Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Peyton Saverance


Peyton Saverance
Originally uploaded by pageantcast
Coming up this week, we'll be talking to Peyton Saverance, Miss Teen American Queen 2007. She's a lovely young lady and I know you're going to enjoy this special interview!

Monday, January 28, 2008

American Queen "Local Titles" to be Awarded Throughout the


We're so excited to share the news...The American Queen Pageant
has grown so much in the past year that we are now AWARDING
LOCAL TITLES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY! Please see the
pageant/event listings below and visit our website TODAY to
complete your on-line application. Don't miss out on
participating in "THE BEST PAGEANT TO COMPETE IN" for 2008!!

www.AmericanQueenPageant.net

"Carolina States Pageant": Sunday,March 16, 2008 at the Crown
Reef Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC. Wewill be crowning state title
holders in each age division for BOTH South Carolina and North
Carolina at this event. We have already started awarding "local
titles" for all participants in this event, so HURRY, deadline
is soon! Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

"Mid-Atlantic Regional Pageant": Sunday, March 30, 2008 at the
Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, Cherry Hill, NJ. We will be
crowning state title holders in each age division for all
participating Mid-Atlantic Region States (NJ/PA/DE/NY/DC/VA/MD)
at this event. We have already begun awarding "local titles" for
all participants in this event, so don't delay!.
Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

"Georgia State Pageant": Sunday, April 13, 2008 at the Georgia
Horse Park, Conyers, GA: We will be crowning state title holders
in each age division for the state of GEORGIA at this event.
Hope you'll join us - don't delay. We are awarding "local
titles" for all participants in this event. State Executive
Director: Sonjia Burks: Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

"Texas State Pageant": Sunday, April 27, 2008 at the Sheraton
IAH (George Bush Intercontinental Airport), Houston, TX: We will
be crowning state title holders in each age division for the
state of TEXAS at this event. Hope you'll join us - don't delay.
We are awarding "local titles" for all participants in this
event. State Associate Director, Misty Twellman:
Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

"California State Pageant": Sunday, May 4, 2008 at The Handlery
Hotel & Resort, San Diego, CA: We will be crowning state title
holders in each age division for the state of CALIFORNIA at this
event. Hope you'll join us - don't delay. We are awarding "local
titles" for all participants in this event. State Executive
Director: Valerie Rene Sheppard: Valerie@ValerieSheppard.com or
Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

"New England Regional Pageant": Sunday, May 18, 2008 at The
Airport Sheraton, Warwick, RI: We will be crowning state title
holders in each age division for each New England State
represented (RI/MA/CT/NH/ME/VT) at this event. Hope you'll join
us - don't delay. We are awarding "local titles" for all
participants in this event. Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

"Colorado State Pageant": Sunday, May 25, 2008 at Marriott
Hotel, Denver Airport: We will be crowning state title holders
in each age division for the state of COLORADO at this event.
Hope you'll join us - don't delay. We are awarding "local
titles" for all participants in this event. State Associate
Director, Jennifer Shults-Nackerud:
Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

"Mid-Western Regional Pageant": Sunday, June 1, 2008 at St.Louis
Airport Marriott, St. Louis, MO: We will be crowning state title
holders in each age division for each Mid-Western Region state
represented (MO/NE/AK/OK/KS/IL) at this event. Hope you'll join
us - don't delay. We are awarding "local titles" for all
participants in this event. Info@AmericanQueenPageant.net

All of the State Title Holders crowned at these events will
represent their states at the SIXTH ANNUAL NATIONAL AMERICAN
QUEEN PAGEANT. This fabulous and once-in-a-lifetime event will
take place at "The Worlds Most Famous Beach", DAYTONA BEACH,
FLORIDA from July 30 - August 3rd. Our 2008 National Title
Holders will receive OVER $25,000 in prizes and scholarships!

