By April MacIntyre Jan 26, 2010, 15:30 GMT
There she is, Miss America, on TLC this weekend.
Mario Lopez roams the streets of Utah as the Sundance Festival 2010 gets underway in Park City, Utah on January 22, 2010. Fame Pictures, Inc - Santa Monica, CA, USA
Beauty pageants comprise a vast and strange world. Miss America is as straight-forward and traditional as they get, and the event continues as TLC delivers the classic Miss America to a live audience Saturday night, from Planet Hollywood.
Some other beauty pageants celebrated over the world include:
Miss_Landmine
From Oddee.com, the Miss Landmine pageant was created by Norwegian artist Morten Traavik, and "celebrates pride and empowerment over physical perfection." In this beauty contest ten women competed for the title of most beautiful mutilated Angolan woman. The winner takes a new leg prosthesis.
Miss Russian Army
The Russian Army needed some good publicity and more "manpower" so the Russian Defense Ministry held a beauty contest in June 2005, nineteen female soldiers and sailors participated in the competition (entitled Beauties in Shoulder Straps), which was broadcast on live television.
The event included the female army contestants sashaying down the catwalk singing: "Since we're soldiers, our first concern is automatic weapons; boys come second"
Tune in to the live Miss America pageant on Saturday, Jan. 30, @ 8 PM ET.
The Miss America Pageant -- and the scholarship program itself -- began as a "bathing beauty" contest in the 1920s.
The Miss America Organization today is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance, helping young women all across the country to reach their dreams and goals.
Mario Lopez returns as host of the 2010 Miss America Pageant. This marks his second consecutive year hosting the event, and his third time total for Miss America.
This year, Mario released a children's book entitled Mud Tacos, a story he co-wrote with his sister. Additionally, fans saw Mario revive his role as Dr. Mark Hamoui on the popular FX series Nip/Tuck.
What Not To Wear fans take note: Clinton Kelly co-host of TLC's hit series hosts the one-hour special Miss America: Behind the Curtain, airing Friday, January 29, 2010 at 10 PM, immediately following the airing of What Not to Wear's 250th episode.
Clinton also returns as special correspondent to the Miss America Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 at 8 PM ET, live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
As host of Behind the Curtain, Clinton shares exclusive insight about the 53 contestants and never-before-seen footage from the preliminary competition that lead into the live event.
The next night, Clinton returns for his third year as a special correspondent for the live Miss America Pageant, joining host Mario Lopez as they prepare to crown 2010's Miss America.
This year's panel of judges is comprised of experts in each of the fields that a young woman must excel in, in order to be named Miss America.
What does it take?
According to the Miss America people, she must be talented, intelligent and well-spoken, a leader, have a commitment to her community, be contemporary in her style and fashion - a relatable and individual 'it girl' who can connect with today's modern woman, as well as being physically fit.
Bonus Las Vegas insider details on the Miss America contestants...
Newsflash: they eat Italian food!
The 53 contestants in the 2010 Miss America Pageant, wearing their sashes and crowns, converged on the Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant in Las Vegas.
The women tucked in on family-style servings of Italian cuisine such as mozzarella caprese salad, apple gorgonzola salad, prosciutto stuffed mushrooms, lemon chicken and for dessert the ladies enjoyed a preview of the super-sized Brownie Sundae.
Bonus food fact: The enormous brownie consists of 30oz of gelato, one square foot of Ghiradelli brownie, whipped-cream, caramel, cherries and is served in a 48oz martini glass. Let the Bulimia begin.
While dining, all of the ladies - including Miss Indiana - joined Buca di Beppo Paisano Partner Ryan Smith who sent M&C this cool photo as he taught the contestants the proper way to devour the decadent chocolate dessert:
The iconic Miss America Pageant takes place at the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and will air live on TLC on January 30, 2010. I hope you can include a mention and/or photo in your publication. Please call me at 702.862.4242 if you need any additional info or photos.
Photo Info:
KA IN: Miss Kansas, Becki Ronen; Miss Indiana, Nicole Lynn Pollard
Photo Credit - Ethan Miller, Getty Images
To determine who will be Miss America 2010 the following panel of judges has been selected:
Beauty: Vivica A. Fox -- Fox is an accomplished actress and was an outstanding player on Curb Your Enthusiasm as the feisty "Loretta Black."
Community Service: Miss America 2002 Katie Harman -- Since her year, Harman tours nationally and internationally as an acclaimed classical and operatic vocalist with a myriad of opera and musical theater companies, symphony orchestras, and special events. Also a recording artist and television personality, she can next be seen in a principal role as a singer on HBO's Big Love (airing March 2010). .
Fitness: Shawn Johnson -- Johnson is an 2008 Olympic gold medalist for gymnastics and became the youngest ever contestant and season eight champion on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
Talent -- Dave Koz -- Koz is a six-time Grammy nominee, multi platinum pop instrumentalist. Recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,
Communications/Interview -- Rush Limbaugh -- Limbaugh is the polarizing conservative and ultra-popular host of The Rush Limbaugh Show, aand was nominated in 2007 for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Entertainment -- Paul Rodriguez -- Rodriguez is an actor and comedian whose career spans more than two decades and includes starring roles and featured appearances in over 40 films and countless television series and specials.
Creating America's Rising Talent -- Brooke White -- White is a singer and songwriter who is most known for her appearance as a finalist on season seven of American Idol.
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