IN MEMORIUM

Theater News, 08-mar-2011: Miss America 1943 Jean Bartel, who followed her reign as Miss America by appearing on Broadway, died on Sunday, March 6, according to published reports. She was 87 years old. Bartel played Clementina in the 1946 revival of the operetta The Desert Song, and she appeared in the ensemble of the 1952 revival of Of Thee I Sing, along with understudying the role of Diana Deveraux. In a statement, officials of the Miss America pageant said: "Over the years, Jean has continued to be a great supporter of The Miss America Organization. She was a remarkable Miss America and a dedicated individual -- committed to our organization and has forever touched our hearts." Read the press release from the Miss America Organization here.

HOMECOMING

Omaha World-Herald, 24-feb-2011: Even though it was only for a day, Miss America Teresa Scanlan was glad to be home. After being crowned five weeks ago in Las Vegas, Scanlan spent Wednesday visiting friends and family and making appearances in both Scottsbluff and Gering. She started the day with a visit to her brother Adam's school, Community Christian School in Scottsbluff, followed by a luncheon with county officials; then she met with reporters and talked about her experiences. Scanlan then attended a VIP reception at the Scotts Bluff Country Club, and ended her visit with a banquet in her honor at the Gering Civic Center. Despite everything she's seen since her crowning, Scanlan said one of the dreamlike parts was just coming home. More at the Omaha World-Herald website.

ZEN ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska

BABY, YOU'RE A FIREWORK

One of Beauty School's favorite moments during Saturday night's telecast of Miss America 2011 was the reunion of past titlehoders. With Katy Perry's "Firework" playing in the background, we got to see over 40 Miss Americas, including Jean Bartel, Miss America 1943. Jean still has "it," and so did all of the others! Speaking of fireworks, the ratings for the ABC telecast were hot. It started the night with 5.26 million viewers, built steadily over the two hours, and ended the night with 7.85 million viewers. Overall, the pageant enjoyed a whopping 47 percent increase in viewers over last year. It also decked the Donald’s Miss USA 2010 telecast by more than 1 million viewers.

CORNHUSKER CAPTURES THE CROWN

Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska, is the new Miss America 2011. She gives the Cornhusker state its first-ever Miss America crown. 17-year-old Scanlan won after strutting in a black bikini and a white evening gown, playing “White Water Chopped Sticks” on piano and telling the audience that when it comes to the website Wikileaks, security should come before public access to government information. First runner-up was Miss Arkansas Alyse Eady. Second runner-up was Miss Hawaii Jalee Fuselier, third runner-up was Miss Washington Jacquie Brown, and fourth runner-up was Miss Oklahoma Emoly West. Miss America celebrated its 90th anniversary this year and was held at the Theater for the Performing Arts at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. The hosts were Chris Harrison, of "The Bachelor" fame, as well as model and "Dancing With the Stars" alum Brooke Burke. The pageant, which is distinct from the Miss USA crown, aims "to provide personal and professional opportunities for young women to promote their voices in culture, politics and the community," according to the Miss America website. (Sources: AP, CNN, and Getty Images)

CROWN CONTENDERS

There is a new Miss America tonight. Among the contenders for the crown are talent preliminary winners Miss North Carolina Adrienne Core for clogging, Miss Rhode Island Deborah Saint-Vil for singing, and Miss Nebraska Teresa Scanlan for piano playing.

Swimsuit (officially Lifestyle & Fitness) preliminary winners and strong contenders for the crown are Miss Hawaii Jalee Fuselier, Miss Alabama Ashley Davis, and Miss Oklahoma Emoly West.

90 YEARS AND COUNTING - 2011

The Miss America 2011 contestants got "All Shook Up" yesterday at a pre-pageant pancake pandemonium event in Las Vegas. The 53 contestants - representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico - celebrated Elvis' Birthday and Miss America's 90th anniversary as they raised awareness about IHOP's National Pancake Day benefitting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. (Source: Marketwire)

90 YEARS AND COUNTING - 2010

Miss America 2010, Virginia's Caressa Cameron

90 YEARS AND COUNTING - 1921

At Miss America 1921

90 YEARS AND COUNTING - 1966

At the 1966 Miss America pageant

90 YEARS AND COUNTING - 2006

Miss Alabama, Miss Georgia, Miss District of Columbia, Miss Oklahoma, and Miss Virginia make top 5 at Miss America 2006

90 YEARS AND COUNTING - 1962

Speaking of new cars, here is Miss America 1962, North Carolina's Maria Beale Fletcher, showing off her new set of wheels.

