Blog - Pageant Junkies

September 3, 2015 by Junkies 2 Comments

#79: Podcast Tribute to Miss America, Part 2

The Miss America Pageant may have started with businessmen trying to make a buck in Atlantic City, but it’s a woman named Lenora Slaughter, who discovers the value of the pageant and brings out the best in the Miss America winners from the 40’s forward. Plus, as the country changes through subsequent decades, so does the pageant… And who can forget BERT PARKS!!! It’s all on today’s special edition of the Pageant Junkies Podcast as we continue our Tribute to Miss America.

Check out this episode!

Here’s that video we were talking about (where you can see Miss America “crownings” take place while the contestants are sitting down! Who knew???). You can see all crownings from 1921 to 2013 – IT’S SO AWESOME FOR JUNKIES LIKE US!!! 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T1vqCrtlkI

Additionally, here are some Miss America photos from the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s… The first one is of Lee Meriwether, the first Miss America crowned on National Television 🙂

Convention Hall is large enough for TWO football fields!!!

Always a highlight at Miss America… THE PARADE!!!

Bert Parks alongside Miss America 1958 Marilyn Van Derbur and Miss America 1963 Jacqueline Mayer…

September 1, 2015 by Junkies 11 Comments

Miss America Predictions!!!

HEY JUNKIE NATION!!!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! It’s time for the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR… That time when we hardly recognize anything else going on the world around us – It’s MISS AMERICA TIME!!!

Yes – during “Miss America Season,” you’ll find Junkies across the fruited plain coming together to watch our favorite reality show featuring the best of the best. And by the end of the night, one of them will win the crown!

miss-america-contestant-miss-new-york-nina-davuluri-reacts-after-being-chosen-winner-2014-miss

Who will it be? Well – Truth be told, I have no idea. But I do know, half the fun is in the guessing!

So in the spirit of searching for the Perfect Prelim Prediction – We’ll once again offer our personal predictions on each preliminary night of competition! If you’re new to the Junkie Nation and don’t know how this works – Just Click Here… (And scroll down past this original post… I promise, it’s all there…)

You’ll see the last several years of Miss America predictions, along with a video outlining how we choose the ladies who make our predictions list (for a full rundown of all state predictions, we’ve got that on a separate page… You’ll have to click here for specific state information).

Last year, we went 5/6 with our predictions – but with a brand new group of contestants, those results are “wiped clean” and we start over this year. I’ll be selecting 4 states (out of the 17 or 18 states competing), who I believe might win the Prelim Award for the given night (Talent and Swimsuit) and then we evaluate the results after the awards are given!

However – the only way you’ll see my predictions this year, is through the Junkie Newsletter. Normally, the Junkie Newsletter is sent every Sunday – but during Miss America Season – we send several “special edition” updates throughout the week of competition. If you want to receive the Junkie Newsletter, you need to click here to sign up and we’ll make sure you’re on the list!!!
FYI – Once you sign up, you need to “confirm” that you wish to receive it… THEN, your Newsletter will arrive later in the day. Even though it’s a Sunday Newsletter, we’ll forward our ‘latest copy’ to ALL of our new sign-ups around 6pm EST every day. Just make sure you confirm, add us to your address book, and have patience! It’s worth the wait!

Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska is crowned Miss America 2011 during the Miss America pageant, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

And there you have it! If you’re already receiving the Junkie Newsletter, there’s nothing you need to do – you’ll get our special edition predictions as well! I’m afraid we won’t be in Atlantic City this year… So, all of these predictions will be based on on-line research only… But it certainly doesn’t take away from the FUN – So make sure you click here to sign up – and don’t miss a single prediction!

Until then – Junkies are anxiously counting down the days until the BIG NIGHT!!!

WHO WILL BE MISS AMERICA 2016????

It’s not that long – until we find out!!!

#BigJunkieLove

Carrie Lakey

September 1, 2015 by Junkies Leave a Comment

Podcast Tribute to Miss America, Part 1

THERE SHE IS…

Believe it or not, these are all the contestants in the very first Miss America Pageant back in 1921!!! The winner, Margaret Gorman from Washington DC, is the 3rd from the left (in the pirate hat). Notice these are their competition swimsuits… Yes, this is what they were wearing when the judges made their decision – LOL!

Also, it’s always good to know that even back in 1921, some ladies had trouble remembering to always stand with “pretty feet.” 🙂

Check out this episode!

Here are a few additional photos of Margaret Gorman, Miss America 1921…

Here’s Margaret Gorman, alongside Miss America 1922, Mary Katherine Campbell! Mary Katherine also defended her title in 1923 and is the only woman to have won the Miss America title TWICE!

1922 --- Original caption: The Miss America contest of 1922 was won by Miss Mary Campbell, second from left. At far left is Armand T. Nichols, director of the Pageant. Margaret Gorman, previous winner, is at right. (Gorman was the first Miss America; Campbell won two consecutive years). --- Image by © Corbis — 1922 — Original caption: The Miss America contest of 1922 was won by Miss Mary Campbell, second from left. At far left is Armand T. Nichols, director of the Pageant. Margaret Gorman, previous winner, is at right. (Gorman was the first Miss America; Campbell won two consecutive years). — Image by © Corbis

THOUSANDS of people showed up to watch the very first “Atlantic City Pageant” in Atlantic City, New Jersey!!!!

FILE- This 1921 file photo shows Miss America beauty contestants on Atlantic City's seafront for the first Miss America Beauty Pageant. The pageant was won by 16-year-old marbles champion Margaret Gorman of Washington, D.C. With critics hailing "Boardwalk Empire," the HBO series set in Prohibition-era Atlantic City, as perhaps the best of the fall TV season, the 12-episode series will keep Atlantic City in the nation's consciousness far longer and better than any ad could. (AP Photo/File) — FILE- This 1921 file photo shows Miss America beauty contestants on Atlantic City’s seafront for the first Miss America Beauty Pageant. The pageant was won by 16-year-old marbles champion Margaret Gorman of Washington, D.C. With critics hailing “Boardwalk Empire,” the HBO series set in Prohibition-era Atlantic City, as perhaps the best of the fall TV season, the 12-episode series will keep Atlantic City in the nation’s consciousness far longer and better than any ad could. (AP Photo/File)

More photos coming up after our next podcast is released on Thursday… Stay Tuned!!!

#BigJunkieLove

August 27, 2015 by Junkies Leave a Comment

#77: Jennifer Vaden (Smith) Barth, Miss North Carolina 1991

Between 1975 and 1990, Miss North Carolina never made the Top 10 – But Jennifer Vaden (Smith) Barth did it, and changed the story for NC in ’91. Years later, she came back to Miss North Carolina and offered to help grow the pageant that changed her life. Now, she’s an Ambassador for the newly created Miss America State Titleholders Association (MASTA) and plans to help young women across the country change their own stories – whether they’re involved in Miss America or not! Her vision is awesome – and contagious… Just listen!

Check out this episode!

August 25, 2015 by Junkies Leave a Comment

#76: Danica Tisdale Fisher, Miss Georgia 2004

Growing up, Danica Tisdale admired women like Debbye Turner and Marjorie Vincent. Then, when Danica became the first African-American to be named Miss Georgia, she suddenly found herself serving as a role model for a new generation of young girls in her own state. It’s hard to believe she entered one of the largest locals in Georgia “on a whim,” before coming out of nowhere to win her state title! How did she do it? Find out – on today’s Pageant Junkies Podcast…

Check out this episode!