Miss America 2008
81st edition of the Miss America competition
Miss America 2008 , the 81st Miss America pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada , on Saturday, January 26, 2008.
The pageant was broadcast live on TLC from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino , only the third time that the pageant had been held outside Atlantic City .
Kirsten Haglund (Michigan) was crowned Miss America 2008 by Miss America 2007 , Lauren Nelson .
Selection of contestants
One delegate from each state was chosen in state pageants held in mid-2007. Prior to competing in state pageants, the majority of delegates first were required to win a local title. Each delegate's title was pre-dated to 2007; for example, Jamie Langley was "Miss Alabama 2007" rather than "Miss Alabama 2008." Many contestants competed in state pageants in both the Miss America and Miss USA systems numerous times before they won titles. Some previously competed in states other than those where they won a state title.
All contestants had to be between 17 and 24 years old, unmarried, and a citizen of the United States. They had to meet residency and educational requirements.
Miss America: Reality Check
The pageant's new network, TLC , premiered a four-week reality competition, titled Miss America: Reality Check , on January 4, 2008, hosted by Ugly Betty actor Michael Urie . The premise of the show is to show the contestants preparing for the pageant and to update the image of the Miss America pageant, which had seen a decline in popularity over the last few decades. In addition, viewers were able to vote online and choose one of the delegates to be a finalist in the pageant.[1]
Judges
The seven judges for the competition were fashion designer Trace Ayala, magazine editor Sarah Ivens, Olympic athlete and gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee , casting director Jason La Padura, personal trainer Kim Lyons , television news anchor Robin Meade , and motivational speaker James Arthur Ray .[2]
Competition
All delegates compete in an interview competition with the judges, based on their platform issue, and also in the swimsuit, evening gown and talent competitions.
Prior to the nationally televised competition, the delegates participate in three nights of preliminary competition, where preliminary award winners are chosen in each category.
For the first time, sixteen semi-finalists were chosen (fifteen based on the judges' vote and one extra "People's Choice" contestant based on internet voting). The top sixteen competed in the swimsuit competition, after which judges eliminated six contestants. This was the first time the eliminated contestants were called, rather than contestants called to progress to the next round. The top ten contestants competed in the evening gown competition, and then prepared for the talent competition. Eight contestants participated in Talent, and two were eliminated in the midst of the competition. The top eight then participated in a quickfire interview competition. In a return to past proceedings, the runners-up and winner were called out of the top eight.
Results
Placements
Placement
Contestant
Miss America 2008
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 8
Top 10
Top 16
§ – America's Choice
Order of announcements
Awards
Preliminary awards
Quality of Life award
Results
Contestant
Platform
Winner
M.A.D.D. – Prevention of Drinking and Driving Through Education
1st runner-up
-
2nd runner-up
-
Finalists
Various
Other awards
Awards
Contestant
Miss Congeniality
Non-finalist Talent
Pyramid Scholarship for Public Relations & Marketing
Delegates
State
Name
Hometown
Age[a]
Talent
Placement
Special awards
Notes
Alabama
Jamie Langley[5]
Wadley
24
Vocal, "Listen "