CROWNING JOY

New York Post, 12-dec-2010: The irony isn't lost on Joy Behar. "I realize it is out of character for me to be judging Miss America," the famously feminist "View" host admits. "But maybe it will make the show more modern or bring it up to date." The struggling pageant, which has lost more than 28 million viewers since its heyday in 1988, returns to network TV next month for the first time in four years. "I will be looking for the girl with the cellulite," Behar told The Post. "This is a complete departure for me. But I have a permission slip from Gloria Steinem."

Q: So the less skinny girls will have a better chance this year?
I do always find the odd girls prettier. But I don't think I am going to judge anybody on their beauty as much as their intelligence and their talents.

Q: Have you ever judged anything before?
No. Maybe on a cruise once. And it was a talent contest. It is nothing I ever aspired to. But it is something completely different from what I do. And I get to spend a week in Las Vegas. That is one of the draws. I like to play the blackjack and craps.

Read full article at the New York Post website.

90 YEARS AND COUNTING - 1944

At Miss America 1944

MISS AMERICA 2011 HOSTS ANNOUNCED

Television personalities Brooke Burke and Chris Harrison have been tapped to preside over Miss America 2011, to be televised on ABC in January. Both Brooke and Chris are hosts for two of ABC's biggest ratings-getters - Brooke co-hosts "Dancing with the Stars" and Chris hosts "The Bachelor" and "The Bachorlette" shows. This will be Brooke's first time hosting Miss America; Chris last hosted in 2004, also the last time ABC televised the show.

"We are thrilled to be working with Brooke for the 2011 Miss America Pageant and look forward to her joining us for the 90th anniversary celebration of this great American tradition. We welcome Brooke into our Miss America family, and we know she will be a wonderful co-host for this exciting milestone in our organization's illustrious history," Miss America Organization President Art McMaster said in a statement. (Source: UPI)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

Indiana's Katie Stam, Miss America 2009

Happy Birthday, United States of America!

MORE FOR MISS AMERICA 2011

This weekend saw the election of several more state representatives to Miss America 2011. Among those crowned were Miss Louisiana Kelsi Crain, Miss North Carolina Adrienne Core, Miss Virginia Caitlin Uze, and Miss Maryland Lindsay Staniszewski.

MAO DAYS

This past weekend was a busy one for the Miss America Organization (MAO). Several states and the District of Columbia held contests to elect their representatives to Miss America 2011, to be televised in January on the US broadcast network ABC. Here are six winners: Miss Georgia is Christina McCauley; Miss Tennessee is Nicole Jordan; Miss Michigan is Katie LaRoche; Miss New Jersey is Ashleigh Udalovas; Miss District of Columbia is Stephanie Williams; and Miss Ohio is Becky Minger. Congratulations all! We will see you in Las Vegas on the night of the final (January 15) and look forward to celebrating MAO's 90th anniversary!

MOMENT OF TRUTH

Miss Oklahoma 2011 finalists Emoly West, left and Betty Thompson react as Emoly West wins the Miss Oklahoma title in Tulsa, Okla. Saturday June 12, 2010. Emoly will now represent Oklahoma at Miss America 2011 in January.

NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY

Madge, the Cafeteria Lady, cooked up this stack of buttermilk pancakes for a hungry Beauty School student. In honor of our international student body, the Beauty School cafeteria will be serving Swedish pancakes and Argentine panqueques con dulce de leche all day today. And of course, only made-in-Vermont maple syrup will be available to put on your pancakes, in honor of Miss USA 1955 and Miss Teen USA 1993. Miss America 2010, Caressa Cameron of Virginia, will flip pancakes at the local IHOP.

Madge uses this pancake mix.