Shandi Finnessey
Encyclopedia
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen
, model
, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA
title, as Miss Missouri USA
. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri
2002 and competed in Miss America
where she won a preliminary award. She placed as first runner-up at the Miss Universe 2004
competition. She is one of three women to have been both Miss Missouri USA and Miss Missouri and the only Missourian to have been Miss USA. Her first runner-up finish at Miss Universe
was the best placement in the 2000s and continues to be the best United States placement since Brook Mahealani Lee won the Miss Universe 1997
competition.
She evolved from being a misfit youth who was subjected to verbal bullying to becoming a world-class beauty queen. In 2002, Finnessey authored an award-winning children’s book, The Furrtails, on individuality and disabilities. In the mid-2000s, she was Chuck Woolery's
co-host for the game show Lingo on the Game Show Network
. Finessey has also hosted PlayMania
as well as quiznation
and has served as 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.
2000 pageant in 1999 where, as Miss Saint Louis County
in her senior year of college, she finished first runner-up to Denette Roderick. She competed the following year (2000) and placed second runner-up behind first runner-up Melana Scantlin
and winner Larissa Meek
in the Miss Missouri USA 2001 event.
In 2000, Finnessey competed in the Miss Oktoberfest pageant and was 3rd runner-up. The pageant was won by Jenna Edwards, who had previously been 1999 Miss Teen All-American and would later hold the Miss Florida
2004 and Miss Florida USA
2007 titles. First runner-up was Jennifer Glover
, the previous Miss United States International
1999 and the future Miss California
2002 and Miss California USA
2001.
On November 18, 2000, Finnessey won the Miss Jackson title in the Miss Missouri
system and finished 2nd runner-up to Jennifer Hover in the June 3 – 9, 2001 Miss Missouri pageant held in Mexico, MO. Finnessey won the Miss St. Louis Metro local title in the Miss Missouri system and went on to win the 2002 Miss Missouri title, succeeding Hover. She won the contest despite having slammed her hand in a car door that weekend. During the contest, she performed an arrangement of "Flight of the Bumblebee
" on the piano for her talent. During her on-stage interview as one of the five finalists, she was asked what she learned having three brothers and she answered to be quick in the bathroom.
She represented Missouri in the Miss America
2003 pageant, where she won an evening gown preliminary award but did not place. For the talent portion of the competition in the Miss America system events (which the Miss USA system does not use) at times she played the violin and at other times the piano. In the competition to be Miss America, she played the piano.
Less than a year after giving up her Miss Missouri title, as Miss Metro St. Louis (USA), Finnessey won the Miss Missouri USA
pageant on her third attempt at Black River Coliseum
in Poplar Bluff, Missouri
. 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
. She joined Barbara Webster (Miss Missouri 1983 and Miss Missouri USA 1986) and Robin Elizabeth Riley (Miss Missouri 1987 and Miss Missouri USA 1983) as qualifiers to both of the nationally televised beauty pageants.
She represented Missouri in the April 12, 2004 nationally televised Miss USA 2004
pageant at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles in front of hosts Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush and judges Jeff Gordon
, Jerry Buss
, John Salley
, Mekhi Phifer
, Rocco DiSpirito
and Jill Stuart. Her final question was whether experience or education serves a person better in life to which she answered "Definitely experience because you get your knowledge through experience." She competed on the platform of integrating people with mental challenges into society. In the nationally televised pageant, she became the first woman from Missouri to win the Miss USA title. During her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became an advocate for breast cancer
and ovarian cancer
awareness and research. She has also worked with Special Olympics
, the National Down Syndrome Convention, American Cancer Society
and Derek Jeter
's Turn 2 Foundation
(which helps at-risk kids choose healthier lifestyles). Finnessey resided in a luxury Riverside Drive
apartment in New York City
provided by the Miss Universe Organization and pageant co-owner Donald Trump
.
