History Trivia / MissCongeniality

* RealitySubtext: In the sequel, Gracie has the desire to impersonate Creator/TinaTurner prompting Sam to stare at her in disbelief. Sandra Bullock once gave [[https://web.archive.org/web/20151006152945/http://www.askmen.com/celebs/entertainment-news/sandra-bullock/sandra-bullock-free-food-love.html a roundly mocked]] interview where she claimed and she and Tina Turner were "like family" because Tina's birth family name was the same as hers.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film's climax takes place during the "Battle at Buccaneer Bay"--a nightly show that occurred at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas from 1993 to 2003. That show has since been replaced by the "Sirens of TI" (to further reinforce this trope, this film came out in March 2005), which also lasted for a decade before that show closed to make way for a Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. exhibit.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film's climax takes place during the "Battle at Buccaneer Bay"--a nightly show that occurred at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas from 1993 to 2003. That show has since been replaced by the longer-lasting "Sirens of TI" (to further reinforce this trope, this film came out in March 2005), which lasted for a decade before that show closed to make way for a Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. exhibit.

** In an earlier draft of the script, Frank was a female character named Nora, Kathy's daughter and a member of a radical feminist terorist cell.

** Matt Dillon was cast as Eric Matthews at first, before getting replaced by Creator/BenjaminBratt.

* CastTheRunnerUp: There was originally a scene with the real Miss New Jersey relinquishing her crown to Gracie. The scene was cut and as an apology to Jennifer Gareis, they had her appear in the crowd at the pageant as Miss New York's girlfriend Tina.

* TheOtherMarty: Matt Dillon was cast as Eric Matthews at first, before getting replaced by Creator/BenjaminBratt.

** A scene was filmed with the original Miss New Jersey relinquishing her title. Because of pacing reasons, it was cut. Director Donald Petrie felt bad about cutting Jennifer Gareis's part, and had her appear as Miss New York's girlfriend Tina in the pageant scene.
** An entirely different version of the limo scene was filmed, with the driver originally played by Creator/JeffreyTambor.

* ActorAllusion: Creator/SandraBullock and Creator/BenjaminBratt both worked together in law enforcement in ''Film/DemolitionMan''.
* TheCameo: The blonde woman who makes the announcements during the show commercial bumpers ("We'll be right back to find out who those lucky final five are!") that has nothing else to do with the plot? She is the actual holder of the trademarks of things related to "Miss United States," and her cameo was a "thank you" for allowing the movie to use the terms.

* FreezeFrameBonus: The television control booth has a Canadian flag inside a red circle with a red slash through it. It could either be a reference to the pageants being actually American or the movie not using cheaper Canadian locations.

* PlayingGertrude: Creator/EileenBrennan plays William Shatner's mother in the sequel. She was a year ''younger'' than him in real life.

* PlayingGertrude: Eileen Brennan plays William Shatner's mother in the sequel. She's a year ''younger'' than him in real life.

** In the original script, Frank was in on Kathy's conspiracy to blow up the pageant.

** In the earlier screenplay, Gracie retires from the FBI and becomes a schoolteacher.

* ActorAllusion: Sandra Bullock and Benjamin Bratt both worked together in law enforcement in ''Film/DemolitionMan''.

* CastTheExpert: Almost. Michael Caine's (Victor) wife is a former Miss World contestant, and she was able to teach him the actual tricks of the pageant trade.

* TheOtherMarty: Matt Dillon was cast as Eric Matthews at first, before getting replaced by Benjamin Bratt.

* RealLifeRelative: Sandra Bullock's then-husband Jesse James is seen losing an arm wrestling contest in the sequel.

* ThrowItIn: Sandra Bullock ad-libbed most of Gracie's routine when she comes home after the restaurant mission.

** An entirely different version of the limo scene was filmed, with the driver originally played by Jeffrey Tambor.

* HarpoDoesSomethingFunny: The entire scene of Gracie coming home after work.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: A scene would have the FBI visiting the Miss New Jersey whose title is stripped, leading Gracie to take over. Given it was cut, the director compensated by casting the actress as Miss New York's lesbian girlfriend.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/{{Ghostbusters}} Winston Zeddemore]] is Gracie's boss, [[Series/LawAndOrder Detective Curtis]] is her partner[=/=] love interest, Series/MurphyBrown runs the pageant, [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Captain Kirk]] is the Emcee, and [[Film/TheDarkKnight Alfred]] is Gracie's coach.
** Also, [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Shinji Ikari]] makes an uncredited appearance as a bar guy.
** [[Series/{{Glee}} Sandy Ryerson]] appears in the sequel.

* CaliforniaDoubling: The first movie was entirely filmed in Texas, despite starting in New York (to make for a more convincing street, Austin had brown plastic bags of fake trash and fake NYC taxi cabs). The second is mostly on location, except for a New York scene which clearly has a Vegas hotel in the background.

* ActorAllusion: Sandra Bullock and Benjamin Bratt both worked together in law enforcement in ''Film/DemolitionMan''.

* RefurbishedForTheSequel: The backstory about Gracie's mother being a cop who died on duty.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The blonde woman who makes the announcements during the show commercial bumpers ("We'll be right back to find out who those lucky final five are!") that has nothing else to do with the plot? She is the actual holder of the trademarks of things related to "Miss United States," and her cameo was a "thank you" for allowing the movie to use the terms.

* ActorAllusion: Sandra Bullock and Benjamin Bratt both worked together as cops in ''Film/DemolitionMan''.

** [[Serues/{{Glee}} Sandy Ryerson]] appears in the sequel.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/{{Ghostbusters}} Winston Zeddemore]] is Gracie's boss, [[LawAndOrder Detective Curtis]] is her partner[=/=] love interest, Series/MurphyBrown runs the pageant, [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Captain Kirk]] is the Emcee, and [[Film/TheDarkKnight Alfred]] is Gracie's coach.