WWE Diva Search
| WWE Diva Search | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Vince McMahon |
| Opening theme |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | TBA |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multicamera setup |
| Release | |
| Original network |
|
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Original release | July 1, 2003 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | |
| External links | |
| Website | |
WWE Diva Search (formerly WWE Raw Diva Search) is a talent competition held by WWE. The first winner was Jaime Koeppe, but she did not receive a contract like subsequent winners of the contest. Other winners included Christy Hemme, Ashley Massaro, Layla El, and Eve Torres. In addition to the winners of the yearly contest, WWE has hired several contestants as Divas. In 2011, WWE announced plans to bring back the Diva Search.[1] As of 2016, Milena Roucka, Maryse Ouellet, and Nikki Bella, from the 2006 Raw Diva Search, are the last remaining Divas to come from the Diva Search. It was rumored that the show would return in 2015, but that plan has been ultimately scrapped.
2003
| WWE Diva Search | |
|---|---|
| Season 2003 | |
| Winner | |
| Jaime Koeppe |
The first WWE Diva Search took place in between July 1 and August 24, 2003. However, unlike the later Diva Searches, the first Diva Search winner did not receive a contract. She received a photoshoot for an issue of WWE Magazine. Jaime Koeppe was named the first WWE Diva Search winner.
2004
| WWE Diva Search | |
|---|---|
| Season 2004 | |
| Broadcast from | July 15 – September 20, 2004 |
| Broadcaster | Spike TV |
| Winner | |
| Christy Hemme | |
|
Christy Hemme, the 2004 Diva Search winner | |
| Runner-up | |
| Carmella DeCesare | |
Official themes
The 2004 WWE Raw $250,000 Diva Search featured four official theme songs.
- "Open Your Eyes" by Alter Bridge
- "Real Good Girl" by Jim Johnston[n 1]
- "Time and Time Again" by Chronic Future
- "Walk Idiot Walk" by The Hives[n 2]
- ↑ "Real Good Girl" by Jim Johnston was written exclusively for the 2004 WWE Raw $250,000 Diva Search competition. The song was later featured in WWE ThemeAddict: The Music, Vol. 6.
- ↑ "Walk Idiot Walk" was also used as the official entrance theme for Christy Hemme after winning the competition.
Top 28
Open casting calls were held in Los Angeles, NYC, and Chicago in June and July to narrow the field down from thousands to 28 women. The following the 28 finalists where chosen from each of the locations:
|
|
Finalists
| Name | Age[n 1] | Hometown | Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christy Hemme | 23 |  Poway, California |
Winner[2][3][4][5] |
| Carmella DeCesare | 26 | Avon Lake, Ohio |
Runner-Up[4][6] |
| Joy Giovanni | 26 | Boston, Massachusetts |
3rd Place[6] |
| Amy Weber | 27 | Mapleton, Illinois |
4th Place[6] |
| Maria Kanellis | 22 | Ottawa, Illinois |
5th Place[7] |
| Tracie Wright | 24 | Atlanta, Georgia |
6th Place |
| Michelle McCool | 24 | Palatka, Florida |
7th Place[7] |
| Chandra Costello | 28 | Liberty, Kentucky |
8th Place |
| Camille Anderson | 26 | Dallas, Texas |
9th Place |
| Julia Costello | 28 | Liberty, Kentucky |
10th Place |
- ↑ Ages were at time of filming.
Notes
In 2004, WWE decided to make an extension of the Diva Search, which included a one-year contract worth $250,000 and was held on Raw.[5][8] Over 7,000 females applied to be a part of the contest.[2] The final ten contestants were chosen on a casting special aired on Spike TV on July 15, with guest judges Triple H, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho and Edge.[8]
They began airing the weekly Raw Diva Search segments on July 19.[5][8] Despite reported claims by the company that the contest would be handled in a classy manner, the contest involved prospective divas performing suggestive acts on live television, such as "seducing" a male wrestler. Fans were allowed to vote for the winners,[5] but the outcome of the voting process was questioned by media outlets. The eventual winner of the competition was Christy Hemme, who went on to pose in Playboy and competed at WrestleMania 21 for the WWE Women's Championship where she was accompanied to the ring by Lita, but ended up with Trish Stratus retaining the title.[3]
Finalists (winner Hemme, runner-up Carmella DeCesare, Amy Weber, and Joy Giovanni)[6] took part in a segment titled "Diss the Diva" on August 30, 2004,[9] which was censored at several points due to foul language and obscenities from the contestants when they were asked to taunt one another verbally. Backstage, the four contestants bickered with and disliked each other, as well.[6] Also, during an earlier segment in the competition, Maria Kanellis gave DeCesare the middle finger.[7]
Despite only one winner being crowned in the competition each year, WWE hired a large number of the contestants from past contests and immediately placed them in on-camera in non-wrestling roles. From the 2004 Diva Search, Michelle McCool, Amy Weber,[6] Candice Michelle,[8] Maria Kanellis,[7] and Joy Giovanni all received contracts after losing the contest. Several of the girls were sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling to train.[6]
2005
| WWE Diva Search | |
|---|---|
| Season 2005 | |
| Broadcast from | June 27 – August 15, 2005 |
| Broadcaster | Spike TV |
| Winner | |
| Ashley Massaro | |
|
Ashley Massaro, the 2005 Raw Diva Search winner | |
| Runner-up | |
| Leyla Milani | |
Official theme
The 2005 WWE Raw Diva Search featured one official theme song.
