On Sunday, June 3 at 9pm Eastern, the 2012 Miss USA Pageant airs live from Las Vegas on NBC. Returning as hosts will be Andy Cohen, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Development for the Bravo cable network, and Giuliana Rancic, co-anchor of E! News. The Miss USA pageant brings hopefuls from all over the country to vie for the title. The winner of Miss USA will go on to represent the United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization owns and operates both pageants as well as the Miss Teen USA pageant. The organization is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump.
USTOWNHALL SPEAKS TO ANDY COHEN AND GIULIANA RANCIC OF THE MISS USA PAGEANT:
USTH: Do you know who the judges are for this year's pageant?
ANDY COHEN: There are a few judges that we can announce now: the former Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky – she's the host of NBC's First Look and also Joe Jonas is going to be judge and Rob Kardashian and Giuliana's co-host on E! Fashion Police George Kotsiopoulos.
USTH: Andy, what do you feel about the semi-controversy a few years ago with Carrie Prejean [during the 2009 Miss USA pageant where Perez Hilton asked her about her views on same-sex marriage]? If you were a judge on that panel how would you have approached that whole situation? What do you feel about the question and the answer and the fallout?
ANDY COHEN: I thought the question was great. The answer was not something that I agreed with personally and I probably would have scored her low at the time. But you know again I've never been a judge and so I don't have the specific criteria in my head of everything that the judges are looking for. But you know, I think that it's a well-rounded person who speaks well and intelligently and inclusively of everyone and would be a great representative of the organization. So, yes, I thought the question was within bound. I thought that there were some great questions last year [as well, when I hosted] and it's my favorite part of the pageant.
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(l-r) Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic host the2012 Miss USA
Pageant live from Las Vegas [Image credit: NBC]
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USTH: Would you ever want to be a judge? Could you handle that pressure of having someone's dream in the palm of your hands?
ANDY COHEN: Giuliana already was a judge, right Giuliana?
GIULIANA RANCIC: Yes, I was. I was a judge about five years ago, and it was great. You know, I actually was in the Miss Maryland USA pageant a couple of times. I did not ever make it to the national level – so sad (laughs). So, for me, I know how it feels to be on that stage and how nerve wrecking it is, so I took it very seriously.
USTH: Would either of you ever want to be a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice – Donald Trump's other show? ANDY COHEN: I [have] too many balls in the air to even speculate at this moment. Bring me an offer, and we'll talk about it.
USTH: Okay, I like that. What about you, Giuliana?
GIULIANA RANCIC: You know, I actually met with them last season, but it was just not going to happen – it was a scheduling thing. But, I love the show. I've always been a fan of The Apprentice. My husband [Bill Rancic] was the first Apprentice, so it's funny though because when I went to meet [the Celebrity Apprentice producers], my husband told me, "you realize if you do this show second place isn't good enough? You have to come in first place because I already won." So, it was a lot of pressure. I don't know if I would do it, but it's such a great show, and it's a lot of fun to watch.
USTH: Listening to you both today, it is very apparent that you're both very goal oriented. Looking into the future, what are your unrealized goals? What is still on your wish lists of things you'd like to accomplish?
GIULIANA RANCIC: You know, one thing I would love to do is a talk show with my husband. I [mean] a daytime show, but more about relationships, not really a talk show or celebrity show interviewing celebrities. So many people ask us about our marriage and our relationship and how we seem to have such a great relationship, and we really do. So, I'd love to have couples come on who have issues and work them through their issues. My husband and I would love to do that. I think that's definitely something in the future, not the near future but it's nice to dream about, and it's something that we can see ourselves doing somewhere in the future, but we have a long road ahead of us, so no rush.
ANDY COHEN: My goal is to get married. How's that?
GIULIANA RANCIC: Really?
ANDY COHEN: Fall in love and get married. Yes. I can do it in New York State now.
GIULIANA RANCIC: Andy, I feel like we might meet someone in Vegas who's going to fill those shoes. I don't know why.
ANDY COHEN: Really? You do?
GIULIANA RANCIC: I have a really good feeling about it. Yes, I don't know why.
ANDY COHEN: I don't know. Vegas seems like a part-time lover place.
GIULIANA RANCIC: No, no. Not necessarily someone who lives there or someone we don't know someone who's kind of part of all this. I don't know I'm feeling good about Vegas. I'm getting good vibes.
ANDY COHEN: Okay, great!
Our thanks to Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic for taking the time to speak with us today. The 2012 Miss USA Pageant airs Sunday, June 3 9pm Eastern live from Las Vegas on NBC.
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