I’m live blogging Miss America tonight, we’ll see how it goes. As my disclaimer, I will ‘fess up that I am webmaster of the Miss Shelby County Alabama website, a site that I donate as a service to my community. If you visit that site and click on “Past Winners”, you’ll see that Deidre Downs, the current Miss America, is a former Miss Shelby County (for the year 2000).

All times are Central Standard Time.

7:00 Based on the opening, my picks are Miss Washington DC, Miss Hawaii, Miss Minnesota, Miss Mississippi, Miss New York, Miss North Carolina, Miss Oklahoma, Miss Pennsylvania, Miss Texas.

7:13 Lance Smith is live at a Miss America party in Scarborough, Maine. 10 semi-finalists coming up after the commercial break, so we’ll see how I did in a few minutes.

7:19 Back live they’re showing the contestants when they first came together in Los Angeles two weeks ago.

7:21 Introducing the judges: Leeza Gibbons, Sharlene Hawkes (Miss America 1985), Jane Kaczmarek (Malcom in the Middle), Brian McKnight (R&B superstar), Jerry Rice (NFL wide receiver), Brenda Strong (former Miss Arizona), Robert Verdi (E! Channel)

7:24 The 10 semi-finalists (in random order) are: Miss Washington DC (1 for 9), Miss South Carolina, Miss Oklahoma (2 for 9), Miss Virginia, Miss Georgia, Miss Texas (3 for 9), Miss Arkansas, Miss Pennsylvania (4 for 9), Miss Alabama, and Miss Florida. Hmmm, 4 out of 9 picks isn’t too bad, a little better than 40%. How’d you do?

Next up, the swimsuit competition.

7:41 Former Miss Americas are there, and all 52 contestants will be participating in the swimsuit competition. A brief look back at the evolution of the swimsuit competition. Gotta confess, I like today’s swimsuits better. Contestants had a choice of 1-piece or 2-piece suits.

I don’t know if I like the Speedo sponsorship of this or not, the swimsuits aren’t varied enough. I don’t know why, but I’m beginning to favor Miss Georgia slightly. She looks like a Miss America. Wow, so does Miss Texas. These swimsuits are getting boring, I must say.

I thought all 52 contestants would be shown, but that was just at the beginning of the competition, it looks like. Of the ten, I liked Miss Georgia and Miss Texas. Commercial break.

OK, I’ve decided. I don’t like the Speedo sponsorship of the swimsuit competition. Not nearly enough variety to let the contestants show their personalities.

7:54 Checking in with Lance Smith in Main on who those folks think won the swimsuit competition. Didn’t add a thing to the program, as James Denton, the host, quickly admitted. More shots of the contestants in Las Vegas.

7:57 The evening gown competition begins, we learn that the gowns are not being judged, so the gowns can relax. Each contestant can be escorted by someone significant in her life. Miss Washington DC is up first, escorted by her father.

Miss South Carolina is escorted by her father.

Miss Oklahoma is escorted by her father. Beautiful gown.

Miss Virginia, escorted by her father, dressed in a very pretty black gown.

Miss Georgia, escorted by her father. I don’t care for the color of the sash she’s wearing with her gown, but it is different, I’ll give her that.

Miss Texas, escorted by her father daddy (good Southern girl), gorgeous gown, goes very well with her blonde hair and tan.

Miss Arkansas, escorted by her father.

Miss Pennsylvania, escorted by her brother. The lowest-cut gown I believe I’ve seen so far, going halfway down her stomach.

Miss Alabama, escorted by her father.

Miss Florida, escorted by her father. Beautiful off-the-shoulder gown.

Final runway parade, all the girls are beautiful, but I think I pick Miss Texas or Miss Florida to win this competition. Next up, Miss Congeniality.

8:10 I didn’t realize that Miss Congeniality hasn’t been in the competition since 1974, but it’s back this year. The title can go to any contestant. The winner is Miss Hawaii, one of my original picks. Congratulations!

8:12 Back to Maine, worthless segment that this has become. They’ve been scoring the competition, one vote goes to Miss Florida because she’s a redhead. Back to Las Vegas.

8:13 In random order, the top five finalists are Miss Virginia, Miss Oklahoma (1 of 4), Miss Washington DC (2 of 4), Miss Georgia (who I pegged in the swimsuit competition), and Miss Alabama (wooHOO!).

Miss Alabama’s favorite smell is anything edible, Miss Georgia’s favorite sound is laughter, Miss DC’s favorite TV show is CSI (mine too), Miss Oklahoma’s food to reach for first after the competition will be french fries in Ranch Dressing (mine too), Miss Virginia’s pet peeve is people who talk too much. This was not judged, thank goodness.

The talent competition is up next.

8:24 The five contestants who didn’t make it are reunited with their escorts, which is a nice touch. Good to have family there with you.

Miss Virginia is up first, singing “In His Eyes”. A little flat in places, it sounds like.

Miss Oklahoma performs a ballet en pointe to William Joseph’s “Within”. I’m not an afficionado of ballet, but her outfit is pretty, and she seems to know what she’s doing. Her performance doesn’t seem to be up to par with former Miss Alabama and Miss America Heather Whitestone.

Performing a contemporary tap routine to “My Strongest Suit” from the musical “Aida”, Miss Washington DC. She’s really stomping it, my favorite so far.

Last two contestants after the commercial break.

8:36 Performing Chopin’s Polonaise in G#m, Miss Georgia. I’ve always liked the Polonaise’s. Excellent performance, well received by the audience.

Last up is Miss Alabama, performing a ballet en pointe to Bonn’s “Buego”. Nice musical selection, my wife notes that she should have gone with black ballet slippers. I think that hers is a somewhat more credible performance than Miss Oklahoma, but my wife disagrees, and liked Miss Oklahoma’s better.

8:46 Back with the 5 finalists in evening gowns. They’re eliminating two contestants.

The three finalists are: Miss Alabama, Miss Oklahoma, and Miss Georgia. One of my original nine choices made it, and one that I added during the swimsuit competition. And I feel a little bad that I didn’t even back Alexa Jones, Miss Alabama. I wouldn’t mind my home state having two-in-a-row, though.

A surprise question coming up, it cannot include a reference to the contestant’s platform. Miss Alabama is up first. The question is “Describe a significant experience from your chlidhod and the impact it had on shaping your chacter and who you are today?” Or pretty close to that.

Miss Oklahoma and Miss Georgia get the same question.

The judges are making the final decisions.

Out of a sense of regional pride, I’d like to note that two deep-South states and another Bible-belt state comprise the three finalists.

8:58 Deidre Downs, Miss America and former Miss Alabama takes her final walk. A beautiful woman, I wish she’d chosen a white gown rather than the light blue one she’s wearing. With her dark hair it would have been beautiful.

2nd runner-up is Miss Alabama.

1st runner up is Miss Georgia

The new Miss America is Miss Oklahoma.

My wife notes that “History favors the tall ones” and I can’t help but notice how much she resembles Deidre Downs, who is crowning her.

Have they always kept “There She Is, Miss America”? I thought they quit that for a while, but I’m glad they brought it back. Her parents are onstage with her, and I love having the family participate like that.

END OF SHOW

I really like this, and I hope it continues in the vein that was begun this year. Congratulations, Miss Oklahoma!

TD