KIRA KAZANTSEV is the NEW MISS AMERICA!!!

O - M - FREAKING - G!!!  Junkies have a ZILLION things going through our minds right now... it's been all of 45 minutes since Miss America 2015 was crowned and I have much to say!  You might want to make sure you have enough time to read this before you get started!!!

FIRST - Junkies wanna offer a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Kira... As we all know, earning the title of Miss America isn't easy - and it's a total crap-shoot (again - we use that term affectionately).  You've got to get 7 different people (the judges) to love you all at the same time - and Kira did just that!

We realize many of you have questions regarding how/why she won... So - Just for fun, we thought we'd go back and give you a condensed version of the blog we wrote when the judges were originally announced!  These 5 points were the factors we told you would play a significant role in who would become the next Miss America - according to the type of people we thought the judges were...

1. Marketing/Social Media Gurus - Do you know who started the whole "take a selfie while sleeping with your crown on" trend this year? Miss New York.  Do you know who has 10,000 Instagram followers?  Miss New York.  Do you know who has 53,500 Twitter Followers?  Miss New York.  The girl knows how to get people's attention via social media - no question about it.

2. Substance Over Style - Lots of people think Kira didn't answer her final question... But here's how I interpreted the question... Paraphrasing... "What issue should the 20 women in the Senate take the lead on?"  Kira said, again - I'm paraphrasing -  "I think the issue they should take up is combating sexual assault in the military.  Women deserve to feel safe."  That's such an open-ended question that many girls would've stumbled.  You could've gone in a million different directions - but Kira (smartly) chose to relate her answer back to her platform and her passion.

3. Street Smart/Multi-Faceted - Kira is multi-faceted to the core. Her family immigrated from Russia, she was in an abusive relationship, her mother has sewn a large portion of her Miss America clothing/appearance wardrobe (including her on-stage question dress), she was a triple major at Hofstra University (political science, global studies and geography), she speaks Spanish and Russian fluently, she's a former Nike sponsored golfer, a food blogger and she's already been accepted to Law School at Notre Dame.  NOT A ONE-TRICK PONY!!!  I expect we'll hear her speak on a variety of topics throughout her year - she won't be repeating the same talking points in every interview. :)

4.  Fitness - To me, the girl looks like like the most fit Miss America we've had in SEVERAL YEARS!!!  Can't argue with her figure!

5.  Entertainment Trumps Talent - Ok... Obviously, this point has ruffled a few feathers... So, let's start by being honest.  The girl sang a Top 40 song while sitting on the ground, criss-cross applesauce, and played 'the cup'.

You may think it's hokey - and you may think it's not a 'trained talent' - but you need to know that Anna Kendrick's 'cup song' has 155 MILLION views on Vevo!!!  Little girls across America think the cup song is fun and adorable!  That makes Kira extremely relateable to them - rather than Miss America's previous reputation of being stuffy and aloof.

In addition - WE TOLD YOU that the best talent was not going to win this year... Instead - these judges favored Entertaining Talents.  And if you're a classically trained vocalist, you probably weren't super entertained by Miss New York, but you know what... a lot of people were.  Especially, a lot of young people.  And if you want Miss America to become a national brand, she needs to be appealing to young girls.  And for the record, I was entertained. :)  She made me smile... and I was happy at the end of her performance. :)

Moving beyond those 5 points... We also need to explain how the judging works...

Here's the deal... Once you have a Top 15, you use the girls' composite score from the Prelims (worth 30%) plus the next phase of competition.  So - even if you have the best swimsuit of the night, if your composite score barely got you into the Top 15, you don't necessarily advance.  That's how it works all night - UNTIL you get to the Top 5.

After all the ladies in the Top 5 have answered their final question, the scores are thrown out.  They don't matter at all.  Instead - each of the judges is given a "final ballot".  On that final ballot, each judge ranks who he/she would like to see as the Winner, 1st runner up, 2nd runner up, etc.  The girl who was in 5th place (but made it into the Top 5) can be named the winner if enough judges list her as the winner on the final ballot.

So here's what that means... Once you're in the Top 5, the judges no longer care about your talent.  They no longer care about your size 2 or your size 8 figure.  They no longer care about your Tony Bowls evening gown.  The only thing they care about is - who is the most articulate contestant under pressure?  Who's the girl they fell in love with during the interview?  That's who usually wins the pageant.

