Miss USA 1989

Miss USA 1989
Date	February 28, 1989
Presenters	Dick Clark, Angie Dickinson and Laura Harring
Entertainment	Tommy Tune
Venue	Mobile Civic Center Theatre, Mobile, Alabama
Broadcaster	CBS, WKRG
Entrants	51
Placements	10
Winner	Gretchen Polhemus Texas
Congeniality	Kimberly Nicewonder Virginia
Best State Costume	Kelly Holub Illinois
Photogenic	Elizabeth Primm Louisiana

Miss USA 1989, the 38th Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Mobile Civic Center Theatre in Mobile, Alabama on February 28, 1989. At the conclusion of the final competition, Gretchen Polhemus of Texas was crowned by outgoing titleholder Courtney Gibbs. She was the fifth consecutive Miss Texas USA to win the pageant.

The pageant was hosted by Dick Clark, with color commentary by Angie Dickinson. This pageant was held in Alabama for the only time.

Results

Map showing placements by state

Placements

Final Results	Contestant
Miss USA 1988	Texas - Gretchen Polhemus
1st runner-up	Oklahoma - Jill Scheffert
2nd runner-up	New Jersey - Debra Lee Husti
3rd runner-up	Louisiana - Elizabeth Primm
4th runner-up	Georgia - Michelle Nemeth
Top 10	California - Christina Faust Colorado - Debbie James Pennsylvania - Denise Epps Arizona - Lee Anne Locken Illinois - Kelly Holub

Special awards

Award	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Virginia - Kimberly Nicewonder
Miss Photogenic	Louisiana - Elizabeth Primm
Best State Costume	Illinois - Kelly Holub

Final competition

State Preliminary Average Interview Swimsuit Evening Gown Semifinal Average  New Jersey 8.510 (7) 8.626 (5) 8.712 (6) 9.165 (3) 8.834 (3)  Colorado 8.388 (10) 8.638 (4) 8.432 (9) 8.786 (5) 8.618 (7)  Louisiana 8.829 (2) 8.600 (6) 8.820 (4) 8.710 (7) 8.710 (5)  Oklahoma 8.662 (3) 8.880 (2) 8.762 (5) 9.214 (2) 8.952 (2)  California 8.659 (4) 8.313 (8) 8.977 (2) 8.774 (6) 8.688 (6)  Illinois 8.501 (8) 7.988 (9) 8.432 (9) 8.681 (9) 8.367 (10)  Texas 9.084 (1) 9.425 (1) 9.535 (1) 9.601 (1) 9.520 (1)  Pennsylvania 8.580 (5) 8.534 (7) 8.467 (8) 8.613 (10) 8.538 (8)  Arizona 8.529 (6) 7.792 (10) 8.833 (3) 8.703 (8) 8.442 (9)  Georgia 8.407 (9) 8.821 (3) 8.473 (7) 9.032 (4) 8.775 (4)

Winner      First runner-up      Second runner-up      Third runner-up      Fourth runner-up      Top 10 semifinalist (#) Rank in each round of competition

Judges

The following celebrities were invited to judge the competition:^[1]

• Jude Deveraux – Author
• Bonnie Kay – Modeling manager
• Dick Rutan – Pilot of the Voyager aircraft
• Jeana Yeager – Pilot of the Voyager aircraft
• Stella Stevens – Actress
• Roscoe Tanner – Tennis player
• Linda Shelton – Aerobics instructor
• Lillian Glass – Author
• Richard Anderson – Actor
• Cecilia Bolocco – Miss Universe 1987
• Jennifer Chandler – Olympic diver

Delegates

The Miss USA 1989 delegates were:

Alabama - Sherri Mooney Alaska - Tina Geraci Arizona - Lee Anne Locken Arkansas - Paige Yandell California - Christina Faust Colorado - Debbie James Connecticut - Lisa Vendetti Delaware - Terri Spruill District of Columbia - Somaly Sieng Florida - Jennifer Parker Georgia - Michelle Nemeth Hawaii - Julie Larson Idaho - Kelli Bean Illinois - Kelly Holub Indiana - Gwen Volpe Iowa - Marcy Requist Kansas - Nancy Burris Kentucky - Veronica Hensley Louisiana - Elizabeth Primm Maine - Kirsten Blakemore Maryland - Jackie Carroll Massachusetts - Kimberley Wallace Michigan - Karyn Finucan Minnesota - Julie Knutson Mississippi - Laura Durrett Missouri - Rhonda Hoglan

Montana - Tammy Reiter Nebraska - Rene Harter Nevada - Janu Tornell New Hampshire - Fayleen Chwalek New Jersey - Deborah Lee Husti New Mexico - Traci Brubaker New York - Jennifer Fisher North Carolina - Jacqueline Padgett North Dakota - Cara Christofferson Ohio - Lisa Thompson Oklahoma - Jill Scheffert Oregon - Jennifer Blaska Pennsylvania - Denise Epps Rhode Island - Debra Damiano South Carolina - Angela Shuler South Dakota - Nanette Endres Tennessee - Kimberly Payne Texas - Gretchen Polhemus Utah - Zanetta van Zyverden Vermont - Stacey Palmer Virginia - Kimberly Nicewonder Washington - Chiann Fan Gibson West Virginia - Kathy Eicher Wisconsin - Sherri Baxter Wyoming - Chandra Anderson

Contestant notes

• Gretchen Polhemus (Texas) and Lee Anne Locken (Arizona) had competed against each other the previous year in the Miss Texas USA 1988 pageant. Polhemus placed second runner-up to winner Courtney Gibbs, and Locken was third runner-up.^[2]

References

1. ^ "Miss USA". The Durant Daily Democrat. Associated Press. March 1, 1989. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6vtDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KbAMAAAAIBAJ&dq=&pg=4096%2C46379. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
2. ^ Associated Press (1987-08-04). "Metroplex beauty wins Miss Texas". Houston Chronicle. p. 10. 

External links

• Official website