Miss North Carolina USA reign ends after past social media posts resurface
LELAND, NC (WWAY) — A local pageant titleholder is no longer wearing the crown after past social media posts resurfaced, leading to the end of her reign as Miss North Carolina USA.
Brittany Boltinhouse was crowned the 2026 titleholder earlier this year. Pageant officials have since announced the conclusion of her reign after racist comments she made on social media dating back to 2017 resurfaced.
WWAY went to Boltinhouse’s flooring business in Leland on Thursday seeking comment but did not receive a response. A cousin at the business attempted to contact Boltinhouse and her husband on WWAY’s behalf, but they did not respond.
That came just weeks after WWAY spoke with Boltinhouse at the same business following her Miss North Carolina USA win.
“I think that it was just the most rewarding part was that you can really do anything,” said Boltinhouse.
A Blaize Productions, which produces the Miss North Carolina USA pageant, announced the decision in a statement.
“A Blaize Productions has made the difficult decision to conclude Brittany Boltinhouse’s reign.”
Miss USA Chairman and CEO Thom Brodeur also released a statement saying Boltinhouse had apologized.
“While it does not undo the harm, and it does not change the outcome, it is the beginning of the only thing that ever repairs harm, which is change.”
Jeff Phillips, a Wilmington resident and longtime pageant judge at both the local and state levels, said accepting a pageant title also means accepting the scrutiny that comes with becoming a public figure.
“Once you step into a position, you’ve got to be aware that you are going to be, and always be, a public figure,” said Phillips.
Phillips said that level of visibility can change the way a titleholder’s past and present actions are viewed.
“That takes on an entirely different type of scrutiny and spotlights that are put on you.”
Phillips said Boltinhouse’s situation is not the first time events from a titleholder’s past have affected a reign. He pointed to Vanessa Williams, who resigned as Miss America in 1984 after nude photographs taken before she won the title were published.
“The photographer ended up selling those photographs to Penthouse magazine, and Bob Guccione, who was the publisher of Penthouse at the time, decided that he was going to print them before the end of her reign, and the publication of those photos ended up being the reason that she stepped down as the first, and only, Miss America to ever have resigned,” said Phillips.
Phillips said pageant contestants and titleholders should recognize that stepping into the public eye can place greater attention on both their current actions and their past.
Myla Hadley, who was first runner-up, has assumed the title of 2026 Miss North Carolina USA and is expected to compete for Miss USA at the end of August.
