Who Really Owns Miss USA & Miss Teen USA?

This chat was conducted via zoom on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM EST. My friend Wilfredo Luis Lopez (a/k/a Runway Papi) and I discuss the latest controversy surrounding the ownership of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. TIMESTAMPS: 1:15 - Wilfredo enters the chat room 2:25 - Audio check 2:49 - Weather talk 3:51 - Teeth talk 6:01 - Rafa asks Wilfredo how he started being a walking coach 9:00 - Copying vs. imitating someone's walk; have a unique walk 11:38 - Rafa reads the greetings from viewers 12:55 - Someone tried to call Rafa during the livestream 13:35 - Commentary on Miss Earth as a "cooking show", Wilfredo likes the no make-up segment 17:05 - Take care of your skin 17:57 - Rafa reads viewers comments; many pageant personalities liked Thom Brodeur's IG post announcing that he's the new owner of Miss USA/Miss Teen USA; 19:20 - Rafa shares a screen of Thom's IG post and comments on it 20:24 - Rafa says Thom used to follow him, and then something happened 22:00 - Wilfredo says Thom is professional 22:52 - Rafa comments on Thom's "core values" 23:51 - Thom runs The Queen Beauty Network, and ran a pageant called Queen Beauty Universe Abena Appiah, MGI 2020, had won QBU 2016 24:58 - No more selection committee, leaders and staff picking the winner 26:47 - Conflict of interest: Thom as the owner of Miss USA is also a pageant coach 28:30 - "Your voice matters." Laylah would block anyone who disagreed with her; will Thom do the same? Before JKN took over MUO, no one was blocked. 31:08 - Miss NC USA controversy; the new director Ariana Blaize of ABlaize Productions, she ws MU Guyana 2024) is accused of rigging the results 33:08 - Rafa shares a screen of Ablaize Productions featuring the winner of Miss NC USA Lourdes Madera. Rafa summarizes the controversy - the first runner-up Preslie Ross - found out that Lourdes had competed in three state pageants (FL, NJ, NC) during the same calendar year, which is a violaation of residency requirement. Lourdes has no connections to NC. Wilfredo says that Lourdes was not even on the radar of favorite contestants; people were booing when she won. 38:35 - Rafa shares a screen of Preslie Ross's IG page; she is stunning! 40:30 - Preslie hired Heather Lee, Miss Montana USA 2022 who blew the whistle regarding alleged rigging of Miss USA 2022, who is now a lawyer, to investigate the alleged rigging of Miss NC USA 2025 results. 42:35 - Rafa reads the letter drafted by Heather Lee 43:23 - Rafa reads the statement posted by ABP 45:12 - Per Heather, there were more judges who voted for Preslie than for Lourdes 47:10 - Rafa makes a strong statement on state-hopping and representation; Wilfredo agrees; he explains why people in the Carolinas are not fond of outsiders competing in either state because these outsiders take away the opportunity from local residents to win 53:06 - Rafa wonders what would happen if ABP does not fix the problem; Wilfredo hopes that Thom will fire the bad directors 55:26 - Even if Preslie is crowned as the rightful winner, there would be tension between her and ABP. Wilfredo says that nobody does not even know if there were ballots during the prelims or finals; no one was keeping track of the scoring. 57:22 - NC and SC pageants were held together 57:50 - Wilfredo worked with Maritsa Platis who placed 3rd RP in SC 59:22 - Rafa shares a screen of the new Miss and Teen NC and SC queens, there was no issue with the teen contestants 1:01:21 - Rafa reads viewers comments. Should last year's 1st RP of Miss USA be appointed for MU 2025? Rafa asks Thom if there will be nationals this year; Wilfredo thinks that there won't be, and that Thom will take over the production beginning in 2026. Laylah has disappeared. 1:03:37 - Rafa shares a screen of Laylah's post announcing that she is still the license owner; Rafa says since JKN took over MUO, they started the practice of firing directors without warning which Rafa thinks is unethical. 1:06:00 - Wilfredo shares happy messages he received from Carolina girls 1:07:04 - Rafa and Wilfredo greets Lupita Jones, former ND of MU Mexico, a happy birthday 1:07:50 - Wilfredo lashes out on Laylah's silence; Rafa says that Laylah stopped talking to him in February; he says that Laylah's post is confusing 1:09:08 - How many people actually placed a bid for the USA franchise? Did Shanna Moakler place a bid? Would Shanna be a great director? 1:10:31 - Rafa reads viewers comments 1:11:01 - Rafa gives a shout out to Jonathan Akinwale whom he met in Boston 1:12:11 - Wilfredo says that designer Alonso Maximo is trying to call him; Rafa says he's attending Alonso's show in NYC on Sept. 13 and he gets to meet MU Netherlands Nathalie Mogbelzada who is walking for Alonso 1:14:20 - Wilfredo invites Jonathan to participate in future group chats 1:15:12 - Alonso comments in the chat box; Rafa reads other viewers comments (CONTINUED IN COMMENT SECTION)