Robert Earl, Shandi Finnessey, Willie Geist, Brian Graden, Shelley Hennig, Perez Hilton, Alicia Jacobs, Claudia Jordan, John Miller, Kelly Monaco, Kenan Thompson and Eric Trump to Judge The 2009 Miss USA(R) Pageant on NBC April 19th

Robert Earl, Shandi Finnessey, Willie Geist, Brian Graden, Shelley Hennig, Perez Hilton, Alicia Jacobs, Claudia Jordan, John Miller, Kelly Monaco, Kenan Thompson and Eric Trump to Judge The 2009 Miss USA(R) Pageant on NBC April 19th

Kevin Rudolf and The Veronicas Will Perform Their Hit Songs During the Live Telecast from Las Vegas

NEW YORK, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- NBC, Donald J. Trump and Paula M. Shugart, President, Miss Universe Organization, today announced the celebrity judges for the 2009 Miss USA(R) Pageant live on NBC on Sunday, April 19th (7pm ET).

The judges are: Robert Earl, owner and co-chairman of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino; Miss USA 2004 and television presenter, Shandi Finnessey; co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Willie Geist; President of Entertainment, MTV Networks Music Channels, Brian Graden; star of "Days of our Lives," Shelley Hennig; the internet's most notorious celebrity gossip columnist Perez Hilton; "Access Hollywood" contributor and KVBC News Entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs; "Deal or No Deal" model and star of "The Celebrity Apprentice," Claudia Jordan; John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Universal; Kelly Monaco, season one celebrity winner of "Dancing With the Stars,"; comedian and cast member of "Saturday Night Live," Kenan Thompson and Eric Trump, Executive Vice President, Development & Acquisitions of The Trump Organization.

Producer and recording artist Kevin Rudolf will perform his chart-topping single "Let It Rock" during the swimsuit competition of the live telecast, and the pop star duo, The Veronicas, will perform their hit song "Untouched" during the evening gown competition. As previously announced, "Access Hollywood" co-host Billy Bush along with "My Name is Earl" star Nadine Velazquez will host the live telecast of the 58th Annual Miss USA Pageant from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in one of the world's liveliest cities, Las Vegas.

Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2008, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour telecast to be held in the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Each contestant from 50 states and the District of Columbia will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview.

The general public can go online to www.nbc.com and vote for the Miss USA contestant they think should be the winner of Miss Photogenic USA(TM). The award goes to the contestant who best exemplifies beauty through the lens of a camera and the winner of the online vote is revealed during the live telecast.

The Miss USA competition will again broadcast in High Definition broadcast technology. All Mobile Video's Celebrity unit will use high-definition cameras, including the model HDW-F900R cameras for capturing opening shots and pre-taped segments.

In addition, the Miss USA telecast will kick-off "Green Week" and promote NBC Universal's campaign, "Green is Universal" in order to promote the importance of environmental awareness across the globe. In keeping with this initiative, Diamond Nexus Labs, the official jewelry sponsor for the Miss Universe Organization, has created an eco-friendly, custom-designed crown for Miss USA 2009.

Miss USA travels the nation as an advocate for breast and ovarian cancer awareness, education, research, and legislation. The MISS UNIVERSE(R), MISS USA(R) and MISS TEEN USA(R) Pageants are a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Gilda's Club, Miss USA is armed to educate women today.

To purchase tickets for the telecast please visit: www.ticketmaster.com.

ABOUT THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION:

The MISS UNIVERSE(R), MISS USA(R) and MISS TEEN USA(R) Pageants are a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Gilda's Club, Miss USA is armed to educate women today. For more information, visit: www.missusa.com.

Source: The Miss Universe Organization

CONTACT: Meredith Fitzpatrick of NBC, meredith.fitzpatrick@nbcuni.com,
+1-818-777-2879; or Lark-Marie Anton, lanton@missuniverse.com,
+1-212-373-4982, or Esther Swan, eswan@missuniverse.com, +1-212-373-4870, or
Carl Althoff, calthoff@missuniverse.com, +1-212-373-4983, all of The Miss
Universe Organization; or Dara Busch of Rubenstein Public Relations,
dbusch@rubensteinpr.com, +1-212-843-8079

Web Site: http://www.missuniverse.com/

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