MAIN Art & ... Pop Culture Miss America Pageant 2011

This year's Miss America pageant ceremony aired live from Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on January 14, 2012 on ABC Television — when Miss Nebraska, Teresa Scanlan, crowned her successor, Miss Wisconsin, Laura Kaeppeler, in a traditional ceremony that has celebrated American beauties from around the nation.

The fourth runner up was Miss California, Noelle Freeman; the third runner up was Miss Arizona, Jennifer Sedler; the second runner up was Miss New York, Kaitlin Monte; and the first runner up was Miss Oklahoma, Betty Thompson.

2012 marked the 91st Miss America pageant and the seventh ceremony held outside New Jersey since it made the historic move from its traditional home in Atlantic City in 2005.

Miss America - decades of tradition

The first Miss America Pageant was held in 1921 to promote Atlantic City, New Jersey and was a part of the glitz and glamour of the famed boardwalk until 2005, when it was announced that Las Vegas would be the new home of Miss America.

Miss America on TV

Miss America premiered on the new medium - television! - in 1954.

The following year, legendary host Bert Parks added his showmanship and singing voice to the event. He would host the Miss America Pageant for the next twenty five years, and for a generation of pageant fans his rendition of "There she is, Miss America..." became closely identified with the beautiful women who walked the runway wearing the Miss America crown.

Miss America around the Web

For more information on the history of the Miss America Pageant, these sites bring an in-depth look with pictures, videos and plenty of good information, and even advice on how you can enter...

Miss America Pageant - The official site, and the place to find out about becoming a contestant, plus everything else you always wanted to know, featuring the latest news and announcements, Miss America trivia, history, video clips from past shows, a past-winners' photo gallery, current contestants, and media contact and registration info...

American Experience - Miss America - The PBS special comes complete with vintage videos of past Miss America pageants, plenty of pictures of contestants, sections that focus on the people associated with the contest, a teacher's guide that helps explain how these bathing beauties reflected the history and social concerns of the times they lived in and more...

Coverage of Miss America - The site for pageant info featuring current news, coverage of past pageants and in-depth looks at the winners of each state contest.

Miss America seeks relevance and ratings - Archived MSNBC article discussing trials and tribulations of keeping the Miss America pageant relevant to the concerns of women in the modern world - and the TV audiences of today. Included are a photo slide show of some crowning moments and a video of contestants in the teeny bikinis provided by Speedo...

Thereshe is / Miss America tries to become a survivor - Is the glamour of Miss America too old fashioned for modern TV audiences who thrive on reality TV and Desperate Housewives? This editorial looks at the troubles facing an American icon in the ratings war...

also see -> Miss Universe | Miss USA

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue | Victoria's Secret Models