Carmelo Anthony, Tara Conner, Paula Deen, Oscar Nunez, Phil Ruffin, Suze Yalof-Schwartz, Melania Trump and Johnny Weir To Judge NBC's '2010 Miss USA(R) Pageant' on May 16

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- NBC, Donald J. Trump and Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), have announced the celebrities and experts who will judge NBC's "59th Annual Miss USA® Pageant," which will broadcast live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on May 16 (7-9 p.m. ET).

The judges are: Carmelo Anthony of the NBA's Denver Nuggets who is a two-time Olympic medalist; Tara Connor, Miss USA 2006; Paula Deen, best-selling author, chef and host of four shows on The Food Network; Oscar Nunez, star of NBC's hit comedy series, "The Office"; Phil Ruffin, American businessman and real estate mogul; Suze Yalof-Schwartz, Executive Fashion Editor-at-Large of Glamour magazine; Melania Trump, model who has appeared on multiple magazine covers (including Vogue, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and Glamour) and Johnny Weir, three-time National Champion figure skater and Olympian.

As previously announced, the hosts of the show are Curtis Stone, internationally renowned chef and current contestant on NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice," and Natalie Morales, NBC's "Today" show co-host and correspondent. The comedic mother-daughter duo of Joan and Melissa Rivers will be backstage giving viewers a sneak-peek at the chaos behind-the-scenes. The telecast will also feature a performance by multi-platinum country music superstar Trace Adkins who will debut his latest single, "This Ain't No Love Song," during the evening gown portion of the competition. In addition, Boys Like Girls will perform their new song, "Heart Heart Heartbreak" for the first time during the swimsuit competition.

Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the live broadcast.  During her reign, Dalton has traveled across the country as an advocate for breast and ovarian cancer education and awareness.  Miss USA 2010 will continue this work throughout her reign.

The two-hour television event is comprised of 51 contestants (representing each state and the District of Columbia) competing in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview.  The judges will be looking for the young woman, aged 18-26, who best embodies the title of Miss USA through her confidence, elegance and stage presence.

Viewers can see images of all the contestants and vote for the 2010 Miss Photogenic USA® at www.nbc.com.  The award is given to the contestant who best exemplifies beauty through the lens of a camera.  The winner of the online vote will be revealed during the live telecast.

Tickets to the Miss USA Preliminary and Finals competitions at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas are available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com and at (800) 745-3000.

ABOUT THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION:

The MISS UNIVERSE® and MISS USA® pageants are a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Gilda's Club, Miss USA is armed to educate women today. For more information, visit: www.missusa.com.

Follow Miss USA®:

• Official NBC pageant site: www.nbc.com/pageant-life/miss-usa/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/OfficialMissUSA
• Twitter: TheRealMissUSA
• Blogs: www.missusa.com/blogs/index

SOURCE The Miss Universe Organization