Shandi Finnessey | |
|---|---|
 Finnessey during her reign as Miss USA | |
| Born | Shandi Ren Finnessey (1978-06-09)June 9, 1978 (age 47) Florissant, Missouri, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Lindenwood University |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, Model |
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Title | |
| Years active | 1999-present |
| Hair color | Blonde |
| Eye color | Blue |
| Major competitions |
|
| Website | www |
Shandi Ren Finnessey (born June 9, 1978) is an American actress, model, TV host and beauty pageant titleholder. She is best known for winning theMiss USA title,[1] asMiss Missouri USA. She previously held the title ofMiss Missouri 2002 and competed inMiss America, where she won a preliminary award. She placed as first runner-up at theMiss Universe 2004 competition.
She is one of three women to have been both Miss Missouri USA and Miss Missouri and the only Missourian to have been Miss USA. Her first runner-up finish atMiss Universe was the best placement in the 2000s and was the best United States placement betweenBrook Mahealani Lee'sMiss Universe 1997 competition victory andOlivia Culpo'sMiss Universe 2012 pageant win.
In 2002, Finnessey authored a children's book,The Furrtails, on individuality and disabilities. In the mid-2000s, she wasChuck Woolery's co-host for the game showLingo on theGame Show Network. Finessey has also hostedPlayMania as well asquiznation and has served as a sideline reporter for theCBS tournamentblackjack seriesUltimate Blackjack Tour.
Finnessey was born to Patrick and Linda Finnessey, and she grew up inFlorissant, Missouri. She attendedMcCluer North High School public high school for two years where, according to an interview withABILITY Magazine, she was teased a lot for her appearance. Finnessey recounted that she "had a mullet, tinted glasses, acne and braces." The teasing made it difficult for her to focus on her studies, so for her junior year she transferred to the private all-girlsIncarnate Word Academy, where she graduated in 1996. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology fromLindenwood University in December 1999.[2][3] Following graduation, she worked briefly as a full-time substitute teacher inJackson, Missouri, before starting graduate school.[4] She began working on her Masters in Counseling, also at Lindenwood, but postponed her studies after being crowned Miss USA in 2004.[5][6]
Finnessey first competed in theMiss Missouri USA 2000 pageant in 1999 where, as MissSaint Louis County in her senior year of college, she finished first runner-up to Denette Roderick.[7] She competed again in the following year (2000) and placed second runner-up behind first runner-upMelana Scantlin and winnerLarissa Meek in the Miss Missouri USA 2001 event.[8]
In 2000, Finnessey competed in the Miss Oktoberfest pageant and was third runner-up.[8] First runner-up was Jennifer Glover, the previousMiss United States International 1999 and the futureMiss California 2002 andMiss California USA 2001.[9]
On November 18, 2000,[4] Finnessey won the MissJackson title in theMiss Missouri system and finished second runner-up to Jennifer Hover in the June 3–9, 2001 Miss Missouri pageant held inMexico, MO.[10] Finnessey won the Miss St. Louis Metro local title in the Miss Missouri system and went on to win the 2002 Miss Missouri title, succeeding Hover.[11] She won the contest despite having slammed her hand in a car door that weekend. During the contest, she performed an arrangement of "Flight of the Bumblebee" on the piano for her talent. During her on-stage interview as one of the five finalists, she was asked what she learned having three brothers and she answered to be quick in the bathroom.[12]
She represented Missouri in theMiss America 2003 pageant, where she won an evening gown preliminary award but did not place.[13] For the talent portion of the competition in the Miss America system events (which the Miss USA system does not use) at times she played the violin and at other times the piano. In the competition to be Miss America, she played the piano.[13]
Less than a year after giving up her Miss Missouri title, as Miss Metro St. Louis USA 2003, Finnessey won theMiss Missouri USA pageant on her third attempt atBlack River Coliseum inPoplar Bluff, Missouri, and was crowned by outgoing titleholder Tara Bollinger.[13] During her six-month reign as Miss Missouri USA, Finnessey was involved in such charities as the Variety Club Telethon,St. Louis Cardinals Winter Warm Up for local charities, AIDS Foundation,Special Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri andGilda's Club.[8] She joined Barbara Webster (Miss Missouri 1983 and Miss Missouri USA 1986) andRobin Elizabeth Riley (Miss Missouri 1987 and Miss Missouri USA 1983) as qualifiers to both of the nationally televised beauty pageants.[14][15]
She represented Missouri in the April 12, 2004, nationally televisedMiss USA 2004 pageant at theKodak Theatre in Los Angeles in front of hostsNancy O'Dell andBilly Bush and judgesJeff Gordon,Jerry Buss,John Salley,Mekhi Phifer,Rocco DiSpirito andJill Stuart.[16] Her final question was whether experience or education serves a person better in life to which she answered "Definitely experience because you get your knowledge through experience."[17] She competed on the platform of integrating people with mental challenges into society.[18] In the nationally televised pageant, she became the first woman from Missouri to win the Miss USA title.[14] During her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became an advocate forbreast cancer andovarian cancer awareness and research. She has also worked withSpecial Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Convention,American Cancer Society andDerek Jeter'sTurn 2 Foundation (which helps at-risk kids choose healthier lifestyles).[2] Finnessey resided in a luxuryRiverside Drive apartment inNew York City provided by the Miss Universe Organization and pageant co-ownerDonald Trump.[19]