If your state is not listed above, you may apply for your state
title on an "at-large" basis. "At-Large State Title Holders" are
selected on the basis of Judges Bio, Photos and telephone
interview. At the National American Queen Pageant, we do not
differentiate in anyway between "At-Large State Title Holders"
and state title holders crowned at a "Live Pageant".

Complete your on-line application today at:
www.AmericanQueenPageant.net
received in e-mail



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Sunday, January 27, 2008

Tayler Stewart


Tayler Stewart
Originally uploaded by pageantcast
PageantCast 108 features Tayler Stewart, Miss Black Missouri USA 2008 and will hit the feed Tuesday morning.

Hey, that would be plenty!

But we will also have a Miss America wrapup!

Don't worry, though. Tayler's whole interview will be on the air--we decided to just make the show nearly TWICE AS LONG as usual. That's right--the show is weighing in at 50 minutes or so with a ton of great content!

Make sure to tune in Tuesday when this COLOSSUS is complete!

Rebuttal to Miss America's Reality Check

I received the following e-mail from Diane over at *Miss *Mrs. U. S. Beauties National Pageant and really thought you'd like the perspective:

As a pageant coach since 1987 I felt that there should have been qualified pageant coaches or experts in the field of pageantry consulting with the Miss America Contestants during the Miss America Realty Check. While the Miss America Reality Check consultants were qualified for the field that they excel in, the contestants did need experienced pageant coaches and those who have been in pageantry many years to help them polish their stage presentation & interview skills. The reality show should have been a positive show based on the hard work that it takes each contestant to achieve their goal to reach the final stage, which is competing at the Miss America Pageant. The viewers would have liked to get to know the Miss America contestants personally with positive group interviews. The reason why pageants is not respected in today’s society is due in fact to the punts and objects of jokes that numerous pageant systems and contestants have to endure. I feel a positive pageant documentary is in order and in fact have tried to convince several people in the television industry to listen, but they will not consider a positive documentary unless there is negativity involved, which the pageant industry doesn’t need at this point. In a world of negative publicity there is no way that we can escape this talk, but pageantry will never get back on its feet to a respectable level if we continue to make fun of the hard work and efforts of thousands of contestants and winners throughout the United States. I appauld all the Miss America Contestants who I felt were classy and intelligent. Congratulations Miss America Kirsten Haglund, you are beautiful inside and out and you will encourage many teens and women this year.



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VIDEO: Miss America Crowning Moment



More at the Source



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Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund was crowned Miss America 2008 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.


Miss America 2008: Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund In Las Vegas on Saturday night Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund was crowned the 2008 Miss America. The 19-year-old Farmington Hills native won $50,000 and the bragging right and promotions which come with the victory of one of the prestigious beauty pageants. Miss Michigan's platform was based on eating disorders awareness and the associated illnesses. Kirsten Haglund comes from a long line of "beauty-pageant-goers", her mother is an active volunteer, and her grandmother Iora Hunt, who was among the spectators on Saturday, competed for the crown as Miss Michigan 1944.

Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash was 2008 Miss America runner up and Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto was the second runner up. The crowning took place at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Unfortunately, due to the upcoming Super Bowl, we weren't able to find odds on the Miss America 2008 by a reputable sportsbook. We were assured, however, that there will be betting odds on the upcoming major beauty pageants, domestic and international.

More at the Source



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Tune In Alert - Here She is Miss America in NYC to Begin Her Year of Service

Tune In Alert - Here She is Miss America in NYC to Begin Her Year of Service

Tune-in on Monday, January 28 as our new Miss America Kirsten Haglund embarks on a New York City media tour following her crowning in Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.


All times are Eastern, please check your local listings.

6:00am - 9:00am - Morning Express Robin Meade
Tune in to see Robin's exclusive backstage interview with our new Miss America, plus Robin's experience as being one of the 2008 National Judges.


9:00am - Live! with Regis and Kelly


12:30pm - ABC News Now

10:00pm - The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch

Please continue to check back to the Miss America website www.missamerica.org for updates to the schedule.