CMN Miracle Maker Award 2nd runner-up Quality of Life Award Finalist
Alaska
Cari Leyva[6]
Anchorage
23
Vocal, "Habanera " from Carmen
Previously Miss Alaska USA 2004[7]
Arizona
Nicole Turner
Phoenix
24
Jazz Dance, "Proud Mary "
Arkansas
Katie Bailey
Conway
25
Vocal, "Feeling Good "
Top 16
California
Melissa Chaty [8]
Ukiah
23
Operatic Vocal, "The Jewel Song" from Faust
Top 8
Previously Miss Teenage California 2003
Colorado
Maggie Ireland
Littleton
22
Irish Step Dance, "Dueling Violins" & "Footloose "
Connecticut
Dana Daunis
Watertown
22
Vocal, "Let Him Fly"
Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award
Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant
Delaware
Brittany Dempsey
Dover
20
Jazz Dance, "Rhythm of the Night "
Previously Delaware's Junior Miss 2005
District of Columbia
Shayna Rudd
Philadelphia
22
Jazz Dance, "Feeling Good "
Non-finalist Talent Award
Florida
Kylie Williams [9]
Jasper
24
Country Vocal, "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart "
Top 16
Quality of Life Award 1st runner-up[10]
Georgia
Leah Massee
Fitzgerald
22
Vocal, "If I Had My Way"
Top 10
Hawaii
Ashley Layfield[11]
Kane'ohe
21
Lyrical Dance, "Listen " from Dreamgirls
Sister of Miss Hawaii USA 2008, Jonelle Layfield 2nd runner-up in Miss New York USA 2012 and 2013 pageants[12]
Idaho
Sadie Quigley
Idaho Falls
19
Piano, "Devilish Inspiration, Op. 4, No. 4" by Sergei Prokofiev
Non-finalist Talent Award
Illinois
Ashley Hatfield[13]
Anna
24
Vocal, "To Love You More "
Indiana
Nicole Rash[14]
Plymouth
23
Vocal, "Bandito"
1st runner-up
Top 10 at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant Later Ms. America 2012 [15] Later Mrs. America 2018 (under married name, Nicole Cook)[16] Top 6 at Mrs. World 2018 pageant
Iowa
Diana Reed[17]
Norwalk
23
Baton, "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray
Top 10
Preliminary Talent Award
Kansas
Alyssa George [18]
Minneapolis
21
Classical Piano
Kentucky
Kaitlynne Postel [19]
Lexington
21
Vocal, "So Much Better" from Legally Blonde
Daughter of Miss Maryland 1982, Lynne Graham Postel[19]
Louisiana
Amanda Joseph
Pineville
21
Ballet en Pointe, "Canned Heat "
Maine
Tara Allain [20]
Biddeford
22
Dance, "Hangin' By a Thread"
Maryland
Shana Powell[21]
Bowie
22
Classical Vocal, "Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide
Massachusetts
Valerie Amaral[22]
Acushnet
22
Vocal, "Anyway "
CMN Miracle Maker Award Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award Quality of Life Award Finalist
Previously Miss Massachusetts' Outstanding Teen 2001[23] Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant
Michigan
Kirsten Haglund
Farmington Hills
19
Vocal, "Over the Rainbow "
Winner [24]
Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Granddaughter of Miss Detroit 1944, Iora June Victor[25]
Minnesota
Jennifer Hudspeth[26]
Apple Valley
23
Vocal, "Life of the Party" from The Wild Party
Quality of Life Award Finalist
Mississippi
Kimberly Morgan[27]
Taylor
24
Vocal, "God Bless the Child "
Top 16
Missouri
Lindsay Casmaer
Florissant
24
Ballet en Pointe, "Piano Fantasy"
Montana
Kristen Mantooth
Lewistown
22
Lyrical Dance, "Beauty from Pain "
Nebraska
Ashley Bauer
Scottsbluff
21
Vocal, "This Is My Life"'
Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant
Nevada
Caleche Manos
Reno
23
Vocal, "Love Is a Battlefield "
Quality of Life Award
Contestant at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant
New Hampshire
Rachel Barker
Amherst
20
Ballet en Pointe, "Someone Like You" from Jekyll & Hyde
Pyramid Scholarship for Public Relations & Marketing
New Jersey
Amy Polumbo [28]
Howell
22
Vocal, "Astonishing" from Little Women
Non-finalist Talent Award
New Mexico
Jenny Marlowe
Albuquerque
23
Vocal, "Born For This"
New York
