TMZ posted some unflattering photos of Miss Washington 2007 – Elyse Umemoto. Among the photos posted include the pageant winner flipping off the camera while wearing her crown, drinking and playing what appears to be beer pong, and making obscene sexual gestures. Running on a platform to promote diversity and women’s empowerment, Elyse Umemoto was also the second runner-up in this year’s Miss America pageant.
While her scandal is not as big as Miss Nevada’s, the Miss Washington Scholarship Organization is embarrassed by the pictures. Quick reaction also by Elyse Umemoto. She held a press conference in Tacoma, Washington the same day the scandal broke. In her apology, she says that someone she trusted stole the photos from her, she’s not proud of how she was depicted, and that being a public figure and role model is a full-time job. (We think Elyse Umemoto has learned her lesson.)
Elyse Umemoto’s press conference apology