TLC To Give Miss America Vote To Viewers

I checked back on this page only to find that many other people felt just like me. It seems Miss America is hopelessly out of step with modern life. I hope that she can truly tansform into the "it" girl the reality check series promised the viewers. I'd love to see the judging finally align with reality!
-Hilary

I completely agree with Hilary's comment. After watching TLC's "Reality Check" show, I was actually pretty excited to watch the Miss America pageant this year. Miss Indiana and Miss Washington were much more interesting and appealing than the generic Miss Michigan. (Singing "Over the Rainbow" for her talent--How many people have done that in the past?? BORING!) "Reality Check" had a great focus on changing the system and revamping the tired old Miss America title, but then the national pageant just couldn't get out of its own rut. I'll consider watching again when they're actually going to make some change.

I watched Miss America Reality Check and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was
great watching them go through the make over.
However, I have to say that the Miss America Pageant 2008 sucked.
Not one of the finalist had any talent, except the violinist, and they all
seemed as fake and as shallow as Miss America has ever been ( and I've
been watching for over 20 yrs). These "girls" are still not what young
women of today aspire to be. They still sound like they are junior high
girls from the 50''s. It''s my opinion that Miss America Pageants
should be cancelled. The young women of today want to be respected
and taken seriously, NOT put on display for their own egotistical
advantages. Come on, a bikini contest...a talent contest...an evening
gown contest??? How are these contests gonna help the issues and
struggles that our women face today.
I''m a cosmetologist and make up artist. I speak with women on a very
regular basis. In my 15 yrs of experience I''ve never heard any of my
clients sound like them. Of course we all have the same issues on
binge drinking, adolescent pregnancies, and what the international
world thinks of us, but how much more scripted can one sound. If you
insist on keeping on with Miss America, I think the bikini contest and
talent contest should be replaced with debates on current events and
important political issues.
I'm so embarrassed that the world sees this program and imagines that
this is the way women of America are like.

The TLC network had a fabulous idea with letting the Miss America event be more interactive, but the final result was a major let down! The winner was a completely generic "pageant girl." I could care less what happens to her career. Miss Washington, Miss Indiana, Miss D.C., Miss New Mexico and Miss Rhode Island had some real appeal on the "mass" market, but the final Miss America judges totally missed this. Not to mention, Miss Utah really captured some hearts, but she was eliminated from the semi-finalsits right off the bat! The "Reality Check" judges hit a chord with what America was searching for, but the final pageant results were extremely disappointing. I am so sad that Miss America has failed to regain the public attention she deserves. Better luck choosing contestans and judges in the future. A succesful makeover for the Miss America system must start at the local level. The national effort turned out to be a joke!

What a great idea expect that you can not access the page to vote, the TLC website is horribly made and put together. If anyone knows the website please let me know.