There She Is...Miss America

Last week, Rima Fakih was crowned the new Miss America.

Fakih, 24, a former New Yorker was raised in Dearborn, Mich. She left 50 contestants behind, including runner-up Miss Oklahoma, for the coveted title.

Wonderful and refreshing news for this gorgeous beauty! We happened to have viewed portions of the program and noticed a few oddities. Particularly the Trump kind...

Trump's business partner (Co-owner of the pageant) was a judge, as was Trump's wife Melania (40) was also a judge, emcee Curtis Stone was a contestant on Trump's Apprentice, Trump's name was dropped numerous times throughout the telecast and even the announcer of the program was Trump himself - you get where we are going with this? Next, the 63-year old Trump will even add co-hearse his name to the title, "Donald Trump's Miss America Pageant". This is professional level 'Brand-Ram' and at this perspective, it's really an illness ripe for rehab.

We spoke with a former 'Pageant Authority and Insider Personality' and have been informed that Trump himself allegedly selects the winner of the pageant. If true, no surprise. Further, this year's selected winner happens to be of Arab-American descent. For this fact, makes not a difference to us...However, the Trump motive could have a more self-serving purpose. Of course, the purpose is not to impart good will between the countries, but we speculate that perhaps more because of Trump's project in Dubai. Ah, time to sell some condos...

A GREAT Week of Non-News Events...

Hey Fam - We're Back!
So, were you Green this week (Happy belated Earth Day)?

We are in the midst of another GREAT week (Despite a few minor incidents)- they just keep getting better and I hope the same for you.

However, before we run head long into the new, let us review what has been happening as of late. Here we go...

1. 1 Million Tweet Peeps
About a week prior Ashton Kutcher managed to surpass CNN for approximately 1 Million followers (I refer to as 'Tweet Peeps') in a last minute 24 hour pledge drive.

Inspired by the event, our 'Beloved' Oprah decided to join Twitter and dedicated a great deal of her show along with fellow Tweeter Ashton on how to send her first Tweet(I have been reading Ted Casblanca's column, can you tell?).

My Thought: Well, I do have a few Twits, I mean Twitter accounts, but the issue remains - I am not able to create as much free time for one more layer of Social Media. I assure you this will become another full-time job for someone.

Between every bit of Social Media - everyone can know everything there is to know about someone, it is fun to share our lives with each other. Remember, everything about Social Media is fleeting (Friendster, Myspace (I had a hand in this too), YouTube, Facebook, and now Twitter). Why as we speak, someone is developing the next Social Media fad that will once again re-socialize us - For it is a never ending advancement.

Honestly, if I get anymore social I will dissolve as I am barely able to make time for this corner of entertainment (But, you are worth it:).

The good news is that while Ash & Oprah are busy garnering 1 million Tweet Peeps, I am largely occupied on the thought of making another million dollars - how's that for time well spent?


2. The Beauty Queen vs. The Queen of Gossip
A wildly fracas has developed between Miss USA beauty pageant contestant Miss California Carrie Prejean and celebrity blogger, Perez Hilton over the response given by Miss California when questioned about Gay marriage.

Anyway, Miss California proceeded to stutter and stammer into personal oblivion when Perez had asked, "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex-marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?"

Prejean had responded: "Well, I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what, in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anyone out there, but that's how I was raised, and that's how I think it should be between a man and a woman."

Me: Opposite Marriage? What the...I actually viewed the pageant and what began as a perfectly fine response, went horribly wrong in just a few seconds....

First, Perez and I actually go waaay back - he was going to teach me how to be a Celebrity Blogger back in 2005 (Before Perez became a household name - when he first began his site). I had just moved to Los Angeles and was contemplating a few opportunities and it sounded like a great idea, except I was not clear about how to convert it from hobby to business (You know my business mind...Always thinking...).

Second, and this is big one, I am not sure that I care enough about celebrity gossip - having an interest in celebrity gossip would be essential to running, owning, and managing a celebrity gossip website. Yes.

Anyway, Prejean (Whom I have never met and am sure that she is a good person) answered the question, however the manner in which she responded is the subject of the scrutiny and has been subsequently ON EVERY TALK SHOW explaining away her opinion.

Although there is explanation after explanation to anyone who will listen, Prejean apparently now represents the impetus of 'Christian' values and hetero-marriage and completely has been upstaging the actual winner of the pageant, Miss North Carolina.

Quite frankly, we all have our opinion on this issue. However, I am without the desire to tell people how to live their lives or what they can or cannot...It's that simple.