- ↑ "Be Yourself" was also used as the official entrance theme for Ashley Massaro after winning the competition.
Contestants
| Name | Age[n 1] | Hometown | Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Massaro | 26 | Babylon, New York |
Winner[6][10] |
| Leyla Milani | 23 |   Toronto, Ontario |
Runner-Up |
| Elisabeth Rouffaer | 22 | Santa Cruz, California |
3rd Place |
| Kristal Marshall | 21 | Los Angeles, California |
4th Place |
| Summer DeLin | 24 | Shreveport, Louisiana |
5th Place |
| Cameron Haven | 24 | Lake Worth, Florida |
6th Place |
| Simona Fusco | 25 |  Milan, Italy |
7th Place |
| Alexis Ondrade | 23 | Costa Mesa, California |
8th Place |
- ↑ Ages were at time of filming.
Notes
For the 2005 WWE Raw Diva Search, the eight finalists began appearing on Raw on June 27. One contestant was eliminated each week until there was a final three.[10] Contestant Leyla Milani accidentally exposed herself by falling out of her top while attempting to navigate an obstacle course on the July 4 edition of Raw, leading to a "disqualification" in the contest.[11]
Ashley Massaro was declared the winner on August 15 and received $250,000.[10] Massaro wanted to train to wrestle, however, due to her family's involvement in amateur wrestling. As in 2004, other contestants were hired by WWE, including Kristal Marshall, Trenesha Biggers (eliminated in the Top 25) and Elisabeth Rouffaer.
2006
| WWE Diva Search | |
|---|---|
| Season 2006 | |
| Broadcast from | July 10 – August 16, 2006 |
| Broadcaster |
USA Network UPN |
| Winner | |
| Layla El | |
|
Layla El, the 2006 WWE Diva Search winner and only winner become final WWE Women's Champion & WWE Divas Champion | |
| Runner-up | |
| Jen England | |
Official themes
The 2006 WWE Raw Diva Search featured three official theme songs.
- "Face Down" by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
- "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects[n 1]
- "Out Here All Night" by Damone
- ↑ "Move Along" was briefly used as the official entrance theme for Layla El after winning the competition.
Contestants
| Name | Age[n 1] | Hometown | Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layla El | 29 |  London, England |
Winner[12] |
| Jen England | 27 | Lansing, Michigan |
Runner-Up[12] |
| J.T. Tinney | 25 | Phoenix, Arizona |
3rd Place[12] |
| Milena Roucka | 26 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
4th Place[12] |
| Erica Chevillar | 23 | Boca Raton, Florida |
5th Place[12] |
| Rebecca DiPietro | 26 | Rehoboth, Massachusetts |
6th Place[12] |
| Maryse Ouellet | 23 | Montreal, Quebec |
7th Place[12] |
| Amy Zidian | 23 | Orlando, Florida |
8th Place[12] |
- ↑ Ages were at time of filming.
Notes
The eight finalists made their first appearance on WWE programming on Raw on July 10.[13] The Diva Search had an awkward beginning on July 10 with an introductory segment on Raw featuring new host Mike Mizanin. During the segment, Mizanin appeared to have forgotten his lines and stammered on for several minutes when trying to explain the voting procedures for the contest.[14] When introducing the contestants, Mizanin mispronounced names and looked uncomfortable in his new role as Diva Search emcee.[14] Each week, the contestants appeared on both Raw and SmackDown!.[13] The final three appeared on a special that aired on August 16, 2006 on the USA Network, where the winner was announced.
Layla El won the 3rd annual Raw Diva Search[12] and was placed on SmackDown! in late 2006. WWE also hired several of the eliminated Diva contestants including Maryse Ouellet, The Garcia Twins, Rebecca DiPietro, Brooke Adams, Amy Zidian, and Milena Roucka.
2007
| WWE Diva Search | |
|---|---|
| Season 2007 | |
| Broadcast from | September 10 – October 29, 2007 |
| Broadcaster | WWE.com |
| Winner | |
| Eve Torres | |
|
Eve Torres, the 2007 Diva Search winner and a record three time WWE Divas Champion | |
| Runner-up | |
| Brooke Gilbertsen | |
Official theme
The 2007 WWE Diva Search featured one official theme song.