Elisabeth Baldanza
Oneonta
23
Contemporary Ballet, "Your Daddy's Son" from Ragtime
North Carolina
Jessica Jacobs
High Point
23
Ballet en pointe, "Spring" from The Four Seasons
4th runner-up
North Dakota
Ashley Young[29]
Grand Forks
20
Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song " from Die Fledermaus
Miss Congeniality
Ohio
Roberta Camp
Grove City
23
Vocal, "Blessed"
Oklahoma
Makenna Smith
Oklahoma City
24
Vocal, "Wheels of a Dream" from Ragtime
Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up
Oregon
Kari Virding[30]
Portland
24
Vocal, "The Girl in 14G "
Non-finalist Talent Award
Previously Miss Oregon Teen USA 2000
Pennsylvania
Rachel Brooks
Broomall
24
Vocal, "Summertime "
Non-finalist Talent Award
Rhode Island
Ashley Bickford
Newport
22
Ballet en Pointe
Miss Photogenic Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Quality of Life Award Finalist
Previously Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2002 Top 10 at Miss Teen USA 2002 pageant Later Miss Connecticut USA 2010
South Carolina
Crystal Garrett[31]
Columbia
21
Vocal, "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard
Top 16
South Dakota
Kate Wismer
Britton
22
Classical Vocal, "The Doll Song" from The Tales of Hoffmann
Tennessee
Grace Gore
Nashville
24
Vocal, "What a Wonderful Day"
Top 16
Quality of Life Award Finalist
Previously Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2002
Texas
Molly Hazlett[32]
Centerville
21
Character Jazz en Pointe, "Rich Man's Frug" from Sweet Charity
Top 8
Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
Utah
Jill Stevens
Kaysville
24
Vocal, "Shy" from Once Upon a Mattress
Top 16
America's Choice
Vermont
Rachel Ann Cole
Middlebury
22
Monologue, "Queen Hermione" from A Winter's Tale
Virgin Islands
Janeisha John
Saint Croix
20
Jazz Dance
Later Miss US Virgin Islands 2010
Virginia
Hannah Kiefer[33]
High Point, NC
21
Classical Ballet en Pointe, "The Chocolate Dance" from The Nutcracker
3rd runner-up
Charles and Theresa Brown Scholarship
Eligible as a student at Hollins University
Washington
Elyse Umemoto
Wapato
23
Popular Vocal, "Angels "
2nd runner-up[34] [35]
3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2006 pageant Contestant on Survivor: South Pacific
West Virginia
Summer Wyatt
Athens
21
Vocal, "Why Haven't I Heard from You "
Wisconsin
Christina Thompson[36]
Pleasant Prairie
23
Classical Violin, "Praeludium & Allegro" by Fritz Kreisler
Top 8
Wyoming
Jennifer McCafferty
Scottsbluff, NE
23
Vocal, "Gimme, Gimme" from Thoroughly Modern Millie
Eligible to compete as a student at the University of Wyoming
Notes
^ Ages at the time of national competition
Crossovers
For the first time since Miss America 2003 , four former Miss Universe Organization titleholders competed at Miss America.
They are:
References
^ "Miss America: Reality Check" . TV.com. January 4, 2008.
^ "Miss America: Press Releases: 2008 National Judges Announced for Miss America Live!" . Miss America Organization. January 3, 2008. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-22 .
^ "2008 MISS AMERICA "QUALITY OF LIFE" WINNER ANNOUNCED" (Press release). Miss America Organization. 2008-01-24. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30.
^ "2008 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS" (Press release). Miss America Organization. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010 .
^ "Jamie Langley crowned Miss Alabama" . The Randolph Leader . June 13, 2007.
^ "A Big Night at the Miss America Prelims" . Las Vegas Review-Journal . January 24, 2008. Speaking of tough odds: Miss Alaska Cari Leyva...
^ Curtis, Paul C. (April 12, 2004). "Justine Michioka appears in 'Miss USA' tonight" . The Garden Island . ...her roommate is Miss Alaska, Cari Leyva...
