Miss Teen USA contestant says she wanted to commit suicide
'I had some very dark moments': Miss Teen USA contestant says she wanted to commit suicide after a flubbed answer to a pageant question turned her into an online joke
Caitlin Upton was representing her home state of South Carolina at the Miss Teen USA Pageant in 2007 when she gave her nonsensical answer
She was asked why she thought one in five Americans can’t point out the US on a map and her bumbling response made absolutely no sense
A YouTube video of the moment has been viewed more than 63 million times since it was posted eight years ago
Caitlin, who is now 26, came in fourth place that year, but said she was bullied 'every day' for two years after the pageant
Humiliating moment: Caitlin Upton, who can be seen answering a question at the 2007 Miss Teen USA Pageant when she was 18, revealed that she considered suicide after her flubbed answer led to two years of bullying
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A former Miss Teen USA contestant has revealed that she considered committing suicide after her bumbling nonsensical answer to a pageant question turned her into an internet sensation, which led to bullying - and even death threats.
During the 2007 pageant, Caitlin Upton, who was representing her home state of South Carolina, was asked why she believed a fifth of Americans couldn't point out the United States on a map – and replied with a bizarre, and rambling response during which she suggested that many people might not have maps, before comparing the education system in the US to that in South Africa and Iraq, a moment which the now-26-year-old told New York Magazine, continues to haunt her to this day.
'I definitely went through a period where I was very, very depressed,' she explained. 'But I never let anybody see that stuff, except for people I could trust. I had some very dark moments where I thought about committing suicide.'
In shock: Caitlin, who is pictured with Mario Lopez, the host of the 2007 pageant, froze and gave a rambling answer about why she believes a fifth of Americans couldn't point out the United States on a map
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The cringe-worthy YouTube video of Caitlin's answer has been viewed more than 63 million times since it was posted eight years ago.
The clip, which is less than a minute long, shows then-18-year-old Caitlin decked out in her dazzling ice blue gown as she explains why she thinks some Americans can't identify their home country on a map.
'I personally believe that US Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some, people out there in our nation don't have maps,' she began.
'And, uh, I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and, uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as and I believe that they should, our education over here in the US should help the US, uh, or, uh, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future for our children.'
Caitlin at CBS's Big Brother Season 17 cast party in September
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According to the outlet, Caitlin began to tear up when discussing the bulling she faced, revealing that she had been unable to discuss how much pain endured with anyone except her fiancé, her best friend, and more recently her mother.
Caitlin has since moved to Los Angeles where she appeared on The Amazing Race, done numerous commercials, and started a career as a real estate agent.
The former blonde beauty, who has since become a brunette, said that she hasn't been recognized for her Miss Teen USA appearance in years, however, people often comment on her having a name similar to model-turned-actress Kate Upton.
'I’ll go into my auditions and be like, “Yes, yes, I know — I’m the other one,"' she said.
She started somewhat coherently with people not owning maps () but then did she try to say American education should focus in America and not Iraq and South Africa? There was some loose thought lost in there
I remember this being hilarious, but it's weird to hear people sent her death threats over it. non-famous people becoming memes never seems to end well
) but then did she try to say American education should focus in America and not Iraq and South Africa? There was some loose thought lost in there