Beauty queens may not be more than just pretty faces.Sure, some can sing and some can dance.Some can even toss and twirl a flaming baton or two.And all of them have obtained, or are in the process of obtaining, a college degree. But those acts are certainly not deserving of a two-year scholarship to the New York Film Academy, which is the case for Kristen Dalton, who won the title of Miss USA 2009 on April 19.She’s been admitted to a prestigious film school on the basis that she can portray Barbie when thousands of other applicants who have spent all their time and money financing a film will get rejected.The 22-year-old North Carolina native also won a year’s rent for a New York apartment along with a personal public relations team and an undisclosed salary.That’s a pretty sweet deal considering all she had to do was show off her toned, tanned bod in a bikini and evening gown.She didn’t even have to put together a talent skit.Apparently strutting on stage in an itty-bitty bikini and stilettos without face-planting is talent enough. Some of these women may be talented, but I wouldn’t say they’re all intelligent, poised and well-spoken, as Miss South Carolina proved in the Miss Teen USA 2007’s pageant.College degrees can only go so far.When asked why she thought 1/5 of Americans couldn’t locate the U.S. on a world map, this was her reply:”I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some, uh, people out there in our nation don’t have maps, and, uh, I believe that our education like such as South Africa and, uh, the Iraq everywhere like, such as and, believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., err, uh, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future.”Miss America prides itself on the fact that it is a “scholarship” pageant because the pageant winners receive an academic scholarship to the school of their choice.Some girl who has spent the last year doing nothing but starving herself, working out and fake baking is eligible to attend any Ivy League college.The same goes for Miss USA queens. But at least Miss America requires a talent. Miss USA contestants are only judged on their swimsuit and evening gown performances and a question, which they must answer in less than one minute.Once again, these girls can receive a scholarship to their dream school for answering a question in less than a minute when every other applicant has to answer a question in at least a 1,000 word essay.For the record, I’ve never been involved in a beauty pageant and therefore have never lost one, so don’t think I’m bitter.I am a tad jealous all these women have to do to win a coveted college scholarship is fake bake a few months, learn how to play one song on the piano or do a tap dance a kindergartener could pull off.But if that’s all I have to do to snag a diamond-encrusted crown and a free ride to film school, then maybe I should hire myself a personal trainer and mumble some incoherent answer on America’s poor education system.And if I don’t win, at least I’ll have a chance at becoming a YouTube star.
Drew Belle Zerby is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Vidalia. —-Contact Drew Belle Zerby at [email protected]