Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, Paradise, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end of this event. She represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. For the first time ever, one of the sixteen semifinalists was selected exclusively by fans via online voting and SMS messaging. Due to this, the competition format is changed from traditional final scoring competitions to reality series and FIFA World Cup style group eliminations: Top 16, Top 8 and Top 4, like Miss Earth. This pageant gained attention on the internet, when a video of all the contestant's answers to the question, whether evolution should be taught in school, was put on YouTube. Only two contestants affirmed that it should be taught, with the others confusing the question with the debate on evolution of species vs. creationism, or stating that both should be taught.
Television ratings
In the first hour of the pageant, it earned NBC 6.6 million viewers, winning the timeslot. In the second hour, viewership rose to 7.8 million, also winning its timeslot. Both hours were the leader in the 18-49 demographic.
Results
‡ Voted into Top 16 as America's Choice via Internet
Special awards
Delegates
Titleholders celebration
As part of the pageant's 60th anniversary, 37 Miss USA titleholders and 1 Miss Universe titleholder from the second pageant in 1953 to the all titleholders were in attendance.
Historical significance
California wins the competition for the sixth time.
Tennessee earns the 1st runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1999. Also this was reached its highest placement since Rachel Smith won in 2007.
Alabama earns the 2nd runner-up position for the fifth time. The last time it placed this was in 2000.
Texas earns the 3rd runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1954. Also this was reached its highest placement since Crystle Stewart won in 2008.
States that placed in the semifinals in the previous year were Alabama, California, Maine, Missouri and Tennessee.
California made its seventh straight placement.
Tennessee made its sixth straight placement.
Alabama, Maine and Missouri placed for the second consecutive year.
Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas and Utah last placed in 2009.
' – Emily Johnson was crowned Miss Maine USA on November 27, 2010. She resigned on January 25, 2011 in order to attend her sister's wedding in April. Ashley Marble, the first runner-up, replaced her on January 29, 2011.
' – Shaletta Tawanna Porterfield was crowned Miss Wisconsin USA on September 19, 2010. She resigned on May 12, 2011 after was being charged in Dane County Circuit Court of three felony theft charges. Jordan Morkin, the first runner-up, replaced her and competed at Miss USA.
