MISS AMERICA 2001 - Miss America 2001: Angela Perez Baraquio of Hawaii - Entertainment - http://maxpages.com/beautypageants/Miss_America_Pageant

Miss America 2001!
Plese send in your Miss America comments to beauty_pageant99@hotmail.com.

The 2001 80th Miss America has come and gone. The question is... has Miss America really become a younger and hipper pageant for modern day people? Or is Miss America showing it's elderly age?

Miss America Show:

As usual Donnie and Marie were great hosts. But do we really have to sit and watch them perform? However they were better than the O-Town kids... I will get to that later. I like the chemistry that Donnie and Marie have, they are very laid back and know there stuff.

What About the show?

The opening number was fantastic. I loved the digitalized voice, that was very modern. But that would fit Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA better. Too late now. Illinois looked beautiful. I was suprised by many of the delegates, they looked like they could have been 40 years old. For the most part, the opening number was fast paced and good.

Miss America 2001 Contestants:
Meet the 51 Miss America Contestants

*State: Name, Age: Platform Issue

Alabama: Jana S. Sanderson, 21: "Step Into The Spotlight"

Alaska: Audrey Soloman, 20: Musical Outreach

Arizona: Kristin Vatt, 19: "Mentors for the Millenium - Directing Decisions"

Arkansas: Sara Elizabeth Harris, 20: "Music Matters: Music in Education"

California: Rita Ng, 22: Project Smiles - Promoting the Health & Welfare of Impoverished

Colorado: Anamarie Bonafede, 22: IMPACT, Living a Purpose Driven Life

Connecticut: Renelle Richardson, 18: Drug-Free Youth

Delaware: Junnie Cross, 21: Cultural Diversity Awareness.

District of Columbia: Rashidra Jolly, 20: Fostering Relationships between Senior Citizens & Youth through the Cultural Arts

Florida: Candace Rodatz, 24: Motivating Youth Through CoCurricular Involvement

Georgia: Pamela Kennedy, 23: The Right Weight - Eating disorder awareness and prevention

Hawaii: Angela Perez Baraquio, 24: Character Education

Idaho: Christi Teil, 21: Character Development

Illinois: Jennifer Diana Powers, 20: The Multifaceted Importance of Arts in Education

Indiana: Betsy Bobel, 22: "A Healthy Beginning"

Iowa: Theresa J. Uchytil, 24: "Facing the Challenge".

Kansas: Amy Lea Shaw, 21: "Mentoring - Help Pave the Way.."

Kentucky: Whitney Boyles, 21: A.N.G.E.L. (Aids: Now Get Educated for Life)

Louisiana: Faith Jenkins, 23: DEAR-Drop Everything and Read

Maine: Renee Belanger, 22: Early Childhood Education

Maryland: Sonia Maria Amir, 24: Promoting Positive Peer Pressure in our Youth

Massachusetts: Michelle Ann Neves, 22: Promoting & Encouraging Volunteerism

Michigan: Che'vonne Burton, 18: Elderly Mistreatment Awareness and Prevention: "Building A Society for all Ages"

Minnesota: Katherine Hill, 22: Youth Motivation - America's Promise

Mississippi: Christy May, 23: Organ and Tissue Donation

Missouri: Arron Wendel, 23: Youth Mentoring

Montana: Jana LaBree, 24: Youth Inspiration

Nebraska: Jill Penington, 22: Focus on the Elderly

Nevada: Tiffanie Rachella Story, 19: Domestic Violence Awareness Amoung our Youth

New Hampshire: Lauren Jennifer Meehan, 19: Attachment/Adjustment Disorder: Break the Cycle and Form the Bond

New Jersey: Jill Horner, 21: Environmental Education

New Mexico: Martha A. Cobb, 21: Literacy Awareness

New York: Kelly Marie Falgiano, 21: Childrens Education to Nutrition and Physical Fitness

North Carolina: Lorna McNeill, 23: Substance Abuse Prevention

North Dakota: Carrie Haberstroh, 20: "A Will & A Way!"