To be added to our email list and receive updates for the rest of the week's appearances, as well as updates on
Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund's year of service please go to http://www.missamerica.org/email.asp




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MISS MICHIGAN KIRSTEN HAGLUND WINS 2008 MISS AMERICA LIVE!


Las Vegas, Nevada - January 26, 2008 - Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund from Farmington Hills, Michigan was crowned Miss America 2008 tonight at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The final night of Miss America Live! was broadcast from Las Vegas on TLC.

Kirsten's triumphant walk across the stage was just the beginning of a journey that will take her to every corner of the country during her year of service as Miss America 2008. She will travel approximately 20,000 miles each month speaking to audiences about her platform of Raising Awareness of Eating Disorders and acting as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network. Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals, is the national platform partner of the Miss America Organization.

Kirsten is a student at University of Cincinnati. Her scholastic ambition is to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre and she ultimately hopes to become a Broadway performer. Along with the title of Miss America 2008, Kirsten won a $50,000 scholarship to continue her education. For the talent portion of the competition, Kirsten sang "Over the Rainbow."


The first runner-up was Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash who earned a $25,000 scholarship. Her talent performance was the vocal, Bandido and her personal platform is Get on the L.-B.U.S. to break language barriers in the U.S.


Second runner-up honors and a $20,000 scholarship were awarded to Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto. Her talent was also a vocal performance, Angels, and her personal platform is Embracing Diversity, Empowering Women.


Miss Utah Jill Stevens was the winner of TLC's America's Choice, an online competition where viewers got the opportunity to vote for their favorite Miss America contestant. The contestant was announced at the beginning of the Miss America Live! broadcast and became the 16th Finalist to compete in the live finale.


As the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women and one of the nation's leading achievement programs, the Miss America Organization last year made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. The Miss America Organization provides young women with a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals and instills a spirit of community service through a variety of nationwide community-based programs.



Additional information about the Miss America Organization can be found at www.MissAmerica.org.




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Saturday, January 26, 2008

“Miss America” for Alzheimer’s?

Melissa Chaty (aka Miss California 2007) of the Alzheimer’s Association San Diego/Imperial Chapter, will vie for the 2008 Miss America crown tomorrow night in Las Vegas. The pageant will air live on TLC at 8/7c.

Ms. Chaty has been using her Miss California title to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease.

For info on how to get or give help for Alzheimer’s, go to www.alz.org.



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Miss America Pageant Tries But Fails To Humiliate Contestants


miss-america-trivia-pool-game.jpgTo kick up falling ratings, the Miss America Pageant is running a four-part reality show leading up to the Saturday event as part of reinventing the brand as edgy and modern. The series includes a game show, "Are You Smarter Than a Miss USA Girl?" which the AP notes "failed to produce a YouTube moment." Lucky for the contestants, who worked their way up the pageant train only to be compared to Britney and Paris by their own judges and producers. At least any public failure by them will make us uglies feel better, but it ruins the fun to know that's what Miss America wants. Below, a clip of contestants failing at boring trivia questions and, as "punishment," jumping into a pool. And then some Project Runway for a cleanser, because if the Miss America people really want to compete with reality TV, maybe they should watch some.

Miss America: Cheesy trivia-swimsuit game show

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WITH 24-HOURS TO GO, MISS AMERICA 2007 GIVES HER FINAL INTERVIEW TO LUXE LIFE BEFORE CROWNING THE NEW WINNER

“I knew the moment they called my name, my life was changed forever,” said Lauren Nelson, last year’s Miss America winner.

Photo co: MAO

Photo co: MAO

“It is unimaginable that a year has passed since being crowned. My year as Miss America was the best it could ever be.”

She was the second consecutive winner from Oklahoma in back-to-back years. The 21-year-old from Lawton, Oklahoma plans to now get her Master’s Degree in Music Education and become a music teacher.

