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Apr. 20, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Miss USA is Tar Heel in turquoise

By JOHN PRZYBYS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton is crowned Miss USA Sunday at Planet Hollywood.
Photo by The Associated Press



Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton, left, and first runner-up Miss California Carrie Prejean react after Dalton is announced Miss USA.
Photo by The Associated Press

Not only did Miss North Carolina USA Kristen Dalton win the Miss USA 2009 pageant Sunday.

She did it in a dress that wasn't white.

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    • Becoming Miss USA has always been "a dream," Dalton said during a post-pageant news conference.

    But, she added, "who ever thought you could win it in a turquoise gown? It's always white."

    It was a fashionable afternoon all around as 51 contestants, representing every state and the District of Columbia, competed in the finals of the Miss USA 2009 pageant at Planet Hollywood Resort.

    Dalton, a 22-year-old from Wilmington, N.C., hopes to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and as a motivational speaker. But, first, as Miss USA 2009, she will represent the United States in the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant on Aug. 23.

    Miss California USA Carrie Prejean was named first runner-up, while Miss Arizona USA Alicia-Monique Blanco was second runner-up.

    Miss Nevada USA Georgina Vaughan, 21, did not make the final field of 15 semifinalists, who were chosen last week during preliminary judging.

    There were a few controversial moments during the question-and-answer portion of competition.

    When a judge, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, asked a question about legalizing same-sex marriage, Miss California stumbled with her answer before saying, "We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage."

    "And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman," Prejean said. "No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

    Some in the audience cheered, others booed. The answer sparked a shouting match in the lobby after the show.

    "It's ugly," Scott Ihrig, a gay man who attended the pageant with his partner, told The Associated Press.

    "I think it's ridiculous that she got first runner-up. That is not the value of 95 percent of the people in this audience. Look around this audience and tell me how many gay men there are."

    Charmaine Koonce, the mother of Miss New Mexico USA Bianca Matamoros-Koonce, argued back.

    "In the Bible it says marriage is between Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!"

    In contrast to the mixed reaction to Prejean's answer, there was much applause and cheering to an answer from Dalton, the ultimate Miss USA winner. Her response was that she opposes using taxpayer money to bail out struggling corporations.

    While the questions and answers provided much for the audience to think about, there were plenty of fluffier things to enjoy.

    It was an afternoon for glittery fashion: Multitudes of sash-bedecked Miss Whomevers -- Teen USAs, Junior Misses and, for all anybody knew, a grade school spelling bee champion or two -- were in the audience.

    An opening dance number featured contestants wearing glittery silver, bare-midriff outfits that Judy Jetson might wear to the prom. And contestants wore seriously memorable string bikinis during the swimsuit competition.

    Still, the most unusual fashion statement of the night came from Jessica Origliasso of the Australian pop duo The Veronicas. While performing during the pageant's evening gown competition, she wore a T-shirt bearing the cryptic, scrawled-on sentiment "I hate your band."

    Dressed to the nines or not, the crowd was as enthusiastic and subtle as your basic pack of college football fans.

    They held up posters and wore photo badges of their home state contestants, and cheered -- pardon the expression -- lustily, even if the first discernible wolf whistle wasn't loosed until Miss Idaho USA Melissa Weber was announced as one of the 15 semifinalists.

    In other results, Miss USA contestants chose Miss Wyoming USA Cynthia Pate as Miss Congeniality USA, and she proved herself deserving of the honor by appearing to be absolutely floored about winning it. And online voters chose Miss West Virginia USA Jessi Pierson as Miss Photogenic USA on the basis of glamour shots that were posted on the Miss USA Web site.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280.

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    CeceM wrote on April 24, 2009 02:31 PM: I think the football reference to the audienca at the Miss USA Pageant is a very true representation. Although feminists (some of them very unattractive themselves) have tried to discredit "beauty" pageants, claiming that they are demeaning to women and that young girls are forced to participate is untrue.
    The truth: from the time little girls go school they are mentally "shopping" among the wardrobes and accessories of their peers, noticing the best and worst dressed. They compare what they see to what they are wearing and as they get older, say by 2nd grade they begin to notice the SIZE and then the PRICE of each others'clothes. Their
    social pecking order is then set, and
    then follows them even as they go off to college. So why not have a CONTEST to see who is the most talented, beautiful,intelligent, educated, fit, desirable and influential?! Someone could make BIG BUCKS doing it and everyone will have a great time. Men do it too,you know. It starts with football on the playground when the boys are in kindergarten. They see who is the strongest and the roughest and the most powerful. Bullies are often weeded out of this mix if they cannot compete. (That is often what makes them true bullies: they can't compete with the skilled athletes). Doesn't our society elevate those people to its highest levels of adoration: the football player and the beauty queen? Come on, everyone knows that's also where the money is. We love to deny it, claiming we're not that shallow, but they don't give away Superbowl tickets do they? Ladies have the right to love makeup,cheerleading, clothes, looking great, and being the Rothlisburgers of the female world! Go Miss USA. Or are we wrong in having this view?


    dr.death wrote on April 20, 2009 09:31 PM: If I remember, we are allowed to have our beliefs. Ms. California was simply stating hers. Perez Hilton goes to call her names on his blog, and saying that comment cost her the crown. Thanks Ms. California for stating your opinion. Remember - California is the land of fruits and nuts.


    kristina wrote on April 20, 2009 07:06 PM: Ken you're my idol.


    Couldn't have said it better myself hahaha!


    vegas dic wrote on April 20, 2009 06:05 PM: Does ANYONE really care what these contestants think about world issues. If that really mattered, then MISS USA would be the smartest female, not the best looking one.

    Why do they even ask them questions anyway??? Does anyone value their opinion?


    Norm's Defending the Hate-Monger Perez Hilton wrote on April 20, 2009 05:58 PM: Why is Norm defending the hate-monger Perez in his column???
    Perez goes on-line after the pageant and calls Miss Cali a dumb B!@$&.
    I guess if common sense and the majority of the public don't agree with the heterophobe, the left loonies and Norm come to their AID!?


    Ken wrote on April 20, 2009 04:03 PM: Save your prayers Mac for the country at large. If Obama and the socialists don't destroy the country, religion will.

    Thanks for the thought though.


    Mac wrote on April 20, 2009 03:10 PM: Ken,
    You're a funny guy and I will pray for you.


    cat wrote on April 20, 2009 02:50 PM: So she may have lost a crown but not her integrity! I find it sad that as a heterosexual one should be admonished for having a mind of their own! If you noticed Miss NC. thought that bail out money should go to welfare,I really felt that all their questions were based on politics that is so sad! Scr@ you Perez you are a poor excuse and used your personal beliefs to smear ones reputation!


    Ken wrote on April 20, 2009 01:39 PM: If you believe religious text, Mac, Adam and Lilah were the first ones God pushed out and then Eve came along after Lilah got bored and wanted to go to Pure with Lindsy and Sam Ronson.

    You people get too wrapped up in the Bible but there were so many other books that didn't quite make it.


    Mac wrote on April 20, 2009 01:14 PM: Miss America,
    You are mistaken, but I cannot fault you because you obviously don't read the bible. Genesis 3:8 clearly states that Eve is Adam's wife, "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." Levticus 18:22 clearly opposes homosexual relationships, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."


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