I just returned from a non-stop, 48-hour to-n-from Jasper trip and haven’t even had time to check email, much less get an update from the grand ‘ol pageant.
I need folks to fill in the gaps…
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Miss Mississippi Leah Laviano was named first runner up in the Miss USA pageant, losing the crown to Miss Texas, Crystle Stewart.
The search on for ‘08 Miss Walker County is on. This competition always intrigues me as female population of Walker County couldn’t be more diverse.
On the one hand you have Jasper: At one point the wealthiest City per capita in the United States. Full of old money… tennis clinics… and Abercombie & Fitch (are the kiddies still wearing that?)
On the other hand… you have the county: The ‘county’ is located within Alabama and borders the former ‘Free State of Winston’… so just use your imagination.
Keep in mind, I’m not ripping on the county. I love Walker County more than anyone I know… that’s why this pageant always entertains me.
No, seriously.
I befriended Caitlin Upton on Facebook the other day [profile link] in an effort to apologize… and add another friend I’ve never met for mu own self-serving purposes.
I wrote her, apologzing on behalf of all the naughty bloggers in the world who thought she was as stupid as she appeared on TV. Well… she wrote back.
During our company softball game last night my phone went off with a notification of ‘message recieved’. Here’s our brief, but authentic interaction:
Landon HowellI think people (like myself) are realizing that it wasn't cool making fun of you. Good call on going on the Today Show... I think it showed everyone that you could handle the situation professionally...
Caitlin Upton
thanks so much
i apprecaite it alot
<3
We don’t quite know what to make of the ‘<3′, but we’ll take it. We’ll also forgive the misspelling of ‘appreciate’. She’s had a rough week and I’m sure that spell checking her Facebook messages is the least of her worries.
In case you think I be fibbing, there’s a screen shot below…
So much has been made of Miss Teen South Carolina USA… but what if you had to answer her question?
Question:
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Recent polls have shown 1/5 of Americans can’t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?
…and by “we”, I mean me. After watching the clip from The Today Show, Miss Teen South Carolina USA doesn’t seem so stupid afterall. Yes, the original video of her is hilarious and embarrassing… but she’s 18-years-old… she’s on national television… and, to be quite honest, her question wasn’t all that easy to answer.
No, the answer cannot simply be “Our educational system.” This was a difficult question, but it was a difficult question to answer on the spot.
“But Landon, I know what I would have said if I had been asked the question!” Of course you do… and you’ve also had 4 days to think about it. Miss Teen South Carolina didn’t have 4 seconds.
For what it’s worth, we think she’s a sweet girl and we give her major props for having the guts to go on television and make fun of herself.
Miss USA is tonight and we’ve got two people to cheer for, both are Mississippi College Alumni:
I’ll be on a retreat in Gig Harbor, so update with any info via text message and/or email. I’ll check my phone a few times throughout the night. I’ll assume that no new is bad news.
And remember that it’s just like Jalin said, “…swimsuit is won with the eyes, not the thighs.”
Once again from the Hospitality State… an update from the most fierce, most compeditive, most make-uped pageant in the land.
Taryn Foshee took home the talent compatition, Thursday.
MC alum Amanda-Paige Whittington was involved in a four-way for swimsuit on Thursday night.
Kristian Dambrino will give up her crown Saturday night. I’ll let you know who won on Sunday… seeing as I have a life and will actually be out with rambunctious pals. at Barnes & Noble at The Summit in Birmingham doing some reading, some writing, and developing a solution for world peace.
If you haven’t seen this yet… it’s hilarious. It’s from the Mrs. World pageant last weekend.
The wrong girl gets the crown and they have to go back and take it away from her. Poor use of the English language ensues.
(How creepy is that crown fairy???)
In case you missed it, I live-blogged the pageant, about 20 folks followed along… not bad for a last-minute announcement.
I picked 6 out of the top 10… and 2 of the top 3. I’m awesome.
Miss Mississippi 2006: Taryn Foshee of Clinton was crowned in Vicksburg on Saturday night.
No suprise here.
Taryn’s a sweet girl, well deserved of the honor. Lord knows she’s work hard; spending 24/7 at the Mississippi College Healthplex.
The rest of the Top 5:
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1st Alternate: Lacey Cherie Cofield – Miss William Carey College
2nd Alternate: Tara Tutor – Miss University of Mississippi
3rd Alternate: Amanda-Paige Whittington – Miss Dixieland
4th Alternate: Rachael Shannon – Miss Hattiesburg
So, this is my first venture into live blogging. Hopefully it will go off without a hitch, and we can do it again sometime.
If any of you have anything you would like to add, hit me up on AIM, username: bamassippi.
