Miss New York came in for a flurry of negativity - mainly racism - after being named Miss America 2014.
Miss New York, the Indian-American model Nina Davuluri won the Miss America 2014 pageant on Sunday (September 15, 2013). The field was narrowed down to Davuluri - the second Miss New York winner in successive years - and Miss California, Crystal Lee.
Contestants were judged on a personal interview, a demonstration of a talent, an on-stage question and an appearance in both evening gown and swimwear. Davuluri impressed the judges with a Bollywood fusion dance and was asked about American television personality Julie Chen's plastic surgery on her eyes. The new Miss America noted that she was opposed to plastic surgery and that everyone's diversity should be celebrated.
As the winner, Davuluri will receive a $50,000 scholarship, which she will use to pay for graduate school.
"I'm so happy this organization has celebrated diversity, and, on this stage tonight, there was so much diversity," Davuluri told reporters shortly after winning the pageant.
Those tasked with judging this year's contest including former Miss America Deidre Downs Gunn - a classic name - the New York Knicks' star Amar'e Stoudemire, Lance Bass from boy-band N'Sync, the comedian Mario Cantone, violinist Joshua Bell and television chef Carla Hall.
Of course, a minority of Americans couldn't quite comprehend how a woman not born inside the fifty-two states could qualify as Miss America. Some of the tweets were almost humorously ignorant - America was angry. Real angry.
Social media was abuzz with hundreds of tweets calling Miss America "an Arab," with one called her "Miss 7-11." Some even called her a terrorist.
Check out our pictures of the Miss America line-up.
As is the nature of social media, Davuluri was able to brush off the criticism in her first news conference after winning the crown, saying, "I'm so happy this organization has embraced diversity...I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America." As for the negativity, she said: "I have to rise above that. I always viewed myself as first and foremost American."
Here's some of the worst tweets:
Miss America is Indian and the runner up was Chinese.. What's next our President is going to be foreign too.. Oh wait
— Brett Valentine (@PapaValentine) September 16, 2013
How is miss America being chosen between two foreign women...
— Cody Wheeler (@codywheeler2010) September 16, 2013
the two Miss America finalists are both foreign, this show needs ended
— Bryan Balshy (@brybalshy) September 16, 2013
Love how the two finalists for Miss AMERICA are both FOREIGN. Good job, judges. #MissAmerica
— Sydni Casanova ♔ (@sydnerellaa_) September 16, 2013
STOP with the foreign country dances. It's miss AMERICA.
— Monica✨ (@Monica_Breannaa) September 16, 2013
Last time I checked this is Miss America... What the heck is that girl doing on here with that foreign junk?
— Travis Shaw (@travyboy_shaw) September 16, 2013