As Miss USA Finnessey went on to represent the United States at the international Miss Universe
competition held in Quito, Ecuador in May 2004, culminating on June 1, 2004. She placed first runner-up in the internationally broadcast competition, behind winner Jennifer Hawkins
of Australia. The event was hosted by Bush and Daisy Fuentes
and the judges included Petra Nemcova
, Emilio Estefan
and Bo Derek
.
As Miss USA, Finnessey represented the Miss Universe Organization
. Her Miss Universe Organization "sister" 2004 titleholders were Jennifer Hawkins
(Miss Universe, of Australia) and Shelley Hennig
(Miss Teen USA
, of Louisiana). Her contemporary Miss America titleholder was Ericka Dunlap
(Florida).
at the April 11 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. She again served as a commentator for the September 12 Miss Universe 2011
competition in São Paulo
, Brazil along with Jeannie Mai
.
She judged the April 19, Miss USA 2009
competition. That year when Miss California USA
2009 Carrie Prejean
caused a notable controversy
during her on-stage finalist interview with a response that she was opposed to same-sex marriage
, Finnessey participated in a Miss California USA organization public service announcement
promoting diversity along with several other Miss Universe Organization beauty pageant titlists.
on GSN. She hosted Lingo from August 2005 at the start of the show's fourth season until the show went on hiatus in 2008. In April 2006, she began her turn with the interactive series PlayMania, which broke into two shows on February 23, 2007. Finnessey became the co-host of the quiznation
spinoff, 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. She also was a sideline reporter for the CBS
tournament blackjack
series Ultimate Blackjack Tour
.
She also has appeared in several documentaries produced by GSN. She has also appeared on the NBC
reality show The Apprentice
(February 15, 2005, episode 3.5), in the November 13, 2004, 20 Sexiest Men and 20 Sexiest Women specials on CMT
, and as Grand Marshal
in the November 25, 2004 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
. She was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans of 2006 by the Jaycees. 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
. Her professional dance partner was Brian Fortuna
, and she was the second celebrity voted off the show. On October 31 and November 21, 2007, she appeared as a guest celebrity on NBC's Phenomenon
. She also hosted 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. 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. At the Miss USA 2011
competition she was among the 31 former winners who were part of a photoshoot layout for Time Magazine.
, tinted glasses, acne
and braces, and was teased a lot. Eventually, the verbal bullying escalated to the point that she had to transfer from public school to an all-girls private school. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1996.
According to the press release issued at the time of her first public appearance as Miss USA on April 17, 2004 in New York City, she has earned a bachelor's degree
in psychology. It also notes that she plays both the violin and piano. She also practices yoga
, meditation
and performs knitting and abstract painting. In 2003, she dated August Busch IV
and has also dated Italo Zanzi
. She is a Republican
, and during her Miss USA reign she attended the The Commander-in-Chief's Ball at the Second inauguration of George W. Bush
.
Her Miss USA press release also notes that she began her professional modelling career at the age of 6. She modeled with Ford Models
in Chicago and Talent Plus in St. Louis. According the Miss USA website at the time of her reign, her modelling experience included television commercials, runway modelling, newspaper and magazine ads as well as upscale fashion store experience. She claims to have once wrestled a greased pig. , her parents still lived in the house that she grew up in in Florissant.
in the SEPA journal. She began her studies for a Ph.D.
in counseling before being crowned Miss Missouri USA 2004.
Articles
Interviews
Other
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:...
, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning 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...
title, as Miss Missouri USA
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri
Miss Missouri
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held...
2002 and competed in Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
where she won a preliminary award. She placed as first runner-up at the Miss Universe 2004
Miss Universe 2004
Miss Universe 2004, the 53rd Miss Universe pageant, was held in Centro de Convenciones CEMEXPO, Quito, Ecuador on June 1, 2004. It was won by Jennifer Hawkins of Australia....
competition. She is one of three women to have been both Miss Missouri USA and Miss Missouri and the only Missourian to have been Miss USA. Her first runner-up finish at Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
was the best placement in the 2000s and continues to be the best United States placement since Brook Mahealani Lee won the Miss Universe 1997
Miss Universe 1997
Miss Universe 1997 pageant was held in Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, USA, culminating in the final competition on May 16, 1997. This was the second consecutive year that the pageant had been held in the United States. Miss USA, Brook Lee of Hawaii was crowned Miss...
competition.
