On Saturday night Miss America is showing live on TLC. I won’t be watching. I have already filed my Los Angeles Times print column on the connection between Vegas and Miss America, and you can read that in Sunday’s Calendar. I have little interest in this contest, but I have a favorite contestant.
I doubt she is going to win, though Miss Alaska, Sydnee Waggoner, was a total blast of normalcy amidst the stuffiness. She is my choice for Miss Amercia. The reason I doubt she has much chance is that she comes from a small population state with a less competitive organization than other states where thick pageant systems winnow out the many before settling on the one. Or, at least, that is what people connected to the pageant told me. Of course, I know nothing about beauty contests, but this was Waggoner’s first time in a competition like Miss America whereas many of the other contestants were pageant veterans. Those contestants always stay on message. Miss America contestants interview like politicians. Their answers are meant to be intelligent yet vague and innocuous enough to be empty sort of like the President’s State of the Union.
But Miss Alaska could not hide that she was thrilled to be in Vegas and looking forward to having all the fun that most 23 year-old tourists should have in this city. She declined my repeated attempts to get her to voice a direct opinion on her state’s most famous former pageant contestant, Sarah Palin. But she did offer a one word answer, almost under her breath, when I asked if she could see Russia from her backyard? “No.” Well, it is a big state.
I suspect Miss Alaska is also not expecting to win the contest. She told me she plans to spend the four days after the pageant in Vegas enjoying the city in ways that her Miss America handlers would certainly not allow. Miss America contestants can not drink alcohol here, can not gamble nor can they wander about Vegas without a chaperon.
So, when someone else gets crowned on Saturday who is not Miss Alaska, remember that the next morning Sydnee Waggoner’s Vegas vacation will just be starting. (photo: Sarah Gerke)
I won’t be watching on Saturday night neither. But for another reason.
I am still im total and complete amazement that the people that run Miss America chose a person to be a judge who was at one time clinically certified as a drug abuser, has in the past and is now an avowed racist, and is a so called radio celebrity that makes his living spouting a way-out-there neo-conservative outlook where it don’t matter if things are true or not. And he makes millions whipping people up into frenzies of untruths, not to mention the stupidity and totally inappropriate comments he mentioned about Haiti and the victims there. His complete outlook has been attacking President Obama left and right for anything and everything, to include the most mundane, and even making up shit. And to complete the picture of this despicable person, his radio show capitalizes on fearmongering people to be afraid of things that are just not true and/or just blown way out of proportion. This man has no soul and no heart at all. And I bet he doesn’t even like himself.
So, it’s a waste of time.
And I do advise everyone else with half a brain not to watch neither.
A show like this needs to die on the vine. Not because of the idea of beauty pageants. Because of the organizers of it and their harebrained decisions. This is not a reality based television show, for God’s sake! It’s a beauty pageant!
I don’t listen to Mr. Rush Limbaugh on the radio. Why should I watch his dumb ass on television?
You NAILED IT with this article. If you knew Sydnee, you would know that she is a laid back PERSON and not a “Pagent quuen”… which is why she would make an awesome Miss America. Wouldn’t it be awesome to give little girls someone like Sydnee to look up to?!?!? Well I look up to her everyday, and I know alot of people do.
Way to go Syd… AK is proud of you!! xoxo
FABULOUS article! Way to go Sydnee! You totally ROCK!!! You are a strong and beautiful woman. I’m honored to know you and I look forward to seeing your many future achievments
Having taught AP Calculus to Sydnee, I know a very smart young woman who has a gift with her voice, a strong family, and a genuine spirit. I wish her the best in all she does, always. Sydnee is probably better off by representing our state and allowing herself some liberty than by falling into the political quagmire required of Miss America. Staying away from any connection with Rush Limbaugh or Anita Bryant is also in her favor. Go Sydnee!