Rachel Smith
Encyclopedia
Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen
and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee
, who won the Miss USA
pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.
. She is biracial, half African-American and half European-American. She attended Clarksville Academy and graduated from Davidson Academy
for high school.
Smith graduated magna cum laude from Belmont University
in Nashville, Tennessee
in 2006 with a bachelor of science
in journalism
. Smith graduated a semester early, in December 2006. She received a full tuition
scholarship
to attend Belmont due to her community service
activities and academic achievements throughout high school
. While she was at Belmont, she interned in Chicago
, Illinois
, for eight months with Harpo Productions
, a company owned by Oprah Winfrey
. In January 2007, it was announced that she had been chosen by Winfrey to volunteer for one month at her Leadership Academy for Girls
.
2002. This was her second attempt at the title, having placed third runner-up to Jessica Myers the previous year. Smith then competed in the nationally televised Miss Teen USA
2002 pageant at South Padre Island, Texas
, where she placed in the top ten and won the Miss Photogenic award. Of the semi-finalists, Smith placed tenth in the swimsuit competition and seventh in evening gown, finishing ninth on average. The pageant was won by Vanessa Semrow
of Wisconsin
.
title, following Molly Brown who held the 1984 teen and 1987 Miss titles, Lynnette Cole
who held the 1995 teen and 2000 Miss titles and won Miss USA 2000 and Allison Alderson
, who held the 1994 teen title and 2002 Miss title. She won the title in a state pageant held at Austin Peay State University
in her home town of Clarksville. Her "sister" 2007 titleholder was Macy Erwin of Chattanooga
, Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2007.
Smith is one of three delegates who placed in the final six in the Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2002 pageant to later win consecutive Miss Tennessee USA crowns, after Amy Colley
won the title in 2005 and Lauren Grissom
won it in 2006. A fourth member of that top six was Brittany Swann
, who placed second runner-up. One month after Smith won her title, Swann won the Miss Georgia USA
2007 title, and both competed against each other at the Miss USA 2007 pageant. Swann and Smith have the same directors, Greenwood Productions, which produce the Tennessee and Georgia state pageants.
in the Miss USA 2007
pageant on March 23, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre
in Los Angeles
, California, where she became the second titleholder from Tennessee to win the Miss USA crown. Smith won both the swimsuit and evening gown competitions with consistently high scores. She was crowned by titleholder Tara Conner
alongside whom she competed at Miss Teen USA 2002. Smith is the third consecutive former Miss Teen USA delegate to win the title.
Unusually, Smith won the pageant wearing the same evening gown that she wore to win her state title. She was the first titleholder to win in a non-neutral coloured evening gown since Kelli McCarty
also won wearing a red gown in 1991.(2004 Shandi Finessey wore teal, but the bodice was sheer with rhinestone beading)
pageant held in Mexico City, Mexico, on May 28, 2007. She arrived in Mexico on May 1, and along with the 77 other delegates participated in weeks of events, rehearsals and preliminary competitions prior to the final telecast.
On May 20, Smith competed in the national costume competition dressed as Elvis Presley
, a costume which reflected her home state of Tennessee. During her appearance she was loudly booed by the Mexican crowd, who were seen giving Smith the thumbs-down sign.
After competing in the preliminary competition, Smith made the top 15 during the pageant finals, where she placed sixth in swimsuit and advanced to the top ten. During the evening gown competition, Smith slipped and fell down before quickly getting back onto her feet. She was able to remain composed as she finished her walk, and placed fifth out of the ten delegates despite the fall.
Smith was again booed by the Mexican crowd after she was announced as part of the top five while the local representative from Mexico was not. This continued as Smith answered her final question, finishing by thanking the crowd in Spanish
, which finally made the crowd cheer. She eventually placed fourth runner-up, equaling the placement of her predecessor Tara Conner
at Miss Universe 2006
.
The booing and jeering during the pageant was a repeat of a similar incident during Miss Universe 1993
, also held in Mexico City, when Miss USA Kenya Moore
was loudly booed. Both women were of black descent competing against Mexican women of white descent. The audience reaction has also been attributed to political issues between the two nations.
In August 2007, Mexican tourism officials apologized for the behavior of the audience and said that Smith is welcome back in Mexico any time.
, where she presented a "top ten" list entitled "Top Ten Things I Can Say Now That I'm Miss USA".
She was also a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show
where she talked about her experience working as an intern.
As Miss USA, Smith twice had the opportunity to ring the opening bell at the American Stock Exchange
, first on April 24, and then on June 7 with Miss Universe Riyo Mori
.