She evolved from being a misfit youth who was subjected to verbal bullying to becoming a world-class beauty queen. In 2002, Finnessey authored an award-winning children’s book, The Furrtails, on individuality and disabilities. In the mid-2000s, she was Chuck Woolery's
Chuck Woolery
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Woolery is an American game show host. He has had long-running tenures hosting several different game shows. He was the original host of Wheel of Fortune from 1975–81, the original incarnation of Love Connection from 1983–94, and Scrabble from 1984–90...
co-host for the game show Lingo on the Game Show Network
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
. Finessey has also hosted PlayMania
PlayMania
PlayMania is a live interactive game show on GSN, hosted by Mel Peachey, Shandi Finnessey, Jessica York, Angelle Tymon and Jeff Thisted. The two-hour program featured interactive games that the viewers could play to win cash prizes...
as well as quiznation
Quiznation (US game show)
quiznation was a live interactive game show on GSN. The official host was Shandi Finnessey, with Angelle Tymon, Jessica York, Jeff Thisted filling in. Featured in the two-hour program were interactive games where the viewers could win cash prizes. The show aired from 12 midnight - 2 a.m...
and has served as a sideline reporter for the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
tournament blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
series Ultimate Blackjack Tour
Ultimate Blackjack Tour
The Ultimate Blackjack Tour was a televised series of Elimination Blackjack tournaments that aired in syndication. It debuted on September 16, 2006. The show consists of a series of televised Elimination Blackjack tournaments...
.
Finnessey graduated from Incarnate Word Academy
Incarnate Word Academy (Bel-Nor, Missouri)
Incarnate Word Academy is a Roman Catholic, private, secondary school for women. The school is sponsored by the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. The school is located in Bel-Nor, a suburb of St...
in 1996 and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University, often referred to as Lindenwood or LU, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Saint Charles, Missouri, United States...
in 1999. She has credits toward a masters degree in counseling from the same university.
Participation
Finnessey first competed in the Miss Missouri USAMiss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
2000 pageant in 1999 where, as Miss Saint Louis County
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
in her senior year of college, she finished first runner-up to Denette Roderick. She competed the following year (2000) and placed second runner-up behind first runner-up Melana Scantlin
Melana Scantlin
Melana Scantlin is an American television co-host, former beauty contestant, and reality TV participant who has competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants....
and winner Larissa Meek
Larissa Meek
Larissa Meek is a former beauty queen who has competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants and a reality television personality who starred in Average Joe: Hawaii.-Pageants:...
in the Miss Missouri USA 2001 event.
In 2000, Finnessey competed in the Miss Oktoberfest pageant and was 3rd runner-up. The pageant was won by Jenna Edwards, who had previously been 1999 Miss Teen All-American and would later hold the Miss Florida
Miss Florida
The Miss Florida competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Florida in the Miss America pageant. Florida has twice won the Miss America crown.-Winners:* Assumed the crown after Miss Florida won Miss America...
2004 and Miss Florida USA
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
2007 titles. First runner-up was Jennifer Glover
Jennifer Glover
Jennifer Jean Glover is a beauty queen from Laguna Hills, California. She held the titles of Miss California 2002 and Miss California USA 2001.-References:...
, the previous Miss United States International
Miss United States International
Miss US International is the official United States of America preliminary to Miss International. The USA has sent a representative to the Miss International pageant since its inception in 1960...
1999 and the future Miss California
Miss California
For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss California USAThe Miss California competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss America pageant. Delegates from the states of California, Ohio and Oklahoma have each won the title of Miss...
2002 and Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
2001.
