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Miss Tennessee wins Miss USA pageant

Associated Press

BRANSON, Mo. (AP)-The newly crowned Miss USA says she hopes her accomplishment will serve as encouragement for adopted children because Lynnette Cole is an adoptee herself.

"One good thing about this title is that I can tell them that just because you are adopted does not mean that there is anything wrong. You're very special," the 21-year-old Miss Tennessee said Friday night, after being crowned Miss USA 2000 at Branson's Grand Palace. Miss New Hampshire, Bridget Jane Vezina, 19, of Nashua, N.H., was named first runner-up. Miss Alabama, Jina Mitchell, 22, of Trussville, Ala., was the second runner-up.

Cole, a pre-law student at Columbia State Community College, amused the crowd after the pageant by answering some silly questions with a deadpan expression. Asked why male beauty pageants are not popular, she answered, "Because they don't look good in dresses."

Asked where she was going to store her crown, she replied, "On my head."

Cole moves on to compete in the Miss Universe Pageant in Nicosia, Cyprus, on May 12, and becomes the Miss Universe Organization's official spokeswoman for breast and ovarian cancer awareness.

Carson Daly of MTV was the master of ceremonies. Grammy nominees Christina Aguilera and Brian McKnight and Lou Bega performed.