As Miss USA, Finnessey went on to represent the United States at the internationalMiss Universe competition held inQuito, Ecuador, in May 2004, culminating on June 1, 2004. Her national costume was inspired by a Native Americanfeathered headdress. She placed first runner-up in the internationally broadcast competition, behind winnerJennifer Hawkins of Australia. The event was hosted by Bush andDaisy Fuentes and the judges includedPetra Nemcova,Emilio Estefan andBo Derek.[20]
As Miss USA, Finnessey represented theMiss Universe Organization. Her Miss Universe Organization "sister" 2004 titleholders wereJennifer Hawkins (Miss Universe, of Australia)[21] andShelley Hennig (Miss Teen USA, of Louisiana).[22] Her contemporary Miss America titleholder wasEricka Dunlap (Florida).[23]
Finnessey providedcolor commentary at theMiss USA 2005 pageant live fromBaltimore, Maryland, on April 11, where she was the outgoing titleholder. On July 23, 2006, she also co-hosted theMiss Universe 2006 pageant live fromLos Angeles, California, as a commentator withCarson Kressley.[24] The show's main hosts wereCarlos Ponce andNancy O'Dell. Finnessey has also co-hosted subsequent Miss Missouri USA pageants. She again served as a commentator for theMiss Universe 2011 pageant inSão Paulo, Brazil along withJeannie Mai on September 12, 2011.[25][26]
She joined a panel of celebrity judges to judgedMiss USA 2009 pageant held at thePlanet Hollywood Resort & Casino,Las Vegas,Nevada, on April 19, 2009.[27] That year whenMiss California USA 2009Carrie Prejean caused anotable controversy during her on-stage finalist interview with a response that she was opposed tosame-sex marriage, Finnessey participated in a Miss California USA organizationpublic service announcement promoting diversity along with several other Miss Universe Organization beauty pageant titlists.[28]
After completing her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became a co-host ofLingo andPlayMania onGSN.[29] She hostedLingo from August 2005 at the start of the show's fourth season until the show went on hiatus in 2008. In April 2006, she began her turn with the interactive seriesPlayMania, which broke into two shows on February 23, 2007. Finnessey became the co-host of thequiznation spinoff, a revised but similar version of the originalPlayMania. She remained a co-host until October 21, 2007, several days before the show's finale. She also was a sideline reporter for theCBS tournamentblackjack seriesUltimate Blackjack Tour.[30]
She also has appeared in several documentaries produced by GSN. She has also appeared on theNBC reality showThe Apprentice (February 15, 2005, episode 3.5), in the November 13, 2004,20 Sexiest Men and20 Sexiest Women specials onCMT, and asGrand Marshal in the November 25, 2004,Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans of 2006 by theJaycees.[31] She also appeared alongsideChris Myers as part of the coverage of the New Year's Eve 2007 Festivities for Fox.[32] On March 19, 2007, Finnessey debuted on thefourth season ofDancing with the Stars.[33][34] Her professional dance partner wasBrian Fortuna, and she was the second celebrity voted off the show.[35] On October 31 and November 21, 2007, she appeared as a guest celebrity on NBC'sPhenomenon. She also hosted Hollywood Fast Track, a web based show about movies, music, and trends in Hollywood.[36] She is also the host/co-host of several TV Guide Network specials. On September 2, 2008, Finnessey was on the season finale ofWanna Bet? on ABC, where she made a record for the biggest successful bet on the show betting $20,000 in the first best. Finnessey lost in the end betting $40,000 and guessing incorrectly. In August, 2010, she appeared on a special "Girls of Summer" week airing of NBC'sMinute to Win It on an episode called "Last Beauty Standing." The episode featured 10 beauty pageant winners competing for $100,000 towards their chosen charities along with a chance to win a $1,000,000 challenge. At theMiss USA 2011 competition, she was among the 31 former winners who were part of a photoshoot layout forTime Magazine.[37] She played the role of Stephie in theRoger Corman-producedSharktopus (2010) which aired on theSyfy Channel three years before the same network made waves with itsSharknado movie franchise.[38][39]
In January 2012, she became one of the original reporters for ENTV News (a branch of TVLine) on a premium YouTube Channel.[40] In March 2013, she was selected as one of 36 bachelorettes to compete on the reality television showReady for Love.[41][42][43] Finnessey was the winner for bachelor Ernesto Arguello, but the relationship ended briefly after the show.[44][45]
On August 8, 2013, she was named as one of five correspondents for the entertainment magazine,OK!TV, that was scheduled to debut on September 9.[46][47]
"I conquered a fear of heights and water by bungee jumping from a crane over a lake. And if that's not crazy enough, I also wrestled a greased pig in a mud pit."