On November 18, 2000, Finnessey won the Miss Jackson title in the Miss Missouri
Miss Missouri
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held...
system and finished 2nd runner-up to Jennifer Hover in the June 3 – 9, 2001 Miss Missouri pageant held in Mexico, MO. Finnessey won the Miss St. Louis Metro local title in the Miss Missouri system and went on to win the 2002 Miss Missouri title, succeeding Hover. She won the contest despite having slammed her hand in a car door that weekend. During the contest, she performed an arrangement of "Flight of the Bumblebee
Flight of the Bumblebee
"Flight of the Bumblebee" is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899–1900. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich into an insect so that he can fly away to...
" on the piano for her talent. During her on-stage interview as one of the five finalists, she was asked what she learned having three brothers and she answered to be quick in the bathroom.
She represented Missouri in the Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
2003 pageant, where she won an evening gown preliminary award but did not place. For the talent portion of the competition in the Miss America system events (which the Miss USA system does not use) at times she played the violin and at other times the piano. In the competition to be Miss America, she played the piano.
Less than a year after giving up her Miss Missouri title, as Miss Metro St. Louis (USA), Finnessey won the Miss Missouri USA
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
pageant on her third attempt at Black River Coliseum
Black River Coliseum
Black River Coliseum is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. It was built in 1999. It hosts various local concerts and sporting events for the area....
in Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff is a city in Butler County located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S...
. During her six-month reign as Miss Missouri USA, Finnessey was involved in such charities as the Variety Club Telethon, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
Winter Warm Up for local charities, AIDS Foundation, Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
in St. Louis, Missouri and Gilda's Club
Gilda's Club
Gilda's Club, named in tribute to the late comic actress Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989, is a community meeting place for people living with cancer, their families and friends. There are 22 open clubhouses and nine in development in North America...
. She joined Barbara Webster (Miss Missouri 1983 and Miss Missouri USA 1986) and Robin Elizabeth Riley (Miss Missouri 1987 and Miss Missouri USA 1983) as qualifiers to both of the nationally televised beauty pageants.
She represented Missouri in the April 12, 2004 nationally televised Miss USA 2004
Miss USA 2004
The Miss USA 2004 pageant was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 12, 2004. The winner of the beauty pageant was Shandi Finnessey, who became the first winner from the state of Missouri...
pageant at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles in front of hosts Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush and judges Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
, Jerry Buss
Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, John Salley
John Salley
John Thomas "Spider" Salley is a retired American professional basketball player, actor and talk show host. He was the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises....
, Mekhi Phifer
Mekhi Phifer
Mekhi Thira Phifer is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his multi-year role as Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama ER and his co-starring role opposite Eminem in the feature film 8 Mile...
, Rocco DiSpirito
Rocco DiSpirito
Rocco DiSpirito is an Italian American chef based in New York City.-Life and career:DiSpirito was born in Queens, New York City, New York. He graduated in 1986 from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and in 1990 from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in business...
and Jill Stuart. Her final question was whether experience or education serves a person better in life to which she answered "Definitely experience because you get your knowledge through experience." She competed on the platform of integrating people with mental challenges into society. In the nationally televised pageant, she became the first woman from Missouri to win the Miss USA title. During her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became an advocate for breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
awareness and research. She has also worked with Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
, the National Down Syndrome Convention, American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
and Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
's Turn 2 Foundation
Turn 2 Foundation
The Turn 2 Foundation is a charity organization founded by New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter in 1996. The Foundation was established to help children and teenagers avoid drug and alcohol addiction, and to reward those who show high academic achievement and adopt healthier lifestyles.Members of...
(which helps at-risk kids choose healthier lifestyles). Finnessey resided in a luxury Riverside Drive
Riverside Drive (Manhattan)
Riverside Drive is a scenic north-south thoroughfare in the Manhattan borough of New York City. The boulevard runs on the west side of Manhattan, generally parallel to the Hudson River from 72nd Street to near the George Washington Bridge at 181st Street...
apartment in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
provided by the Miss Universe Organization and pageant co-owner Donald Trump
Donald 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...
.
