Topic: Miss America

Dame Rodeo Queen, a former Miss Rodeo America, shared a story of "divine intervention" after a podcast segment about the negative side effects of SSRIs helped her family identify a medical issue. She also discussed her role as an ambassador for professional rodeo. The hosts praise her for using her platform to encourage donations and community support.

The Miss Universe organization is now owned by Anne Jakrajutatip, a Thai businesswoman and transgender woman. This leadership change follows the era of Donald Trump's ownership and has sparked debate regarding the pageant's focus on women. Miss Ukraine failed to place in the top 20 of the recent competition held in New Orleans.

The Miss America organization is facing internal turmoil as reigning queen Cara Mund accused leadership, specifically Gretchen Carlson, of bullying and silencing her. The hosts discuss the political shift of the pageant and the allegations that Carlson is using the platform to promote her own involvement in the Me Too movement.

The Miss America organization announced it is dropping its swimsuit competition to focus on talent and substance. In other news, activists in San Jose are protesting Google's plans for a "mega-campus," fearing it will exacerbate the city's homelessness and eviction crises. The protesters are demanding that Google commit to protecting local residents from tech-driven gentrification.

Gretchen Carlson, the new chairman of the Miss America Organization, discussed the future of the pageant on PBS following the resignation of the previous CEO. Carlson emphasized the program's role as a scholarship provider but remained vague on whether the swimsuit competition would be eliminated. The hosts speculate that the organization will struggle to maintain viewership if it moves away from its traditional format.

The hosts perform a "television producer" deconstruction of the Miss America pageant. They praise a ventriloquist act but critique the overall selection of contestants, noting that "genuine beauties" are often overlooked. Cara Mund of North Dakota is crowned the winner, though the hosts compare her appearance to Marie Osmond and Miley Cyrus.

Miss Texas suggests that a "Mr. America" competition should include a swimsuit portion. The hosts discuss the "cruel" nature of the pageant's elimination process, where contestants are left on stage in performance gear only to be cut before they can perform. They note the panel of judges included figure skater Tara Lipinski.

A preliminary deconstruction of the recent Miss America pageant highlights the highly political nature of the questions asked of the finalists. The hosts criticize the pageant for focusing on anti-Trump sentiment and plan a full analysis for the following episode.

The 2017 Miss America pageant on ABC featured a field of contestants that critics found more pleasant than in previous years. Miss Arkansas, Savvy Shields, won the title following a modern dance performance. The competition was noted for its high number of singers and dancers, while more unique talents like Miss Kentucky's electric violin were eliminated before they could be performed on the main stage.

The final round of the Miss America pageant featured highly political questions provided by the organization to the judges. Contestants were asked to weigh in on the Mexican border wall, the media's bias in election coverage, Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest, and Gretchen Carlson's sexual harassment settlement. The questions were criticized for being "anti-Trump" and designed to force contestants into difficult political stances.

Allegations of rigging surfaced during the Miss America question segment, as Miss New York was given a direct question about Donald Trump while the eventual winner, Miss Arkansas, was asked about Hillary Clinton. Despite Miss Arkansas running over her allotted time and giving an incomplete answer, she was not disqualified. The segment is viewed by some as a scripted audition for future media or Broadway roles rather than a spontaneous competition.

The hosts critique the Miss America pageant, focusing on a segment where Julie Chen's past plastic surgery is used as a prompt for contestants. Miss Florida, Miranda Jones, discusses her blue-collar background and the need for jobs before being cut off by the host. Dvorak argues the show is rigged and notes that the judges and hosts represent a specific demographic shift in the pageant's production.

John C. Dvorak presents a detailed analysis of speaking times for pageant finalists, alleging that Miss New York (Nina Davuluri) was given more time than Miss Florida. He enters a prediction into the "Red Book" that Davuluri will not complete her term due to online bullying. The hosts also praise Miss Kansas, Theresa Vail, for her military background and tattoos, contrasting her with the "girl next door" archetype.

New York State's Mental Hygiene Law includes provisions for involuntary admission to psychiatric facilities, a term described as Orwellian and synonymous with brainwashing. Constant engagement with Facebook is characterized as mentally unhealthy due to the prevalence of entertainment-focused news and performative outrage. Analysis of televised events like the Miss America pageant is now conducted via recordings to avoid the "unhealthy" experience of real-time viewing.

The Miss America 2016 pageant featured a Q&A segment with heavily political questions, including one from judge Kevin O'Leary regarding which woman should appear on the $10 bill. Miss Alabama's response criticized Donald Trump's influence on the Republican Party while praising Jeb Bush and Chris Christie. The pageant's broadcast on ABC is noted for its perceived pro-Jeb Bush bias, potentially linked to corporate ties between Disney and the former Florida governor.

During the Miss America Q&A, Miss Colorado suggested that comedian Ellen DeGeneres should be the woman featured on the $10 bill. She cited DeGeneres's platform of tolerance, equality, and kindness as the primary reasons for the honor. The answer was met with ridicule by some observers who viewed it as a superficial response to a significant historical and political question.

Despite winning the crown, Miss Georgia Betty Cantrell struggled with a Q&A question regarding whether New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady cheated during the "Deflategate" scandal. Cantrell stated that if there was any question about the balls being deflated, then Brady "definitely cheated" and deserved his suspension. Her victory despite a perceived poor answer suggests the Q&A segment may carry less weight than the talent and swimsuit portions of the pageant.

The final rounds of Miss America featured questions on controversial topics including Planned Parenthood funding, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the jailing of Kentucky clerk Kim Davis. Miss Tennessee defended Planned Parenthood's healthcare services, while Miss South Carolina was eliminated after opposing a ban on military-style assault weapons. The contestants' responses generally aligned with mainstream political talking points, reflecting the pageant's shift toward socially relevant questioning.

Kira Kazantsev, representing New York but originally from Walnut Creek, California, won the Miss America 2015 pageant. Her talent performance involved playing a plastic cup while singing, a trend popularized on YouTube. The hosts note a shift in the pageant's production style, describing it as more "Miss World" in its focus on high-quality visuals and "hot" contestants.

The final question segment of Miss America is criticized as being "rigged" and rehearsed, with contestants given 20-second clocks for their answers. Questions covered controversial topics like gun control for children and the Ray Rice domestic violence incident. The hosts argue that the contestants' "platforms" are conveniently matched to their assigned questions.