In early June, Smith travelled to Kenya
to volunteer for Project Sunshine. On returning to the United States, she was present at an event at the White House
celebrating Black Music month, where she introduced President George W. Bush
to the audience. She then travelled to Chicago to attend the CONCACAF
Gold Cup final between Mexico and the United States, which lead to further discussion in the media over the treatment she received from the Mexican audience at Miss Universe.
In late November, Smith rode a float in the 2007 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
, following previous Miss USA titleholders since Susie Castillo in 2003.
In December 2007, she traveled to Kuwait
, Iraq
and Naval Station Rota Spain
on a USO tour along with Kid Rock
, Robin Williams
, Lewis Black
and Lance Armstrong
.
Smith appeared on the cover and in an editorial spread in the March/April 2008 issue of Supermodels Unlimited magazine, photographed by Kevin Michael Reed. On April 11, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada
, Smith crowned Crystle Stewart
, Miss Texas, as Miss USA 2008
. This was the first time that two women of Black descent had been crowned Miss USA
consecutively.
Rachel also appeared on the magazine cover and in an interview for the May/June 2011 issue of Select Magazine.
's MTV
reality show Pageant Place
along with Riyo Mori
(Miss Universe 2007), Tara Conner
(former Miss USA 2006), Katie Blair
(former Miss Teen USA 2006) and Hilary Cruz
(Miss Teen USA 2007). The show was first broadcast on October 10, 2007.
In August, 2010, she appeared on a special "Girls of Summer" week airing of NBC's Minute to Win It
on an episode called "Last Beauty Standing." The episode featured 10 beauty pageant winners competing for $100,000 towards their chosen charities along with a chance to win a $1,000,000 challenge.
She worked as a reporter for E!
, but currently co-hosts ABC's
nationally-syndicated entertainment show OnTheRedCarpet
.
Beauty Queen
"Beauty Queen" is the second song from Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure. The lyrics refer to Ferry's girlfriend, Valerie Leon, one-time UK beauty queen, B-movie actress and model working in the Newcastle area, circa 1973.-Musicians:...
and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
, who won the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.
Early life
Smith was born on a U.S. Army base in Panama. She lived in Clarksville after her parents were stationed to Fort CampbellFort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astraddle the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee...
. She is biracial, half African-American and half European-American. She attended Clarksville Academy and graduated from Davidson Academy
Davidson Academy
For the Davidson Academy in Nevada, see Davidson Academy of Nevada.Davidson Academy is a private Christian school located in Nashville, Tennessee. It has students ranging from K-3 to 12th grade.-History:...
for high school.
Smith graduated magna cum laude from Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 2006 with a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. Smith graduated a semester early, in December 2006. She received a full tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to attend Belmont due to her community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
activities and academic achievements throughout high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. While she was at Belmont, she interned in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, for eight months with Harpo Productions
Harpo Productions
Harpo Productions, Inc. is an incorporated US-based multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey . It also includes Harpo Films & Harpo Radio, Inc....
, a company owned by Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
. In January 2007, it was announced that she had been chosen by Winfrey to volunteer for one month at her Leadership Academy for Girls
Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls - South Africa is a girls-only boarding school that officially opened in January 2007 in Henley on Klip near Meyerton, south of Johannesburg, South Africa...
.
Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2002
Smith won her first major pageant title in 2001 when she was crowned Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USA
The Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2002. This was her second attempt at the title, having placed third runner-up to Jessica Myers the previous year. Smith then competed in the nationally televised Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
2002 pageant at South Padre Island, Texas
South Padre Island, Texas
South Padre Island is a town in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area. It may be included as part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas. The population was 2,816 at the...
, where she placed in the top ten and won the Miss Photogenic award. Of the semi-finalists, Smith placed tenth in the swimsuit competition and seventh in evening gown, finishing ninth on average. The pageant was won by Vanessa Semrow
Vanessa Marie Semrow
Vanessa Marie Semrow is a beauty queen from Rhinelander, Wisconsin who held the Miss Teen USA 2002 title.Semrow won her first title, Miss Wisconsin Teen USA on October 15, 2001, in a pageant paying tribute to the events of September 11, 2001...
of Wisconsin
Miss Wisconsin Teen USA
The Miss Wisconsin Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Wisconsin in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Wisconsin is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA, having only placed on two occasions...
.
Miss Tennessee USA 2007
On October 7, 2006, Smith became the fourth former Miss Tennessee Teen USA to win the Miss Tennessee USAMiss Tennessee USA
The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee....
title, following Molly Brown who held the 1984 teen and 1987 Miss titles, Lynnette Cole
Lynnette Cole
Lynnette Cole-O'Nan , won the title Miss Tennessee USA in 2000. She went on to become the first woman from that state to win the Miss USA pageant, which was held in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000....
who held the 1995 teen and 2000 Miss titles and won Miss USA 2000 and Allison Alderson
Allison Alderson
Allison Leigh Alderson DeMarcus is a beauty queen from Nashville, Tennessee who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss America pageants. She is considered a Triple Crown winner because she has held state titles in each system...
