Insider Finance - Business - Miss USA is a mess

Nicholas Carlson October 26, 2022

Hello, Insiders! We are mired in bad news: War in Europe. Inflation everywhere. Horrible quarterly results from Google’s parent firm and soon others.

So here’s some good news, from the teens of all people. It turns out they are into a new social media app, called Gas. And instead of being a toxic hellhole like so much of social media, Gas is all about complimenting each other. The app is now getting more downloads than even TikTok. I tell you there is hope!

And now, let’s get started.

The latest

• Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted his country faces "issues" from the war with Ukraine, as per an AFP translation. Here’s what else he said. 

• Lawyers at the Trump Org. trial are having a hard time finding jurors who don't dislike him. Follow our live coverage of the trial.

• John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz faced off in their first and only Pennsylvania Senate debate. Here are four key takeaways from the long-awaited showdown.  
  

The big story

Miss USA/Instagram

Contestants are saying the Miss USA 2022 pageant was rigged — and the entire organization is descending into chaos.

When Miss Texas, R'Bonney Gabriel, took the crown at this year's Miss USA pageant earlier this month, many contestants stormed offstage. More than a dozen told Insider that they believed this year’s pageant was either rigged or heavily favored Gabriel, the first Filipino American to win the crown.

The allegations have sent shockwaves ricocheting through the pageant community.

In speaking with Insider, contestants pointed to multiple conflicts of interest between Gabriel and Miss USA's national sponsors. One contestant said: “Things get messy when you have a national sponsor offering more to their home-state girl.”

After the ceremony, the Miss Universe Organization, which previously ran the pageant until 2020, launched an official investigation — and the current president of Miss USA, Crystle Stewart, has been suspended indefinitely.

Go inside the controversy with our report here.

Top reads

Getty; Marianne Ayala/Insider

• The era of quiet quitting is over. At the moment, the job market is still strong. But with job openings down by 15% since March’s record high, it’s clear that the frenzy of the Great Resignation is beginning to moderate. Employers are regaining the upper hand, so workers are back to worrying about job security — read how they’re changing behaviors now.

• Democrats face backlash after urging Joe Biden to pursue talks with Russia. A letter signed by 30 Democrats called on Biden to pursue negotiations with Vladimir Putin to end the invasion of Ukraine. It was withdrawn a day later, after Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state said it was drafted months ago and was released by a staffer “without vetting.” However, an ex-Hill staffer who worked closely with Jayapal’s office says her excuse is “absurd.”

• This model rakes in $100,000 revenue a month renting out boats in Miami. Patxi Areitio bought a boat when he first moved to Miami three years ago — and now he has seven. When his modeling gigs dried up during the pandemic, he turned his boat-renting side hustle into a more consistent job. Here's how he set it up year-round using the Airbnb of boats.

• Elon Musk and Donald Trump are trying to dodge jet-tracking Twitter accounts. Earlier this year, 20-year-old Jack Sweeney made headlines when he publicly tracked Musk’s private jet on Twitter — and his other accounts like Trump Jets and Zucc Jet have also gained a following. Celebs can block their planes via a special federal program, but the prolific jet-tracker says it doesn't help.

• Advice from a 27-year-old real estate investor: Don’t sleep on the Alabama market. Stephen Yin is based in Los Angeles but invests in real estate in his hometown of Birmingham, where he owns nine properties and earns $3,000 a month. Here's why he says it's a good place to buy. 

And now, an invite: Join us on Monday, October 31 at 3 p.m. ET for a free, live editorial event as part of our “Red, White, and Gray” series exploring youth vs. experience in politics. Washington DC bureau chief Darren Samuelsohn will chat with two descendants of US presidents: Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (JFK’s niece) and Patricia Taft (great-granddaughter of William H. Taft). Sign up here.

Today’s sound bite

"Bringing talented individuals, entrepreneurs, people who provide value to the area, is a fantastic thing."

Entrepreneur Dmitri Love on the rise of paid work relocation schemes.

Watch this

Asphalt pavement is one of the world's most recycled materials, but regulations often limit the recycled content of roads. We visited a company making recycled asphalt to see how they do it.

Today's team

Nicholas Carlson (@nichcarlson), Hallam Bullock (@hallam_bullock), Lisa Ryan (@lisarya), and Shona Ghosh (@shonaghosh).

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