During the past 365 non-stop days, there have been incredible highlights: She won $156,000 on the celebrity edition of FOX-TV’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader and donated all of it to the Children’s Miracle Network and the Miss America Scholarship Fund. Lauren posed as a 14-year-old girl in an internet chat room with America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh, which led to the apprehension of 11 predators! She also helped to raise over $1-million for the 170 CMN hospitals across North America during her year as the official Goodwill Ambassador.

Lauren is one incredibly smart, intelligent and attractive personality, plus a warm human being—the ideal Miss America, in fact! Just hours before she has to relinquish the crown and the title tomorrow night, we chatted one-on-one in the theater’s lobby where the hopefuls were rehearsing one last time:

Robin Leach: Are you sad it is almost at the end?

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Miss America Sites to check

Miss Washington blog: http://misswashington.yakimablogs.com/
Miss Utah Army page: http://www.army.mil/gijill/
TLC Miss America Page: http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/miss-america/
Robin Meade (head judge) blogs: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/01/18/meade.miss.america/index.html



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Miss America: The makeover that didn’t take


January 24th, 2008 · Post a Comment · posted by The Watcher

The Watcher grades the new shows ‘Project Runway’ enters Bizarro world

Miss Oklahoma has won two years runningWe’re barely three weeks in to 2008, but the Watcher already is pretty certain of the most disappointing show of the year: TLC’s “Miss America Reality Check.”

TLC made much of its plan to reinvent the Miss America pageant when it landed a three-year deal to host the contest and convert it to a reality series. But TLC’s reinvention ended up less like a makeover and more like a new coat of fingernail polish.

Imagine what might have been. Can you picture a beauty heptathlon with the women seriously tested in matters of poise, style and intelligence – maybe even some kick-boxing – with the viewers voting “American Idol” style to pick a winner?

What did we get instead? Fifty-two contestants we can barely keep track of. Four weeks of tepid contests with nothing at stake. Judges with little qualification and less personality urging the various state Misses to shed their pageant hair and makeup – oh, and try not to sound like Miss Teen South Carolina.

The viewers’ consolation prize? We get to vote one contestant into the final 16.

The series concludes tonight, and Saturday brings us the pageant itself. As far as we can tell, that will be same old Miss America, each year a little more irrelevant than the year before.

More at the Source



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BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE MISS AMERICA LIVE TELECAST

Miss America 2008 is getting a major makeover, and you can expect a whole new look to the 87-year-old tradition when Hollywood producers add in glitz, glamour, sizzle and sex appeal to Saturday’s live telecast on TLC cable TV from the Planet Hollywood Resort casino.

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

For the first time ever, viewers will even be able to choose their own contestant. About 20 minutes into the show, hosted by Entertainment Tonight’s Mark Steines and right after the judges have been introduced, the 15 semi-finalists will be named followed by a 16th beauty selected by viewers who have voted in secret over the internet at the end of each of the four, one hour Miss America: Reality Check specials that have led up to this final showdown.

Meet the judges who are looking for that one and only “IT” girl as winner takes all:

Photo co: TVT

Sarah Ivens, editor in chief of OK magazine; Robin Meade, CNN Headline News anchor; Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medalist; Kim Lyons, star of NBC’s The Biggest Loser; Jason LaPadura, High School Musical casting agent; Trace Ayala, Justin Timberlake’s partner in Wm. Rast Denim; and James Arthur Ray, leadership development executive. Their scoring is based on private interviews with each contestant (25%), talent (35%), eveningwear (20%), lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit (15%) and that knuckle-crunching on-stage question (5%).

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Miss America Confronts a New Reality


LAS VEGAS (AP) — She's been dressed up, dressed down, relocated and updated.

Now she's being mocked.

The latest chapter in Miss America's ever-evolving search for viewers and cultural relevance finds the heroine at the butt of the joke.

Her hair is too big, her hairspray totally '80s. Her makeup is clownish. Her gown belongs on an ice skater.