Ohio: Stephanie Ann Meisberger, 21: 4-H: An Old Tradition Made New

Oklahoma: Kristin Steveson, 22: "Volunteering"

Oregon: Amanda Brink, 21: Learning Disabilities

Pennsylvania: Melissa Jeka, 23: "Educating Our Youth on the Fatal Effects of Smoking"

Rhode Island: Jennifer St. Laurent, 24: Organ and Tissue Donation

South Carolina: Heather Hudson, 22: America's Promise - The Alliance for Today's Youth

South Dakota: Nicole Nigg, 23: Funding for the Arts

Tennessee: Beth Hood, 21: Awareness

Texas: Tara Watson, 22: AIDS Awareness and Education...Facing the Epidemic

Utah: Jami Leilani Palmer: "Promoting Pediatric Cancer Awareness"

Vermont: Hannah Nelson, 24: The Make-A-Wish Foundation

Virginia: Jacqueline Cook, 24: Powerful Voice in a Child's Life - Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

Washington: Semmelle Shante Ford, 19: Mentoring Youth Through Big Brothers and

West Virginia: Jodi Clark, 22: Vote America - Choose Your Future

Wisconsin: Joya Zamora, 23: Breast Cancer Awareness - The Campaign for Life.

Wyoming: Kimberly Wilkerson, 23: "Volunteerism: Serving, Learning, Loving"

Meet the 51 Miss America Contestants

Miss America Preliminary Competitions
The contestants are competing in Preliminary Interview, Swimsuit, Talent and Evening Gown competitons. Miss America Contestant Line-Up.

Tuesday Night Preliminary Winners:
Swimsuit Winner: Angela Baraquio, Hawaii

Talent Winner: Faith Jenkins, Louisiana

Wednesday Night Preliminary Winners:
Swimsuit Winner: Christy May, Mississippi

Talent Winner: Jennifer Powers, Illinois

Thursday Night Preliminary Winners:
Swimsuit Winner: Faith Jenkins, Louisiana

Talent Winner: Rita Ng, California

The naming of the top 10. I did not score the Miss America contestants as I usually do. I didn't even have any favorites until Preliminary week. I instantly favored Illinois, Hawaii, California and Louisiana.

Fact: Preliminary judges get a list of the top 15 highest scoring contesntats and they vote in a closely monitored YES/NO session. The top 10 are chosen that way.

Official Miss America top 10:

(Last time state made semi-finals)

Texas: Tara Watson, 22 (2000, 4th Runner Up)

Louisiana: Faith Jenkins, 23 (1998)

California: Rita Mig, 22 (1998, 4th Runner Up)

Kentucky: Whitney Boyles, 21 (2000, Miss America)

Hawaii: Angela Perez Baraquio, 24 (1998)

Alabama: Jana S. Sanderson, 21 (2000)

Pennsylvania: Melissa Jeka, 23 (2000, 2nd Runner Up)

Mississippi: Christy May, 23 (1998, 2nd Runner Up)

New Jersey: Jill Horner, 21 (2000)

Michigan: Che'vonne Burton, 18 (1988, Miss America)

*** This years Miss America top 10 were not only smart and beautiful but it was very diverse. I was dissapointed that Illinois did not make it, she looked beautiful in the opening number, she should go to Miss USA. Michigan made the top 10, in 1997 she competed at Miss Teen USA and ranked in the last 50%, great accomplishment and certainly has grown up, she should go to Miss USA also. It was hard for me to pick a favorite, so I just wanted Louisiana to win at that point.

Swimsuits and Evening Gowns...

Both were just above OK. Yes Miss America livend it up but it still had that Miss America feel. I dislike the Swimsuit competition on the basis that each contestant got about 3 seconds on camera. But WOW! Kentucky looked great in her white swimsuit and Louisiana and Hawaii were both toned and nice. The gowns were all nice, I have to confess that I left at this part (being in college, I can't stay in one place anymore and critique like I usually do).

Cut to the final 5:

Two hours into the show, the top 5 was announced. Lets review about 10 minutes for Swimsuits and 10 minutes for Gowns, what was going on during the other time? The AWFUL O-TOWN performence. What can I say?... terrible. I was dissapointed by the performence considering that I watch their show "Making the Band".

Also... Miss America 2000, Heather French received the Miss America Acheivement Award from the President of the Miss America Organization. She will be getting married in 2 weeks to Heather Renee French, 25, Miss America 2000 announced that she will be getting married to her boyfriend, Kentucky's Lt. Governor, Steve Henry, 46.

Final 5...

Louisiana: Faith Jenkins, 23

California: Rita Mig, 22

Kentucky: Whitney Boyles, 21

Hawaii: Angela Perez Baraquio, 24

Mississippi: Christy May, 23

*** At this point, I thought it could be between California, Hawaii and Louisiana. It all depended in the heavily weighted Talent and Interview competitions.