In summary - that's how Miss New York won (again) :)  Plus, I gotta be honest... I feel like Kira isn't anything like Nina or Mallory... and if she was from a different state, she might be getting a bit more support!  She is sophisticated and approachable.  She is warm and natural.  She was probably completely relaxed, having the time of her life this week, because never in a million years did she think they'd give it to NY 3 times in a row!!!  Although Junkies loved Arkansas and Virginia - I really think the judges got this one right. 

AND NOW - on to some other awards given away last night!

Miss Congeniality and the Judges' Save - NORTH DAKOTA
STEM Scholarships (worth $5000 each!) - NEW MEXICO, VERMONT, OHIO, MASSACHUSETTS and GEORGIA
Non-Finalist Interview - LOUISIANA
Non-Finalist Talent - PENNSYLVANIA, NORTH CAROLINA, INDIANA, WEST VIRGINIA and NEVADA

Junkies go 12 for 16 to start... And we actually had 6 of the Top 10 picked, but only picked 1 of the final 5.  Again, considering all of our research was done online this year, we're pretty darn happy with everything except our Final 5 picks.  Something to work on for next year... :)

PS - THANKS FOR SWARMING THE NEW WEBSITE!  It actually froze because so many people were trying to access it at the same time!!! YAY!!! :) 

Finally - There's hardly ever a year when EVERYONE thinks the right girl won Miss America.  There's always going to be some detractors - I get that.  But you gotta remember... Junkies started this whole movement because we were frustrated by all the negativity that existed in the online pageant world - and wanted to bring a "more positive tone" to online pageant commentary.  Everyone's welcome to have an opinion, but message boards and other online outlets are already full of rude and disparaging comments against contestants - Sometimes it's downright hateful!  At the end of the day, if you're a Junkie and you feel the need to make ugly comments about any winner (your state or Miss America), then I have not done my job.  I will keep going and do my best to remind everyone what the Junkies stand for.  You don't have to agree - but we're not here to contribute to the problem!  We're here to make an impact in a positive direction. 

And there you have it!  Don't write off Kira just yet!  I have a feeling she's going to surprise a lot of people during her reign and be a wonderful ambassador for the Miss America program!  In the meantime, set your DVR's to all the morning talk shows and take another look!  I for one, look forward to watching Kira Kazantsev over the next 12 months... She's poised to be one of my favorite New Yorker's to date! :)

#JunkieLove -

 

FINAL PREDICTIONS for MISS AMERICA 2015!!!

THE DAY HAS COME!!!!  OH MY GOODNESS - IT'S SOOOOOOOOO EXCITING!!!!

Tonight we crown a new Miss America - the equivalent of a Pageant Girl's Christmas Morning!!!

Even though The Junkies weren't in Atlantic City this year, I must say, it's been great fun watching from afar!  In some ways, it's a little more relaxing - it's so hard to blog when all you want to do is meet fellow Junkies and run around on the beach!  Seriously - if you've never seen Miss America live in person, Junkies HIGHLY RECOMMEND you attend!  Start saving your pennies, tell your family that's what you want for your birthday, and make plans to go!  It's everything you love about your state pageant week, times 1000!  You'll never, ever regret it!!! :)

Ok - for all our new Junkies, here's the way the pageant will breakdown tonight!

- After the "Parade of States" and the introduction of Nina Davuluri, we'll find out who is named "America's Choice".  It's possible the state chosen is also one of the judges favorites - but America's Choice is the lady who finished with the most votes.

- Then, the judges will be announced...

- Next, the ladies with the Top 15 cumulative scores will be named the Top 15.  All 16 ladies will then compete in Swimsuit.

 - Although Miss America usually has a few tricks up their sleeve regarding the 'elimination rounds' - here's what's happened in years past... The 16 contestants will be narrowed to 12 - and those 12 ladies will compete in evening gown.  Again - something may be different from here forward - based on whatever Miss America decides to do this year.

- Then 12 contestants in Evening Gown become 10 contestants in Talent (two girls are left sitting on the chairs with Chris Harrison).

- After Talent, the Top 10 are narrowed down to the Top 5.  The Top 5 then answer the ever-popular "On-Stage Question" and the judges rank each of the Top 5 according to their personal preferences. 

- Nina takes her "Final Walk" - and Chris Harrison will announce the runners up and our new Miss America!!!

