Putting the pieces together...

After doing some perusing of the Miss America Press Releases, I came across this announcement regarding our new Swimsuit Sponsor, Kompliqué:

Showcasing strength, body, intelligence and beauty via their new official swimwear sponsor Kompliqué; the swimwear features vibrant colors and bold patterns that match the style and personalities of the individual Miss America contestants—and the bold new direction the Miss America brand is taking.

President and CEO of the Miss America Organization, Art McMaster states, “This year we are celebrating the vibrancy, individual style and colorful personalities of our contestants, and aligning with Kompliqué as the official swimwear sponsor, will allow each contestant’s personal style to shine in the fitness and health competition. It will bring an entirely new dynamic to the production of this year’s show as it emphasizes the intelligence and health of today’s young women.”

That causes me to raise an eyebrow... and it tells me something about who will be likely to win this year's pageant.

While Teresa Scanlan has been OUTSTANDING and I mean OUTSTANDING as Miss America 2011, it appears that in 2012, we're going to see someone who is not a serious, or dare I say, as 'mature' as Teresa is (I know - she's only 18, but she's way more mature than I am on most days!). Obviously, we're still going to crown someone who's capable and confident, someone who's talented and poised, but we're going to crown someone who's a little 'silly'... a little 'quirky'... and a little 'fun'. I know, I know, Teresa has the whole 'duck tape' thing going for her (she loves making things out of duck tape and even served as the Grand Marshall for a National Duck Tape parade held earlier this year) - but let's face it. The girl is mature beyond her years. In 2012, they're now looking for someone who's got flair, someone a bit silly, someone who isn't afraid to be 'uncool' or 'cheesy' in their own special way... and wrapping it up with the label of 'a great personality'. :)

So - based on our research, here's who we're finding that has a bit of this 'Bold New Direction' that Miss America says they're looking for:

- South Carolina. She's not just the beauty queen who lost 100 pounds, she also does impersonations (Cher and Paula Dean to name a few). That's got cheesy written all over it.
- Oklahoma. The girl grew up on a dairy farm in a town of 880 people. And she's a championship Irish Step Dancer (amongst 4, count 'em 4 step dancers this year... more on that later). We say that's 'fun' and brings 'flair'.
- Kentucky. We weren't overly impressed with her video, but she's known Heather French ever since her days in the MAOTeen competition and the families are friends. She's always grinning ear to ear in her photos and despite the fact that we wish she would've taken the video a bit more seriously, we think she's still a contender with this line of 'silly' thinking.
- Missouri. Last we heard, this girl is gonna sing "Dream On" a cappella in a leather bustier for her Talent. Now THAT'S the definition of 'quirky' if we ever heard it! She's so incredibly genuine - if she has a good interview, we think she's got a serious shot at Top 5.

As I've said before... these are my musings and you're welcome to take them for whatever it's worth... But when the Press Releases start talking about a 'Bold New Direction', it's my opinion that you best pay attention and prepare to see a different kind of girl.

Anyone think I'm crazy???