THE TV COLUMN : Miss America hits Vegas
Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006
“There she is...” But where is she ?
Don’t look for the 2006 Miss America Pageant on ABC.
Don’t even look for it in Atlantic City, where the pageant has been for all of its previous 85 years.
In fact, viewers not looking for it at all is why the whole affair has packed up the sashes and tiaras and moved to Vegas, and will air on cable outfit CMT at 7 p.m. Saturday.
CMT, home to country music videos, Dukes of Hazzard reruns and reality shows such as Trick My Truck, is the new home of the venerable pageant.
A little backwoods for such a high-brow affair ? Perhaps not. Perhaps the pageant still means something to those who sport Junior’s No. 8 on their truck bumper and actually care that Kenny and Renee got divorced. Or rather, annulled.
TV ratings for the once-popular program have fallen for years, and the pageant is no longer a viable commodity for a major broadcast network.
Many believe Miss America to be a relic of a bygone age — a parade of female pulchritude veiled in a scholarship pageant and filled with professional beauty contestants who were all three- and four-year veterans of their state contests.
Pop quiz. Who’s the reigning Miss America ? For bonus points, what state is she from ?
Don’t worry, I didn’t know either.
She’s former Miss Alabama Deidre Downs, 25. She’s going to be a doctor one day.
And (don’t peek at the picture ) who’s the current Miss Arkansas ? She’s Eudora Mosby, 22, daughter of Ronnie and Kay Mosby of Hazen.
Don’t misunderstand. Beauty and / or “scholarship” pageants are deeply beloved by their True Believers. Any hint of criticism invariably brings down the wrath of the righteously indignant and accusations of un-Americanism.
Are these things dinosaurs from a bygone age when women were paraded on runways for America’s amusement ? Or are they still showcases for all that’s sweet and right about America and our lovely next generation of young women ?
That’s up to you to decide. Many, however, feel that no matter how sweet and smart and talented and deserving and wonderful the young women are as individuals, the pageant concept has become irrelevant and boring. Viewers have voted with their remote controls.
But, by golly, folks. Let’s give Las Vegas at least one chance to showcase the contestants and see what can be done to save the thing.
James Denton from Desperate Housewives is the host. Doesn’t that demonstrate that their hearts are in the right place ?
CMT says it expects about 10 million to tune in. That would be a ratings coup of momentous proportions. CMT’s previous record audience (3 million ) was for last year’s CMT Music Awards.
If you want to root Eudora on, you’ll need to know some facts. According to the official Miss America Web site, her “critical issue” (or speaking platform ) is tissue and organ donation.
Her talent is singing or, as they say in the biz, “vocal.” She’s a grad of the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in history and a minor in African-American studies.
Eudora plays the guitar ; was state land commissioner at Girl’s State ; is a member of a “praise and worship band,” Into the Light.
Her favorite movie is Steel Magnolias ; favorite food is salmon ; actor is Denzel Washington ; sport is cheerleading ; album is The Essential Michael Jackson ; team is the Rim Rockers ; author is Anne Rice and TV show is Law & Order.
Her favorite way to spend a day off : Eat and go back to sleep. Watch DVD collections.
One final bonus question : How did Miss Arkansas fare last year ?
Time’s up.
Lacy Fleming, Miss Arkansas 2004, made it to third runnerup and netted a $ 25, 000 scholarship.
TV TIDBITS Veronica Mars will finally return to UPN on Wednesday, and we have a treat. Lucy Lawless, cult favorite from Xena : Warrior Princess, will play an FBI agent who comes to town looking for Duncan after he takes off with comatose Meg’s newborn baby. Lawless also has a recurring role on Sci Fi’s Battlestar Galactica. More on that later. Attention music fans of my generation. The Biography Channel will profile the former Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam ) at 7 p.m. today. Stevens’ soulful, poetic music was some of the earliest I learned to play on the guitar in the late ’ 60 s.
Others liked him, too. He sold 40 million records before converting to Islam in 1977 and giving up performing and its hedonistic lifestyle.
Now, Stevens (who was born Stephen Demetre Georgiou ) is back and trying “to spread his message of peace though music” once again. Monk, one of the best shows on TV, has been picked up for fifth and sixth seasons by USA Network. There will be 16 episodes each season, bringing the total to 93 episodes. The TV column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. E-mail : mstorey@arkansasonline. com
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