NO.

[substitute]

This is the standard of beauty? START THE REACTOR

Comments

[foo2rama.livejournal.com]

she might have a great personality

[miss-geek.livejournal.com]

that's awesome :)

[bruisedhips.livejournal.com]

How fantastically horrifying

[stimps.livejournal.com]

But Mama said I was real purty and could dance good. You don't wanna make me cry now, do ya?

[nosrialleon.livejournal.com]

EmptyV had a Miss America special on which notably featured people who didn't think the pagent is a good thing...

The best quote came from Diedrich Bader of all people, who said something to the effect of "as she walks that runway, she has to be aware that she has attained one of the most absurd goals in the history of the universe and it must take every bit of effort she has not to just catch on fire."

They showed the clip of him saying that twice, and I laughed my ass off each time they played it.

[frobisher.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd be willing to make Miss AZ cry. Hell, we could see how she dances while we POKE HER WITH STICKS.

[loose-joints.livejournal.com]

I came here with a simple dream of killing all humans.

[tuliphead.livejournal.com]

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TURKEYS DIED TO MAKE THAT OUTFIT?!

[hensatc.livejournal.com]

i think this once again goes to prove nothing worthwhile comes out of arizona that doesnt also destroy the world in the process

Keep on burning

[citizenx.livejournal.com]

I started to cry when I realized I could totally picture where that "dance move" should go in the song.

[eyeteeth.livejournal.com]

The official line is still that Miss America isn't a beauty contest, it's a scholarship program. This is to a certain extent true -- you can't just stand around and be cute, you have to do something, even if that something is bouncing around spastically to Creedence Clearwater Revival. And the winner does get an assload of cash, which is good. It's just that most scholarship programs don't require the applicants to strut around in a bikini. (Personally, I'd like to see that requirement become more widespread -- you know, for a Rhodes Scholarship or a Fulbright.)

Anyway, it's not necessarily the standard of beauty we're talking about here -- it's probably more accurate to say that it's the standard of accomplishment for young women, which is, when you think about it, way, way scarier.