A Boca Raton, Fla., native was outshining Miami Beach on Saturday, June 23, during Hooters 16th Annual International Swimsuit Pageant. Amanda Jemini, 21, was selected out of 100 Hooters Girl contestants from around the world to represent Hooters for the next year as Miss Hooters International 2012. Jemini won $50,000 cash and will be featured in Hooters Calendar, national marketing campaigns and TV commercials. Jemini has worked at the Hooters of Boca Raton, Fla., location for three years.
“This was my first time participating in the Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant and it was an unbelievable experience,” said Jemini. “The week leading up to pageant day was filled with early wake up calls, hair and makeup and all-day photo shoots, but the real highlight was meeting wonderful kids at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. It was special to spend time with them and help to lift their spirits.”
The Hooters 16th Annual International Swimsuit Pageant was held at the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater. Mark McGrath hosted the event with a celebrity panel of judges including: TV star and professional bodyguard Big Black, professional surfer Anastasia Ashley, the original Hooters Girl Lynne Austin, missed martial arts UFC® fighter Stephan Bonnar, Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, satellite radio host, professional skateboarder and mixed martial arts fighter Jason Ellis, and Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee. The judging panel also included Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient Sgt. Tommy Rieman, who received a heartfelt welcome from the audience, including the local servicemen and women Hooters invited to the pageant.
The Hooters Girl contestants were selected from more than 18,000 Hooters Girls who presently work in one of the 430 Hooters restaurants worldwide. The contestants received a spot in the pageant by competing in local swimsuit contests or were selected as the top Hooters Girl to represent their markets.
The top five winners are first runner-up Tyler Suess, Hooters of Rockford, Ill.; second runner-up Juliete Cabrera, Hooters of Doral, Fla.; third runner-up Victoria Brown, Hooters of Hollywood, Calif.; fourth runner-up Morgan Whitworth, Hooters of Louisville, Ky. Rounding out the top ten finalists in alphabetical order are McKenzie Barensten, Hooters of Denver, Colo.; Brittany Farmer, Hooters of Baton Rouge, La.; Jessica Lundy, Hooters of Columbia, S.C.; Ashley Pike, Hooters of Hiram, Ga.; and Afton Storton, Hooters of Anaheim, Calif.
Evelise Giorge de Souza from Hooters of São Paulo, Brazil, was selected as Miss Hooters World, representing Hooters 27 international markets.
Hooters of America, LLC is the franchisor and operator of over 430 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 27 foreign countries. The first Hooters opened in 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. Hooters is well-known for its brand of food and fun, featuring a casual beach-theme atmosphere, a menu that features seafood, sandwiches and Hooters nearly, world famous chicken wings, and service provided by the All-American cheerleaders, the Hooters Girls. For more information about Hooters visit www.Hooters.com or follow us at www.twitter.com/Hooters or www.Facebook.com/Hooters.