, who held the 1994 teen title and 2002 Miss title. She won the title in a state pageant held at Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .-History:...
in her home town of Clarksville. Her "sister" 2007 titleholder was Macy Erwin of Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2007.
Smith is one of three delegates who placed in the final six in the Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2002 pageant to later win consecutive Miss Tennessee USA crowns, after Amy Colley
Amy Colley
Amy Estella Colley is a beauty queen from Jonesborough, Tennessee who has competed in the Miss USA pageant. She graduated from David Crockett High School in 2002....
won the title in 2005 and Lauren Grissom
Lauren Grissom
Lauren Blair Grissom is a beauty queen from Shelbyville, Tennessee who has held the Miss Tennessee USA title.Grissom won the Miss Tennessee USA title in a state pageant held in Clarksville on 7 October 2005....
won it in 2006. A fourth member of that top six was Brittany Swann
Brittany Swann
Brittany Ryan Swann is a beauty queen from Tyrone, Georgia who competed in the Miss USA pageant in 2007.Swann won the Miss Georgia USA 2007 title in a state pageant held in Newnan, Georgia on 11 November 2006. She competed as Miss Peachtree City in the pageant...
, who placed second runner-up. One month after Smith won her title, Swann won the Miss Georgia USA
Miss Georgia USA
The Miss Georgia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.Historically, Georgia has been the eleventh most successful state at Miss USA and has performed in more recent years, placing eighth on the table of most successful states...
2007 title, and both competed against each other at the Miss USA 2007 pageant. Swann and Smith have the same directors, Greenwood Productions, which produce the Tennessee and Georgia state pageants.
Miss USA 2007
Smith represented TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in the Miss USA 2007
Miss USA 2007
Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee....
pageant on March 23, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre
Kodak Theatre
The Kodak Theatre is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland shopping mall and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California, where she became the second titleholder from Tennessee to win the Miss USA crown. Smith won both the swimsuit and evening gown competitions with consistently high scores. She was crowned by titleholder Tara Conner
Tara Conner
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was 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. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
alongside whom she competed at Miss Teen USA 2002. Smith is the third consecutive former Miss Teen USA delegate to win the title.
Unusually, Smith won the pageant wearing the same evening gown that she wore to win her state title. She was the first titleholder to win in a non-neutral coloured evening gown since Kelli McCarty
Kelli McCarty
Kelli McCarty is an American model, actress and adult film performer who was crowned Miss USA in 1991.-Career:McCarty won the Miss USA beauty contest in 1991, competing as Miss Kansas USA...
also won wearing a red gown in 1991.(2004 Shandi Finessey wore teal, but the bodice was sheer with rhinestone beading)
Miss Universe 2007
As Miss USA, Smith represented the United States in the Miss Universe 2007Miss Universe 2007
Miss Universe 2007, the 56th Miss Universe pageant, took place on May 28, 2007 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico. 77 delegates competed for the title. Riyo Mori of Japan was crowned the winner of the title by Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico....
pageant held in Mexico City, Mexico, on May 28, 2007. She arrived in Mexico on May 1, and along with the 77 other delegates participated in weeks of events, rehearsals and preliminary competitions prior to the final telecast.
On May 20, Smith competed in the national costume competition dressed as Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, a costume which reflected her home state of Tennessee. During her appearance she was loudly booed by the Mexican crowd, who were seen giving Smith the thumbs-down sign.
After competing in the preliminary competition, Smith made the top 15 during the pageant finals, where she placed sixth in swimsuit and advanced to the top ten. During the evening gown competition, Smith slipped and fell down before quickly getting back onto her feet. She was able to remain composed as she finished her walk, and placed fifth out of the ten delegates despite the fall.
Smith was again booed by the Mexican crowd after she was announced as part of the top five while the local representative from Mexico was not. This continued as Smith answered her final question, finishing by thanking the crowd in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, which finally made the crowd cheer. She eventually placed fourth runner-up, equaling the placement of her predecessor Tara Conner
Tara Conner
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was 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. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
at Miss Universe 2006
Miss Universe 2006
Miss Universe 2006, the 55th Miss Universe pageant, took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, USA. Unlike past events, it was broadcast live on NBC on a Sunday, July 23, 2006, almost two months later than usual....
.
