When the producers of USA Network’s “Tough Enough” WWE pro wrestling reality TV show sat down with contestant and Miss USA Rima Fakih of Dearborn, they had a strong warning for her about just how “tough” things were about to get.

But they weren’t necessarily talking about the pain of being slammed into the mat or thrown out of the ring. In this case, they were up front with Fakih about the hazing she was likely to receive upon entering the raucous, testosterone-fueled world of professional wrestling.

“One of them pulled me aside and said, ‘I just want you to know that you’re the underdog going into this and you’re going to get picked on, there’s a lot of people wondering why you’re here and don’t think you can do it,'” Fakih said.

In the first episode of the show, which aired on Monday, April 4 at 8 p.m. and featured14 co-ed contestants vying for a contract with the organization, the prediction came true as Fakih faced what she described as constant verbal abuse by housemates.

Her reactions drew widespread attention from the media as she unleashed an expletive-laced tirade on camera aimed at fellow contestant Michael Zaki.

“You big, stupid mother (expletive)!” she shouted at Zaki, “get the (expletive) out of my face. I’m gonna (expletive) kill you.”

Zaki had thrown pillows at the 25-year-old Fakih after which she threw Gatorade at Zaki.

Fakih has since apologized to various media outlets for using the kind of harsh language on camera that shocked some onlookers within the Miss USA organization who knew her as a mild-mannered, friendly ambassador.

Local religious scholars have  publicly criticized Fakih’s recent actions, however, especially as a role model for young Muslim American girls, and some community members have expressed privately their own deep concerns and disappointment of her actions and language.

Miss USA Rima Fakih of Dearborn (left) practices a wrestling move on the WWE show “Tough Enough,” which was filmed in California. She has apologized for an outburst against a fellow contestant she said was harassing her on the show.

Ali Jawad, founder of the Lebanese American Heritage Club in Dearborn, supported Fakih in her run for Miss Michigan and said was excited to see her win Miss USA.

But Jawad said her recent actions have been “embarrassing” and damaging to the image of the community and also said he had concerns about her status as a role model to young Arab American and Muslim girls.

Speaking with The Arab American News via phone, Fakih discussed what happened leading up to the short but intense scene.

“I understand you can’t put a whole week into one hour, but (the incident) happened after a whole half-hour of non-stop harassment,” she said. “There was a whole kitchen full of contestants eating and (others) continued to make sexual comments and even personal comments about my mother…(Zaki) was one of the guys who was really rude to me from day one.”

Imad Hamad, regional director of ADC-Michigan, said he would like to see better restraint and control of her temper in the future but said Fakih represents herself and not necessarily her nationality and religion.

“I always say, ‘you can’t put me in a box,'” Fakih said, adding that she’s always been a wrestling fan but didn’t necessarily see herself as a possible competitor.

The show will run for eight more weeks during which Fakih hinted she might have a recurring role. She said she became more comfortable each week, motivated to prove that beauty queens can be tough.

“They were giving me extra slams but I just kept getting up with a smile on my face, they were like, ‘wow, she’s actually competing.’ I even got up and slammed a few other contestants myself.”

Fakih, whose time as Miss USA in New York City was extended by the organization, will hand over the crown to another winner on June 19 at Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas. She says she has other tentative career plans right now and various offers have been made; acting or a career as a lawyer have been rumored in the past.

She has become a spokeswoman for several charity events, giving her the chance to help earthquake victims in Haiti and to raise awareness for breast cancer and AIDs prevention. Prior to becoming Miss USA, she participated in a program to teach self-defense to girls created by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.

For now, she’s focused on enjoying her last few months as Miss USA and said she’s trying to change stereotypes on the show.

“What I want to accomplish in doing this is for young girls to say, in Dearborn or wherever, is for them to be fearless and say I can do anything I want to do, whether it’s gymnastics or wrestling or whatever, that there are no barriers and no borders. That would mean a lot to me.”