Shandi Finnessey

Pageant titleholder bio
photo=
title=Miss Missouri 2002
Miss Missouri USA 2004
Miss USA 2004
nationalcompetition=Miss America 2003
Miss USA 2004 (winner)
Miss Universe 2004 (1st runner-up)
location= Florissant, Missouri United States
birthname= Shandi Ren Finnessey
height=height|ft=5|in=11
birth = birth date and age|1978|06|9
eye color= Blue
hair color= Blonde
nationality= American
ethnicity= White/Caucasian
alias=
homepage= http://www.shandi.info

Shandi Ren Finnessey (born June 9, 1978 in Florissant, Missouri, U.S.) is an American beauty queen, model and television hostess. She is best known for winning the where she won a preliminary award.

In 2002, Finnessey authored a children’s book, "The Furrtails", which helps children appreciate individuality and understand their peers who have disabilities. She became Chuck Woolery's co-host on the game show "Lingo" in August 2005 at the start of the show's fourth season. "Lingo" airs regularly on GSN. In 2008 "Lingo" was put on hiatus from making any new shows, so now only reruns air. In April 2006, she began appearing on the interactive series "PlayMania", another GSN original. On February 23, 2007, "PlayMania" broke into two shows, "100 Winners" and "quiznation"; Finnessey became the co-host of "quiznation", a revised but similar version of the original "PlayMania". She remained a co-host until October 21, 2007, several days before the show's finale. Finnessey was also a commentator on the 2006 Miss Universe Pageant and a sideline reporter for the CBS tournament blackjack series "Ultimate Blackjack Tour".

Finnessey graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1996 and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Lindenwood University in 1999. She has credits toward a masters degree in counseling from the same university.

Pageants

Participation

Finnessey first competed in the Miss Missouri USA 2000 pageant in 1999 where she finished first runner-up. She competed the following year and placed second runner-up to Larissa Meek in the 2001 event. In 2000, Finnessey competed in the Miss Oktoberfest pageant and was a runner-up. The pageant was won by Jenna Edwards, who would later hold the Miss Florida and Miss Florida USA titles.

In 2002, Finnessey won the Miss St. Louis Metro local title in the Miss Missouri system and went on to win the Miss Missouri title. She represented Missouri in the Miss America 2003 pageant, where she won an evening gown preliminary award but did not place.

Less than a year after giving up her title, Finnessey won the Miss Missouri USA pageant on her third attempt. She represented Missouri in the nationally televised Miss USA 2004 pageant. In the nationally televised pageant, she became the first woman from Missouri to win the Miss USA title.

During her six-month reign as Miss Missouri USA, Finnessey was involved in such charities as the Variety Club Telethon, St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warm Up for local charities, AIDS Foundation, Special Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri and Gilda's Club

As Miss USA Finnessey went on to represent the United States at the international Miss Universe competition held in Quito, Ecuador in May 2004. She placed first runner-up in the internationally broadcast competition, behind winner Jennifer Hawkins of Australia.

During her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became an advocate for breast cancer and ovarian cancer awareness and research. Finnessey resided in a luxury riverside apartment in New York City provided by the Miss Universe Organization and pageant co-owner Donald Trump.

As Miss USA, Finnessey represented the Miss Universe Organization. Her "sister" 2004 titleholders were Jennifer Hawkins (Miss Universe, of Australia) and Shelley Hennig (Miss Teen USA, of Louisiana).

Hosting

Finnessey provided color commentary at the Miss USA 2005 pageant, where she was the outgoing titleholder. On July 23, 2006 she also co-hosted the Miss Universe 2006 Pageant live from Los Angeles, California as a commentator with Carson Kressley. The show's main hosts were Carlos Ponce and Nancy O'Dell. Finnessey has also co-hosted subsequent Miss Missouri USA pageants.

Post pageants

After completing her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became a co-host of "Lingo" and "PlayMania" on GSN. Her GSN career continued to flourish until late 2007 and early 2008 when both her shows stopped filming. She also has appeared in several documentaries produced by GSN. She has also appeared on the NBC reality show "The Apprentice", in the "20 Sexiest Men" and "20 Sexiest Women" specials on CMT, and as Grand Marshal in the 2004 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans of 2006 by the Jaycees. [cite web|url=http://www.hecklerspray.com/dancing-with-the-stars-betting-odds-heather-mills/20077489.php|title=Dancing With The Stars Betting Odds|author=Stuart Heritage|date=2007-03-19|accessdate=2007-09-12|quote=And she was named as one of the top ten outstanding young Americans last year.] She also appeared alongside Chris Myers as part of the coverage of the New Year's Eve 2007 Festivities for Fox. On March 19, 2007, Finnessey debuted on the fourth season of "Dancing with the Stars". [cite news |title=Meet the New Cast of 'Dancing With the Stars| url=http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Entertainment/story?id=2890554&page=1
work=ABC.com Dancing with the Stars|date=February 20, 2007|accessdate=2007-02-21] Her professional dance partner was Brian Fortuna, and she was the second celebrity voted off the show. On October 31, 2007, she appeared as a guest celebrity on NBC's "Phenomenon". She is currently the host of Hollywood Fast Track, a web based show about movies, music, and trends in Hollywood. She is also the host/co-host of several TV Guide Network specials. On September 2, 2008, Shandi was on the season finale of Wanna Bet on ABC, where she made a record for the biggest successful bet on the show betting $20,000 in the 1st best. Shandi lost in the end betting $40,000 and guessing incorrectly.

References

External links

Official
* [http://www.shandi.info Shandi.info] - Her official site

Articles
* [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-04/14/content_1419228.htm Miss USA 2004]

Interviews
* [http://www.abilitymagazine.com/Shandi_Finnessey.html Ability Magazine] - Interview
* [http://www.stimmungstunde.com/media.html#Sound Stimmung Stunde Radio] - Audio Interview
* [http://adam.freefm.com/pages/56163.php Adam Carolla Radio Show] - Audio Interview

Other
*
* [http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/shandi_finnessey/index.shtml NetGlimpse biography]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shandi_Finnessey_Fan_Club/ Shandi Finnessey Fan Club]
* [http://hollywood-fasttrack.com Hollywood Fast Track - Shandi's new show]

Vanbros titleholders
Year=2004
KS USA=Lisa Forbes
KS TUSA=Carissa Kelley
MO USA=Shandi Finnessey
Ashley Litton
MO TUSA=Alissa Reitmeier
NE USA=Guerin Austin
NE TUSA=Meagan Winings
OK USA=Lindsey Hall
OK TUSA=Caitlin Graham

Miss Universe Organization titleholders
Year=2004
Miss Universe=Jennifer Hawkins
Miss USA=Shandi Finnessey
Miss Teen USA=Shelley Hennig

Persondata
NAME=Finnessey, Shandi Ren
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American beauty queen, model, and television hostess
DATE OF BIRTH=June 9, 1978
PLACE OF BIRTH=Florissant, Missouri, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=