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Subscribe to RSSTwo days after the BCS championship, the biggest story from the game has not been Alabama's win, but comments made about Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron's girlfriend as she watched from the stands. Katherine Webb, who is Miss Alabama USA 2012, talks about her overnight fame, saying she's not offended and thinks people have been "unfair" to the commentators.
Katherine Webb achieved Internet stardom in a roundabout, awkward way, but career coaches say the incident could propel the beauty queen onto bigger and better ventures.
College football stirs passions, but usually not the kind Brent Musburger expressed when he waxed poetic about Webb’s appearance on Monday night during the University of Alabama’s victory in the BCS title game.
For Webb, Miss Alabama USA 2012 and girlfriend of Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, the attention and a subsequent apology from ESPN for Musburger’s remarks turned into a social media blowout, with her number of Twitter followers spiking to more than 254,000 from a little over 2,000.
Webb easily could take advantage of her overnight fame as a springboard to celebrity status, and she wouldn't be the first. "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson was discovered back in 1989 during a BC Lions football game in Vancouver, when a camera scanning the crowd projected her onto the Jumbotron. Other fans’ reaction, plus her lucky choice of a Labatt T-shirt, landed her a gig as a spokesmodel for the beer, and the rest was history.
Webb should ask herself, “What does she want to create?” said Elene Cafasso, founder and president of executive coaching firm Enerpace. “Does she want to parlay this into her own business?”
Webb has already gotten at least one offer. Donald Trump tweeted, “We are going to ask Katherine Webb to be a judge at the Miss USA Pageant coming up in Las Vegas.”
In an interview with TODAY's Matt Lauer on Wednesday, Webb said she was “flattered” by Musburger’s comments and didn’t find them derogatory, but she seemed eager to deflect the spotlight. “I’m honestly really shocked,” she said. “We need to draw back our attention to who the real winners are, and that’s, you know, the Alabama football team.”
“That’s not surprising, even if you like the attention,” said James Bailey, psychologist and professor of leadership at George Washington University. “It could be a little overwhelming” to get this kind of social media-fed notoriety, especially since Webb had no control over the situation.
So far, Bailey said Webb displayed a measured response to the hype and was probably figuring out what to do next.
Career coach Brenda Griffin agreed. “It did come out of nowhere. She was just at a football game,” she said. “What she’s doing, I think, is preparing herself for more.”
At 23, Webb is familiar with being in the public eye thanks to her pageant participation, and that could be an asset, according to an article about overnight fame written by Northeastern University associate psychology professor C. Randall Colvin. “People who possess a well-formed and mature identity will be less likely to succumb to the pitfalls of fame and instead might use their fame to benefit others,” he said.
“Doing good for others...my objective for all this media madness,” Webb tweeted.
Webb could take Trump up on his offer and become more involved in the pageant world, or she could lend her fame to Alabama’s football program. “I’ll do whatever I can to help the team out and support A.J.,” she told Lauer. Griffin said Webb could parlay her Twitter fame into a platform for advancing a cause or interest close to her heart, or she could use the interactivity of the Internet as a kind of litmus test.
“A good way is to tweet about various topics and see what kinds of responses you get,” Griffin suggested. “You can measure engagement in that way, to see what people are really interested in.”
Related content:
- Alabama QB's girlfriend: 'The media has been unfair' to ESPN announcer
- ESPN apologizes for going 'too far' with comments about Alabama quarterback's girlfriend
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The first time I ever agreed with Musburger. You are off the chart good looking but listening to you speak and your humility seals the deal. Rare combination and really amazing.
Best wishes to you in the future and I hope to see you leading a film! Whew, now I am gushing and much younger, you have that effect :) .......
She sure is a hottie, as in hot hot, frying pan hot!!!
That smile......daaaaaaaamn
You lucky dog A.J
Roll tide brother
She left Hollywood for someone she saw on TV or on Twitter? Not a lot of desire to be an actress. Sounds like she saw AJ as an opportunity to NOT have to work for a living.
She could have any man she wanted with the down to earth personality and amazing looks. I wish them both well and a great new year!
