Am I Right or Wrong About the Teen Miss South Carolina?

[EV_Ares]

Listening to them replay & replay the dam video of her and her geography question really just pissed me off. Again, I feel the media is the one that is stupid anyway so maybe I am overreacting. I mean she is just 16 or 17, attack and make fun of us adults & politicians or those like Paris Hilton that does all the stupid stuff she does.

My question is she is a teenager, leave her alone and take this as a reflection of the education we are giving our children.

I don't have much respect for the media anymore anyway but I feel we don't need to put this young girl on tv by replaying and replaying the video and making fun of her.

I couldn't believe the one lady on MSNBC that said maybe she is too stupd to realize people are making fun of her, what kind of a professional is she?

Just my rant and thoughts about it, go ahead and correct me if I am wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WALIARHHLII

[Le Taz Hot]

1. SHE put herself out there.

No one forced her there. When you put yourself in front of millions of people, there's always the danger of looking less-than-your best . . . in this case, a total airhead.

[hlthe2b]

5. I see two sides to it, but yes she (and her parents) put her out

there, and apparently emphasized "looks over learning" to this stage in her life. I would agree with those who are feeling sorry for the girl and that she was being exploited IF the video had come involuntary, unknowingly, and without permission. The people of SC need to see how their tax dollars are being spent and the resultant education it creates. She's a poster child for the worst case scenario, nervous rambling or not.

[Virginia Dare]

2. Everybody loves a dumb blonde apparently..

it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black, stupid is as stupid does as far as the media goes. This goes beyond being a non-story.

[ccpup]

3. well, you're not wrong

but if someone is putting themselves on-stage, vying for a "crown" and, in effect, attempting to become something of a "role model", they're opening themselves up for scrutiny, ESPECIALLY if they open their mouth and stupid falls out.

Perhaps this girl is a reflection of the dismal state of our Public Schools or, perhaps, she's a reflection of her parent's home schooling or private schooling? We -- or at least I -- don't know. But if she's willing to open herself to the applause and "love" of the audience, she has to be willing to accept the jabs and catcalls and "mean stuff".

Thank goodness nothing else of importance is happening in the world and the Media can focus on this story 24/7. Whew!

[Corgigal]

4. MIss Teen is a top tier contest

Which means she been doing the rounds for awhile and was trained to get there. This whole dog and pony show should be dumped and the parents of SC are really big into this pageant silliness. Stores to buy those pageant dresses all over the place because it's big business.

Now this child needs to move off of just being "pretty" enough for breeding stock and get herself a real education.

[underpants]

18. God how much would it suck to have been the runner up ?

:wow:

BTW she was the THIRD Runner up that means that, with this event as the standard, she is the 4th best teenage girl in the whole land!!!

:rofl:

[jobycom]

6. Many journalists sold their integrity long ago, so now any chance they get

to feel superior to another human being, even a child, they take.

[karlrschneider]

7. Actually it wasn't a geography question.

:eyes:

[endarkenment]

8. I agree, enough is enough.

At this point the coverage is sadistic.

[a kennedy]

9. Miss South Carolina Teen USA claims she lost train of thought in TV meltdown

The 18-year-old beauty contestant who mesmerized the nation with her verbal "brilliance" at the Miss Teen USA pageant over the weekend originally entered the realm of beauty pageants to improve her personal communication skills, WND can reveal.



WND Exclusive BLONDE BOMBSHELL
'Ditzy Chick' did beauty pageants to improve communication
Miss South Carolina Teen USA claims she lost train of thought in TV meltdown
Posted: August 27, 2007
10:59 p.m. Eastern

By Joe Kovacs
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

The 18-year-old beauty contestant who mesmerized the nation with her verbal "brilliance" at the Miss Teen USA pageant over the weekend originally entered the realm of beauty pageants to improve her personal communication skills, WND can reveal.