However - BEFORE THE SHOW STARTS - Make sure you're tuned into the Miss America Pre-Show!  This year, they're actually going to show us live shots of back-stage where the girls are getting ready for the big show - AND there's bound to be some other hilarious things take place!  Junkies aren't 100% sure, but we think this is where the "Hot Pageant Dads" will be featured - You won't want to miss Dena Blizzard (former Miss New Jersey, comedian and hostess) in this pre-show event!  THAT'S when the real show begins!!! :)

Also - be sure you're following your favorite contestants on Instagram... Miss America has alluded to the fact that there will be a 'surprise' during the telecast tonight that's announced on Instagram!  Wonder what it could be???

OK!  Before we get to our picks - Here's one final reminder for everyone...

If we've said it once, we've said it a thousand times... THIS YEAR IS SUPER-CRAZY-COMPETITIVE and under other normal circumstances, lots of girls who won't make the cut tonight, might've made it during a different year (without this much competition).  We've agonized over our list... It's really hard to choose... but that's why we play the game!  Don't forget, just because we don't choose your girl, it doesn't mean she isn't smart enough, it doesn't mean she isn't talented enough, it doesn't mean she isn't pretty enough!  It just means Junkies aren't perfect :)  Our goal is that each and every woman competing feels encouraged by our posts - Which is why we love this saying...

If we pick your state tonight - We hope she proves us right!
And if we don't pick your state tonight - We hope she proves us wrong!

And with that!  Here's our picks for MISS AMERICA 2015!!!

Top 16:
ALABAMA
KENTUCKY
MISSISSIPPI
IOWA
OREGON
TEXAS
PENNSYLVANIA
OKLAHOMA
NEW YORK
CONNECTICUT
FLORIDA
OHIO
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
NORTH DAKOTA
ILLINOIS

Non-Finalist Talent Awards:
INDIANA
SOUTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE
NORTH CAROLINA

Top 10:
OHIO
ARKANSAS
KENTUCKY
FLORIDA
OKLAHOMA
NEW YORK
CONNECTICUT
IOWA
MISSISSIPPI
OREGON

Top 5:
FLORIDA
CONNECTICUT
IOWA
OKLAHOMA
KENTUCKY

I honestly feel like any of these 5 girls could win the crown tonight - and would make a WONDERFUL Miss America!  In fact, I'm trying to picture each of them in that moment of 'shock and awe' when the winner's name is announced and she can't hardly believe it!  Truthfully - I have no idea which of these 5 girls is going to win tonight... So, in a strange twist... I'm not going to predict who will win Miss America 2015... Instead, I'm going to predict the 1st Runner Up :)

1st Runner Up
KENTUCKY

DON'T BE MAD!!!  LOL!!!  I'm still picking one girl to finish in a specific position!!!  :)

Here's the deal... If Kentucky finishes as the 1st runner up, then I'll be uber-thrilled!  And you know what?  If she wins it all - then we'll consider that a Big Junkie Win as well!!!


GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  ALL THE BEST!!!

#JunkieLove

THURSDAY NIGHT PRELIM WINNERS

WELCOME BACK JUNKIES!!!

BIG CONGRATULATIONS to last night's winners - AMANDA SMITH from PENNSYLVANIA in Talent and JADE KENNY from MARYLAND in Swimsuit!!!  Aren't they lovely???

Amanda Smith just has this perfect quality to her voice... She's been super-successful at the Carnegie Mellon School of Music, a highly acclaimed fine arts program in Pittsburgh, PA.  We just love it when 'natural talent' like hers hits the stage and comes home with the win!  CONGRATS AMANDA!

Jade Kenny was the very first contestant to compete in Swimsuit last night - and obviously, the judges decided they didn't like anything else better than her!  She's also the lone contestant the Junkies didn't pick this year - which goes to show, your fate is ALWAYS in your own hands, not ours :)  CONGRATS JADE!!!

And JUST LIKE THAT - the Preliminary competition for Miss America 2015 is complete!!!  Here's a full list of your winners this week!

BIG CONGRATS to all the ladies in the competition this year!  After 2 weeks together and so little sleep (not to mention emotional stress and lack of chocolate) - I'm sure the majority of our contestants woke up feeling relaxed and happy that the prelims are over!  For them, the next 2 days - are all about the FUN!!! :)

There's a Big "Miracle Mile" event going on tonight in Atlantic City... And of course, THE SHOW US YOUR SHOES PARADE on Saturday Night!!!  No word yet on whether or not the Parade will be televised... We'll do our best to keep you posted!