Her parents are Patrick and Linda Finnessey.[48] She has three brothers (Shane, Damion, and Paul), and her grandmothers' names are Mildred Finnessey and Fern Miller.[29]
According to the press release issued at the time of her first public appearance as Miss USA on April 17, 2004, in New York City, she plays both the violin and piano. She also practicesyoga,meditation and performs knitting andabstract painting.[19] In 2003, she datedAugust Busch IV and has also datedItalo Zanzi.[29][49] She is aRepublican,[50] and during her Miss USA reign, she attended the Commander-in-Chief's Ball at theSecond inauguration of George W. Bush.[51]
Her Miss USA press release also notes that she began her professional modelling career at the age of six.[19] She modeled withFord Models in Chicago and Talent Plus in St. Louis.[48][49] According to the Miss USA website at the time of her reign, her modelling experience included television commercials, runway modelling, newspaper and magazine ads as well as upscale fashion store experience.[13] She claims to have once wrestled a greased pig.[16][48] As of 2011[update], her parents still lived in the house that she grew up in Florissant.[52]
In 2013, Finnessey became a contestant onReady for Love where she competed for the attention of Ernesto Arguello.[53] She won Arguello's heart on the show, but the relationship was short-lived in real life.[54] Later that year, she posed nude for aPETA anti-fur campaign opposing the distribution of fur coats as prizes during beauty pageants.[55] On September 24, 2014, Finnessey announced on Twitter that she became engaged to businessman Ben Higgins.[56][57] They were married on July 11, 2015, according to another autobiographical tweet.[58] The couple has three sons; Finn Arthur (born June 10, 2016),[59] Bodhi James (born May 1, 2018)[60] and Charlie Bear (born May 5, 2020).[61]
Finnessey authored an award-winning children's book.[19][48] Her book, which was published on August 1, 2002,[62] was entitledFurrtails and helps the effort to integrate intellectually disabled children into regular classrooms and helps children appreciate individuality and understand their peers who have disabilities.[2][50] She was recognized with an Authors Who Make a Difference award, known as AWMAD, (from Infinity Publishing) and a Ryan Brems Award for this work.[2][29][48] She authored a second book entitledSuzanna the Banana.[48]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sharktopus | Stephie | TV movie |
| 2012 | Piranhaconda | Kimmy Weston | TV movie |
| 2013 | Garbage | Rodeo drive model | |
| 2015 | Bachelorette Party Massacre | Mara | pre-production |
| Contest | Notes | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miss Missouri USA 2000 | 1st runner-up | Miss Saint Louis County | c.August 29, 1999 |
| Miss Oktoberfest 2000 | 3rd runner-up | October 5, 2000 | |
| Miss Missouri 2001 | 2nd runner-up | Miss Jackson | June 9, 2001 |
| Miss Missouri USA 2001 | 2nd runner-up | ||
| Miss Missouri 2002 | Winner | Miss St. Louis Metro | June 8, 2002 |
| Miss America 2003 | Preliminary evening wear | Miss Missouri | September 21, 2002 |
| Miss Missouri USA 2004 | Winner | Miss Metro St. Louis | c.November 14, 2003 |
| Miss USA 2004 | Winner | Miss Missouri USA | April 12, 2004 |
| Miss Universe 2004 | 1st runner-up | Miss USA | June 1, 2004 |
And she was named as one of the top ten outstanding young Americans last year.
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Official
Articles
Interviews
Other
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Miss Universe first runner-up 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Miss USA 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Tara Bollinger | Miss Missouri USA 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Jennifer Hover | Miss Missouri 2002 | Succeeded by Amber Etheridge |