Lauren Caitlin Upton of Lexington, S.C., shown in this undated modeling photo. The 18-year-old has become a national sensation after her gramatically challenged response to a question at the Miss Teen USA pageant in Pasadena, Calif., Aug. 24, 2007 (photo courtesy Locke Management)

"I was never much of a pageant girl," Lauren Caitlin Upton said in an interview published just hours before Friday's competition. "When I first started pageants, I wanted to build up my communication skills for interviews for college and for jobs. I was determined to prove I was able to accomplish anything I put my mind to."

The ironic comments were recorded in her local paper, the State of Columbia, S.C., which she told for today's edition that she "completely misunderstood" the geography question posed to her.

"I didn't do anything wrong. I wasn't expecting . I lost my train of thought."

Miss South Carolina Teen USA says she graduated with a 3.5 grade-point average from Lexington High School in June, and was a varsity athlete and student leader.

"Things happen for a reason," she said. "That's the way life goes."

"I just want people to know that I'm an average teenage girl, living life to the fullest, learning from my mistakes and living life in a positive way, and that is all I can ask for."

Full article is here: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/staticarticles/article57350.html

[Buzz Clik]

14. that's pretty easy to believe.

It's pretty clear that she was hoping to weave into her discourse some classic bell-ringing sound bites. She freaked out and started stammering, then she wandered around and talked about South Africa for some reason.

Hopefully, she's not a dopey as she appeared and was simply rattled.

[karlrschneider]

23. Oh, she's at least that dopey.

Promise.

[blondeatlast]

28. That's what I saw too. She had the word Iraq at the ready and

I think she mentioned South Africa too (wtf--that train passed the station long ago) had to form an answer around that--kind of like Commander Bunnypants.

She allowed herself to be put in that position; still, she has my sympathy to be seeing it repeated like this. But I think there's little shame in exploiting the situation, either.

Once you make a very conscious choice to go public--too bad.

[theredpen]

31. WORLD NUT DAILY?!

Seriously. This is the "news organization" that reported the finding of Saddam's secret nuclear research facility...

[Tanuki]

10. I feel sorry for her too, and sorry for her exploitation.

At her age, she probably thought of the pageant as some sort of validation, like being a cheerleader or homecoming queen, and maybe she had fantasies about it jump-starting a career as a model or actress. These meat parades try to diguise themselves as "scholarship programs," but if that were the case, they would be screening the young girls for academic talent at every level of competition and not allow a kid like that to get to the finals, only to become the subject of ridicule. Not everyone can be a genius, and it's cruel to pick on her, especially when there are so many more deserving targets of contempt in today's world.

[underpants]

19. Yeah it is tough being so unwillingly subjected to that

[theredpen]

34. She ALREADY has a career as a model

Here's a rather wholesome picture included with the WND article that someone else posted:

[Stuckinthebush]

11. What is the point of pageants in 21st century America?

What is it that they are supposed to be accomplishing? The vast majority of Americans don't want their daughters growing up to be like this? They don't want their daughters' highest ambition to be pretty and "poised" on a stage in order to get a crown and sung to by some lounge singer/master of ceremonies. They understand that this gender stereotype is dangerous and harmful to their daughters.

Who wants this for their daughters? Who thinks this type of contest is a good idea? Who wants their daughters to be masturbation fodder for the masses?

God let's hope not many.

I guess one good thing about these pageants is that they train girls for a lucrative career as a FOX News anchor.

[blondeatlast]

30. What's the point? Some people love to watch and they make fortunes for

those who run them.

I can't stand them, but they aren't there to raise cultural awareness. They are cash cows for those who put them on and those in the "consulting" business; a virtually endless supply of pretty desperate people will pay beaucoup for your services.

You'd be utterly astonished at how much dough one can make serving this market--it's jaw-dropping.

[Stuckinthebush]

36. Oh, I believe that...I'm sure a lot of money is made

But what is the point for the girls? For the parents? For society?

Nothing. They send terrible messages to both girls AND boys.

[Marrah_G]

12. I feel sorry for her really

My daughter could have come up with a better answer at age 10.