As Miss USA Finnessey went on to represent the United States at the international Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
competition held in Quito, Ecuador in May 2004, culminating on June 1, 2004. She placed first runner-up in the internationally broadcast competition, behind winner Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins is an Australian beauty queen, model and television presenter best known as Miss Universe 2004 and the face of Australian department store Myer.-Early life:...
of Australia. The event was hosted by Bush and Daisy Fuentes
Daisy Fuentes
Daisy Fuentes is a Cuban-American television host, model, and comedian. Daisy Fuentes broke barriers as MTV's first Latina VJ , and as Revlon's first Latina spokesperson to be signed to a worldwide contract.-Early life:Fuentes was born in Havana, Cuba to a Cuban father and Spanish mother...
and the judges included Petra Nemcova
Petra Nemcová
Petra Němcová is a Czech model, television host, author, and philanthropist. She is the founder and chair of the Happy Hearts Fund. In December 2004, she was injured in Thailand by a tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake; her fiancé, photographer Simon Atlee, was killed in the...
, Emilio Estefan
Emilio Estefan
Emilio Estefan, Jr. is a Cuban-American of Lebanese ancestry who is a musician and producer. Estefan's first taste of celebrity came as a member of the Miami Sound Machine, but he is also recognized as the producer of many famous singers. He is the husband of singer Gloria Estefan...
and Bo Derek
Bo Derek
Mary Cathleen Collins , better known as Bo Derek, is an American film and television actress, model, and sex symbol, known for her role as Jenny Hanley in the 1979 comedy film 10. However, Derek's film career soon faltered; her later films, including, Bolero and Ghosts Can't Do It , were poorly...
.
As Miss USA, Finnessey represented the Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
. Her Miss Universe Organization "sister" 2004 titleholders were Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins is an Australian beauty queen, model and television presenter best known as Miss Universe 2004 and the face of Australian department store Myer.-Early life:...
(Miss Universe, of Australia) and Shelley Hennig
Shelley Hennig
Shelley Catherine "Shell" Hennig is a beauty pageant titleholder from Destrehan, Louisiana who held the Miss Teen USA 2004 title. She is also an actress who played Stephanie Johnson on Days of our Lives...
(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....
, of Louisiana). Her contemporary Miss America titleholder was Ericka Dunlap
Ericka Dunlap
Ericka Dunlap is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Orlando, Florida who was named Miss Florida 2003 and subsequently crowned Miss America 2004. Dunlap was the first African American woman to be crowned Miss Florida....
(Florida).
Ceremonial duties
Finnessey provided color commentaryColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
at the April 11 Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005
Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005...
pageant, where she was the outgoing titleholder. On July 23, 2006 she also co-hosted the 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....
Pageant live from Los Angeles, California as a commentator with Carson Kressley
Carson Kressley
Carson Lee Kressley was the fashion expert on the American television program Queer Eye, where he was one of the show's "Fab Five" members. He is also the motivational host of the TV show How to Look Good Naked.-Biography:...
. The show's main hosts were Carlos Ponce
Carlos Ponce
Carlos Armando Ponce, Jr. is a Puerto Rican actor, singer, composer and television personality. Ponce began his acting career by participating in Spanish language soap operas for Televisa and Telemundo. Ponce continued to expand his acting career by participating in various American television...
and Nancy O'Dell. Finnessey has also co-hosted subsequent Miss Missouri USA pageants. She again served as a commentator for the September 12 Miss Universe 2011
Miss Universe 2011
Miss Universe 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. Ximena Navarrete of Mexico crowned her successor, Leila Lopes of Angola, at the end of this event...
competition in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil along with Jeannie Mai
Jeannie Mai
Jeannie Mai is an American makeup artist, fashion expert, actress, and TV personality. She is most known for her work as the host of Style Network's "How Do I Look?", and USA's "Character Fantasy"...
.
