10. Fay Lanphier and the Fixed Contest Rumor
In 1924, a young woman from California named Fay Lanphier won the Miss America Pageant, and she was also the winner of the “Rose Queen” beauty contest in California. When they revealed the new trophy, the little woman on the statue looked almost exactly like her. On top of that, she ended up getting acting deals with Paramount Pictures, who was sponsoring the competition that year.
It’s not surprising that some people smelled a conspiracy theory. There was a strict rule that “professionals” were not allowed to enter the competition, and only amateurs could enter Miss America. Newspapers reported that the 1924 contest was fixed, so Miss America sued them for $3 million for libel. Fay Lanphier made $50,000 going on tour, ahead she became the first winner to profit a huge amount of money from her Miss America title. This would continue to become the norm for future contest winners.
