Tara Darby Interview
Miss Alabama USA 2004 + top 10 @ Miss USA 2004
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Alabama USA pageant?
I started doing pageants when I was 16 and I first began in the Miss America system. I loved the element of competition and setting and reaching personal goals. Initially I wanted to earn scholarship money, but as time passed I realized that for me the greater benefit to competing in pageants were the amazing doors of opportunity that could be opened. Modeling prepared me for pageantry, but then pageantry prepared me for life as a TV host and actress. And I found the Miss Universe system to be a better fit for me and more in line with my ultimate career goals.
What was going through your head when you were announced as the new Miss Alabama USA?
I was shocked! There’s the funniest picture of me with this look of utter disbelief written all over my face. It was my first year competing at Miss Alabama USA and I felt it was pretty unlikely that I would walk away with the crown. So basically I shook off the pressure, gave it my best without any expectations and in the end it worked out just beautifully!
Tell us about your experience on the show Fear Factor. What would be your most memorable moment on the show?
Wow, what an experience! I was so surprised to have been chosen to compete and then to do so well was icing on the cake.
During the last round of competition I had to go first. My task was to ride on a jet ski and then as a helicopter lowered beside me, I had to grab onto a trapeze bar and hold on for dear life as the helicopter carried me in circles around the lake. We would all lose our grasp eventually, so the test was to see who held on the longest. Since I went first, I had nobody’s time to compare against; I just did the best I could. Joe Rogan, the host of the show, was very kind to me throughout the competition. I remember standing there on the pier with him as the last finalist was competing; if she held on longer than my time she won, so the stakes were high. Joe leaned over to me and said “Tara, you are one of the nicest contestants on this show, and I really hope you can take this.” I appreciated his kind words and I owe that compliment to the things I learned through my pageant years. Being a gracious loser comes with the territory, but it makes the wins that much sweeter.
Another memorable moment was being able to donate half my winnings to the National Breast Cancer Coalition. My grandmother is a breast cancer survivor and I’m an at-risk individual, so that was very special.
Tell us about your experience on Larry King.
Joe Rogan was a special guest on Larry King and he invited some of his favorite past winners to join him. I was thrilled to get that call! After such an amazing year as Miss Alabama USA, it was a joy to share my Fear Factor and Miss USA experiences with the world. That was awesome!
What would be your first thought when you were called into the top 15 and then into the top 10 at Miss USA?
I felt so honored. I had been living with the Miss USA contestants for two weeks, and I knew there were so many talented, beautiful, intelligent women around me. To be chosen in the Top Ten was really a dream come true.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss USA?
There were so many! I will say the last thing I expected to do at Miss USA was make lasting friendships, but that’s exactly what happened. The very girls I would be competing against were there to offer support, encouragement and laughter in a seemingly stressful environment. One night prior to competition, we spent an evening on the Santa Monica Pier for dinner and fun. I was just a small town girl from Alabama and this was my very first visit to LA. I remember riding on the Ferris wheel with my newfound friends and vowing never to forget that moment. Now, five years later I live literally blocks from that same pier and every time I walk past it I think of the magical time I spent at Miss USA.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Alabama USA ended?
In the past five years I have been very busy working on my career. I’ve hosted outdoor/adventure travel shows like Crossing Country and Get Out, I’ve served as anchor and writer for Realty Times and The Mortgage Professional Training Network. I’ve also hosted regional programs like Hot On Homes and Home and Lifestyle TV. And I’ve even worked for a home shopping network called The Jewelry Channel.
Currently, I’m a Hollywood Correspondent for Real TV Films, interviewing celebs at red carpet and other VIP events. This past spring I wrapped up two indie films Frat Party and The Visible Dark, plus a web series pilot, City ofIndustry. I’ve also been cast in another indie film, Love Me, Love Me Not, which is still in pre-production and plans to shoot mid-fall. Fans can see what I’ve been up to recently at www.Tara-Darby.com, and www.Facebook.com/TaraDarby.
In other exciting news, I just launched a pageant training business, Sashes and Crowns, with my partner Cristina Nardozzi (Miss Massachusetts USA 2005, and fellow TV host and model). You can check out our services atwww.SashesandCrowns.com. Cristina and I both had such positive experiences competing in pageants and we hope to empower other women through pageantry.
