Mario Lopez will host of the 2009 Miss America Pageant. Lopez, who previously hosted the 2007 Miss America Pageant, is sure to be a wonderful addition to this year’s event ? combining his charisma and on-stage experience of working with 52 of America’s most unique and talented young women. The 2009 Miss America Pageant airs live from Las Vegas at 8 PM (EST) on TLC.
The Miss America pageant is a competition which awards scholarships to young women from the fifty states plus two territories of the United States of America. The first-prize winner of the national pageant is awarded the title of "Miss America" for one year. The Pageant originated as a beauty contest in 1921 in Atlantic City, New Jersey and was held there each year in September through 2004.
In January 2006 the pageant moved to Las Vegas and this corresponded to a new swing toward sexiness among the contestants although Swimsuit and Evening Wear still only comprise 35% of the overall score used to judge contestants. Many involved with the Miss America program say that "other pageants are looking for a model, but Miss America is looking for a role model". The pageant presents itself as a "scholarship pageant," and the primary prizes for the winner and her runners-up are scholarships to the institution of her choice.
The Miss America Scholarship program, along with it's local and state affiliates, is the largest provider of scholarship money to young women in the world, each year awarding more than $45 million in cash and scholarships. Since most of the contestants are college graduates already, or on the verge of graduating, most of their prize money is devoted to graduate school or professional school, or to pay off student loans for courses already taken.
PLANET HOLLYWOOD
