Señorita Oklahoma gana Miss América en Las Vega

01/22/2006

Por JOHN CURRAN / Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — Una estudiante de pedagogía de Oklahoma fue coronada Miss América el sábado por la noche, la primera vez que el concurso se realiza fuera de Atlantic City.

Jennifer Berry, de 22 años y estudiante de la Universidad de Oklahoma, venció a otras 51 beldades para convertirse en Miss América 2006, con lo cual obtuvo una beca universitaria de 30.000 dólares y una gira promocional de un año.

La Señorita Georgia, Mónica Pang, quedó en segundo lugar y la Señorita Alabama, Alexa Jones, en tercero. En cuarto y quinto lugar finalizaron la Señorita Virginia, Kristi Lauren Glakas, y la Señorita Distrito de Columbia, Shannon Schambeau. La Señorita Hawaii, Malika Dudley, ganó el título Señorita Simpatía.

Berry, partidaria de la prevención del manejo en estado de ebriedad, convenció a los jueces al bailar ballet durante la competencia de talento. Ella sucede a Miss America 2005, Deidre Downs, quien acabó usando la corona 16 meses, pues el concurso de este año fue postergado cuatro meses.

La nueva Miss América compitió durante cinco años en el concurso de belleza de Oklahoma, y terminó en tercer lugar dos veces antes de ganar el año pasado y así aspirar a la corona nacional.

"Este es un honor, esto es surrealista", dijo. "No puedo creerlo. Espero se asiente, quizás mañana. Es un sueño hecho realidad, pero más importante que eso es un trabajo del que estoy orgullosa".

Realizado en Atlantic City durante 85 años, el evento se mudó este año de Nueva Jersey a Las Vegas a fin de volver a captar interés. Sin el respaldo de la cobertura de una gran cadena televisiva por primera vez desde 1954, en esta ocasión fue transmitido por el Country Music Television.

El concurso, que en años recientes comenzó a usar técnicas de programas de realidad simulada para volver a atraer a los televidentes, tuvo un formato más a la antigua esta vez, pese al cambio a Las Vegas.

Se transmitieron vídeo clips de concursantes previas y se volvieron a adoptar dos partes tradicionales que se abandonaron en la década de 1980: Las bellezas lucieron bandas con el nombre de sus estados y eligieron a una Señorita Simpatía.

www.aldiatx.com/

LAS VEGAS – Jennifer Berry remembers being a frizzy-haired, 5-foot-8 sixth-grader teased by a girl for wearing "horrid" glasses.

Safe to say, whoever made that comment never imagined Berry's once-awkward head gracefully sporting a rhinestone tiara.

Berry, a ballerina, aspiring elementary school teacher and Miss Oklahoma, was crowned Miss America 2006 in Las Vegas on Saturday, the first winner in the 85-year history of the world's most famous beauty pageant to receive the honor outside Atlantic City, N.J.

She got her chance after competing in Oklahoma's state pageant five times, finishing as third runner-up twice in a row.

"I had some hard times to go through. I've obviously come through," the 22-year-old told reporters moments after her win.

As a child, she started dancing, an art form suited to her sinewy limbs and long neck. Her dancing shoes served her well Saturday night at the Aladdin Resort & Casino, where she spun a blur of white and blue across the stage to new age pianist William Joseph's "Within."

Associated Press

The 2006 Miss America, Jennifer Berry, from Tulsa, Okla., competes in the swimsuit competition.

Berry beat out runner-up Miss Georgia Monica Pang and second runner-up Miss Alabama Alexa Jones.

"This is an honor. This is surreal. I don't believe it right now. Hopefully, it will sink in, maybe tomorrow. It's a dream come true but more importantly it's a job that I'm honored to have."

The first thing she wanted after winning the crown was her favorite high-fat snack – French fries dipped in ranch dressing. Pageant organizers delivered.

An Atlantic City institution for 85 years, the pageant traded the Boardwalk for the Strip this year in a bid to revive interest. Without coverage from a major television network for the first time since 1954, it aired on Country Music Television.

The pageant, which dabbled in reality TV-style gimmicks in recent years as it tried to lure viewers back, struck a more old-fashioned theme this time out, despite the move to Sin City.

Video clips from old pageants were aired on the telecast, and two traditions that had been absent since the 1980s were revived: The women wore sashes naming their states and elected a Miss Congeniality.

Associated Press Jennifer Berry takes a bite of french fries and ranch dressing during her post-pageant press conference. Berry told pageant host James Denton that she couldn't wait to eat the dish once the pageant was over.

And when it came time for "There She Is, Miss America," it was a real flashback – a recording of late Miss America host Bert Parks singing it. He emceed the show for 25 years before being replaced. James Denton from ABC's "Desperate Housewives" handled the duties Saturday night.

For problem-plagued Miss America, the proceedings at the Aladdin Resort & Casino were a high-stakes affair.

Spurned by network television because of declining ratings, the pageant announced plans in August to move out of Atlantic City. Normally held in September, the event was postponed as organizers scrambled for a new TV outlet, ultimately settling on Country Music Television, a cable outlet with some 78 million subscribers.

Women have paraded at the pageant – wearing swimsuits and smiles – since a 16-year-old girl from Washington, D.C., won an eight-way bathing beauty revue in 1921.

The hokey seaside publicity stunt blossomed into an American icon, its Cinderella trappings and girl-next-door appeal becoming a television staple

But its luster has been fading for years, the result of fragmented viewership and its airing on Saturday nights, historically a date-night dead zone for television.

The pageant was jettisoned by ABC after the 2004 crowning of Deidre Downs was watched by 9.8 million – 500,000 fewer than tuned in the year before. The move literally pulled the runway out from under Miss America and led to a cascade of problems threatening its future.

The loss of revenue from the TV rights contributed to a $1.7 million deficit for the Miss America Organization, a nonprofit charity that runs the pageant.

Gambling that a move from Atlantic City would help revive interest, pageant organizers cast their lot with Las Vegas, no stranger to pretty faces and glitzy stage shows.

www.signonsandiego.com/