So, if a beauty queen falls in the forest and nobody’s around… Um, hello, people, the Miss America pageant happened last night! Where in the world were you? Not watching the big show on CMT, huh? I’m not surprised. Neither was I. I can’t even find CMT on my channel lineup—and, I’ll tell you, I’m a freakin’ wizard with numbers. I mean, this is sad, right? The Miss America pageant used to be a hugely huge entertainment event, a majorly anticipated annual shebang held in glamorous Atlantic City, emceed by Bert Parks, and aired on network TV to millions. (This year: Vegas, Mario Lopez, not so many.)
Man, I have so many questions! Given the post-Vanessa Williams, post-JonBenet, post-Whatever It Was That Happened With Donald Trump And Miss USA A Few Weeks Ago world we live in, is it a good or a bad thing that Miss America has gotten a lower profile? Do innovations like viewer voting and the fact that they’re supposedly making the event sexier mean that you’ll watch next year? Should they move the show back up the dial a few hundred channels? And, gosh, who was your favorite Miss America? Former Catwoman Lee Meriwether? Former sports/news babe Phyllis George? Former Diff’rent Strokes star Mary Ann Mobley? (My vote: Miss America 1988, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, for her great cameo in Roger & Me … and for having the weirdest/coolest name in the history of the planet Earth.)
Oh, by the way, Miss Oklahoma, Lauren Nelson (pictured), won.
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It was a low key event, hardly publicized. Odd that between the host and the judges, there seemed to be at least 3 gay men on screen for the telecast.
Oh, and my all-time favorite Miss America is Phyllis George, who went on to be a sportscaster, Mrs. Bob Evans, wife of a Kentucky Governor, Chicken by George pitchman and actress in one film – “Meet the Parents.”
I grew up watching the Miss America Pageant every year, religiously! It was an annual event in our house, where my parents and all 5 siblings gathered to watch. We all had our favorites and there were actually arguments over who the winner should be. I haven’t watched the pageant in about 10 years but at least I always knew when it was happening. This year, I had no idea it was even taking place until I heard Miss Oklahoma had won. Oh, and my favorite former M A? The much disgraced and dethroned Vanessa Williams. She has gone on to prove that you can start over and you can overcome serious humiliation. I can’t even begin to remember the name of the runner-up who replaced Vanessa or, for that matter, most of the past 20 winners. Miss Williams, however, is a legend!
My issue with the pageant being on CMT is that for the last 2 years the contestants from the South have been the only ones to advance – and my guess is that it’s because of the CMT connection (country music being more popular in the South than anywhere else). Just look at last nights Top 5: Miss Texas, Miss Georgia, Miss Oklahoma, Miss Mississippi, and Miss Alabama. The dame thing happened last year as well. I think it sucks that the rest of the country doesn’t stand a chance of their state winning. I am from CA, but in my case it wouldn’t have mattered – the cable company here in my part of Southern CA doesn’t even carry CMT so I couldn’t have watched if I wanted to.
It’s strange that she won considering how badly she screwed up the song she was singing.
I’d have loved to have watched The View this morning to hear Rosie, undoubtedly, crowing about how “…the show TANKED”.
God, she is such a nightmare. I did see it, the pageant, listed under CMT and mused, “Isn’t that the country music channel” …. and kept right on going!
(Donald is a better human being than Rosie will EVER be, no matter how many kids she manages to get her hands on to look “normal”. But Donald, ya really screwed up, buddy.”
Cheers. :O)
I don’t watch the pageant, but a few years ago I saw the touring production of Cabaret starring a former Miss America (sorry, can’t rememeber her name!)as trashy, hard drinking, coke snorting third rate night club singer Sally Bowles. Struting around the stage in a black leather boustier singing ‘Mein Herr’ is likely not something one would see in the talent portion of the competition. It was awesome. Maybe pageant girls can be cool after all.
skbnwinters–get a clue! Ms. America is NOT owned by Trump & Co. Trump owns Ms. USA. Get your pageants straight or don’t talk pageants at all.
The truth is, Miss America is irrelevant. It’s a small step forward in the evolution of society. Now if only reality shows would go away!!
So wait, I’m confused. Is Miss America different from Miss USA? Why do we have not one but TWO antiquated and irrelevant prostitution – oops, I mean beauty – contests in this country? But I gotta second the Vanessa L. Love around here. Holla!
Save the Best for Last!!
Does anybody care about Miss America except for the contestants and a few misty-eyed nostalgics? Sure, it’s the grandmammy of beauty pageants, but those have seemed like a vestige of pre-feminism culture for years. The competition was created as a marketing scheme, anyway, and surely there are better ways to get a scholarship.
My fave Miss America EVER was 2001 (Miss Hawaii). When asked what was the one thing she would for 24 hours with no negative consequences, she said “I would eat everything I could!” An honest answer that clinched her title.
