Miss America is no longer homeless. The long-running pageant has found a new home on TLC, of all places, for the next three years. It's the first big programming move for TLC's new president and general manager, Angela Shapiro-Mathes. The pageant was at CMT for the last few years after ABC dropped it, but its ratings have been dismal.
TLC is giving the pageant its own treatment. The cable network is the king of the unscripted show, so it's creating a reality series about all 52 contestants as they prepare for the pageant.
If Miss America is going to survive on television (and I'm not saying it should), this TLC plan may be the only way it can happen. Ratings over the past few years have shown that Americans just aren't interested in beauty pageants. But, humanizing these women (and understanding why they do this?!?) could be enough to generate interest to see who wins the pageant.
Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.
Today on TV Squad Daily:
Mindfreak's Criss Angel is doing damage control about his relationship with Cameron Diaz. Cameron Diaz doesn't need this kind of drama - she just wants to be friends.
The Apprentice is coming back? Was there a candy bar campaign I didn't know about?
Miss New Jersey received another package of blackmail photos, and won't talk about what's in them except to say they contain nothing illegal.
Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.
Today on TV Squad Daily:
Chris Sligh was so like-able until he got eliminated this week on American Idol.
One is staying and one is going. But what's really the difference between Miss USA and Miss America?
Frankie Muniz is desperate to be known for something other than "Malcolm in the Middle," but I'm not sure if a Mohawk makes me believe him as a race car driver.
Well, sort of. They're not getting rid of the actual live pageant, which will air again on CMT
in 2007. This time however, the contestants will also take place in a seven part reality series which will lead up to
the pageant. The way it sounds, the reality series will utilize many of the same methods of elimination as the actual
pageant as the girls live together and take place in swimsuit competitions, judge interviews, and various talent
contests. Home viewers will also be able to vote for the remaining finalists.
I'm not a fan of reality TV, nor do I care all that much about the Miss America pageant, but this idea just might
work. The pageant has been losing its audience for several years, and turning it into the kind of calculated human
drama that is the stuff of so many reality shows may actually garner the audience it needs. Or, it could be a total
failure. I'm sure it will be one of those things.
The Miss America pageant is back. By... popular demand? Well, that remains to be seen. The pageant, which couldn't
find a home after dreadful ratings in 2004, begins today in Las Vegas (although, the final doesn't air until next
weekend). This is the first year in the pageant's 85-year history that it isn't being held in Atlantic City. There are
some other changes in store, too. Instead of the traditional parade of beauty queens in convertibles, the contestants
will arrive at the Aladdin hotel Hollywood-style, complete with the red carpet and luxury coaches. And, instead of a
talk show-type host, Desperate Housewives actor James Denton is doing the honors. The competition itself
sounds like it's exactly the same, boring stuff that American viewers have been turning away from for years: talent,
bathing suits, question-and-answer, bad choreography. Well, maybe it's not the bathing suits that they've been turning
away from.
The question is... are CMT viewers the ones who will revive the beauty pageant?
Miss America is no longer homeless. The long-running pageant has found a new home on TLC, of all places, for the next three years. It's the first big programming move for TLC's new president and general manager, Angela Shapiro-Mathes. The pageant was at CMT for the last few years after ABC dropped it, but its ratings have been dismal.
Well, sort of. They're not getting rid of the actual live pageant, which will air again on CMT
in 2007. This time however, the contestants will also take place in a seven part reality series which will lead up to
the pageant. The way it sounds, the reality series will utilize many of the same methods of elimination as the actual
pageant as the girls live together and take place in swimsuit competitions, judge interviews, and various talent
contests. Home viewers will also be able to vote for the remaining finalists. 
The Miss America pageant is back. By... popular demand? Well, that remains to be seen. The pageant, which couldn't
find a home after dreadful ratings in 2004, begins today in Las Vegas (although, the final doesn't air until next
weekend). This is the first year in the pageant's 85-year history that it isn't being held in Atlantic City. There are
some other changes in store, too. Instead of the traditional parade of beauty queens in convertibles, the contestants
will arrive at the Aladdin hotel Hollywood-style, complete with the red carpet and luxury coaches. And, instead of a
talk show-type host, Desperate Housewives actor James Denton is doing the honors. The competition itself
sounds like it's exactly the same, boring stuff that American viewers have been turning away from for years: talent,
bathing suits, question-and-answer, bad choreography. Well, maybe it's not the bathing suits that they've been turning
away from.
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