She judged the April 19, Miss USA 2009
Miss USA 2009
Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009...
competition. That year when Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
2009 Carrie Prejean
Carrie Prejean
Caroline Michelle "Carrie" Prejean Boller is an American model, author, former Miss California USA 2009 and Miss USA 2009 first runner-up. Prejean received national attention in 2009 when she told a pageant judge that marriage should be between a man and a woman; pageant judge and gossip blogger...
caused a notable controversy
Miss USA 2009 controversy
The Miss USA 2009 controversy centered around Miss California USA 2009 Carrie Prejean's answer to a question regarding same-sex marriage. During the ceremony, the five finalists were all asked about political issues such as how to fight domestic violence, whether or not to use taxpayer money to...
during her on-stage finalist interview with a response that she was opposed to same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, Finnessey participated in a Miss California USA organization public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
promoting diversity along with several other Miss Universe Organization beauty pageant titlists.
Post pageants
After completing her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became a co-host of Lingo and PlayManiaPlayMania
PlayMania is a live interactive game show on GSN, hosted by Mel Peachey, Shandi Finnessey, Jessica York, Angelle Tymon and Jeff Thisted. The two-hour program featured interactive games that the viewers could play to win cash prizes...
on GSN. She hosted Lingo from August 2005 at the start of the show's fourth season until the show went on hiatus in 2008. In April 2006, she began her turn with the interactive series PlayMania, which broke into two shows on February 23, 2007. Finnessey became the co-host of the quiznation
Quiznation (US game show)
quiznation was a live interactive game show on GSN. The official host was Shandi Finnessey, with Angelle Tymon, Jessica York, Jeff Thisted filling in. Featured in the two-hour program were interactive games where the viewers could win cash prizes. The show aired from 12 midnight - 2 a.m...
spinoff, 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. She also was a sideline reporter for the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
tournament blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
series Ultimate Blackjack Tour
Ultimate Blackjack Tour
The Ultimate Blackjack Tour was a televised series of Elimination Blackjack tournaments that aired in syndication. It debuted on September 16, 2006. The show consists of a series of televised Elimination Blackjack tournaments...
.
She also has appeared in several documentaries produced by GSN. She has also appeared on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
reality show The Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. TV series)
The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...
(February 15, 2005, episode 3.5), in the November 13, 2004, 20 Sexiest Men and 20 Sexiest Women specials on CMT
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
, and as Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "Marshal" with the first usage of the term "Grand Marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders...
in the November 25, 2004 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...
. She was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans of 2006 by the Jaycees. She also appeared alongside Chris Myers
Chris Myers
Christopher Patrick "Chris" Myers ) is an American sportscaster.-Biography:With more than 20 years in broadcasting, Chris Myers has covered premiere events, including the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, NCAA Final Four, The Masters and U.S...
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
Dancing with the Stars (US TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a reality show airing on ABC in the United States, and CTV in Canada in 2011. The show is the American version of the British BBC television series Strictly Come Dancing...
. Her professional dance partner was Brian Fortuna
Brian Fortuna
Brian Fortuna is an American professional ballroom dancer, choreographer and instructor.-Biography:Brian Fortuna is a multi-talented performer who is currently starring in Theatre Production's Limited Over the Rainbow as Danny Cassidy...
, and she was the second celebrity voted off the show. On October 31 and November 21, 2007, she appeared as a guest celebrity on NBC's Phenomenon
Phenomenon (TV series)
Phenomenon is a competition show judged by mystifier Uri Geller and illusionist Criss Angel and hosted by Tim Vincent which debuted live on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 on NBC. The show featured ten contestants competing to become the next great mentalist, to be determined by viewers voting by phone...
. She also hosted 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?
Wanna Bet?
Wanna Bet? was a reality game show airing on ABC featuring four celebrities making wagers on whether ordinary Americans will be able to complete outrageous stunts....
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. 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. At the Miss USA 2011
Miss USA 2011
Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end...
competition she was among the 31 former winners who were part of a photoshoot layout for Time Magazine.
Personal
Her parents made her name up. Her parents are Patrick and Linda Finnessey. She has three brothers (Shane, Damion and Paul) and two grandmothers (Mildred Finnessey and Fern Miller). In high school, she had a mulletMullet (haircut)
The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. . The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s...
