Pageant News Bureau - Erika Howe

From the pageant press

PNB feature occasional articles from the world of pageant publications. The following article appears in the April 2000 issue of Ilva's Pageant and Talent Magazine. It is used by permission of the writer.

By Beverly S. Phillips
Special to PNB

It has been a year to remember for Erika Howe of Bay City, Texas. In June of 1999, the Neal Hamil Agency out of Houston signed Erika as a model/commercial actress. Last September, Erika was crowned 1999 All American Miss at the national pageant held in Orlando, Fla. In December, her beautiful face graced holiday television in a national Pier One commercial.

If that isn't enough, Erika will audition for the part of "Miss Ohio" in an upcoming movie starring Sandra Bullock titled "Miss Congeniality." Erika is ecstatic. She says, "This new movie about to start filming in Austin is about Sandra Bullock's character who goes undercover as a pageant contestant to deal with a bomb threat at a national pageant. The ironic thing is that the casting director has NO idea that I actually have pageant experience! Wait until they find out I am indeed a reigning national titleholder!"

If the casting director is looking for someone with experience, Erika is sure to fit the bill. She has been involved in pageantry as a judge, trainer, emcee, producer, and contestant for the past fifteen years. She is also an area director for Miss Texas USA/Miss Texas Teen USA, producing the Miss Rice Belt USA Pageant.

It has never been Erika's intent to become a "movie star." She feels she has a great opportunity with commercial acting and modeling. With commercial acting, she can be her own personality. The time involved is minimal. With movies there is much more emotion and characterization involved.

Her relationship with the Neal Hamil Agency began in 1989 when the owner of the agency judged her in a pageant that she ended up winning. "Then in successive years, I became producer of that particular contest and always had someone from the agency serve as a judge. One evening last summer, one of the guys asked me why they didn't have a headshot of me. I told him that if he thought he had a market for me, then I would give it a shot. They got their headshot, and I have been working steadily ever since!" says Erika.

Erika is adamant about not allowing herself to base her self-esteem on show business. She feels that in this business, one must have something that makes them stand out from everyone else. "Either you have what is marketable at the time, or you don't. Think of every job as a sales job; i.e., if you are doing a modeling job for a sports wear company, be thankful and humbled by the fact that they think you could help them sell more workout wear," Erika advises.

Her personal 'beauty secret' is that she is happy with her personal life, "I am happy with my husband, my kids, and my job. Happiness is the best- kept beauty secret. It will make you shine above others. It gives you that special 'sparkle.' So, make sure you are well-adjusted, well-grounded, and happy with your other accomplishments before attempting to model and act. Remember that it's nothing personal in this business. The bottom line for me is I am having FUN with it. I'm learning a lot and making some extra money. When it's not fun anymore, I will stop doing it.

For more information concerning this dynamic young woman, visit the All American Web site at www.ecqual.net/allamerican or the Miss Rice Belt USA Web site at www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Club/3019.

(PNB editor's note: Beverly Phillips is a writer based in Louisiana who specializes in pageant and entertainment articles.)

"Lights, Camera, Action!"

(Erika Howe,
National All American Miss)

"Lights, Camera, Action!"

(Erika Howe,National All American Miss)

(Erika Howe,
National All American Miss)