Contestants
| Name | Age[n 1] | Hometown | Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eve Torres | 22 | Denver, Colorado |
Winner[16] |
| Brooke Gilbertsen | 22 | Chicago, Illinois |
Runner-Up |
| Lena Yada | 27 | Los Angeles, California |
3rd Place |
| Taryn Terrell | 21 | New Orleans, Louisiana |
4th Place[17] |
| Jessica Hatch | 26 | Montreal, Quebec |
5th Place[18] |
| J. Kim | 24 | Catawba, North Carolina |
6th Place[19] |
| Lyndy Frieson | 22 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
7th Place[20] |
| Naomi Kirk | 24 | West Yorkshire, England |
8th Place[21] |
- ↑ Ages were at time of filming.
Notes
The first competition was on WWE.com on September 10, which was also when the voting started. The winner was announced on the October 29 edition of Raw. Unlike past Diva Searches, this Search was the first to take place exclusively on WWE.com with most of the pre-taped segments TV. Tarryn Terrell, Angela Fong and Lena Yada were called up to the roster despite being eliminated.
2008
The 2008 edition was supposed to take place that year, but it was cancelled due to the failure of the 2007 edition.
2013
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported in February 2013 that WWE held an un-aired diva search in the Los Angeles area.[22] Among the prospects that participated were future WWE performers Eva Marie, Lana, JoJo, Devin Taylor, and Veronica Lane, with the former winning the contest.[23][24]
2015/16
During WrestleMania 31, WWE announced that new shows will air on the WWE Network, including a returning WWE Diva Search, which was expected to premiere in the fall of 2015.[25] There was no additional information given until July 2016, when WWE surveyed fans about potential new WWE Network shows, including a new season of Diva Search under a new name (WWE Superstar Search) due to the fact that the term "Diva" was ultimately phased out in 2016. The show would be hosted by Lita and Trish Stratus.[26]
See also
References
- ↑ Cabledude (January 26, 2011). "WWE News: Items from WWE corporate presentation Wed. - new standard PPV schedule, return of Diva Search, Summerslam's annual location, more". PWTorch. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
- 1 2 "Christy Hemme". PurrfectAngelz.com. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- 1 2 Baines, Tim (March 9, 2005). "Christy Hemme: A naked conversation". The Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- 1 2 "Christy Hemme". Bullz-eye.com. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- 1 2 3 4 "Hemme Wins $250,000 One-Year Contract with WWE". Business Wire. September 21, 2004. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Simon 'LILSBOY' Rothstein (August 2005). "Hemme is Christy clear". The Sun Online. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- 1 2 3 4 Eric Gargiulo (March 17, 2008). "WWE Diva & Playboy cover girl, Maria speaks to phillyBurbs.com". PhillyBurbs.com. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Next WWE Diva Ultimately to be Chosen by the Millions of WWE fans Worldwide On September 13". WWE Corporate. 2004-07-12. Retrieved 2007-07-01.
- ↑ "RAW Results: August 16, 2004". Online World of Wrestling. August 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
- 1 2 3 "Ashley Massaro of New York Wins WWE RAW Diva Search, Secures $250,000 One-Year Contract with WWE". WWE. August 15, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- ↑ "RAW Results: July 4, 2005". Online World of Wrestling. July 4, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "2006 Diva Search Interviews". FHM Online. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
- 1 2 "WWE Diva Search Finalists Debut Tonight On Monday Night RAW". WWE Corporate. July 10, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
- 1 2 "RAW Results: July 10, 2006". Online World of Wrestling. July 10, 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
- ↑ Kara A. Medalis (August 22, 2007). "Special thanks to Velvet Revolver". WWE.com. Retrieved 2007-08-23.
- ↑ EveTorres.com (2007-10-29). "The 2007 Diva Search Winner is Eve Torres". EveTorres.com. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ↑ Rote, Andrew (October 16, 2007). "Farewell Taryn". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ↑ Rote, Andrew (October 9, 2007). "Farewell Jessica". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
- ↑ Rote, Andrew (October 2, 2007). "Farewell J. Kim". WWE. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ↑ Kara A. Medalis (September 25, 2007). "Weekly roundup: Obstacle Course". WWE. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ↑ Kara A. Medalis (September 18, 2007). "Weekly roundup: Limbo". WWE. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ↑ "Report: New WWE Diva Search Happening in Los Angeles". DivaDirt.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ↑ "10 WWE Diva Prospects "Training" at NXT". Diva Dirt. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ↑ Nolasco, Stephanie (July 14, 2015). "'Total Divas' Star Eva Marie Dishes on Season 4". Fox News Magazine. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ↑ WWE Announces the Return of the Diva SearchPossible Changes For WWE Tag Team, Big Guest For Steve Austin On WWE Network?, Diva Search News
- ↑ http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/726643-wwe-seeking-fan-feedback-for-new-wwe-network-shows-return-of-legends-house-goldbergs-garage-wwe-kids-reality-shows-more