In the meantime... I hope you're making your selections for the Top 16 (Top 15 plus America's Choice)!!!  The Junkies made our first list last night... Although we must say, we started with 23 girls and had to whittle it down to 16 - WHICH WAS INSANE!!!  Usually, we have around 18-19 girls to choose from, but I'm telling you, this year is CRAZY COMPETITIVE and this thing could go in a million different directions!

So - here's the deal...

YES - We will be posting our predictions for Top 16, Top 10 and Top 5 (although Miss America tends to throw in 'twists' when it comes to the broadcast, so you never know if we're going to see exactly those breakdowns or not...).  That post will come on Sunday - because we need all the help we can get between now and then to decide - LOL! :)

Until Then - BIG JUNKIE HUGS and BIG JUNKIE LOVE!!!

Look Out - MISS AMERICA 2015 IS ONLY 2 DAYS AWAY!!!!!!

THURSDAY'S PRELIM PICKS!!!

WHOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO for Night #2!!!!

Congratulations to our night #2 Talent Winner, Miss Kentucky, Ramsey Carpenter... and our night #2 Swimsuit Winner, Miss Oklahoma, Alex Eppler!!!

By all accounts, several people in the audience thought last night's Talent competition was tougher than the first night - there were SEVERAL performances who could've won.  In the end, the judges went with another very entertaining, very crowd-pleasing Talent winner (who played "Orange Blossom Special") and another stunning face/body Swimsuit winner (photo credit - Leigh Thompson Photography)

Quick moment of commentary... if I may...

Based on the Talent winners thus far, I think Miss America is beginning to understand that the public's definition of "Talent" has changed...  Which means, Miss America's definition of "Talent" has to change as well.  Let me explain...

Miss America was the original "reality show" on television - and she will be celebrating 60 years on TV this year (60 YEARS!!! AMAZING!!!).  For decades, Miss America was able to define what "live talent" looked like based on contestants who were, for lack of a better word, "amateurs" in the entertainment business.  OK - Calm Down... I'm not saying that for 60 years Miss America contestants never had good talents! That's not what I'm saying at all...

I'm saying the definition of people with "Talent" on television used to be very narrow... For the most part, it was: professional musicians, recording artists, Broadway stars, and the kind of two-minute Talent that Miss America offered on national television.  But times have changed... And now, shows like, So You Think You Can Dance, The Voice, Dancing With the Stars, The X Factor, American Idol, etc... These shows have re-defined what "amateur talent" is... And frankly, the public (and I'm guessing, the judges as well) now expect to see the kinds of Talents that THOSE shows offer - rather than our traditional 2 minute Talent (yes, I know Talent is only 1 minute and :30 seconds now... but that's a whole other issue).

The point is... Entertainment now trumps pure technique.

Now, if you have crazy technique and you're entertaining (as in the case of Miss KY last night) - then that's the whole package!  But if you have tons of technique and you're not entertaining - you're simply not relevant in today's culture.  It didn't always used to be this way - but in my humble opinion, the rise of reality talent shows has forced us to cross the line and I'm not sure we'll ever go back.  In order for the public to pay attention (and begin to take us seriously) - Talents will need to resemble that of the television shows I listed above... Which means, they need to be entertaining to the general public.  The 'Golden Age' of old-school Miss America talent is over... I'm afraid we've been replaced by a bunch of Hollywood whipper-snappers and a public who loves to vote for baby-faced guys with acoustic guitars. :)

In addition to the Talent and Swimsuit awards given last night, Miss America also announced the winners of the Quality of Life Award, LIVE ON STAGE!  The 2nd Runner up was Miss Maryland, Jade Kenny, the 1st Runner up was Miss Delaware, Brittney Lewis, and the winner was none other than Caitlin Brunell, Miss Alabama!!!

In case you're new to this whole Miss America thingy... 99% of us know Caitlin Brunell.  It's because she was named Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 (the little sister program to Miss America).  She also started an amazing charity when she was a teenager called Caitlin's Closet.  Originally, Caitlin's Closet provided prom and homecoming dresses to girls whose family couldn't afford them.  Now, over 10,000 dresses have been given away across 40 different states - and Caitlin's Closet has expanded into offering wedding dresses, along with men's and women's business suits as well.  Junkies have personally donated dresses to Caitlin's Closet because we understand the unique impact that "a nice dress" can have on young women who feels like she doesn't fit in.  Congrats to Caitlin Brunell and the state of Alabama for another Quality of Life win!  You truly understand the impact of service in our community.

And now - It's time to bring on tonight's picks!