What is truly frightening is the question itself. It illuminates just how incredibly dumbed down our children (and adults) have become. I put it squarely on the parents. Turn off VH1 and put on the discovery channel or the history channel instead. Or perhaps give the child a book, or talk to them about something other then Paris Hilton's latest DUI.

It is sad, but expected. The girl's life revolves around nothing but appearance and a few canned answers she had to memorize. When an unknown question came at her, she was unable to think critically and tried to fall back on those canned answers with disasterous results.

Her parents should be ashamed of themselves, but somehow I will bet her mother is a shallow, clueless, shell of a woman held together with Botox and trying to relive her youth through her daughter.


Edit: Yes, I hate these pageants. Not because they are judging beauty (I love to look at a beautiful woman sometimes also), but because they judge ONLY on a fake beauty that really does not show the very best our gender has to offer. Just walk onto any top university in the world and you will see it filled with some absolutely stunning women, but those are not the women you see celebrated, instead we get Paris Hilton types.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

37. So the only things she knows about are WW2 and how big machines and buildings are made? -nt

[AngryAmish]

41. On average, the younger generation is smarter than previous generations

It has been going on for years. It is called the Flynn effect.

Here is a link: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect>

IQ is raised about 3 points per decade. IQ tests have to be renormed all the time to maintain a bell curve distribution around 100 IQ.

It is clear even looking at popular culture people enjoy more complex things. Compare CSI to Cannon or Dragnet. CSI is a much more complex show.

Bottom line: Dumbed down or not, young people are smarter than previous generations on average.

[Extend a Hand]

13. It's hard to have a mistake made quite so public.

I feel sorry for her. If she can manage to handle all the negative attention with grace and charm she'll be two steps ahead of most of us.

[Saturday]

15. I watched no TV yesterday.

I must be the only one on DU that doesn't know what you're talking about and I think perhaps it's a good thing. lol

[Mutineer]

16. David Letterman played it 2x last night.

I just wince when I watch it. Yes, it was a dumb answer but being on national tv can't be easy either. And she still is just a kid.

[EV_Ares]

24. Thanks for that, my point exactly, she is still "just a kid or teen". Do

we have to subject our kids to that kind of hit just because we can. Yes, not a good answer, but in comparison to what us adults are doing in this world, no comparison.

I think we need to let them be teens and grow without this kind of humiliation.

[H2O Man]

17. It seems to have

given her an opportunity to be on more programs to explain her "answer" than any of the other contestants.

[blondeatlast]

35. Yes, what an "unfortunate" mistake. We'll know just how unfortunate

when she is a big star. I'm not actually faulting her here, I admire her ability to take it on the chin--and capitalize on her misfortune. I'm not joking about this either.

Who remembers Miss America 1984--no, not that one*, the one who actually served most of the term? for that matter, who remembers ANY Miss America very long? Anyone who's in that biz for stardom hasn't paid a dime's worth of attention.

*The lovely, funny, talented, and just wonderful Vanessa Williams; oh, and there was another one, too--it's right on the tip of my tongue (ah, hell, no it isn't).

[Squatch]

20. I'd hit it.

Oh, to be 18 again.

[mwb970]

21. Well, she *looked* great.

What a beautiful child. Perfect hair, perfect face, perfect makeup, perfect clothes. Then they ask her a question about why Americans are so stupid about the world and she proceeds to give an incoherent, rambling answer that revealed that she was too stupid to even understand the question.

How did she get from "Why can't Americans find their own country on a map?" to her impassioned demand that we supply maps to the people in South Africa and Iraq so that America can be great?

Why South Africa and Iraq? Are those the only foreign countries she's heard of?

For one brief moment I thought they were going to bring out an unmarked map of the world and ask her if she could find America on it. Now that would have been entertaining!

She participated in this event voluntarily, as far as we know. The fact that she made a fool of herself, American Idol style, is nobody's fault but her own. But wow, didn't she look great?

