And the Winner Is... 2008
Whoooooooo Hoooooooooo! I'm allowed to celebrate because the new Miss America 2009 is MISS MICHIGAN!!!!!!!!!!
If you didn't see my picks on Friday, it's because I over-loaded your inbox previously during the week and the email I sent you on Friday bounced back. I think I had 3 different addresses bounce back - and I sincerely apologize for sending too large of files. Every year the internet gets more and more info and apparently I get more and more carried away. :)
I do have to admit (ask my husband) - that throughout the broadcast I swore they were going to give it to California or Washington. When they called Michigan not once BUT TWICE as the "first contestant" to perform her talent and the first contestant in swimsuit… I thought they were going to go another direction. However - Michigan prevailed! Very Exciting Indeed!
Here's the skinny on our winner… Miss Michigan is Kirsten Haglund from Farmington Hills, Michigan. Her Grandmother was Miss Michigan at Miss America in 1944. She's only 19 years old - and Miss America was her 3rd pageant in her entire lifetime! She won her local on the first try, she won Miss Michigan on her first try and then won Miss America! Funny - because that was the exact same path that Kaye Lani Rae Rafko took 20 years ago as Miss America 1988, also from Michigan! :) Kirsten Haglund will be promoting "Eating Disorder Awareness" as her platform this year - something she struggled with earlier in her teenage years. She's a student at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory School of Music (only 60 students across the US are accepted each year).
In case you missed the pageant - here were the final results…
Winner = Michigan
1st Runner Up = Indiana
2nd Runner Up = Washington
3rd Runner Up = Virginia
4th Runner Up = North Carolina
Remaining Top 10
California, Wisconsin, Texas, Georgia and Iowa
Remaining Top 16
Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas
America's Choice for the 16th Finalist
UTAH!!!! :)
So - here are a couple of remaining thoughts…
1. Miss Utah did push-ups ON STAGE when it was announced that she would not be moving on! Then - she got about 6 other girls to join her! Absolutely Hilarious!
2. Three different Preliminary winners didn't make it into the Top 16!!!! That's amazing!!! Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts were all left standing on the sidelines when the top 16 were announced. That's really something!
3. Although I couldn't figure out why they were doing it at the time… I realized that Miss America was trying to emulate other "reality shows". Until the very end - they called the names of the girls who were ELIMINATED rather than the names of the girls who ADVANCED. It's a subtle difference… and doesn't allow the girls who didn't make it to throw a fit off stage. Maybe that's a good thing??? It's kind of like when Donald Trump singles you out and says "Your fired"…. Miss America said… "I'm sorry - the next girl eliminated from the competition is… Miss Florida". So sad and yet - very much like what we're used to watching on regular reality TV.
4. NOBODY changed their look ALL NIGHT!!! There just wasn't any time to pull your hair back or get a different color of lipstick during the commercials! Poor Miss Michigan probably didn't even get to warm up her voice before singing her talent! One minute everyone's in swimsuit - the next minute you've got everyone on stage in a talent costume preparing to perform! Even Miss Wisconsin was still buckling her shoes when they came back from the commercial break! Guess that "prepares" you to be ready for anything!?!
5. A little too weird for me to see mom's and dad's on stage. I don't mind seeing the girls on stage - but seeing the parents was a little strange.
6. Clinton Kelly of TLC's "What Not To Wear" sold me on why he should be the next host of Miss America 2009!!!! He was FUNNY!!!! And he's FABULOUS "off the cuff" --- I thought much better than the other guy who only got the gig because he's married to Leanza Cornett, MA 1993.
7. Finally - if Texas would have had any talent whatsoever, she could have been Top 3. My husband is sure she could have won - but you can't be a "jazz dancer" wearing white gloves and win. Sorry.
Big Kudos go out to Jillian Scott - who picked 9 out of the Top 16, 5 out of the Top 10 and 3 out of the Top 5!!!! She picked Indiana to win it all - WHICH WAS PRETTY DARN CLOSE - All before the program even started!!!! Nice Work Jill!!!
Otherwise - Again, I apologize for filling your inboxes - and Thank You for your time and attention the past several weeks. If you'd like to see pictures - feel free to email me… I've got an entire montage available! OH! And if you see our winner on the morning talk shows today - let me know how she does!!! :)
Hopefully you had some fun with this - even if it was at my expense!!!
Until Next Year….
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