Confessions From a Junkie...

Fellow Junkies... I have a confession to make...

I have been over-taken by the Frenzy...

True Junkies know EXACTLY what I'm talking about... It's in the form of Tweets and Updates and Statuses and Instagrams and Videos that have all taken center-stage (which is amazing), but seriously... Try to compare it to the days when you had to wait for a phone call from Atlantic City (on a land-line --- not a cell phone) just to find out if your girl made it across the stage without falling on her face, let alone who won Preliminary Talent!  Even a short 7-8 years ago, I can remember scouring the internet, begging for photos in the middle of Miss America week and after hours of getting nowhere, I would finally stumble on to some rehearsal photos.

Compare and contrast that with today - where everything is multiplied times 53 contestants and their 53 twitter feeds/facebook pages/youtube videos.  The information gap has officially closed.  And it's easy to get lost - or better yet - it's easy to get CONFUSED about which girls have a shot at the crown verses those who will simply make their mamas proud.

All of this 'information-overload' forces us to simplify and consider who Miss America is looking for this year... After much consideration, I believe the new Miss America will come from one of these categories...

Former MAOTeen Winners:

We've said for YEARS that Miss America is dying to have a former State Teen become Miss America so it can continue to promote the MAOTeen competition... and let's face it, it's gonna happen one day... perhaps this is the year?

These ladies all won a Teen State Title before winning a Miss America State Title and were all featured on the MAOTeen stage in Orlando last August.  From left to Right, we have: Oklahoma, Indiana, Maryland, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Arkansas, Massachusetts, South Carolina and New Jersey.  It's possible that Miss America could be one of these lovely ladies...

Tragedies and Triumphs:  

There's something to be said about states who suffer tragic circumstances shortly before Miss America... Shawntel Smith from Oklahoma won Miss America after the Oklahoma City Bombing, Leanza Cornett from Florida won after Hurricane Andrew swept Florida.  Plenty of girls finished well after tragic circumstances struck their state.  It's not that the judges 'feel sorry' for a certain state and want to give it hope - it's more the fact that the contestant has been involved in the 'healing efforts' around their community and has an emotional story or two to tell.  Ladies who fall into this category this year include:  Connecticut = Sandy Hook Shootings, New York and New Jersey = Hurricane Sandy, Colorado = Aurora Theater Shootings/Colorado Wildfires.  When you have stories about how you helped the relief effort and/or what you think should be done to avert such tragedies in the future, that means you have the opportunity to 'connect' during an interview.  And if you haven't heard by now, Miss America is won in the interview room. :)

Marketability:  These are ladies who bring something unique to the table that the Miss America Organization can promote.  Theresa Scanlan was only 17.  Nicole Johnson wore an insulin pump.  Heather Whitestone was deaf.  Girls who fall into this category for me include:  Florida and Massachusetts = Sports Reporters (we saw FL several times this Fall covering some of the Junkies favorite football teams)... If these girls pursue careers in this field and they win the Crown, you know they'll be supportive of the MAO for the rest of their lives (ala Gretchen Carlson).  DC = has chosen to get a double mastectomy because of her genetic predisposition to breast cancer (her mother lost the battle when Miss DC was 16).  And while I don't think she's going to win, it's been lots of fun to watch Miss Montana = Has Autism and has been getting lots of celebrity support including Jenny McCarthy, Maria Shriver and Doug Flutie - who are all encouraging people via twitter to vote for Montana to be the people's choice into the Top 15.

And Finally - the category we call... 

"Gosh, She's Gorgeous!"

Every once in a while, we get a Crazy-Beautiful-Super-Gorgeous Miss America.  Since the pageant moved to Vegas, 'beauty' seems to actually play a role in the final decision more so than usual.  This year, there are LOTS of pretty girls competing for Miss America... but we think a few stand out based on looks alone... South Carolina, Wyoming and Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado.  Don't get me wrong - this doesn't mean they aren't talented or they aren't strong in other areas of competition... It simply means you notice them first, because your eye can't help but see them when they enter the room.

Also - we'd like to clarify... THIS IS NOT OUR TOP 15 LIST!  This is simply a blog outlining the kinds of women Miss America typically likes to crown.

Although, to be honest... our Top 5 is represented here... :)

ON-STAGE COMPETITION begins tomorrow!!!  Tune in tomorrow to find out who our Preliminary Predictions will include!!!  HERE WE GO!!! :)

MAJ