RedWine
01-27-2007, 02:11 AM
Tara Conner: I'm an Alcoholic
Miss USA Tara Conner is "a completely different person" since going through rehab, she tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview.
"My life has completely changed," she told PEOPLE Friday. "I'm a completely different person out of rehab. Before I entered rehab I hardly knew who I was. I felt like I was floating and I just needed someone to pull me down."
http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/news/061225/tara_conner.jpg
The Kentucky native, who turned 21 on Dec. 18, initially entered a rehabilitation center in Pennsylvania on Dec. 21, following allegations of hard partying, indiscretions with men and unreliability. She spent 31 days there – including Christmas and New Year's Eve.
"I didn't think I had any kind of issue going into rehab. I even said, 'I'll get some free therapy,' or something like that – and that was so ridiculous," says Conner. "But I've realized I do have an issue. I suffer from the disease of alcoholism and addiction. And if there's anything that I want people to know it's the severity of this disease and what it can do to people."
Conner almost lost her crown after reports of her wild behavior surfaced in December. However Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe organization, offered her a second chance.
In her interview with PEOPLE, Conner also admits that she tried drugs in addition to alcohol, and that she took her first drink at the age of 14. She checked out of the Pennsylvania facility on Sunday.
http://bodogbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/Tara_conner.jpg
Recently rehabilitated beauty queen, Tara Conner has added more controversy to her portfolio of mischief. As the catalyst for the feud between Donald Trump and Rosie O’ Donnell, Tara now has started a war between “Oprah” and “The Today Show.” Both shows fought to cover Conner’s exclusive first interview after her release from rehab, but Tara chose “Today” because the interview would be all about her, whereas on Oprah she would have had to share the stage with Donald Trump.
Tara has also chosen to appear on Jay Leno’s, The Tonight Show. TMZ reports that the networks are feuding over Tara and all the politics that go along with snubbing Oprah.
Most likely flaming the ongoing feud between Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell, the reigning Miss USA checked out of a rehabilitation clinic earlier this week and is back in the pageant circuit.
Tara Conner, 21, returned to her luxurious apartment in Trump Place on Sunday, according to Yahoo! News. Conner, a native from Kentucky, spent a few weeks at the Caron Foundation in Wernersville, Penn. to figure out where things went wrong.
Connor's decision to move into rehab came after a surge of reports cataloging her underage drinking habits and drug abuse. Conner has denied being an alcoholic, but took the advice of Miss Universe co-owner, Donald Trump - to straighten herself out.
Trump has been in the middle of a battle with Rosie O'Donnell over the decision to give Conner a second chance rather than take her shining crown away. Although Conner was very appreciative of Trump's decision, O'Donnell expressed her distaste with Trump's choice and knocked Trump himself, calling him a "snake-oil salesman" and "not a self-made man."
Also, O'Donnell has slammed the Miss USA Organization itself. According to "People Magazine," O'Donnell said, "Miss America is the prestige…a different thing. It's basically a model competition. Let's be realistic."
Trump has stood by his decision for Conner, saying that he is a believer in second chances for people.
http://thebosh.com/archives/upload/2007/01/taraconner57ym.jpg
Conner put it best after the press conference last year when Trump announced his decision. She said, "He [Trump] could have said 'You're Fired - he's a very, very compassionate person."
With the crown back on her head and her pageant role clearer, Conner now has an opportunity to prove herself worthy of a second chance from the Donald himself.
"You'll never know how much I appreciate Mr. Trump for saving me on this one," said Conner.
Miss USA Tara Conner is "a completely different person" since going through rehab, she tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview.
"My life has completely changed," she told PEOPLE Friday. "I'm a completely different person out of rehab. Before I entered rehab I hardly knew who I was. I felt like I was floating and I just needed someone to pull me down."
http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2006/news/061225/tara_conner.jpg
The Kentucky native, who turned 21 on Dec. 18, initially entered a rehabilitation center in Pennsylvania on Dec. 21, following allegations of hard partying, indiscretions with men and unreliability. She spent 31 days there – including Christmas and New Year's Eve.
"I didn't think I had any kind of issue going into rehab. I even said, 'I'll get some free therapy,' or something like that – and that was so ridiculous," says Conner. "But I've realized I do have an issue. I suffer from the disease of alcoholism and addiction. And if there's anything that I want people to know it's the severity of this disease and what it can do to people."
Conner almost lost her crown after reports of her wild behavior surfaced in December. However Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe organization, offered her a second chance.
In her interview with PEOPLE, Conner also admits that she tried drugs in addition to alcohol, and that she took her first drink at the age of 14. She checked out of the Pennsylvania facility on Sunday.
http://bodogbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/Tara_conner.jpg
Recently rehabilitated beauty queen, Tara Conner has added more controversy to her portfolio of mischief. As the catalyst for the feud between Donald Trump and Rosie O’ Donnell, Tara now has started a war between “Oprah” and “The Today Show.” Both shows fought to cover Conner’s exclusive first interview after her release from rehab, but Tara chose “Today” because the interview would be all about her, whereas on Oprah she would have had to share the stage with Donald Trump.
Tara has also chosen to appear on Jay Leno’s, The Tonight Show. TMZ reports that the networks are feuding over Tara and all the politics that go along with snubbing Oprah.
Most likely flaming the ongoing feud between Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell, the reigning Miss USA checked out of a rehabilitation clinic earlier this week and is back in the pageant circuit.
Tara Conner, 21, returned to her luxurious apartment in Trump Place on Sunday, according to Yahoo! News. Conner, a native from Kentucky, spent a few weeks at the Caron Foundation in Wernersville, Penn. to figure out where things went wrong.
Connor's decision to move into rehab came after a surge of reports cataloging her underage drinking habits and drug abuse. Conner has denied being an alcoholic, but took the advice of Miss Universe co-owner, Donald Trump - to straighten herself out.
Trump has been in the middle of a battle with Rosie O'Donnell over the decision to give Conner a second chance rather than take her shining crown away. Although Conner was very appreciative of Trump's decision, O'Donnell expressed her distaste with Trump's choice and knocked Trump himself, calling him a "snake-oil salesman" and "not a self-made man."
Also, O'Donnell has slammed the Miss USA Organization itself. According to "People Magazine," O'Donnell said, "Miss America is the prestige…a different thing. It's basically a model competition. Let's be realistic."
Trump has stood by his decision for Conner, saying that he is a believer in second chances for people.
http://thebosh.com/archives/upload/2007/01/taraconner57ym.jpg
Conner put it best after the press conference last year when Trump announced his decision. She said, "He [Trump] could have said 'You're Fired - he's a very, very compassionate person."
With the crown back on her head and her pageant role clearer, Conner now has an opportunity to prove herself worthy of a second chance from the Donald himself.
"You'll never know how much I appreciate Mr. Trump for saving me on this one," said Conner.