But this year, the assortment of talent was rather disappointing. When the most interesting act is a tap dance to Fever, things are pretty bleak. (No offense, Miss Iowa- I respect your moxie.) Can’t someone pick up a banjo? What about bird calls? Or the lost art of the Geisha? These are all respectable talents, and yet they’ve been pushed aside in favor of robotic ballet and singing that could easily be confused with yelling.
BUT- the talent competition was redeemed by the addition of “pop up” factoids about each of the performers. As we watched each woman writhe or belt, we were treated to interesting tidbits displayed briefly on the screen. Somehow, though, the information we received seemed out of place. Luckily, my dad had his camera. (Yes! Father Cole watched Miss America- and enjoyed himself, dammit.) Each time a piece of out of place data came up, we paused the show and took a photo.
Here is the first. It’s Miss Indiana (Spoiler Alert: She won the crown) singing what I believe was called Via De La Rosa.
Surprise! She shows dairy cattle at her county fair! Which is amusing. But not as amusing as the next contestant, Miss California. And guess what?
She has performed at a Raiders halftime show! In her tutu? Do you think she got hit with any flying beer cans? Discuss.
And finally, nothing is more disconcerting than this:
Uh huh. Miss New York has sung at a PRISON before. A moment of silence for her mental innocence, please.
What were they thinking with these? My mom calls them “Miss America Trading Cards.” I’m glad she came up with something to call them, because I couldn’t.
This should happen to us all in real life. Walking down the street – “just considered eating a bagel and rejected it”. Biking to work, “Hates meetings but accepts the challenge.”
The cool thing about your Dad is that he finds ways to enjoy stuff. I totally admire that and strive to emulate. I’m convinced it’s the secret to a full and honorable life.
Aw dang it! I haven’t watched a Miss America pageant since I was a young and impressionable child. Look at what I MISSED?? Didn’t any of these people watch ‘Miss Congeniality’?? Gotta have some respect…and awe…for Gracie Hart’s talent in THAT one! Sheesh.
County fairs, Raiders games and prisons. I’m envisioning a whole lot of members of the positive tattoo-to-tooth ratio set. What ever happened to the Miss America Pageant of the Burt Parks era, when the contestants hob-nobbed with people that looked like Wally Cleaver??
I mean, who hasn’t performed at a prison nowadays.