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1997 Miss USA Pageant (CBS)  

 

 Tony Bowls made the gown of my dreams for me to compete in at the Miss Arkansas Pageant and also at the Miss USA Pageant which was televised on CBS. 

 

 Dr. Billie

Beauty Pageants (10 Sep. 2004)
E! True Hollywood Story

When asked at the 1997 Miss USA Pageant what Tamara Henry's career ambition is, she said, "To work in television as an entertainment reporter. My dream is to report for a show like Entertainment Tonight." She is manifesting her dream today, working on the Red Carpet and appearing on Access Hollywood in 2006. Tamara placed higher than any other Miss Arkansas contestant at the Miss USA Pageant in 25 years. She wrote a revealing first-hand behind-the-scenes story in the Arkansas Times about her experience.

 

Here's Tamara with Vanessa Williams at the Emmy 2007 Governor's Ball:

 

Tamara has a degree in Broadcast Journalism and was hired as the main weeknight news anchor at a WB station in Little Rock Arkansas while she was still wearing her crown! She jumped from there to one of the Top Five FOX affiliates in the nation. She now works as a local news anchor in Los Angeles for 3 years while she earned her Masters Degree in Spiritual Psychology with an emphasis in Consciousness, Health and Healing. An "expert" in the emotional and stressful art of success and winning, and currently certified as a practitioner in NLP coaching. She is set to start in September to get her PhD in Psychology and Health with an emphasis in Positive Television Programming. Tamara's bio is impressive - E! Entertainment Style, Access Hollywood, The Tonight Show, Animal Planet, etc.... She is celebrating a decade on the air this year, and has landed an interview with Apollo Astronaut "Buzz" Aldrin on the show she created, produces and hosts, which airs on Time Warner Cable TV in LA. She is currently writing a book on the dark/comical side of pageants you can read about on this website.

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1K_jamv-lc

Tamara Henry was crowned Miss Arkansas USA 1997 shortly after graduating from UALR with her degree in Broadcast Journalism.

 

TRUMP: Former Miss Arkansas USA 1997 now a rising star in Los Angeles thanks to Trump! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHtqDCV95CE&feature=youtu.be

Tamara grew up in the south singing and dancing and was discovered by a college professor, Dot Callanen, who recommended her to Heathcott & Associates for her first TV commercial while she was a freshman in college:

 

Tamara also performed in a Mexico Chiquito commercial which still runs in Arkansas to this day! And an ABC KATV Channel 7 Station Christmas Promo which still runs every Christmas:

After competing in her first preliminary pageant, Miss UALR, Tamara got the bug. She kept competing until she finally won four preliminary pageants, which qualified her to enter the Miss Arkansas Pageant, where she eventually made the Top Ten twice.

Tamara competed in the Miss Arkansas Pageant in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1991, 1992, 1993 & 1994. She made the Top Ten twice and won the Fruit of the Loom Quality of Life Award and the Community Service Award for a mind/body/soul program she created to serve her community.

Then, she sat out long enough to complete her degree in Broadcast Journalism, entered the Miss Arknasas USA Pageant for the first time and won!! She competed in the Miss USA Pageant, placed 6th in Swimsuit Competition, and then was hired as the week-night news anchor at Little Rock's WB while she was still wearing her crown! From there she was hired at one of the Top Five FOX affiliates in the nation.

She now celebrates a decade in television news... is on the local news desk in Los Angeles, and is persuing her PhD in positive television programming.

Tamara grew up singing in the church choir. She also abandoned art class (where she had won the 7th Grade Art Award) and switched to Choir. She instantly passed a singing test and was enrolled in All Girls Choir her first year. That year she was chosen as the favorite student. She performed in annual Choir Happenings throughout high school: 

Singing was Tamara's talent at Miss Arkanasas. She sang "One Kiss" in a period piece costume. She sang Barbra Streisand's "Let's Hear It For Me." She sand "Without a Song." And her final year she sang "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." 

 Let's Hear It For Me - 1992

Tamara began private dance training in elementary school with tap, ballet and jazz. She trained privately for 7 years:

She was inducted into Dance Factory, trained under Janet Ford of Pine Bluff, and traveled and performed all over Arkansas. She tried basketball for 6th & 7th grades. Then she switched to Steppers Dance Drill Team, where she was elected Co-Captain her first year as a freshman:

She coreographed an original dance routine for the drill team to Prince's hit song "Kiss". She won the Spirit Award for her solo performance at summer camp.

 

Her senior year she left Steppers when she made the Cheerleading team. In college at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, representing AED Alpha Epsilon Delta, Tamara won Homecoming Queen:

Tamara won the Physical Fitness Award at the Jefferson County Junior Miss in 1987-1988. Tamara was voted as "Best Curves" as a senior in high school in 1989.

 

Tamara won 6th Place in the Swimsuit Competiton at the Miss USA Pageant in 1997, beating out Brook Lee, who was eventually crowned Miss Universe. She also beat Miss USA Brandi Sherwood, who is currently working as a "Price Is Right" model in Los Angeles:

In 1991, Tamara won Miss Greater Pine Bluff and also the Talent Award for singing a Les Miserables song in costume, "On My Own." That year was her first of four years to compete in the Miss Arkansas Pageant. Miss Pine Bluff was the second preliminary pageant.

 

The first pageant Tamara ever entered was the very first pageant ever put on in her home town of White Hall. It was part of the very first Founder's Day celebration. Tamara won Miss Teen White Hall:

Tamara was a "surprise" when her two older brothers were ages 13 and 15:

         Pageant Model - Age 20

Tamara on the runway as a fashion model for an Ivana Trump Fashion Show at the Excelsior Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1992.