Ms Texas Beauty - Shanna Olson

	by Bridgetta Tomarchio on Wednesday, January 25, 2012
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“Watch out boys, she’ll stir you up, Whoa here she comes” is the phrase that pops in my head when I see the gorgeous model/actress, Shanna Olson. She is Ms. Texas 2012 and in the running for Ms America 2012 in April. Shanna is a series regular on The Supreme Court of Comedy, has small roles in David Zucker's "American Carol", Ashton Kutcher's new movie "Spread" and Quentin Tarantino's "Hell Ride". She also has several commercial and print campaigns with Mercedes Benz, Miller Lite, Subway, and Panasonic. I got the privilege to interview her about her life, goals, and how she got started in the modeling world.

BT: Congratulations on being Ms. Texas 2012! You beat out hundreds of girls in the running with your beauty, brains, and amazing personality! How did you first get into modeling and acting?

SO: I first got into modeling and acting when I won "Miss Photogenic" in a pageant. One of my prizes was getting a modeling portfolio shot by a professional photographer. I couldn't believe how amazing the photos were - I couldn't believe I could look like that. The photographer introduced me to an agent, and the agent started sending me out on auditions. I never dreamt this is what I would be doing.

BT: How psyched are you about the upcoming Ms America Pageant in April?

SO: I'm so excited to be competing in the Ms America Pageant in April. I love meeting all the other contestants, attending all the fun events, the glamour, and especially, promoting my platform, "Animals Helping People, and People Helping Animals".

BT: What is your daily ritual to prepare for a huge pageant?

SO: I've been working out. Going to the gym, doing yoga and pilates; studying current events to be ready for the "onstage question"; searching online for ideas for my pageant dresses and wardrobe, and making appearances to promote my platform.

BT: I’m sure this is repetitive, but I know most girls out there would want to know, what do you do to stay in shape, especially while traveling? As everyone knows, it is really difficult to stay in shape while traveling.

SO: When I am out of town, I try to do a lot more walking, site seeing, window shopping, or just walking place to place rather than taking a cab. At home, my favorite activity is doing yoga with my dogs, they love it too!

BT: What would you say are your favorite hotels and what makes them special?

SO: One of my favorite hotels is the Hotel Brosundet (shown right) in Alesund, Norway. It was just so adorable, beautiful, and quaint. The hotel and entire city was so picture perfect and seemed like it was right out of a fairytale. The view from my room was amazing!!

I also liked the Hotel Havnekontoret (shown above) in Bergen, Norway. We celebrated the 17th of May there which is Norway's Constitution Day, similar to our 4th of July. Everyone dresses in their family's "Bunad"- the national costume from the area their family is from. It was soooo much fun!!

In London, I like The Berkeley. It's a beautiful hotel, and it's walking distance to Harrods!!! One of my favorite places to shop!!

In Paris, I like Hotel Le Bristol . It is sooo beautiful, ornate, with wonderful balconies with views of The Eiffel Tower, and it is very dog friendly!!!

BT: You said your pageant platform is "animals helping people, and people helping animals," why did you choose this topic?

SO: I choose this platform because I am a huge animal lover, and my 3 Pomeranians have brought so much joy into my life. I volunteer with Southern California Pomeranian Rescue. I want every dog to have a home where they are loved and adored as much as mine are. I have seen how much joy animals bring into people's lives and so I like to promote the many ways people can get involved with volunteering, with their dogs! Like visiting senior citizens in rest homes with their dogs, or people in hospitals, or raising and training puppies who become seeing-eye dogs. I like helping bring joy into other peoples lives, and cute dogs always seem to help put a smile on people's faces.

BT: You were on Norway's top reality show, what was that like, and did you stay in many hotels while in Norway? What do your Norwegian fans think of your success in America?

SO: I was so honored to be on "Alt For Norge" on TV NORGE! It was definitely the adventure of a lifetime. We stayed in so many amazing places, sometimes amazingly beautiful hotels and sometimes outrageous places like an ice cave, farmhouse or an elementary school gymnasium! Everyday was a new adventure!!

I hope all my new Norwegian friends and fans are proud of me, because I am very proud of my Norwegian heritage!!

BT: I heard you stayed where the Empire Strikes Back cast/crew stayed in Norway, I’m dying to know what the hotel was like?

SO: While filming "Alt For Norge", we stayed at the Hotel Finse 1222 . It is same hotel that the cast and crew had stayed at while filming Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, it was filmed in Finse, Norway. The hotel has pictures up of George Lucas, Mark Hamill and other stars from the filming of the movie. It was an amazing place. So many things for an adventurous person to try. Some of us got to go dog sledding, and some of us got to try kite skiing! It was kind of like windsurfing, but with skis!! And of course the skiing!!! We got to take ski lessons from the head coach of the Norwegian Olympic Ski Team.

The food at the lodge was amazing too!! One of my favorite things I learned is that at breakfast, you pack a Matpakke. A matpakke is a lunch you take with you so you don't have to come back in from skiing to eat, you have food with you!! If you are in Norway, you definitely have to try the brown cheese and lefse, two of my favorite foods in the world!!!

BT: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and where would you stay?

SO: Oh wow!! It's so difficult to decide. For years, my dream was to get to go to Norway and now that dream came true. I would love to visit Norway again and get to see Telemark, where my ancestors are from, that was one place in Norway I didn't get to see. I've been fortunate to have gotten to visit many European countries, so I think some of the next places I would like to visit are Israel, Egypt, India, Greece... There are so many places I would love to see!!!

My doggies and I were recently on an Australian show, called ROVE LA, talking about LA dog culture, and everyone on the show was so nice, so I would really love to visit Australia too. To get to see the koala bears and kangaroos!!!

BT: Where can fans follow your updates on what you're doing? Any other last words?

SO: My friends and fans can follow me on my website: www.ShannaOlson.com, or Facebook.com/ShannaOlson.model. If anyone is thinking of visiting Norway, if they post questions on my facebook page, my Norwegian friends are so helpful about giving great advice about their beautiful country!

If you are a dog lover - my doggies have their own facebook page-Facebook.com/Doggie.Celebrities. We love making friends with dogs and dog lovers around the world.

A special thank you to all the wonderful people of Norway for your amazing hospitality while we were there filming the show. I really enjoyed visiting your beautiful country, and learning about my heritage, and I am so thankful to have so many of you as my friends on Facebook.

For more on Shanna's favorite hotels visit her Hotels of the Rich and Famous Page by clicking here.