Miss America 2.0

[debo]

They sound completely rehearsed like they knew the questions in advance. Did they?

 

[WillyElliot]

It seems like it, but LA saying the hardest thing she's ever done was going through prelims this past week? Who knows.

 

[dbell1]

Is it me, or does "talent" bring out the cringe factor?

 

[quartz]

Are these actual real women? They all seem so stiff and robotic.
I did like the big giant huge blue and green dress during the red carpet segment tho.

 

[WillyElliot]

Is it me, or does "talent" bring out the cringe factor?

HAHA, Miss MA just before singing said this is a song she rarely practices because she wants to be authentic. Well, she should have listened to her voice coach, it was ear numbingly awful!

 

[WillyElliot]

OK, it's down to the wire.

Miss America: FL
1RU: NY (how did I miss this one???)
2RU: CT
3RU: LA
4RU: MA

 

[WillyElliot]

Alrighty, and the results are:

4ru: MASS
3ru: FL
2ru: LA
1ru: CT
M.A.:NY!!!!!!!

Good for her. She was a sleeper this week. She was my favorite tonight, but I really thought FL had it. Though I am glad that FL lost because she didn't support Cara these past weeks. Oh well, this wasn't so bad. At least Gretchen used those STANFORD educated brains of hers to stay the hell away from there tonight. Not what she was hoping to promote her "brand" but she probably realized that when less than 30 people showed up for her "Gretchen Carlson Leadership Conference" and she left early that no one wanted to see her or she'd be booed off the stage.

 

[WillyElliot]

Uh-oh. Just got a call from Atlantic City. Miss NY has been coached and trained by none other than the either son or nephew of the CEO Regina!!! So, this makes much more sense. Regina knows Nia and knows she will obey her every word. How disappointing.

 

[OlieRow]

Uh-oh. Just got a call from Atlantic City. Miss NY has been coached and trained by none other than the either son or nephew of the CEO Regina!!! So, this makes much more sense. Regina knows Nia and knows she will obey her every word. How disappointing.

I know the pageant world is small but how is this not considered a major conflict of interest?


Not impressed with 2.0 format although NY was one of my favorites. NE was my pick until "talent". I was a pageant kid for a while and tagged along while my mom worked with one of the Miss SC prelims. I've always made a point to watch Miss SC/Miss America but tonight just didn't hold my attention. Although that could be that I was exhausted and SC wasn't in the mix... Didn't care for Carrie Ann as host either.

 

[BaileyCatts]

So the Evening Gown portion .... oh wait I mean 'red carpet' .... was still my favorite. Seriously, just call it what it was ... "Evening Gown", because that is what everyone, even all the girls who didn't make it, was wearing. Although actually, the prettiest evening gown of the night was the red dress the one singing Opera wore while she sang.

New York was the one who sang Opera, right? She definitely had the best Talent of the night. I thought Colorado had the second best Talent. Good lord those two girls who sang ..... Randy Jackson musta been flashing back to cringe worthy Idol auditions, cause damn those girls were awful!

So what was the 'big twist thing' that was supposed to happen????????

 

[overedge]

The biggest problem I had with this show was that it was not fun. I'm totally on board with showing how the women are smart etc as well as pretty, but it was all very grim and earnest.
It was a terrible idea to put the "job interview" questions as the first segment. Really zzzzzz TV. I bet they lost a lot of viewers then.
The dresses were not great, but I suspect with all the rule and format changes the poor contestants didn't know what look they should be going for.
Talent - Miss NY was the only one who had any. The rest were so bad it wasn't even fun to laugh at them.

 

[just tuned in]

I was impressed with the level of academic achievement in this group -- a couple PhD candidates! And I did not miss the swimsuits AT ALL.

Racially diverse group, for sure. But when they went from 10 women down to 5, I noticed that they advanced all the shorter women and cut all the tall women.

They sound completely rehearsed like they knew the questions in advance. Did they?

I think in most cases, like politicians, they had a canned answer and they spun whatever question they were asked to give their canned answer. Some did that more successfully than others.

Some of them really flubbed the peer-to-peer question -- like the young lady who said that the Miss A pageant was "relevant" because she won scholarship money, and the one who said that "timing was everything," and the professional dancer who was there to shill her beauty products.

Talent - Miss NY was the only one who had any. The rest were so bad it wasn't even fun to laugh at them.

I thought the Irish step dancer was pretty good, and I guess the pianists, also. I felt sorry for MA with her pitchy performance, because I am sure that she can sing it better.