, tinted glasses, acne
Acneiform eruption
Acneiform eruption refers to a group of dermatoses including acne vulgaris, rosacea, folliculitis, and perioral dermatitis. Restated, acneiform eruptions are follicular eruptions characterized by papules and pustules resembling acne....
and braces, and was teased a lot. Eventually, the verbal bullying escalated to the point that she had to transfer from public school to an all-girls private school. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1996.
According to the press release issued at the time of her first public appearance as Miss USA on April 17, 2004 in New York City, she has earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in psychology. It also notes that she plays both the violin and piano. She also practices yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
and performs knitting and abstract painting. In 2003, she dated August Busch IV
August Busch IV
August Anheuser Busch IV is the former CEO of Anheuser-Busch who ended the family control of the company in 2008 when it was sold to InBev.-Early life:...
and has also dated Italo Zanzi
Italo Zanzi
Italo Zanzi, , is Deputy General Secretary of CONCACAF, The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, and serves as Executive Vice President of the organization’s commercial arm, CONCACAF Marketing & TV,based in Miami Beach, Florida...
. She is a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and during her Miss USA reign she attended the The Commander-in-Chief's Ball at the Second inauguration of George W. Bush
Second inauguration of George W. Bush
The second inauguration of George W. Bush as the 43rd President of the United States took place on Thursday January 20, 2005. The inauguration marked the beginning of the second term of George W. Bush as President and Dick Cheney as Vice President. Ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist...
.
Her Miss USA press release also notes that she began her professional modelling career at the age of 6. She modeled with Ford Models
Ford Models
The Ford Modeling Agency, or as it is known today Ford Models, is a modeling agency in New York City. It was established in 1946 by Eileen and the late Gerard W. Ford.-Company:...
in Chicago and Talent Plus in St. Louis. According the Miss USA website at the time of her reign, her modelling experience included television commercials, runway modelling, newspaper and magazine ads as well as upscale fashion store experience. She claims to have once wrestled a greased pig. , her parents still lived in the house that she grew up in in Florissant.
Scholarly work
She earned her bachelors degree from Lindenwood University in December 1999 as an honors graduate. After graduating, she served as a full-time substitute teacher in Jackson. She authored an award-winning children's book. Her book, which was published on August 1, 2002, was entitled Furrtails and helps the effort to integrate mentally retarded children into regular classrooms and helps children appreciate individuality and understand their peers who have disabilities. She was recognized with an Authors Who Make a Difference award, known as AWMAD, (from Infinity Publishing) and a Ryan Brems Award for this work. She authored a second book entitled Suzanna the Banana. She holds a master degrees in counseling from Lindenwood as well. She has published research on androgynyAndrogyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
in the SEPA journal. She began her studies for a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in counseling before being crowned Miss Missouri USA 2004.
Pageantography
| Contest | Notes | Title | Date |
| Miss Missouri USA Miss Missouri USA The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system.... 2000 |
1st Runner-up | Miss Saint Louis County | c. 8/29/1999 |
| Miss Oktoberfest 2000 | 3rd Runner-up | 10/5/2000 | |
| Miss Missouri Miss Missouri The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held... 2001 |
2nd Runner-up | Miss Jackson | 6/9/2001 |
| Miss Missouri USA 2001 | 2nd Runner-up | ||
| Miss Missouri 2002 | Winner | Miss St. Louis Metro | 6/8/2002 |
| Miss America Miss America The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands... 2003 |
Preliminary evening wear | Miss Missouri | 9/20/2003 |
| Miss Missouri USA 2004 | Winner | Miss Metro St. Louis | c. 11/14/2003 |
| 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... 2004 |
Winner | Miss Missouri USA | 4/12/2004 |
| Miss Universe Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers.... 2004 |
1st Runner-up | Miss USA | 6/1/2004 |
External links
Official- Shandi.info - Her official site
- Shandi - Her official Twitter
Articles
Interviews
- Ability Magazine - Interview
- Stimmung Stunde Radio - Audio Interview
- Adam Carolla Radio Show - Audio Interview
- PageantCast Episode #4 - Audio Interview
Other