Prejean could have simply stated the first two sentences as her repsonse, without spinning about into a non-sensical political grand stand against gay marriage - that's a bit much for a beauty pageant, but then again, maybe that is what she is planning...A career in politics. Say hello to Senator Prejean from Arkansas.

3. Susan Boyle: Singing Phenom
Who knew? Singing sensation Susan Boyle - whose dowdy image contrasted so greatly with her super voice has become an instant Internet celebrity.

The 47-year old sent everyone into a frenzy when she first sang "I Dreamed A Dream" from Les Miserables on an episode of Britain's Got Talent (ITV) before a panel of judges (One of which was Queen Simon Cowell).

Me: If you have not seen the clip - Go to YouTube right now and find one (I will wait). This was a glorious surprise and I smiled during the entire unbelievable performance. Thrilling.

If you had seen performance by Paul Potts a few years back from the same show, you will certainly appreciate the true meaning of talent.

My guess is that just as last year on America's version of Britain's Got Talent - there was a similar winner reminiscent of Potts - I am sure that we will again see similar Susan Boyle type within the next version of America's Got Talent. Let the casting begin. Go Susie B!



Credits:
*The photo of Ashton, Oprah, and Anderson is the property of the Chicago Sun Times. Image of Miss California, Carrie Prejean is compliments of the Trump Organization, and the photo of Susan Boyle, is provided compliments of FremantleMedia Ltd. & Simco Ltd.

Miss America Gets TLC

Here She is...This week TLC announced that it has signed the Miss America Beauty Pageant television show in a multi-million dollar partnership deal, for the next three years.

The Learning Channel To The Rescue
TLC (Trading Spaces, Miami Ink) will air the Miss America Beauty Pageant show this January from Las Vegas, to revitalize interest in the 86 year old pageant in an attempt to garner a younger demographic audience (Published reports state that currently more than half of the viewing audience is over the age of 50).

"We're thrilled to partner with the Miss America Organization and to broadcast the next generation of the Miss America Pageant," TLC president Angela Shapiro-Mathes said in a statement.

Until recently, the show had aired on ABC. Recent reports indicate the show has seen a steady decline in audience, down to 2.4 million viewers last January, when the program aired on CMT (Country Music Television).

Now For The Cold Hard Reality

Could it be the attention of a modern-day society is just too advanced to be bothered with such a simple exploit?

More recently, I have heard and read various arguments supporting and not supporting beauty pageants on television...My conclusion is that beauty pageants (in general) appear to be a polarizing subject....Who knew?

Quite frankly, I have not seen a beauty pageant on television since the age of 12, however I am speculating that not much has changed within its 86 year history. Speaking of history, most adults that I know (and probably you, as well), have at least one experience where they recall watching the program and have seen enough to have formulated a passionate opinion for or against.

The more positive include national exposure, scholarship opportunities, travel, and prestige - of course, ANY man or woman can accomplish the mentioned sans appearing in a pageant. However for many young women, the competition may crystallize a path to the possibility of something greater (ie. Vanessa Williams and many others).

On the side of the opposition, it is more a question of health (mental state of being) as several others within peer focus groups have indicated that the subject of a show about women who parade in a competitive cavalcade for the purpose of being judged, smacks of being 'cruel, disproportionately out-of-date', and so intentionally destructive within its premise, that it is anti-social within its very nature...Okay, so I am paraphrasing in my own 'lingo'.

Basically, the idea of a competition of 'Who's the prettiest' encourages antagonistic feelings towards others, fosters superficial concerns about body image which results in lower self-esteem, depression, and destructive behavior. The general consensus, "It's not healthy"- you get the idea.

---TANGENT ALERT---

What is interesting about television is that it encapsulates a moment in time. What may have seemed 'entertaining' some 20, 30 or 40 years ago on television, now appears insensitive to the point where you as the viewer may find uncomfortable to watch.

With the exception of a few programs, if you watch television shows circa 1990 and within descending decades, you will see a great number of circumstances, portrayal of characters, and dialog that by today's standard appear 'hurtful' or malicious, racially/gender insensitive and politically incorrect.

Of course, one day 20 years from this post, we will re-visit today's television time capsule and wince at our ignorance.

Beauty in 2007
Which brings us back to the Miss America Pageant television show...

The goody that I have yet to mention is that TLC will also produce a reality series that will lead right-up to the pageant and according the cable network, "[The show] will introduce viewers to 52 of the country's smartest and most beautiful women as they prepare for a competition they've dreamed of their entire lives."

Ready, Set, Activate Reality
Yeah, reality is everywhere and what a great way for TLC to bring the pageant into modern times - I would have made the exact same move...Now, let's watch and learn what happens.