In light of my little monologue above, we're sticking with who we think offer the most entertaining Talent's tonight...  HERE WE GO!!!

Thursday Night Talent Picks: Alaska, Connecticut, Pennsylvania
Talent Bubble State - Virginia

Thursday Night Swimsuit Picks: Georgia, New York, New Jersey
Swimsuit Bubble State - Idaho

And there you have it!  Our final night of prelims!  After going 4 for 4, will Junkies make it a perfect 6 for 6?

Let's just say, nobody's counting our chickens around here... But we sure are having fun playing the game!!!  GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  KNOCK 'EM DEAD!!! :)

#JunkieLove -

WEDNESDAY PRELIM PICKS!!!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :)

Welcome Back, Junkies!  Don't ya just LOVE the first night of prelims at Miss America??? Everything suddenly gets real!  And judging by the number of tweets we read about last night's competition - this year is bound to be a doozie!  Just like we hoped!!! :)

Big Congratulations going out to MISS OHIO, MACKENZIE BART for winning Talent and MISS FLORIDA, VICTORIA COWEN for winning Swimsuit on Tuesday Night!

Makenzie's ventriloquism with her puppet "Roxy" stole the show last night and received strong applause from the audience!  She sang "SupercalifragilisticExpialidocious" - which is hard enough to do as a regular human being, let alone with a puppet!  And Victoria is just super-crazy photogenic... and most of us would die for her delightfully proportioned body... Plus, she's from Florida... Those girls just exude 'uber-cool' from all that easy access to the beach (lol!) :)  From what we hear, they were both well-deserved wins! 

I wish you could've heard the exceptionally huge sigh of relief that came from the Junkie household when we discovered the Tuesday night winners... SO MANY TALENTED LADIES performed last night and SO MANY BEAUTIFULLY FIT BODIES were on display - it's crazy to have to choose a winner!

Before we get tonight's picks - let me address a couple of questions we've been receiving from Junkies across the country...

1.  Are the Prelims Streamed?  Answer - Nope.  Afraid there's a whole hulabaloo regarding music streaming rights and performance fees that Miss America would have to pay if they did stream... So - rather than pay performance rights, Miss America has decided not to stream.  Sorry.  If you're an entertainment attorney, feel free to contact Miss America and help them figure out how they can afford the performance fees so all of us can watch prelims - Personally, I'd be willing to pay money each night of prelims in order to see them - and by the number of people who continue to ask us that question, we're guessing you would too! :)

2.  Will the Parade be Streamed like it was last year?  Answer - No Clue.  We haven't seen a link on any of the parade advertising, which leads us to believe it might not be available - but we're still holding out hope.  The parade is SOOOO FUN and where Nina really shined for us... Junkies promise to let you know as soon as we discover an answer either way. :)

ALRIGHT!  Back to tonight's picks!!!  After going 2 for 2 last night, The question is, can we keep the streak going tonight?

Answer - LOLOL!  Who knows??!!??

Especially because tonight...  GUESS WHAT???

WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!!!

This is a super competitive year and both areas of competition are STACKED AGAIN tonight!  Please know that I am EXTREMELY CONFLICTED about picking winners tonight... Frankly, I can see one of two things happening...

1. Points split all over the board... This is what happens when half the judges like "State A" to win the prelim and half the judges like "State B" to win the prelim, but all the judges like "State C" to finish second.  Guess what happens?  "State C" wins the prelim.  Entirely possible in both SS and Talent tonight.

2.  Judges favor the girl they loved in interview... If you nail your interview, judges are likely to see you in a positive light throughout the competition, which means you get an extra point or two in SS and/or Talent because you made a strong impression on them.  Entirely possible in both SS and Talent tonight.

Ok - Enough stalling... Here's the lineup again... Sigma competes in Talent and Mu competes in Swimsuit tonight...

 
Ready or not - Here we go!!!

Wednesday Talent Picks: Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi
Bubble State - California

Wednesday Swimsuit Picks: Alabama, Oklahoma, Louisiana
Bubble State - Connecticut

Frankly - Tonight's Swimsuit competition should be off the hook!  I've changed my picks a dozen different times already!  LOL!!!  There are seriously 4 other girls we could've listed for SS tonight!  And Talent will simply depend on what the judges prefer... Last night they went for "Entertainment Value" rather than a classic/typical Miss America-type Talent.  However, they could go a completely different direction tonight!  Who Knows??/

And there you have it! Can't wait to see who the judges choose tonight!  GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!  ENJOY - HAVE FUN!!!