This year's 52 Miss America contestants haven't just been getting judged, they've been getting zinged in "Miss America: Reality Check," a four-part reality series leading up to Saturday's 8 p.m. EST crowning on TLC.

The series, whose final installment airs Friday, has tracked the transformation of beauty queens from old-fashioned "Pageant Pattys," as some in the pageant world say, to modern "It girls."

It's out with the bouffant hair, the canned smile and the parade wave. Time to knock the beauty pageant on its sash, the show's tag line goes.

The live crowning also attempts to introduce a bit of edge. "Reality Check" viewers have been asked to vote via text message for their favorite contestant, who will automatically become one of the top 16 finalists. The losers will be asked for their commentary on the finalists, perhaps a chance to fire some zingers of their own. The contestants will wear jeans (gasp!) during the venerable opening act, the parade of states.

It's long past time for some new style and new sass, some say. The 87-year-old Miss America Pageant has seen a slow and steady decline of viewers for more than a decade. Discovery Channel-owned TLC is its second cable network since ABC dropped the pageant from its lineup in 2005. It moved from its longtime home in Atlantic City, N.J., to Las Vegas in 2006 in an attempt to build some momentum. It's already tried a menu of reality TV gimmicks, dropped the sashes, brought back the sashes and promised a return to old-school glamor.

But it rarely laughed at itself.

"I don't think the past attempts were enough; they were little Band-Aids," said Sam Haskell, Miss America Organization chairman. "In order for us to survive — and I want us flourish, not just survive — we need a younger generation to support it and find it entertaining."

That means competing with reality television and, producers say, finding a Miss America who can go toe-to-toe with the Britneys and the Parises on the red carpet — though not at the night club.

"It's someone who doesn't go out and get drunk, but goes out and makes people laugh and has fun on the red carpet," said Sarah Iven, editor in-chief of OK! Magazine and a pageant judge, describing her choice for the tiara. "Not a young woman stuck in an old woman's suit."

Producers also are taking a cue from the YouTube phenomenon that was Miss Teen USA South Carolina. Video of the geographically challenged beauty queen struggling to find her way out of an on-stage question rocketed around the Internet in August. Many, many were entertained — at her expense.

So, along with receiving makeover advice, the contestants in "Reality Check" were quizzed about history and science in a segment called "Are you smarter than a Miss USA Girl?" Those who weren't were made to take a dive in a pool.

It failed to produce a YouTube moment, although Friday's episode in which some hopefuls struggle to remember the words to the "Star-Spangled Banner" has potential.

Setting the contestants up for potential humiliation and cracking jokes at their expense, however tame by reality TV standards, has ruffled the feathers of some longtime pageant devotees.

More at the Source



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MISS AMERICA BEAUTIES AT PLAY AROUND TOWN

Time for our daily Luxe Life Miss America souvenir photo album: The 52 contestants for Saturday’s live TLC cable TV beauty pageant have a tough and demanding schedule of rehearsals and interviews, but they’ve had a few free moments to go off and enjoy our great entertainment capital.

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

Photo co: Tom Donoghue

On Monday we showed you photos of their Venetian gondolas excursion. They then enjoyed a “meet and greet” at the new Planet Hollywood celebrity KOI restaurant and met fans at the Fashion Show Mall opposite the WYNN.

Photo co: MAO

They even got to enjoy the Diana Ross and Seal concerts at the opening gala of the new The Palazzo hotel and got to watch the STOMP musical at Planet Hollywood. Afterwards the cast invited them on stage to pose for a group photo.

Photo co: MAO

Tomorrow night they’ll be guests of Sylvester Stallone for the world premiere of his new Rambo flick—un-spooling at Planet Hollywood. Ms. Nevada, Caleche Manos told me that all the other girls had been asking her if Vegas was like this all the time!

Photo co: Scott Doctor

“I told them yes, but sometimes it’s all a little too much and you have to step away from the Strip’s glitz and glamour,” she laughed.

More at the Source



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