It was an interesting peer-to-peer question that one of them asked along the lines of: "What would you tell an aspiring contestant who has no talent in the fine arts?" Fine arts are an important means of expression even for those who are not particularly talented singers, dancers or musicians, but yeah, try to win a Miss A contest without.

 

[skatesindreams]

I don't believe that the "job interview" should have been the first segment.
If that was supposed to be the main focus; it wasn't.
There needed to be a reason to "build" interest to keep the "applicants" and audience involved, which no longer existed.

Attire, hair and make-up seemed rather casual and sloppy in many cases.
It defeated the "elevated" professional ideal and tone you would expect for a position of "national importance, empowering young women"; which they would like Miss America 2.0 to possess.

I doubt that they gave the women a clear idea of what was expected.

I hope that the "successful candidate" will not have to blindly "obey" the "dictates" of Gretchen Carlson.
If so, the "new" organization is little changed from what it replaced.

 

[overedge]

I thought the Irish step dancer was pretty good, and I guess the pianists, also. I felt sorry for MA with her pitchy performance, because I am sure that she can sing it better.

The step dancer seemed totally out of time with her music - it was like random cascades of loud noises. I was almost wondering if the audio feed in the auditorium was a few seconds ahead or behind the audio feed on the broadcast.

It was an interesting peer-to-peer question that one of them asked along the lines of: "What would you tell an aspiring contestant who has no talent in the fine arts?" Fine arts are an important means of expression even for those who are not particularly talented singers, dancers or musicians, but yeah, try to win a Miss A contest without.

I'd tell them to go compete in Miss USA

The thing that puzzles me is that so many of the contestants seem to choose talent that is beyond their reach. Admittedly I've never seen the preliminary competitions, but if the finalists are among the most talented, I shudder to think what some of the others must be like But seriously, if you have a pleasant small singing voice, don't choose a loud shrieky ballad. And sorry, but giving a compressed version of a TED talk (I'm looking at you, Miss Nebraska) is not a talent either, even if you call it a "dramatic monologue".

 

[skatesindreams]

But seriously, if you have a pleasant small singing voice, don't choose a loud shrieky ballad. And sorry, but giving a compressed version of a TED talk (I'm looking at you, Miss Nebraska) is not a talent either, even if you call it a "dramatic monologue"

ITA.

 

[skatesindreams]

I also believe that it was a mistake not to have a former Miss America on the final judging panel.
It sends a horrible message to every person ever to hold the title.

Never mind that they are the only people who really understand the responsibilities involved.

 

[WillyElliot]

I'd tell them to go compete in Miss USA

The thing that puzzles me is that so many of the contestants seem to choose talent that is beyond their reach. Admittedly I've never seen the preliminary competitions, but if the finalists are among the most talented, I shudder to think what some of the others must be like But seriously, if you have a pleasant small singing voice, don't choose a loud shrieky ballad. And sorry, but giving a compressed version of a TED talk (I'm looking at you, Miss Nebraska) is not a talent either, even if you call it a "dramatic monologue".

Yep, talent is a problem with the America system, since they brag that talent is the difference between them and USA. And then we get cringe-worthy 'talents' which seemingly anyone with a decent voice could do at your local bar on karaoke night. Or worse.

I'm not sold on these 'monologues' for talent. Talking for a minute and a half about your experience with cancer, or your job as a nurse is NOT a talent. At least Colorado wrote her poem and acted it out. Though, it seemed a bit shizo. Does anyone remember the York Peppermint Pattie commercials in the 70s and 80s? CO reminded me of that. The commercial would start with a librarian-ish type saying "When I take a bite of a YPP I feel....(*takes a bite*) LIKE I'M RACING ACROSS THE NORTH POLE, FAST ACROSS THE TUNDRA!!!!!!!" I wish CO wouldn't have gotten so crazyish, but that's just my feeling.

But heck, in the 50s, some 'talents' were demonstrating how to pack a suitcase or how to iron your clothes. I would die laughing if someone competed with those talents!!

 

[CaliSteve]

Alrighty, this shitshow is about to commence in less than two hours. My cynical predictions combined with my Patty-dar:

Miss America: FL or LA (FL was one of the few who did not come out with support for Cara, so perfect for Gretchina) LA has been doing well this week.

The rest of the top 10: CT, AL, MS, VA, IN, AR, NC, DC and the extra wildcard is MA

I could be way off since no one really knows what to expect. Since Gretchen is so impressed with herself for attending Stanford, then CO is a Cum Laude from Harvard but has little of anything else. Since they are not being judged on physical appearance, who knows what will happen.

