Miss America Reality Check!

In what I think is a brilliant move by The Learning Channel (TLC), they have created a 4 week boot camp show to revamp the Miss American contest and then show the pageant on the network at the end. Now this is a Miss America I will watch for the first time since I was about 13. No more baton twirling, no more gigantic hair. These girls are all college educated and smart and are there to get a scholarship. I guess I didn’t recognize that until watching the show as a teenager.

Michael Urie, from ABC’s Ugly Betty hosts the show. He could be a bit more meow in my opinion, but is surprising gentle with these fair ladies. He is the perfect pick for such an endeavor. The women are being made over. I remember thinking how old they seemed when I watched it as a kid. Now I see they all seem to be under about 35 years old. Working on Bachelor’s and Masters degrees. The website has confessionals, video clips, profiles of the contestants, and of course a forum to dish on who you like and don’t like. Are you glad Miss Kentucky got rid of that HUGE bouffant hair-do? I am guessing most people are.

Miss Utah is so far my favourite. When they told her she needed to go further with the make-up and the hair she totally over did for the next event. I thought it was hysterical, but the judging panel, not so much. She had the hot rollers in the makeup, the huge earrings, it was killer. The judges felt they were being mocked, and I guess they were, but it was immensely entertaining. Ms. Utah was a combat medica in the army for god’s sake, she clearly kicks ass. Anyone, TLC won’t let me vote for her since I am not American, but go Miss UTAH!

These lovelies are being made over my a panel of “celebrity” consultants that I have never heard of, but seem to be doing a good job. This is not just about a razor hair cut and some more subtle makeup, although that part is hysterical, it about helping the ladies out with how to be less rehearses, more spontaneous and letting their personality (if they have one) shine through. There is still a bathing suit contest as far as I know, but expect this Miss America to kick some ass instead of Aquanet their competition to death. It is good fun with a few tears and some drama only Miss America could provide.

The pageant itself will be broadcast on TLC on January 28th at 8/7c.

Lets take a moment of silence for the missing Golden Globes which is favourite award show because everyone from tv, to movies to Broadway gets together. Of course, the red carpet is the best part. PAY THE WRITERS! IN the meantime, watch Miss America: Reality Check. You can watch it Fridays at 9/10c.

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

dang, it's being broadcast on TLC? Isn't that...kind of a huge step down from being on network? How long before it's fighting for a slot on local access?

Posted by: kdiddy | January 15, 2008 at 03:21 PM

One of my childhood frenemies was Miss Georgia and was even even the second-runner up for Miss America a while back- the year the deaf ballerina won. I didn't find out until the night it was on when my mom called me when I was sitting in my dorm in grad school. Wearing overalls & eating pizza. NOT my best moment, I drank heavily that night. I'm glad they are changing it.

Posted by: BaltimoreGal | January 15, 2008 at 03:42 PM