Don't get why ESPN felt they had to apologize to her. Musberger paid her a compliment, and good for him not apologizing for it, and good for her not asking or expecting an apology. Have heard some say his comment was "sexist". Sheesh... P.C. is OUT OF CONTROL. What next...women will have to wear burka's so no one can tell what a woman behind the veil looks like....or if it is a FEMALE?
Aww come on , that whole thing was a set up, she does not stand out that much in a crowd that big. Besides her teeth are way to big. She had pull or a good manager.
She's undeniably attractive but I agree with you about the big, fake teeth. I stared at her mouth through the whole interview.
That's how most of the beauty queens look now. Very fake looking choppers. But all told, she seems like a class act.
psp-620489, yes they were going to put her on camera as they usually do put players families and others on but no one expected or planned this
What is it with these Miss USA and Miss America beauty pageant contestants and the huge horse teeth !!!! Darn near every one of them has them. I assume they are veneer jobs. What kind of cosmetic dentist in good faith makes such gawd awful looking jumbo teeth? Just look at her. She looks ridiculous. Yuck.
Hey there jac!
You wish you could land a babe like her. Keep whacking it you pervert....That's all you'll ever get.....
Forget the face. Let's see her butt!
Whatever comes of this she should go 50/50 with Brent and the director who kept the camera on her while Brent was gushing.
Seems like a smart young lady with more maturity than her years might indicate and a good head on her shoulders. The publicity certainly won't hurt her career.
You're basing that on what? She thinks evolution is a myth, which it's clearly based on science as opposed to Creationism which IS a myth. Not a lot of intellect there.
jenk264....your opinion!
Ah,yes jenk264. All that science. Mounds of it. I have never been able to read an article describing some facet of evolutionary thought without being bombarded by statements such as "scientists believe", "might have been" or some such folderol. Scientifically based indeed. I thought belief was a component of religious faith. Maybe evolution is its own religion?
jenk264, so science can explain everything? Is that why the scientists keep getting disproven on a weekly basis?
Many things in the evolutionary THEORY can not be explained yet scientist just skip over it and hide it away. There is a reason as it is called a THEORY!
My big question is where are the 1/4 T-Rex mix or the 1/2 or 3/4 T-Rex. How come it is always a 100 % T-Rex or what it turned into?
Exactly Lord Dirt....And why are there STILL apes? How do "the scientists" explain that?
Pitiful. Someone happens to believe in something that you don't believe in, so you trash her. I suppose that next someone will be on here trying to claim that she hates gays. If I were Katherine Webb, I would be very concerned about all of this publicity. It's just not worth it, and it doesn't appear that she needs it.
Aggie - They've not explained that because it is not part of the theory (even though I'm not sold on the theory, at least know what you are talking about before you talk).
The theory holds that both men and apes share common evolutionary roots. It would be somewhat analogous to the domesticated dog and wild wolf sharing evolutionary roots; a crude comparison to be sure. The "apes" some speculate we evolved from would not be exactly like the apes we know today as they too have evolved from past ancestors...according to the theory.
And best of luck to Ms. Webb, though I hope that a soon to come NFL contract does not reveal a different motive (sorry...too cynical).
That being said, I do not find her particularly attractive. Nothing wrong with her by any means, but the hoopla seems a bit much.
Miss Alabama 2012 an accidental star?
That was sarcasm right? For someone to take a state Miss USA title they generally worked for it most of their life. Nothing accidental about it.
Worked for it? If parading in a bikini and putting makeup on is working, then millions would like that job.
Beauty pageants are demeaning relics that continue to perpetrate the notion that women are sex objects, only 'worthy' of admiration because of their looks, as judged by other people. Even the 'scholarship' is given not for brains or contributions to society but for the way a girl looks. These days, the 'look' is one of thinness, fake breasts, spray tans and capped teeth.
Judging from the interviews of Ms. Webb and other contestants, their intellectual abilities are - shall we say - questionable. Ms. Webb herself thinks evolution is a myth and should not be taught in public schools. Obviously, researching cures for cancer is not in her future.
I hope Ms. Webb will have something to do with her life when her looks fade away, as they do for all of us. I hope she will realize that beauty does not last long, but ignorance lasts forever.
