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Miss America Turns 90!

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Miss America was originally conceived as a publicity stunt for Atlantic City.  Margaret Gorman was the big winner.  It has since blossomed into one of the signature media events of the year.  Lee Meriweather was the first televised winner in 1955, resulting in a number of television roles including Catwoman, although she is probably best remembered for her role opposite Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones.  In 1997, contestants were allowed to further reveal themselves with the introduction of the two-piece swim suit.  Despite attempts to keep this a wholesome event, any number of scandals have plagued the event.  Remember Vanessa Williams being stripped of her title when it was found out she had posed nude for Penthouse back in 1984?  She also went onto have a very successful television career and can be currently seen in Desperate Housewives.  She showed her good humor, not to mention her curvacious body for Allure magazine in 2007.   Miss America has also resulted in political wives like Phyllis George Brown.  Who was your favorite Miss America?

Comments

  1. TripplerSeptember 9, 2011 at 4:19 PM

    Favorite Miss America?

    Bess Myerson, of course:

    http://www.peoplequiz.com/images/bios/bess-myerson.jpg-6187.jpg

    http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTo3ckWoGvKIlPPrLhP4Jx43iWETJjNuOiZSHL0HRmxUXi8lIlt

    http://www.mielofon.com/model/bess_myerson/bess-myerson.jpg


    Far and away - the best of all time. Later on in life she got mired in controversy due to politics and she fell from social grace as a consequence. Well, nobody is perfect. But as for looks, charm, personality, and her efforts to work for social good, she's the best.

    ReplyDelete
  2. James FergusonSeptember 9, 2011 at 8:53 PM

    I'm going to go with Yolande Betbeze,

    http://www.missamerica.org/our-miss-americas/1950/1951.aspx

    who spurned Catalina swimsuits, stating, "I'm an opera singer, not a pin-up!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. TripplerSeptember 10, 2011 at 4:14 AM

    Marisol Malaret is thought by many to be the ultimate beauty Queen:

    http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcShHwZkLWshN2GkTGqAZxOK1y71AqVxWjmaVrHPirDD6yisXRBq

    Like Bess she remains a life long social activist and is of unmatchable beauty.

    ReplyDelete

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