I started doing pageants when I was 16 and I first began in the Miss America system. I loved the element of competition and setting and reaching personal goals. Initially I wanted to earn scholarship money, but as time passed I realized that for me the greater benefit to competing in pageants were the amazing doors of opportunity that could be opened. Modeling prepared me for pageantry, but then pageantry prepared me for life as a TV host and actress. And I found the Miss Universe system to be a better fit for me and more in line with my ultimate career goals.
What was going through your head when you were announced as the new Miss Alabama USA?
I was shocked! There’s the funniest picture of me with this look of utter disbelief written all over my face. It was my first year competing at Miss Alabama USA and I felt it was pretty unlikely that I would walk away with the crown. So basically I shook off the pressure, gave it my best without any expectations and in the end it worked out just beautifully!
Tell us about your experience on the show Fear Factor. What would be your most memorable moment on the show?
Wow, what an experience! I was so surprised to have been chosen to compete and then to do so well was icing on the cake.
During the last round of competition I had to go first. My task was to ride on a jet ski and then as a helicopter lowered beside me, I had to grab onto a trapeze bar and hold on for dear life as the helicopter carried me in circles around the lake. We would all lose our grasp eventually, so the test was to see who held on the longest. Since I went first, I had nobody’s time to compare against; I just did the best I could. Joe Rogan, the host of the show, was very kind to me throughout the competition. I remember standing there on the pier with him as the last finalist was competing; if she held on longer than my time she won, so the stakes were high. Joe leaned over to me and said “Tara, you are one of the nicest contestants on this show, and I really hope you can take this.” I appreciated his kind words and I owe that compliment to the things I learned through my pageant years. Being a gracious loser comes with the territory, but it makes the wins that much sweeter.
Another memorable moment was being able to donate half my winnings to the National Breast Cancer Coalition. My grandmother is a breast cancer survivor and I’m an at-risk individual, so that was very special.
Tell us about your experience on Larry King.
Joe Rogan was a special guest on Larry King and he invited some of his favorite past winners to join him. I was thrilled to get that call! After such an amazing year as Miss Alabama USA, it was a joy to share my Fear Factor and Miss USA experiences with the world. That was awesome!
What would be your first thought when you were called into the top 15 and then into the top 10 at Miss USA?
I felt so honored. I had been living with the Miss USA contestants for two weeks, and I knew there were so many talented, beautiful, intelligent women around me. To be chosen in the Top Ten was really a dream come true.
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss USA?
There were so many! I will say the last thing I expected to do at Miss USA was make lasting friendships, but that’s exactly what happened. The very girls I would be competing against were there to offer support, encouragement and laughter in a seemingly stressful environment. One night prior to competition, we spent an evening on the Santa Monica Pier for dinner and fun. I was just a small town girl from Alabama and this was my very first visit to LA. I remember riding on the Ferris wheel with my newfound friends and vowing never to forget that moment. Now, five years later I live literally blocks from that same pier and every time I walk past it I think of the magical time I spent at Miss USA.
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Alabama USA ended?
In the past five years I have been very busy working on my career. I’ve hosted outdoor/adventure travel shows like Crossing Country and Get Out, I’ve served as anchor and writer for Realty Times and The Mortgage Professional Training Network. I’ve also hosted regional programs like Hot On Homes and Home and Lifestyle TV. And I’ve even worked for a home shopping network called The Jewelry Channel.
Currently, I’m a Hollywood Correspondent for Real TV Films, interviewing celebs at red carpet and other VIP events. This past spring I wrapped up two indie films Frat Party and The Visible Dark, plus a web series pilot, City ofIndustry. I’ve also been cast in another indie film, Love Me, Love Me Not, which is still in pre-production and plans to shoot mid-fall. Fans can see what I’ve been up to recently at www.Tara-Darby.com, and www.Facebook.com/TaraDarby.
In other exciting news, I just launched a pageant training business, Sashes and Crowns, with my partner Cristina Nardozzi (Miss Massachusetts USA 2005, and fellow TV host and model). You can check out our services atwww.SashesandCrowns.com. Cristina and I both had such positive experiences competing in pageants and we hope to empower other women through pageantry.