Miss America 2016

[sugar and spice]

Originally Posted by Xidelt

I remember one year a contestant did a ventriloquist act for her talent. Now it seems that everyone sings or does lyrical dance.

That was, uh, Miss Ohio. Last year. (It was amazing!)

I do love the more aesthetically pleasing talents--singing, dancing, playing the piano/violin--when they're the cream of the crop, but the pageant definitely prejudices certain types of talents over others. Being really great at science or coding or soccer takes just as much dedication and can be just as fun to watch if you can figure out a good platform for it. (Video?) I wish the MAO was a little more rewarding of the women who took risks in the talent competition. It's really obvious when a woman whose talents lie elsewhere ends up doing a lackadaisical singing/dancing act because she's "supposed to"--I'd rather see something a bit more out there that clearly reflects the talent/practice/passion put into it.

[Sister Havana]

Originally Posted by sugar and spice

Being really great at science or coding or soccer takes just as much dedication and can be just as fun to watch if you can figure out a good platform for it. (Video?)

Miss Vermont actually performed a science experiment for talent at this year's pageant. Here's the video from preliminaries. (Too bad she didn't make the finals! I will take that over bad singing any day.)

[jolene]

Originally Posted by Sister Havana

Miss Vermont actually performed a science experiment for talent at this year's pageant. Here's the video from preliminaries. (Too bad she didn't make the finals! I will take that over bad singing any day.)

I'd rather see something like that rather than someone singing who has NO business singing. lol IIRC, Deborah Norville (Tri Delt) sewed for her talent for the America's Junior Miss pageant. Later on she made her own bridesmaids dresses for her wedding. There's no way on God's green earth I could do that.