Lastly, I seriously doubt Ms. Webb would be dating A.J. McCarron if he were just an average college student and not a quarterback. Conversely, I seriously doubt A.J. McCarron would be dating Ms. Webb if she were not a pageant queen, but a chemistry student or an average girl with actual hips, waist, natural breasts and teeth.
"Judging" by your comments we are talking about a lot of jealousy on your part.
Just because somebody may "want" a job, doesn't meant it doesn't require a LOT of hard work. Everybody loves to say give me all that money and I will do xxx. But the problem is that people don't want to do the work BEFORE they get a CHANCE at getting that money.
Why should Ms Webb date "just" an average college student instead of who she chooses to? So if AJ isn't dating an "average girl" he is shallow and if he is dating a "pageant queen" he is what?
You really come across as a jealous and judgmental person.
I'm a big fan of thinness, fake breasts, spray tans and capped teeth. Bring it on!
AJ McCarron earned a girlfriend of Webb's caliber. Long hours of practice, physical pain and sacrifice. I applaud AJ's persistence and success as a result of his hard work. His reward, justly earned, is a smoking hot girlfriend.
DolceVita, who is going to support your sweet life? A guy who works his ass off. I am sure Katherine Webb is keen on a man who can support her and take care of her. Why not?
Hypergamy.
Being Miss Alabama wasn't enough of a career boost? What are her talents and what did she major in? Reading the above post, she's not to intellectually enlightened if she thinks evolution is a myth as opposed to Creationism. She'll get some bull@!$%# reality show like all the other eggheads out there.
If she thinks evolution is a myth then she is just exposing her very backwards and unenlightened views.
It is Creationism that is a myth, along with many other statements in the bible.
Attention: Troll derail. The article is not about religion. She has her views and you have yours, stick a sock in it now.....
I've seen her before on Rupaul's Drag Show...lol
Awwww, you're just aching for some of that, ain't you now?
This is one of the rare times that I find myself defending Burnt Hamburger -- I didn't think his comments about Katherine Webb were inappropriate at all. He was just commenting about what a beautiful woman she is, which is obviously the case.
All I can say about AJ McCarran is: some guys have all the luck!
So you dig the chicks with the teeth bigger than your average horse, huh?
Yay for the woman who was born with beauty. She will have a very easy life, will never want for anything, and will never understand that she did nothing to earn any of it. Pretty. Sad.
That is not always the case. Sometimes, those women are held to higher standards and feel a higher need to prove to the world they are not just a pretty face. They also receive a lot more hatred from female co-workers who may be jealous and catty.
Unless the woman works in the entertainment field, looks alone won't carry her. I can tell you that if a woman has no education, no matter how hot, she will never automatically be hired as a doctor because of her looks.
You also see plain-looking women living an easy life, so it's not just something that happens to a pretty face. Not every millionaire is married to a trophy wife. Look at Melinda Gates. She's not a drop-dead gorgeous woman.
Then you also see plenty of attractive women walking down the street, I can guarantee that not all of them have a rich partner that pays for them (plus, some of those women have a career of their own anyway), some of them don't even HAVE a partner, because many guys are intimidated by attractive women.
"some of them don't even HAVE a partner, because many guys are intimidated by attractive women."
Not me baby doll, and I'm one of those kinda guys that other guys will ask each other......."What in the HELL does she see in HIM?" Guy's, It's not ALWAY'S what's readily apparent.
I don't understand the big scandal about someone saying a woman is beautiful. This should not have ever escalated to this point, and with apologies too. It seems like every single day, there is an article related to this. Had the commentator been vulgar and said he'd like to "do her" or something along those lines then yes, he should apologize and it should be an outrage, but what is the big deal about a man simply saying a woman is stunning? It happens everywhere, every day.
You must be used to it :)
Shoot, that girls hotter than hot. She's more like MELTED in Miami!
