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- Airs: January 24, 2009
- Current Host: Mario Lopez
- Originally aired on ABC in 1954
- 2007 Network: CMT
- 2008 Network: TLC
- President and CEO: Art McMaster
- Hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada beginning in 2008
- Competition held at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
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The Miss America Pageant is a nationwide scholarship competition for young women and has become a time-honored tradition.
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History
The Miss America Pageant began in 1921 by New Jersey businessmen to increase tourism to the seaside location of Atlantic City. Originally entitled the Atlantic City Pageant, it advertised itself as a beauty competition which later evolved to a more holistic approach. The swimsuit and evening wear now only contribute a small portion to the overall score and weigh more towards academic achievement, career aspirations and service to the community and abroad. The overall competitions include interview, talent, evening wear, swimsuit and answering an on-stage question. -
Contestant Requirements
- 17-24 years of age
- Unmarried status
- Legal citizen of the United States
- Resident of delegated state
- Educational honors
The Big Move
The ratings for the pageant soared in the 1960s after picking up popularity across the nation. However, over the years the ratings decreased and fell for the first time under 10 million in 2004. The host station, ABC, decided against further broadcasting the competition and Miss America moved to CMT in 2007. The TLC network took over in 2008 and moved the entire competition from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. Though viewership is drastically less than before, it still manages to have a steady crowd of followers.-
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Miss America Pageant Questions
How many women crowned Miss America go on to achieve the goals they set out for themselves in the pageant? 3 AnswersUnless they listed "motivational speaker" as their goal, I don't think many make it with the goals they stated during the pageant. Most of the ones I have looke... read more
Why is the Miss America Pageant relevant? 1 AnswerI don't think that is is necessarily relevant. It's just for fun, entertainment, and self pride. Some people get really into it, others could care less about ... read more
What will be the fallout from the gay marriage debate stemming from the Miss USA pageant? 5 AnswersI believe the seating of an "openly" gay judge and the inclusion of this deceptively complex political question are part of a calculated attempt by pageant orga... read more
Open Thread: Miss Universe Stefania Fernandez wins for Venezuela 4 AnswersI'm from Venezuela and I was watching the pageant yesterday, I was thinking that Stefania is very beautiful, but it was against all the odds, she had not a chan... read more -
Miss America Pageant News and Articles
- Official Site: Miss America Pageant News
- Washingtonpost.com: "Miss Michigan Crowned Miss America" (January 27, 2008)
- "Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund, a 19-year-old aspiring Broadway star, was crowned Miss America 2008 on Saturday in a live show billed as the unveiling of the 87-year-old pageant's new, hipper look."
- E! News: "Miss America Changes Channels - Again" (2007)
- AMW Safety Center: "Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson: Protecting Kids Online"
- Holmen Courier: "Former Miss America Shares Sobering Message at HHS" (2007)
- Philadelphia Daily News: "Miss America Lives On - In Bits & Pieces" (2007)