TUESDAY PRELIM PICKS!!!

Here we are!  The Big Day has come!!!  It's time for the first round of predictions for Miss America 2015!!!

Couple of things... If this is your first chance to read the Pageant Junkies blog, you might wanna start with this post from yesterday... It tells you how we do, what we do, and why we do it too :)

And of course... Here's the list of states that will be competing tonight!  For Tuesday, it's Alpha in Talent and Sigma in Swimsuit!  Feel free to click on the spreadsheet itself for a larger view :)

Now - before I make my picks, I gotta say - We've been researching all of these ladies since early summer... and you know what?  I feel like this year, the competition is STRONGER THAN EVER!!!

Junkies base 99% of our research from what we find online - and only 3 short years ago, there wasn't nearly the massive amount of information that there is now!  And because there are numerous interviews, photos, videos, blogs, etc available at our fingertips, you'd think that would make our job easier!  Unfortunately, it's done just the opposite!  Even today, we searched again for ladies who might have been flying "under the radar" until this week - hoping we don't leave the right girls out!

Because I feel like this year's competition is super-fierce, I only wish I could speak to every young woman competing at Miss America this year.  If I had the chance, here's what I'd say...

"Ladies - You wanted the "Super Bowl" of pageants - well, you got it!  We've been making predictions for nearly 10 years overall - and this just might be the most competitive class we've seen in a long, long time!  While that's absolutely fantastic to realize, here's what that really means... Unfortunately, some of you are going to be left out of the Top 15 this year.  Perhaps you might've made it through during a more 'normal' year, but this just isn't a normal year.  I'm sorry - but this year is really, really competitive... and that's just the unfortunate reality of the situation.  So, with that in mind, here's our advice...

Be 100% "in the moment"... take a deep breath and remind yourself that YOU MADE IT to Miss America... Let it sink in that YOU are walking on the Miss America stage - and make the kind of memories that people only dream of making!  Be so completely in awe of this experience that your cheeks hurt from smiling so stinking much!  I promise, you're better off going into this with the mindset of having the most freaking, amazing, unforgettable time of your life - than trying to reach your goal of making the Top 15.  It's super-competitive this year - I know that YOU KNOW how crazy-talented and personable these ladies are... You can probably count several of them who would make a wonderful Miss America!  So, do everything you can to breathe it all in, pinch yourself, and simply let the cards fall where they may.  If you do, you'll be able to walk away thrilled with your performance and proud of yourself.  Oh - and PS --- HAVE FUN!!!"

And with that - let's get to our predictions!
 
TUESDAY TALENT - Iowa, Massachusetts, Ohio
Bubble Talent State - New York

TUESDAY FITNESS in SWIMSUIT - Florida, Mississippi, Missouri
Bubble SS State - South Dakota

Again - TONIGHT IS TOUGH!  There are a dozen other girls we could've listed who could win tonight!  Can't wait to find out who the judges select as the winners!

Who are your prelim picks for tonight???

GOOD LUCK LADIES!!! :)

ONLY 6 DAYS UNTIL MISS AMERICA 2015!!! :)

Yes - It's FINALLY that time of year... it's MISS AMERICA WEEK!!!

Can you believe we're going to crown another Miss America in JUST SIX DAYS???

We can't either... the anticipation is KILLING US!  Especially since we're not going to be in Atlantic City this year (sniff, sniff)... :(

It's so hard knowing we aren't going to be sitting in the audience, or strolling on the boardwalk... or buying 'new bling' from trade show... or getting totally drenched by an unexpectedly large wave from the Atlantic Ocean when you thought standing in "knee deep" water was safe!  LOL!

In addition, we're afraid this means we won't get to meet any of you in person...  Which is a total bummer because, let's face it, meeting other Junkies is half the fun of being a Junkie! :)  But we know the show must go on and we will survive from afar...  In fact, we were going through our old blog archives to see when was the last time we watched Miss America from our living room!   It was the year Caressa Cameron was crowned and it turns out, I had a rather interesting series of events take place that year... If you're curious (or bored), you can check out these 3 different postings:

Here's the first...
Here's the second...
And here's the third...

It's a bit funny to go back down memory lane while reading these... They were all in the "JBFoT" days (Junkies Before Facebook or Twitter) - when I sent emails to all of my friends during Miss America week!  If you're brand new here and don't quite understand what I'm talking about (or again, you're bored)... you can check out the details at this post here from 2012. :)

But enough reminiscing!!!  It's Business Time!!!

