Hollywood On Productions: C.Brown, J.Donovan, B.Kownacki
Photos: Brendan Kownacki – Video: Chris Brown
Everyone knows the pageantry of the Miss America competition; the evening gowns, the swimsuits, the interviews that make-or-break the quest for the crown, but this year’s pageant was special for so many reasons.
The biggest shift for the 2014 pageant was the return ‘home’ to Atlantic City after a six year move to Las Vegas as the hosting venue. The pageant dates back to 1921 and has deep roots in the boardwalks of New Jersey so there was much pride for many in seeing the event come back.
This year’s competition had the usual structure and 53 bubbly girls bursting with spirit trying to make it all the way. Each girl kicked off her appearance with a quip about her home state and there was no shortage of puns and jokes to keep the audience entertained.
“Listening to your phone calls from the nation’s capital — just kidding! I’m Miss District of Columbia Bindhu Pamarthi!”
“From the home of the reigning Super Bowl champions, you bet I’m wacko for Flacco, I’m Christina Denny Miss Maryland!”
…and it was Miss Maryland who was the bigger winner for the DMV region. She made it all the way through to the Top 10 surpassing Miss DC and Miss Virginia. She stunned the crowd in both the swimsuit and evening gown rounds and dazzled with a performance of the Broadway musical Wicked for the talent portion of the night.
The talents were a diverse blend this year; singing, baton twirling, Irish step dancing, violin, and even a Bollywood fusion act that would end up stealing the judges’ hearts.
And of course, for those who were waiting for it, there was all the gawking glory of the swimsuit competition. Pure confidence at its finest as the girls paraded down the catwalk in their best swimwear.
But really, the Miss America pageant is about much more than that. Each competitor chooses a philanthropic platform to support and the winner of the crown gets a $50,000 scholarship to help her pursue her educational and advocacy goals. Those goals scream clear as the final 5 (New York, California, Florida, Oklahoma, Minnesota) were asked about unemployment, Syria, discrimination, sex scandals and even Miley Cyrus during the interview segment.
Miss New York, Nina Davuluri quickly sped to the top of the pack with her discussion of CBS anchor Julie Chen’s recent revelation that she got plastic surgery to try and advance her career in the face of ethnic discrimination. Davuluri, whose chosen platform involves celebrating diversity, snapped back that the world (and the pageant) were evolving and that confidence and persistence will be what carries you through. She seemed to know exactly what she wanted to say as she took the microphone and it showed.
When the time came, there she was….Miss New York, the new 2014 Miss America, breaking down several walls as the first Indian-American Miss America and the third Miss America to bring back-to-back victories to a state. Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan was also from New York (It also happened for Mississippi in 1959 and 1960 and Oklahoma in 2006 and 2007.)
Davuluri charmed from the podium in a press conference after the crowning. “I haven’t even had time to be emotional yet, so excuse me if I do now” she said trying to gather her words and still hold up a massive bouquet of roses. “I’m so grateful for children who are watching at home who can finally relate to a new kind of Miss America” she said, driving home the message of diversity that will define her year.