Talent:

* Louisiana was great, I see how she won Preliminary Talent. She combined gospel and opera to make a beautiful aria.

* California played the piano beautifully.

* Kentucky was just OK. She was too common.

* Hawaii did a representaion of her homelanfd by performing the Aloha dance (I can't remember the name of it).

* Mississippi played the Piano nicely.

California and Mississippi were equal. Hawaii and Louisiana were the best in my eyes.

Interview:

I liked the "girl talk" setting. I also like the debate question about Make Up. It was a question that caught all of them off guard. The question that I had for California is that if she didn't wear Make Up before Miss America, what made her wear it for the pageant? If she is natural, why couldnt she be natural for pageant night?

After the interviews, Kentucky was 4th on my list. She was just OK. Mississippi was a little above OK. California was articulate and well spoken. Louisiana was WAY too prepared and it was if she knew what was going to be asked to her. Hawaii was well spoken and very natural.

The crowning of Miss America 2001:

Final Results...

4th Runner Up ($10,000): Kentucky: Whitney Boyles, 21

3rd Runner Up ($20,000): Mississippi: Christy May, 23

2nd Runner Up ($30,000): California: Rita Mig, 22

1st Runner up ($40,000): Louisiana: Faith Jenkins, 23

MISS AMERICA 2001 ($50,000): Hawaii: Angela Perez Baraquio, 24

I am very pleased that Hawaii won Miss America. She was a shine all through the night. Had Louisiana won, people would probally call the pageant "fixed". Angela is one of the most pretitest Miss America's to walk the Miss America stage in recent years.

Miss America Awards
Quality of Life Award: Faith Jenkins, Louisiana

* 1st runner up Quality of Life: Theresa Uchytil, Iowa
* 2nd runner up Quality of Life: Jill Horner, New Jersey

The finalists for the Award were: Rashidra Jolly, District of Columbia; Junnie Cross, Delaware; Whitney Boyles, Kentucky; Kristin Steveson, Oklahoma; & Jami Palmer, Utah.

Miss America Organization Scholar Award: Rita Ng, California

Waterford Crystal Award for Business Management and Marketing: TBA

Bernie Wayne Talent Award: TBA

Albert Marks Memorial Interview Award: TBA

Nonfinalist Talents: TBA

Miss America Photos

Miss America Viewer Comments:
tjb4: Well I always watch the Miss America Pagent and this year I actully went to it and had an awesome time. The stage was great, the hosts were great and the girls were excellent. I went to all the preliminaries and by the end I had 15 girls I wanted to make it, all 10 finalists were on my list. Going into Saturday night, I was rooting for my home state of New Jersey, and the drop dead gorgeous contestants from Hawaii and Pennsylvania. I was so happy when those three made it in.

*** Now comes the complaints: When Pennsylvania and New Jersey failed to make the top five and California and Kentucky did, the MAO needs to change the way it judges. Almost half of the delagated score is carried over from preliminaries and girls who win the prelims really have a free ticket to the top five. Every Miss America has been a preliminary winner. Take California for instance. She was a very nice girl and she won the Thrusday night prelims in talent. Other then that she looked horrible in a swimsuit and her evening gown was Ok. She should have not been in the top 5 but thanks to her talent, she was in. And Kentucky????? Don't ask me how she made it that far. It was obvious she was sucking her stomach in, in the swimsuit compatiton b/c you could see her ribs and that dress was too glittery and shiny and, in my point of view, made her look fat.

*** Another disappointment was again only letting 5 girls compete in talent. Is Miss America is claiming that it wants to be more involved with people (like the viewer judge, opinion polls) it should let all 10 girls compete. Two things make this obvious, every prelim night, the crowd booed when Heather French announced that only 5 girls were to compete in talent. Also in one opinion poll, talent was the thing the audience wanted to see that most. I wished everyone could have seen Pennsylvania's talent. It was a ballet to the "Diamond Song." The song they use for the DeBers diamond commercials. It was lovely, she should have one that prelim, but it went to Calif. Alaska also had a great talent. I loved New Jersey also. I thought finally NJ has sent someone with a potential of winning. She was gorgeous, smart, very cheerful and bubbly and I loved her. I was really upset when she didn't make the 5.

*** What is Miss America doing to the swimsuit compatition? The girls were on for liked 2 seconds that sucked. It was horrible. These girls have nice bodies and can't show them off. I disliked that too. Being a teenager boy, I want to see girls in their swimsuits. This year's music and set where great. Very young and fresh. I liked it.

