The 2007 Miss USA pageant is scheduled to be held Friday night at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, downtown Los Angeles, organizers said.

Contestants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will compete to succeed Tara Conner who was nearly dethroned over alleged drug and alcohol use.

The contestants will be judged in three categories, swimsuit, evening gown and interview. The six judges include talk show host Jerry Springer and Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss.

Conner, the Texas-born former Miss Kentucky who was allowed to remain as Miss USA after agreeing to enter a drug rehabilitation program, will crown her successor.

The winner will travel throughout the nation during her yearlong reign as an advocate for breast and ovarian cancer awareness, education, research and legislation. She will also represent the United States at the Miss Universe Pageant.

The pageant is conducted by the Miss Universe Organization, a partnership between Donald Trump and NBC Universal.

The pageant is returning to Hollywood after being held in Baltimore the past two years.

The pageant was created by Catalina swimwear in 1952, which dropped it sponsorship of the Miss America competition after the 1951 Miss America, Yolande Betbeze refused to pose in a swimsuit.

Source: Xinhua