I’m just wondering who that guy who USED to be Mario Lopez holding that mic. Because if it IS, in fact, the once hot LATINO from “Saved by the Bell” and “Dancing With the Stars”, all I have to say is someone sure is doing a good job of making him look really white and really plastic.
I grew up watching Miss America with my mom and it was always my favorite because of the talent part. Havn’t watched it in awhile now, but as a proud New Jerseyan, I refuse to watch it now that they took it from Atlantic City.
This and all other anachronistic meat-pageants need to go the way of the dinosaurs already. All it teaches young girls is that the way to better themselves in life is through advanced education…but to earn it they better be hot and know how to wiggle their butt in a swimsuit first.
Nobody cares any more. But once the new Miss America enters rehab, she’ll be a star!
I still like it, I watched it. Mario Lopez was not the train wreck I expected. It’s for scholarship $$$ people.
If I wasn’t 39 and overweight I’d be in it for the college education!
Watched it, had my Miss America party, and was glad to see Oklahoma beat Texas. This organization is the largest provider of scholarships for women in the world, and anachronistic though it may be, it is a very vital and thriving non-profit program that benefits thousands of smart, beautiful and achievement-driven young women each year. CMT is taking very good care of Miss America, and has been a wonderful host for the past two years, dedicating more airtime than ABC every provided. Oh, and my favorite Miss America was Kate Shindle, with runner-up being Heather French. Both are intelligent, driven young women who took the role of “beauty queen,” and transformed it into a vehicle from which to advance themselves and their community service platforms to great heights.
Two more reasons to love Kaye Lani Raye Rafko: (1) She swore she would never go Hollywood and she didn’t; and (2) Her talent at the Miss America Pageant in 1988 was a scintillating Polynesian belly dance!
I’m hugely disappointed to have missed the pageant. I love watching, and my all time favorite was Heather Whitestone (who was deaf). She moved me.
I always watch the Ms. Universe competition because Ms. Puerto Rico always makes the top ten. And if Puerto Rico were to become a state, we’d lose our slot in the competition. In your face,new progressive party (PNP, which isn’t new and isn’t progressive)!
Excuse me? You were glad to see “Oklahoma beat Texas”? Are you talking about a beauty pageant or a football game?
Yeah, I’m not a fan. I don’t really enjoy seeing plastic Barbie dolls trotting around in bikinis. I agree, there are much less degrading ways to earn scholarship money.
Ms. America Police..chill the @#!* out. Good Lord.. God forbid someone accidently get Miss USA and Miss America confused..Both pagents are waste of time and money. yeah they are for scholarships but they can get scholarships from somewhere else…My fav would have to be Vanessa Williams..Why? Because she is the only one I ever heard of.
I used to always watch the Miss America pageant. Unfortunately, CMT doesn’t come on Comcast in NJ anymore, so I didn’t get to watch it this year. I guess I have to move back to Oklahoma. I’m always proud when Miss Oklahoma wins (incidentally, Oklahoma is now tied with California and Ohio with six wins each). My favorite Miss America is Susan Powell.
From my recollection, didn’t Vanessa Williams lose her crown when it was revealed that she had posed for Penthouse? I loved her comeback single a few years later though. That “saved the best for last” track was pretty solid and I love her on Ugly Betty. So, agreed with those who feel Vanessa’s win was a gift to all of us.
MissNYfan, why is it necessary for women to be beautiful to benefit from “the largest provider of scholarships for women in the world”? Why not just skip the beauty and often-laughable “talent” nonsense and just give deserving women scholarships?
I am a fan of the show and don’t fully understand why it’s failed. It was a big deal that once a year it came on tv. With the rise of reality-based television, I can’t understand why this has failed; especially in the light of continuing success of the Miss USA franchise. This IS the best reality show you can have. It’s one night, one girl from no-wheresville with talent and brains has the chance to become a star. It could be up there with American Idol except MA has the feel of a throwback, think Lawrence Welk sans bubbles. It’s now boring and tame. Miss USA isn’t. Get a higher profile, emphasize talent, looks more than GPA, no not poetry reading or Kathy Gifford-esque singers, but girls with talent (like Vanessa Williams) that you to WANT to see in the future. Partner with talent agency companies that will raise their profile throughout the year. Partner with VH1,Oxygen that will follow her journey. Get out of Vegas, go back to Atlantic City, Show contestants who’ve madeit
I am having a live museum in my school and I am you.I am 10 and will turn 11 this year in October, 20.I want to know what was your 2 kid’s names.
Thank you!!
I am having a live museum in my school and I am you.I am 10 and will turn 11 this year in October, 20.I want to know what was your 2 kid’s names.
Thank you!!