The booing and jeering during the pageant was a repeat of a similar incident during Miss Universe 1993
Miss Universe 1993
Miss Universe 1993, the 42nd Miss Universe pageant, was held at Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico on May 21, 1993. Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico was crowned as Miss Universe 1993...
, also held in Mexico City, when Miss USA Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
was loudly booed. Both women were of black descent competing against Mexican women of white descent. The audience reaction has also been attributed to political issues between the two nations.
In August 2007, Mexican tourism officials apologized for the behavior of the audience and said that Smith is welcome back in Mexico any time.
Reign as Miss USA
During her first week as Miss USA, Smith made a number of media appearances, such as The Today Show and Late Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, where she presented a "top ten" list entitled "Top Ten Things I Can Say Now That I'm Miss USA".
She was also a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
where she talked about her experience working as an intern.
As Miss USA, Smith twice had the opportunity to ring the opening bell at the American Stock Exchange
American Stock Exchange
NYSE Amex Equities, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange is an American stock exchange situated in New York. AMEX was a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was known as the New York Curb Exchange. On January 17, 2008, NYSE Euronext announced it would acquire the...
, first on April 24, and then on June 7 with Miss Universe Riyo Mori
Riyo Mori
is a Japanese dance instructor and model who won the Miss Universe 2007 title in May 2007.-Early life:...
.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
to volunteer for Project Sunshine. On returning to the United States, she was present at an event at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
celebrating Black Music month, where she introduced President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to the audience. She then travelled to Chicago to attend the CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
Gold Cup final between Mexico and the United States, which lead to further discussion in the media over the treatment she received from the Mexican audience at Miss Universe.
In late November, Smith rode a float in the 2007 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
, following previous Miss USA titleholders since Susie Castillo in 2003.
In December 2007, she traveled to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Naval Station Rota Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on a USO tour along with Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
, Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, Lewis Black
Lewis Black
Lewis Niles Black is an American stand-up comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor. He is known for his comedy style, which often includes simulating a mental breakdown, or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena...
and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
.
Smith appeared on the cover and in an editorial spread in the March/April 2008 issue of Supermodels Unlimited magazine, photographed by Kevin Michael Reed. On April 11, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Smith crowned Crystle Stewart
Crystle Stewart
Crystle Danae Stewart , from Missouri City, Texas, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. She was born to Robert & Cynthia Franklin Stewart...
, Miss Texas, as Miss USA 2008
Miss USA 2008
Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee...
. This was the first time that two women of Black descent had been crowned Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
consecutively.
Rachel also appeared on the magazine cover and in an interview for the May/June 2011 issue of Select Magazine.
Television
Smith starred in Donald TrumpDonald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
's MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
reality show Pageant Place
Pageant Place
Pageant Place is an American reality show that follows Miss Universe Organization pageant winners Miss Universe Riyo Mori, Miss USA Rachel Smith and Miss Teen USA 2006 Katie Blair, as they live together in an apartment in New York. They are guided by Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, in a chaperonal role...
along with Riyo Mori
Riyo Mori
is a Japanese dance instructor and model who won the Miss Universe 2007 title in May 2007.-Early life:...
(Miss Universe 2007), Tara Conner
Tara Conner
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was 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. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
(former Miss USA 2006), Katie Blair
Katie Blair
Katherine Amanda Blair is an American model, beauty queen, and television personality from Billings, Montana, who held the Miss Teen USA 2006 and Miss California USA 2011 title. She was the first person from Montana to win a major pageant title...
(former Miss Teen USA 2006) and Hilary Cruz
Hilary Cruz
Hilary Cruz is a beauty queen from Louisville, Colorado who won Miss Teen USA in August of 2007.In 2007, Cruz represented Colorado in the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant held in Pasadena, California in August 2007. During the live television broadcast on August 24, 2007, Cruz was crowned Miss Teen USA...
(Miss Teen USA 2007). The show was first broadcast on October 10, 2007.
In August, 2010, she appeared on a special "Girls of Summer" week airing of NBC's Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It is an American prime time game show on NBC hosted by Guy Fieri. Contestants take part in a series of 60-second challenges that use objects that are commonly available around the house....
on an episode called "Last Beauty Standing." The episode featured 10 beauty pageant winners competing for $100,000 towards their chosen charities along with a chance to win a $1,000,000 challenge.
She worked as a reporter for E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
, but currently co-hosts ABC's
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
nationally-syndicated entertainment show OnTheRedCarpet
OnTheRedCarpet
OnTheRedCarpet is a weekly entertainment news show that highlights celebrity news, Hollywood events and star style. The show is syndicated by ABC throughout the United States, and hosted by former Miss USA Rachel Smith, and Chris Balish, an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist.- Overview...
.