INTERVIEWS BEGIN TODAY - which means, PRELIMS BEGIN TOMORROW - which means... JUNKIES POST PRELIM PREDICTIONS TOMORROW!!!  WHOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

As a quick review, here's how it works:

1. Two awards are given on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night... one for Fitness in Swimsuit and one for Talent (no on-stage awards for Evening Gown or On-Stage Question). Three nights of prelims times 2 awards each night means 6 awards total (who says pageant girls can't do math? GO STEM!).

2. Ever since we began making prelim predictions, we've been listing 4 states each night as our potential winners.  However, because Junkies went a perfect 6 for 6 last year, this year, we're only going to select 3 states per night and 1 "bubble" state (lol)... This is basically our way of making things a bit harder - and seeing if we can still pick prelim winners each night!

3. To provide complete disclosure... I've seen 4 of this year's contestants in person and have only met 1 of those 4 ladies in person.  99% of our research on our picks is from online research alone.

4.  Here's the Prelim list... for Tuesday, we're working with Alpha in Talent and Sigma in Swimsuit...

And of course, because we have so many new followers, I need to take a few moments to remind everyone about our ground rules...

1. These predictions are my way of making Miss America week interesting and are the continuation of something that was started long before the word "Blog" was even in the dictionary. :)  If I don't pick your favorite state, it doesn't mean she isn't smart enough, it doesn't mean she isn't pretty enough, it doesn't mean she isn't talented enough or that she doesn't have what it takes to win... It only means, I'm not perfect and I get it wrong from time to time.  It's not personal!  We want all the ladies to do their best!  If that means surprising us, then so be it!  As Junkies like to say, "If we pick your girl, we hope she proves us right... And if we don't pick your girl, we hope she proves us wrong!" :)

2. Just because we accurately predict a prelim winner - it doesn't mean she is the next Miss America.  Remember, neither Mallory Hagan nor Nina Davuluri won a single prelim!  Further, neither girl was even listed as a part of our prelim prediction list - But they both walked away with the crown!  Your girl can too! :) 

3. This is supposed to be... (wait for it... wait for it...) FUN!!! :)  Since prelim predictions are the origin of this whole crazy movement, those of us in the Junkie-Nation have a blast seeing if we can accurately predict a winner simply through online research and Junkie intuition.  Please don't take it personally if the girl you adore is not listed in our posts... especially this year... The competition is fierce this year and if we forget the fun - well, then we're just being dumb.  And nobody likes a dumb pageant girl. :)

Predictions will begin Tuesday - and we'll post our blog sometime before the preliminary competition begins!  Don't forget - you can check out our judges post here...  This post will give you a little more insight into the people responsible for choosing the next Miss America and how we think they might lean...

Until then - NOW IS THE TIME for you to begin making your own lists!  Feel free to "play along at home" and create your own list of potential prelim winners for each night!  Seeing your predictions is what makes this whole thing FUN! 

Plus, it reminds us that the Junkie-Nation is alive and well!  So grab a pencil (because every time we grab a pen, we regret it!) - go back and check out the contestant lineup above - and let's get this party started!!!  MISS AMERICA 2015 AWAITS!!!

Until then - Toodle - Loo!!!

Founding Junkie

JUDGES POST - MISS AMERICA 2015!!!

JUDGES!!! WE FINALLY HAVE JUDGES!!! :)

Junkies and contestants get excited about the "Judges Announcement" for a couple of reasons.  Here's Why...

When you have 53 articulate, intelligent, talented and overall fabulous ladies competing for the Miss America crown, it is darn near impossible to figure out who really is "better than the rest".  That's why the judging panel is important.

As a contestant, in order to be successful at Miss America, you need to know who's judging, then leverage that information in order to "connect and impress" in both the interview, and on stage.

I'm reading your mind right now (lol)... and I can tell... some of you... aren't really "buying" what I'm selling.  Chances are, you're thinking one of two things right now... 

Thought #1

          "C'mon... I don't think judges really have anything to do with it.  I believe there's one girl, who outshines the rest and is destined to become Miss America, regardless of who's on the judges panel..."

This school of thought isn't fully without merit.  In fact, Miss America 1995, Heather Whitestone comes to mind... (hope you got to see the YouTube clip we posted of Heather yesterday!)  I truly think that girl was going to be Miss America regardless of who was on the judges panel - Case Closed!