The only thing she has to do is smile . If she stays at my house I'll do everything else. I'll play quarterback, she plays center and we'll yell TOUCHDOWN continuesly
Not to diminish AJ's accomplishments or even Katherine's beauty but the molestation victims and missing niece of AJ McCarron's uncle, Dustin Kent deserve the spotlight too. Who is going to ask the hard questions that no one else has bothered to report? Who is paying for Dustin Kent's bail and his expensive attorney? The guy is unemployed and lives in a trailer! Who is protecting Dustin Kent? Why does he deserve to be protected instead of innocent children and Brittney Wood? Does it not bother people when a beauty queen while very lovely, gets far more attention than the CHILD MOLESTATION VICTIMS and MISSING NIECE of AJ McCarron's uncle Dustin Alton Kent (DeeDee Kent Bonner's brother)? Dustin Alton Kent is currently charged with SEVEN sex child molestation, rape, sodomy & incest crimes in Mobile & Baldwin Counties. In addition, his niece (Brittney Wood) has been missing since May 30th. Just do a Google search to read more about AJ's uncle Dustin Alton Kent and Brittney Wood.
Espn anouncers said nothing wrong. They voice what we all may know. I think she should call camera man,Musberger and Herbstreet to say thanks!
I think if you looked into the backgrounds of many of young women who attended the game who did not wind up on national TV you would find more beauty than you could possibly ever imagine. There no doubt was no shortage in that throng of young women who volunteer in their communities, support worthy programs, like breast cancer awareness and the need for more literacy, and maybe even long for world peace. These things, now that I think about it, are the kinds of things "Miss Whatever's" usually promote as part of their platforms. So as far as I am concerned there were hundreds of "Miss Whatever's" at the game, and this lovely young woman simple stood in the limelight ( quite graciously, I might add) on behalf of all of them.
Talk about "much ado about nothing"! The game was an absolute zero of an event and I suspect that the people who were responsible for the coverage were looking for just about anything to give the commentators something to talk about. They came upon an absolutely beautiful and successful young woman who was attached to the Alabama QB. I've admired and enjoyed listening to Brent M. for decades and he made some comments that many viewers might have been thinking and the comments were only marginally in appropriate at absolute worst. Miss Webb wasn't offended and she's done a great job of representing herself and treating Brent M. in the professional manner that he deserves. I hope that the instant celebrity doesn't ruin Miss Webb as it has to many. If it doees then shame on her. It's time to talk about something else.
She is so, so pretty. Seems she is so, so nice, too. Genetic lottery winner.
I've got some advise for AJ although I don't believe he'll have any problem adhering to it with hottie like that.
If you wanna stay outta the dog house son always bury your bone at home.
It's not an issue, just a clumsy way of creating a story around her. The media cant do anything unless they make someone out to be guilty of something. Must be jewish guilt.
I find Trump much creepier than Brent. He's the one drooling over the young lady.
This is really quite disgusting, even by the standards that are adhered to on this board. Because this woman has gotten a little public attention, people somehow feel qualified to comment on her appearance as well as her intelligence. She's not that intelligent because she is skeptical of the theory of evolution. Next, some news "reporter" will try to pull an opinion out of here about gays, and everybody here will go off again. Tell me, Katherine, are you for or against gun control? People are speculating about breast implants. Women who probably couldn't get a whistle if they walked by a prison yard tell us that she's not really that attractive, and then they comment on her "giant teeth."
Do yourself a favor Katherine. The next time someone sticks a camera in your face, RUN.
If I met her I would do my traditional butt sniff and wait for her to wag her tail. :))
then get bit on the nose and sent home yapping all the way, no doubt.
Your teeth are to big. You're one ugly chick. I don't see how you stool the attention during the Bama Notre Dame game. Maybe you'll be successful as a femalle dike in porn movies.
Katherine Webb is a true Southern Belle! She was raised to have good manners ,be gracious, and to take care of her teeth .She has probably never had a cavity in her life ! Was she trying to stand out in the crowd ? NO, she was wearing a Bama football jersey for heavens sakes ! Hell she would look good in a burlap sack! Did any of you see her appearance on theToday show ? She acted as a well brought up young lady should . She even talked about helping Katrina victms and that her boyfriend A. J. McCarron should have gotten most of the attention during the game . It wasn't her fault that Bama beat the crap out of ND which created a loss of words for Cheeseburger. I mean how many times could he say how great a team Alabama is, he was forced to say something about Katherine and what else could he say but that she was beautiful because she is ! I guess you know by now that I am a huge Alabama fan so just leave Miss Katherine and A. J. alone . ROLL TIDE!