King Live.
On April 1, 2007 she attended WWE's WrestleMania 23 in Detroit, Michigan. In the Hair vs. Hair Match she came down to the ring as the attendant of Donald Trump. In January 2008 it was announced that Conner would be writing a book about her life as Miss USA and her struggles with drugs and alcohol.
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