*** Now let's go to the Top 5:

Mississippi - This girl should have been 1st runner up. She was so pretty, intelligent, friendly, etc. She was great. I really wished the judges placed her higher. (But these are the same judges who axed Penn and NJ)

Louisiana - She was very talented with a great body. She was a great speker but I think she spoke too aggressively. Her face when there were only 3 girls left was weird and I didn't like how she snubbed Calif. when she went to hug her, she just stood still.

Hawaii - I was so happy she won, she was the best. Funny, friendly, drop dead gorgeous, etc. Everything you want this girl had. She was a perfect choice for Miss America and I know she will have a good reign. Great choice.

California - She was nice and really smart, but I would have replaced her with Pennsylvania.

Kentucky - Where the hell did she come from? New Jersey or any other Top 10 delegate should have replaced her.

*** well, now that this is a novel, i will end it. Donny and Marie were great has hosts and they were quite funny. The stage was good, Top 10 great, and the winner an excellent choice. It is great seeing this show live, you get to see everything they do when commercials are on, quite an experience. well these are just my opinions. I think everyone who is a fan of Miss America should write the organization a letter to tell them to let all 10 girls perform talent, lengthen the swimsuit and let the Top 10 all start at a evening footing, so ever girl gets a chance to make it to the Top 5, even if she didn't win a preliminary.

Big Changes for this years Miss America Pageant:
This year Miss America celebrates 80 years. A quote states that "Miss America's got a whole new attitude!" Long gone are the dated set design and predictable musical score - this year's Miss America telecast, which will air live on aims to please both the MTV and Baby Boomer crowds with more contemporary, high-tech music and visuals". "With an exciting departure from the traditional format, a bevy of behind-the-scenes vignettes and the introduction of the first-ever judge selected from the American public, this year's show catapults Miss America into the new millennium!" The "Non-Pageant" Pageant from start to finish, will sport an edgier, non-pageant format that incorporates major changes to everything from the opening segment to the swimsuit competition. "Because of the changes we have made to the show, we're not even calling it a 'pageant'- this year's telecast will simply be named 'Miss America,'" said Jeff Margolis, the show's producer and director.

Specifically, this year's telecast will be spiced up with the following changes:

* To pick up the show's pace, the Top 10 finalists will be named within the first 20 minutes of the telecast, instead of making the audience wait - as in previous years - as long as 45 minutes for the announcement.

* In lieu of the typical "Parade of States" at the top of the show, this year's broadcast will feature "e-contestants" instead! Contestants will be introduced as the camera "discovers" each young woman on-screen, framed by a Web page background. To add to the high-tech effect, each contestant's voice will be digitized as she announces her name, state and college.

* For the first time ever, the Top 10 finalists won't parade, one-by-one, in a swimsuit before the judges - instead, they will be featured along with the other 41 contestants in their swimwear during a fast-paced production number reminiscent of the annual event's beachside history. The camera will again discover each of the Top 10 in a new and appropriate way.

A Hipper Look and Sound Even grannies will be groovin' when they experience Miss America's new "club-style" set design and this year's slammin' Miss America soundtrack. "Rather than updating the set and music like we've done for years, we've thrown it out," Renneisen said. This year's set and sound makeovers include:

* Pulsating, club-style "electronica" music throughout the telecast, and a brand-new, electronica version of the old stand-by, "There She Is, Miss America."

* A huge, movie-sized screen will become a permanent part of the set, and will explode with exciting graphics, video pieces and "Up Close and Personal" interview segments.

* A high-spirited fashion segment, filmed at Disneyworld, will feature the 51 contestants in the latest, hottest fashions created for the telecast by Windsor, an apparel and fashion accessory manufacturer.

"We've completely changed the look, sound and pace of the show to bring a more modern Miss America to teens and young women who may not have watched the show in recent years," Margolis said.

The Real Deal No more secrets, it's time to really get to know the Miss America contestants! "This year's show will provide a fun, backstage look at the contestants commenting on each other and on the telecast itself," Renneisen said.

* Move over "Survivor" ... it's every contestant for herself during the new, "behind the scenes" segments, which will air live following each commercial break. The backstage camera will capture contestants' reactions and opinions about the show and the other contestants, giving viewers a dose of Miss America reality that they've never been privy to before.

* To expand on the success of previous years' efforts, the Top Five interview segment will be extended this year. Host Marie Osmond will once again join the contestants in a casual and comfortable setting and spend more time c

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Page Updated Sun Jan 14, 2001 3:33am EST