Las Vegas Weekly

May 9, 2010 · 1:37 PM

Photos: First rehearsals begin for Miss USA Pageant amid events

By Robin Leach

The 2010 Miss USA Pageant contestants at the Flamingo on May 8, 2010.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

It was another jam-packed day of round-the-clock activities for the now 50 Miss USA Pageant hopefuls, and it included the first strenuous rehearsals for next Sunday’s live NBC broadcast from Planet Hollywood on The Strip.

Sadly yesterday, Miss Nebraska Belinda Wright returned home after learning the awful news of her father’s tragic death in a farming accident, but the scheduled events for the 50 other beauties continued.

It began with the glamour girls hosting a party for the organization Best Buddies at one of the Planet Hollywood ballrooms. Then in another ballroom, it was time for the first rehearsals to get started. Time for the girls to learn the fashion walk and the choreographed dance routines. No place here for fabulous gowns and wondrous hairdos yet; this was time for just T-shirts and shorts or jeans for the workouts.

However, last night out came the hairspray and makeup, and the girls transformed yet again into beauty queens as they greeted Harrah’s VIP guests at the Flamingo Go pool for photographs and autographs. Contributing photographer Tom Donoghue and the Miss USA photographers were at the Flamingo for our Vegas DeLuxe photo gallery.

Vegas DeLuxe will continue to provide exclusive daily coverage of the girls’ activities as they move into the final seven days before the pageant. This morning, they attended Iron Chef winner Kerry Simon’s pajama brunch at his restaurant Simon in Palms Place. I joined the girls to film a segment for Miss USA’s Web site and next week’s telecast as we do battle with our respective Flip video cameras.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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