Florida may be to "pageanty" for Gretchini.

 

[CaliSteve]

I liked NY and CT

 

[CaliSteve]

Uh-oh. Just got a call from Atlantic City. Miss NY has been coached and trained by none other than the either son or nephew of the CEO Regina!!! So, this makes much more sense. Regina knows Nia and knows she will obey her every word. How disappointing.

Arent coaches forbidden

 

[Lacey]

New York was definitely a winner! Gorgeous voice, very poised, pretty.

 

[WillyElliot]

Arent coaches forbidden

Yes and no. If MAO doesn't like the coach (like former MissA Kate Shindle or Fran Skinner Lewis) it is forbidden. But coaching is practically essential to package yourself for competition. I hear different things and there is no consistency at all.

 

[overedge]

Thinking about @skatesindreams point about no former Miss Americas being on the judging panel made me realize what else was missing from the show. There was a lot of blah blah blah about accomplished, smart, etc, but other than IIRC a very short video montage near the start, there was very little mention of what former contestants have accomplished.

It's not enough to talk about this stuff - you have to show it as well. If the new 2.0 message is, look what all these smart women can do or have done with all this scholarship money, then show some of them and let them talk about the opportunities the pageant opened for them. That is what's going to hook potential contestants and keep TV viewers watching.

I suspect the reason that there wasn't more of this is that Gretchen Carlson p*ssed off many of the really accomplished former winners/contestants, or she didn’t see them as supportive enough so she blacklisted them. So they likely weren't willing or weren't considered as potential testimonials. Her loss IMO.

 

[WillyElliot]

Just an update. Gretch and Reg have dismissed four state organizations for being "bad" by asking/demanding new leadership. This article is weird though, because it wouldn't give the fourth state that has been "fired". It's Colorado. All they had to do was call anyone and they would verify it...

The other states who first signed the petition for new leadership are now under 'probation'.

Gretch and Reg are Trump 2.0. Oh well.

 

[just tuned in]

Just an update. Gretch and Reg have dismissed four state organizations for being "bad" by asking/demanding new leadership. This article is weird though, because it wouldn't give the fourth state that has been "fired". It's Colorado. All they had to do was call anyone and they would verify it...

The other states who first signed the petition for new leadership are now under probation .

What does this mean? Those states are not allowed to compete next year??

 

[Japanfan]

If there was a male version of MA I would have competed in it. I'd even proudly wear a speedo on stage and strut. I would not feel that I was being 'objectified', and even if I were to be, what's the freaking big deal??

Only a male would have to ask. You can't understand the sexual objectification women experience, but please try and be sensitive to it.

 

[CaliSteve]

Just an update. Gretch and Reg have dismissed four state organizations for being "bad" by asking/demanding new leadership. This article is weird though, because it wouldn't give the fourth state that has been "fired". It's Colorado. All they had to do was call anyone and they would verify it...

The other states who first signed the petition for new leadership are now under 'probation'.

Gretch and Reg are Trump 2.0. Oh well.

They are ratchet!

I think its best for all MAO volunteers to walk away and dont just continue to volunteer and complain.

 

[CaliSteve]

So it happened. MAO is being sued. About time. #TimesUpGretchen

 

[WillyElliot]

It is probably too late. Jennifer (who initiated the suit) means well, but local pageants are barely getting contestants and many have just stopped. Gretchina is doing to MissAm what Trump is doing to this country. Egotistical blowhards who only care about themselves and marketing their 'brand'. I've kind of sort of been keeping up with the suit the last few months, but really the energy has been sucked out of the MAO. They needed to make a statement at the pageant and walk off the stage after saying their peace to the tv viewers. Now no one is interested and don't care if it goes to oblivion.

 

[CaliSteve]

It is probably too late. Jennifer (who initiated the suit) means well, but local pageants are barely getting contestants and many have just stopped. Gretchina is doing to MissAm what Trump is doing to this country. Egotistical blowhards who only care about themselves and marketing their 'brand'. I've kind of sort of been keeping up with the suit the last few months, but really the energy has been sucked out of the MAO. They needed to make a statement at the pageant and walk off the stage after saying their peace to the tv viewers. Now no one is interested and don't care if it goes to oblivion.

Its ego alright. Sam, Trump, and Gretchen. Because of their ego things are getting f uped.

Im hoping with the lawsuit a settlement will happen and both parties come to some sort of agreement like reinstating state pageant etc.