Las Vegas Weekly

May 11, 2010 · 9:36 AM

Photos: Miss USA hopefuls’ fun ends; countdown to Sunday begins

By Robin Leach

The 2010 Miss USA Pageant contestants at the Golden Nugget on May 10, 2010.

Photo: Darren Decker/Miss USA

For the next five days, the 2010 Miss USA Pageant contestants really knuckle down to a round-the-clock schedule of dance workouts, rehearsals and judges’ interviews in the countdown to Sunday’s live NBC telecast.

Last night was their last social outing to wrap up the location shoots around town. They met up with poker players during their visit to the Golden Nugget and Fremont Street Experience, where official pageant photographers Patrick Prather and Darren Decker captured these shots.

The first preliminary competition begins tomorrow, and then pageant owner Donald Trump arrives Saturday to watch the final rehearsals. The telecast airs from Planet Hollywood at 7 p.m. PT.

Updated @10:12 a.m.: Pageant owner Donald Trump and Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart have just announced the celebrities and experts who will judge Sunday’s 59th annual pageant. They are Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, 2006 Miss USA Tara Conner, The Food Network star and bestselling author Paula Deen, The Office star Oscar Nunez, Treasure Island owner and real estate mogul Phil Ruffin, Glamour Executive Fashion Editor Suze Yalof-Schwartz, Donald’s wife Melania Trump and figure skater Johnny Weir.

Mother-daughter duo Joan and Melissa Rivers will provide TV viewers with a peek at the behind-the-scenes chaos of the broadcast hosted by Celebrity Apprentice contestant and chef Curtis Stone and Natalie Morales of Today. Trace Adkins and Boys Like Girls will provide the musical entertainment.

Viewers will vote for the 2010 Miss Photogenic winner who best exemplifies beauty through the camera lens at NBC.com, and that result will be revealed during the live telecast. The 51 contestants will be judged in the three categories of swimsuit, evening gown and interview.

We’ll have the first interview and photographs immediately after reigning Miss USA Kristen Dalton crowns her successor Sunday.

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.

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

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