^ Associated Press (2007-07-01). "Miss North Coast Melissa Chaty wins 2007 Miss California crown" . The Lompoc Record. Retrieved 2007-07-01 . [dead link ]
^ "Reigning Miss Tallahassee wins Miss Florida crown" . Tallahassee Democrat. 2007-07-01. Retrieved 2007-07-01 . [dead link ]
^ Godefrin, Shelly (May 2, 2008). "Miss Florida 2007 tells students to make good decisions" . News Chief .
^ "Ashley Layfield Crowned New Miss Hawaii" . Hawaii News Now . June 18, 2007.
^ "Miss New York USA & Teen USA pageant results" . Pageant Update.
^ Gier, Nancy (July 1, 2007). "Downstater crowned Miss Illinois" . Daily Herald.
^ "Nicole Rash is 2007 Miss Indiana" . Zionsville Times Sentinel . June 27, 2007.
^ Peterson, Deb (April 17, 2012). "St. Louis' Nicole Rash crowned Ms. America" . St. Louis Post-Dispatch .
^ "Chief Meteorologist places in Top 15 in Mrs. America Pageant" . KGET News . August 27, 2018. Nicole Elizabeth Cook of Illinois was crowned Mrs. America.
^ Geyer, Thomas; Fedderson, Dawn (June 10, 2007). "Reed wins Miss Iowa competition" . The Quad-City Times .
^ Britt, Karrey (June 12, 2007). "New Miss Kansas seeks winning streak" . Lawrence Journal-World .
^ a b Phelps, Melodie (July 22, 2007). "Miss Monticello Kaitlynne Postel wins Miss Kentucky" . The Outlook .
^ "Betty Morrison: Miss Maine, an author and the 'Book Bandit' all visit Alfred Elementary School" . Fosters.com . April 24, 2008. ...discovered that Miss Maine, Tara Allain, a senior at Colby College...
^ "Miss Allegany County crowned Miss Maryland" . WMDT. July 1, 2007. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017.
^ Wagner, Jeffrey D. (June 24, 2007). "Acushnet resident Valerie Amaral crowned Miss Massachusetts" . The Herald News .
^ "Former Titleholders" . April 15, 2011. Archived from the original on April 15, 2011.
^ "Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund Crowned Miss America 2008" . Associated Press. January 26, 2008.
^ Clarke, Norm (January 24, 2008). "Michigan pageant success is in genes" . Las Vegas Review Journal.
^ Molene, John (June 22, 2007). "Talent and beauty reign in Eden Prairie" . Eden Prairie News .
^ "Alcorn State Alumna Kimberly Morgan Becomes Miss Mississippi 2007" . Weekly Bulletin Online . Alcorn State University. August 2, 2007. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008.
^ Hagarty, Keith (September 21, 2007). "Howell College Student Crowned Miss New Jersey" . The Howell Times . Archived from the original on September 21, 2007.
^ Parkinson, Crysta (June 16, 2007). "Ashley Young crowned Miss N.D. 2008" . Williston Daily Herald .
^ "Miss Portland Crowned Miss Oregon 2007" . Salem News. July 1, 2007. Retrieved July 1, 2007 .
^ "Miss Charleston wins Miss SC pageant" . TheTandD.com. July 8, 2007.
^ "Miss Longview crowned Miss Texas" . My Plainview . July 7, 2007.
^ Mitchell, Whitney (July 13, 2007). "Miss Virginia's on top of the world" . The Roanoake Times. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012.
^ "Miss Washington is second runner-up for Miss America" . Seattle Post . January 28, 2008.
^ "Miss Washington snags 2nd runner-up spot" . KIMA TV. January 28, 2008.
^ "Miss Madison is new Miss Wisconsin" . Appleton Post Crescent. July 1, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.
^ "Ashley Bickford Biography" . Miss Rhode Island. Archived from the original on 2008-02-02. Retrieved 2008-01-24 .
^ Willenburg, Brandy (2007-07-20). "New Miss Tennessee plans to maintain strong Vanderbilt ties". The Reporter (Vanderbilt Medical Center).
External links