[OHdem10]

22. American Media has the behaviro of High School Clique

They seem to stand around snicker ang giggle and
act worse than most high school "air-heads".
Making fun of people seems to be the only thing
at which they excel.

The country is going over a cliff and they work
like the devil to crucify celebriies. Even in
this they are selective. It has been proven and
reported that Paris Hilton was punished unjustly.
Yet they did everything in their power to save Lohan
and the latest "beauty". They have no concept
of evenhandedness. High School Clique Personified.

Today, I listned as Washington Journal (C_Span)
read editorials re Gonzales. Even the Editorial
Pages could not criticize Gonzales without condemning
the Democrats. They appear to believe GWB and Co.
should be permitted to do what they wish with no
oversight. "The Democrats had better be careful
with all these investigations". How do the American
people get the idea that there are too many investigations

Someday America may get some grown-ups in the Media.
This crop is a disappointment/.
Everyday some reporter tells them on Cable TV. Never
do they explain this is oversight that was totally
neglected by GOP. That Librul Media just like a
high school clique feel no responsibility--ust
giggle and snear.

[Totally Committed]

25. Regardless of what I feel about "beauty pageants", and the effing "media" hypocrisy here...

(how many blond(e) bimbette newsreaders of BOTH genders do they employ to look good whilst reading the "news"????), this is an incident that will scar this young woman forever. Its very unfortunate that young women who are pretty, but limited in the intelligence department, are encouraged to enter these pagents in their spare time instead of getting some academic tutoring. This event will shape this young woman's consciousness forever. It's a painful bit of film to watch.

TC

[porphyrian]

26. You've got a valid opinion, it's not necessarily right or wrong. - n/t

[Frank Cannon]

27. There was no way she could answer the question truthfully

"Because our schools suck and No Child Left Behind is a sick joke, and because today's kids are more interested in American Idol than anything even slightly important."

She would have been out of there faster than shit through a goose.

[MADem]

33. How about "Too few schools teach geography nowadays, it's a shame." NT

[erpowers]

29. Some in Media Unprofessional, But No Excuses for Girl

There are some people who are currently in the media who very unprofessional. I think the female who host the morning show in CNN Headline News is extremely unprofessional. However, there are no excuses that can be made for that girl not being able to answer that question. She is actually 18 years old, but by age 16 or 17 she should have been able to answer that question. It is possible that the media should give her a break or stop showing the video, but she should have been able to answer the question.

[MADem]

32. I think she's eighteen, she's beautiful, and dumb as a goddamn doorknob. NT

[AngryAmish]

38. I'm not sure that I could have done better at that age

She got a question she was not prepared for. She blew it. I think it is cruel to keep repeating this. Some people just babble when under pressure.

Public speaking is a skill. One has to work at it. I'm sure she has practiced but she failed this time.

She is a teenager. We allow teenagers to fail.

Her life is not over and we should not hound her (not here, this is a pissant internet messageboard, not real life so we can say whatever. I'm talking about the media following her.)

Some people like to point their fingers and mock because that is easier than building one's self up. I know, I do it all the time.

[Strawman]

39. She's a kid

And she blanked out and started babbling. Big deal. Would her non-nervous, non-gibberish answer have been brilliant? No. In fact, I heard it on the Today show this morning and it was probably a C-, but there's something twisted about pouncing on a nervous kid with this kind of meanness.

[SoCalDem]

40. Blonde? check.. cute? check..beauty pageant? check

What more needs to be said?

The whole pageant "industry" runs because there is an abundance of cute girls who need to be seen..They do whatever's necessary to BE seen. The irony is this.. Many claim they do it for the "scholarship money"..The truth is this. The money that the family spends in clothing, travel and entry fees for 16 years would pretty much cover an ivy league education..

These girls are after the "fame & fortune" and a career as a spokesmodel/prompter-reader/actress. Those jobs do not require college, so you are unlikely to see all that many brainiacs prancing around in evening gowns & swimsuits..