Thought #2

          "C'mon... I don't think the judges really have anything to do with it.  The "powers that be" at Miss America already know who they want to win and the panel is stacked in favor of that girl."

Well - We can't speak to the validity of this claim, although it's held by many people.  It wouldn't surprise us if MAO knew the quality traits and specific characteristics they were looking for in a winner... But... we're not convinced they pick one girl and stack the panel so she can win.  And even if they did - we're not convinced it always works out the way they had originally intended!!! LOL!  :)

So - in light of these thoughts... Here's our "Happy Medium"...

If you're truly "destined" to become Miss America (by the powers that be or through some higher, spiritual force) - then congratulations - I'm so excited for you - I can't wait for your dream to come true - please don't forget to use water-proof mascara on your big night! :)

But, for everyone else who thinks Miss America is kind of a "crap shoot" (and I use that term fondly), then, we say it might be a good idea to discover how you can "connect and impress" the 7 people who hold the fate of the crap-shoot in their hands (lol!). 

So - let's take a look at this year's panel and see if we might be able to glean some insights... The panel includes:

Lee Meriwether - Actress, Humanitarian and Miss America 1955... Beloved "Forever Miss America" by MAO and pageant fans alike
Marc Cherry - Executive Producer and Writer of multiple hit television shows, has strong fondness for MAO, also judged Miss America 2011
Kathy Ireland - Supermodel, Fashion Guru and CEO/Chief Designer of her own company... Conservative and a strong religious advocate
Donald Driver - All-time leading Receiver for the Green Bay Packers, Continually beats the odds against him, Dancing With the Stars Champ
Anne MacDonald - Retired Army Brigadier General, West Point Grad with 2 Masters Degrees, Glass-Ceiling Breaker, now an Executive Coach
Gary Vaynerchuk - Entrepreneur, Author, Public Speaker, Digital and Social Media Branding Expert, originally from Belarus
Shawn Johnson - Gold Medal Olympian, Dancing With the Stars Champ, judged Miss America 2010

So... What do The Junkies see when we look at this panel of judges???  Here's a few thoughts...

1.  Marketing Gurus - Every one of these people found success in a certain area and then parlayed that success into a national brand.  We think this panel will choose a contestant who has a strong grasp on her own 'personal brand' and has a fundamental understanding of how to market via social media.  Doesn't matter if your brand is your platform, or your personality, or your life story - These people understand the value behind branding and marketing.  Any girl who doesn't have a significant understanding on how to sell herself, and how to get the general public to respond, will be left wanting...

2.  Substance Over Style - No Divas here!  These people were not entitled - Far from it!!!  They all started at the bottom and busted their tail to take their career as high as they possibly could.  That tells us this panel will likely choose a hard worker - and someone who is extremely grateful - as opposed to someone who thinks they're better than the rest and "deserves to win".  If you've mastered the pageant interview but can't translate those skills into real life, this panel is going to see right through you.  These people can't be fooled.

3.  Street-Smart and Business Savvy.  These judges don't fit "inside the box" that others have painted for them.  Think about it... in several cases, when everyone thought they had already given all they could offer in a certain career path, they reinvented themselves to become something more (Driver, Johnson, Ireland, MacDonald).  You can't do that unless you have a rock-solid belief in yourself and refuse to let others tell you what you can and can't do.  That means, they're looking for someone who's multi-faceted, won't crumble under a bit of pressure, and has the ability to 'surprise' people who think they might have you pegged.

4.  Hello Fitness!  With an NFL player, an Olympic Gymnast and a Super-Model on the panel - you can bet swimsuit is going to be a factor this year.  Some people say although we've been crowning "good" swimsuit bodies - we haven't been crowning the "most fit" girls in recent years.  I'm guessing that changes this year and we're gonna crown a solidly fit contestant in September.

5. "Entertainment" Trumps "Talent" - No big change here... This is what we've seen with the last 2 Miss Americas.  You don't have to be the most technically skilled contestant to win - But you most certainly have to be entertaining.  If you're technically sound but not entertaining, Junkies hope you add some 'spark' to your routine immediately.  We're not saying a "Talent Queen" has no chance of winning - we're saying you've got to have "Entertainment Value" - period. 

And there you have it!  I suspect the woman who will be crowned Miss America 2015 will be social media savvy, someone who has inner-strength, who is engaging, personable and unstoppable.  The question is... Who will she be...???

Only THIRTY-TWO more days until we find out!!!

Told you this was gonna be a BIG WEEK - And it's not over yet!!! :)

;)
Founding Junkie