The Miss North Carolina USA contestant who inherited Brittany Boltinhouse’s title has addressed her coronation –- without mentioning the alleged racism scandal that has plagued her rival.
Myla Hadley, who finished as the contest’s first runner-up, said Wednesday she’s “extremely grateful and humbled” by the support she has received as she gears up for this month’s Miss USA national finals in Miami.
“I understand the seriousness and level of prestige that this title carries and I can confidently say that both my team and I are ready to take this on,” Hadley, 24, wrote on her Instagram Stories.
“While this may seem like a two-week turnaround given the circumstances, I’ve been preparing to represent at Miss USA since I first competed with this organization.
“I am ready to represent North Carolina. Thank you all again for your motivation, support, and well wishes.”
Boltinhouse, 27, was stripped of the title after pageant organizers, A-Blaize Productions, carried out a “thorough review of recently surfaced information.”
Boltinhouse, a business owner in Wilmington, is accused of writing a slew of social media posts containing a racial slur under an alias between 2017 and 2019, the NCBeat reported.
“This decision was not made lightly,” the organizers said in a statement. “It followed a thorough review of recently surfaced information and was based on the totality of the circumstances and our responsibility to preserve the integrity of the Miss North Carolina USA title and the values of our organization.”
“As an organization entrusted with selecting and preparing women to represent our states on the national stage, we must uphold the standards and values that our titleholders agree to embrace when accepting the honor of wearing the crown.”
Thom Brodeur, the Miss USA president and CEO, didn’t disclose what caused Boltinhouse to lose her title – other than saying the decision was linked to “conduct over an extended period of time.”
