Oran woman seeks Miss USA crown
SIKESTON -- With only a day to go before the Miss USA 2007 Pageant, Miss Missouri Amber Seyer hopes it will be her head reigning queen Tara Conner will place the crown on Friday night.
The 20-year-old Oran native will compete for the title of Miss USA 2007 during the live NBC telecast of the 56th annual Miss USA competition Friday night in Los Angeles.
Seyer, who is the daughter of Tom and Sherry Seyer of Oran, will also be one of three Miss USA delegates featured on an episode of the NBC game show "Identity" prior to the pageant.
"The competition is at a standstill right now," Seyer said during a phone interview from Los Angeles Tuesday. "The judges are getting the top 15 right now as we speak."
Contestant interviews were conducted Sunday, and preliminary competitions were Monday. On Tuesday Seyer and fellow delegates were preparing to spend the day at the Kodak Theatre, where the competition will take place.
"It's pretty exciting right now. We are heading into pretaping our introduction opening. We'll go into hair and makeup, and we will do that all that today," Seyer said about rehearsals.
On Wednesday and today dress rehearsals were planned at Kodak Theatre. "They'll teach us our markings, map it up and work out all the camera angles," Seyer said.
Since arriving in Los Angeles two weeks ago, Seyer said the days are filled with rehearsals and the nights with events. Events included attending an L.A. Lakers basketball game, an L.A. Kings hockey game and a taping of "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in addition to touring Universal Studios and Hard Rock Cafe.
"L.A. rocks. I wish I could stay a whole week after this and see more of L.A.," Seyer said.
But so far the most rewarding part of her experience was participating in the "Best Buddies" basketball game at a Los Angeles high school and "Queen for a Day" at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles.
During the Best Buddies event, contestants interacted with individuals of different developmental disorders.
"I went there thinking I'd have to hold back and not play my game, but those kids were good," Seyer said. "Each of us had our own best buddy. It was really a neat day, and we ate pizza together. . . . It was nice to release some energy we had inside."
Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza and Miss USA Tara Conner were also on hand for the event and have been present at others.
On "Queen for a Day," Seyer was one of seven randomly selected delegates who spent the day with children diagnosed with various illnesses.
"We spent a few minutes with each kid, putting eye shadow, blush, lip gloss and fingernail polish on them. We talked to them and made them a queen for the day," Seyer said, adding the nonprofit event was organized by Miss Florida USA Jenna Edwards.
In 2003, Seyer represented Missouri in the Miss Teen USA Pageant in Palm Springs, Calif. This time around, there's a different feel to the pageant. Seyer said she feels more energized.
"I'm ready. I'm excited. I think it's a new chapter in my life," Seyer said. Following her preliminaries, Seyer said she feels good going into Friday's competition. She said just knowing her hometown and surrounding communities are behind her 100 percent is comforting.
"Hopefully, I make everyone proud," Seyer said.
In addition to those watching from their TV sets, about 35 of Seyer's family and friends will be present to cheer her on at the Kodak Theatre Friday night. If Seyer is crowned Miss USA, she'll be flown directly to New York City, where she will finish out her reign. An official homecoming would be organized at a later date.
Of course, Seyer will be disappointed if she doesn't make the top 15, she said.
"But I've come home before, and I can do it again," Seyer said. And crown or no crown, the experience won't end in disappointment, Seyer assured.
"God's given me an awesome opportunity, and I think I've been loved and supported in every way possible," Seyer said. "I'm so grateful. I don't expect anything but appreciate everything."