Hit refresh every 5-7 minutes… and hopefully I’ll have some type of inciteful or snarky comment.
Take a peek at my favorites, which may change over the vourse of the night. I feel very good about Miss DC as-well-as Miss Cali… but you never know. Last year, airheaded Miss Louisana was first runner-up.
Links:
- 2006 Contestants
- AP Photo Wire
- Newswire
- Media Photos
- Preliminary Winners
I’ll post my Top 10 before they post theirs. I’m exceptionally good at this, but Miss America is judged my celebrities with and agenda and/or little-to-no knowledge of how to score. You’ve been warned.
That said, let the games begin…
7:00 – I’ll have to admit… that little intro was pretty good.
7:02 – Miss Alaska likes to smile…
7:03 – Miss Idaho loves eye shadow…
If you care, if you’ll be around. I’ll be live blogging throughout the Miss America Pageant tonight.
Just hit “Refresh” on your browser every few minutes once the big show kicks off at 7:00 Central.
I swear I’m not gay… this is just therapy for me since I’m supposed to be on a plane to Edinburgh, Scotland today. (Thanks Passport Agency!)
If you haven’t been around the last couple of days, I suggest you catch-up on my predictions.
- So Far… So Good
- A Weekend of Pageants
Some pre-lim annoucements from the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas.
I made some “snap-judgements” by picture alone this morning. So far, two of my top five individuals have won pre-lim awards (Miss Utah & Miss Oklahoma).
I forgot to publish my Top 10 picks this morning… which stinks because all 3 of the other pre-lim winners (Miss Cali, Miss DC, Miss Virginia) were in that as well. But, I won’t take the credit, because I didn’t publish them.
(Gosh I sound like a gayfer)
Alright… my snap-judgement/pre-lim-based Top Ten (in no particular order):
Miss California
Miss DC
Miss Oklahoma
Miss South Carolina
Miss Georgia
Miss Alabama (won’t win… but will make top ten)
Miss Utah
Miss Arkansas
Miss Mississippi
Miss Rhode Island
PS - If I’m watching the pageant tomorrow night, I’ll make sure to blog my top ten here… as if you care.
Casey Y Tuminello notified me that Tara Tutor took swimsuit last night at the Miss Mississippi pageant. We think she might go all the way.
Where’s she from? Pontotoc… home of the Howells.
Seeing as my Treo calendar tells me that I’m supposed to be on Day #4 of London today… I pretty much can do whatever I want. [For those not in the know, see this post]
That said… what the heck do I do now?
Well, it looks like it could be a weekend of pageants. Yes, pageants.
Those who know me best can tell you that when it comes to pageants, I can hold my own… a little too well, actually. Yes, I’m dang good when it comes to pageants. A quick glance and an introductory speech and I’ll give you the top 10, top 5, and your winner, with a 90% success rate. (Considering the off-stage interview counts for half the final score… I’d say 90% is pretty good.)
Mom is judging the Miss UAB pageant on Friday night. Not to mention the fact that it is being put on by WHS alum Bailey Brigham [facebook]. So, that looks to possibly fill the slot for Friday.
As for Saturday, it’s the Miss America pageant, live from Las Vegas on CMT. All 52 (not 50) strutting their stuiff form the middle of the desert.
Don’t look for Miss Alabama Alexa Jones to pull it off. Why? Deidre Downs won last year… she was Miss Alabama as well. You can’t win back-to-back states unless you’re deaf mute or something.
The long-shots?
Nikki Grandpre, Miss South Dakota.
Allison Bourne-Vanneck, Miss Virgin Islands.
Who do I like to make Top 5 (in no particular order)?
Miss Utah
Miss Arkansas
Miss Mississippi
Miss Rhode Island
Miss Oklahoma
We’ll wait and see. If nothing else comes up this weekend, I’ll take Saturday night to do some marketing research while watching the pageant. if this happends, I’ll post my predictions on the blog in real-time.
Wow. That’s sad.
Congratulations to Mississippi College alum Jalin Wood who was crowned Miss Mississippi USA 2007 over the weekend.
Jalin is the former Miss Missississippi 204 of the Miss America Pageant. She was also Miss Hospitality 2001. I think she was Miss Mississippi College as well… though the year escapes me.
You would be hard pressed to find anyone on the pageant circuit as genuine as Jalin. Having spent time with her as a member of the College Ensemble at First Baptist Church Jackson, she’s one of the most musically talented individuals I’ve ever met. Oh… she’s also a champion quarter horse exhibitor.
She got the shaft at the Miss America Pageant, though she’s too classy to admit it. We wish her the best and know that she’ll make Mississippi College, as well as the Great State of Mississippi very proud.
Miss USA 2007 will be held next April.
