Deidre Downs, Miss America 2005

Miss America 2005 is Deidre Downs, a pre-med student from Birmingham Alabama, who won a $50,000 scholarship tonight and the privilege to represent our country as a role model for children and as a spokesperson for pediatric cancer patients.

Tonight also represented a milestone for television. The Miss America Pageant is the longest running event in television history. The pageant began in 1921 as a gimmick by Atlantic City businessmen to extend the summer tourist season. For eighty-three years the show has now been in production, and fifty of those have been telecast.

Golden Globe actress, Miss America 1955, Lee Meriwether was the first to be telecast fifty years ago. She along with twenty-two former Miss Americas were present tonight.

They included: Jean Bartel, Evelyn Ay, Marian McKnight, Maria Beale Fletcher, Jacquelyn Mayer, Donna Axum, Vonda Van Dyke, Judi Ford, Phyllis George, Susan Perkins, Kylene Barker, Susan Powell, Kellye Cash, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, Debbye Turner, Heather Whitestone, Shawntel Smith, Tara Dawn Holland, Kate Shindle, Nicole Johnson, Heather French, Katie Harman, and Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap.

From the beginning of the competition to today, the Miss America winners have been and are:

1921 Margaret Gorman, Washington, D.C
1922–23 Mary Campbell, Columbus, Ohio
1924 Ruth Malcolmson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1925 Fay Lamphier, Oakland, California
1926 Norma Smallwood, Tulsa, Oklahoma
1927 Lois Delaner, Joliet, Illinois
1933 Marion Bergeron, West Haven, Connecticut
1935 Henrietta Leaver, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1936 Rose Coyle, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1937 Bette Cooper, Bertrand Island, New Jersey
1938 Marilyn Meseke, Marion, Ohio
1939 Patricia Donnelly, Detroit, Michigan
1940 Frances Marie Burke, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1941 Rosemary LaPlanche, Los Angeles, California
1942 JoCaroll Dennison, Tyler, Texas
1943 Jean Bartel, Los Angeles, California
1944 Venus Ramey, Washington, D.C
1945 Bess Myerson ,New York, New York
1946 Marilyn Buferd, Los Angeles, California
1947 Barbara Walker, Memphis, Tennessee
1948 BeBe Shopp, Hopkins, Minnesota
1949 Jacque Mercer, Litchfield, Arizona
1951 Yolande Betbeze, Mobile, Alabama
1952 Coleen Kay Hutchins, Salt Lake City, Utah
1953 Neva Jane Langley, Macon, Georgia
1954 Evelyn Margaret Ay, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
1955 Lee Meriwether, San Francisco, California
1956 Sharon Ritchie, Denver, Colorado
1957 Marian McKnight, Manning, South Carolina
1958 Marilyn Van Derbur, Denver, Colorado
1959 Mary Ann Mobley ,Brandon, Mississippi
1960 Lynda Lee Mead, Natchez, Mississippi
1961 Nancy Fleming, Montague, Michigan
1962 Maria Fletcher, Asheville, North Carolina
1963 Jacquelyn Mayer, Sandusky, Ohio
1964 Donna Axum, El Dorado, Arkansas
1965 Vonda Kay Van Dyke, Phoenix, Arizona
1966 Deborah Irene Bryant, Overland Park, Kansas
1967 Jane Anne Jayroe, Laverne, Oklahoma
1968 Debra Dene Barnes, Moran, Kansas
1969 Judith Anne Ford, Belvidere, Illinois
1970 Pamela Anne Eldred, Birmingham, Michigan
1971 Phyllis Ann George, Denton, Texas
1972 Laurie Lea Schaefer, Columbus, Ohio
1973 Terry Anne Meeuwsen, DePere, Wisconsin
1974 Rebecca Ann King, Denver, Colorado
1975 Shirley Cothran, Fort Worth, Texas
1976 Tawney Elaine Godin, Yonkers, New York
1977 Dorothy Kathleen Benham, Edina, Minnesota
1978 Susan Perkins, Columbus, Ohio
1979 Kylene Baker, Galax, Virginia
1980 Cheryl Prewitt, Ackerman, Mississippi
1981 Susan Powell, Elk City, Oklahoma
1982 Elizabeth Ward ,Russellville, Arkansas
1983 Debra Maffett, Anaheim, California
1984 Vanessa Williams , Milwood, New York (resigned title)
1984 Suzette Charles, Mays Landing, New Jersey
1985 Sharlene Wells, Salt Lake City, Utah
1986 Susan Akin, Meridian, Mississippi
1987 Kellye Cash, Memphis, Tennessee
1988 Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, Monroe, Michigan
1989 Gretchen Carlson, Anoka, Minnesota
1990 Debbye Turner, Mexico, Missouri
1991 Marjorie Judith Vincent, Oak Park, Illinois
1992 Carolyn Suzanne Sapp, Honolulu, Hawaii
1993 Leanza Cornett, Jacksonville, Florida
1994 Kimberly Clarice Aiken, Columbia, South Carolina
1995 Heather Whitestone, Birmingham, Alabama
1996 Shawntel Smith, Muldrow, Oklahoma
1997 Tara Dawn Holland, Overland Park, Kansas
1998 Katherine Shindle, Evanston, Illinois
1999 Nicole Johnson, Roanoke, Virginia
2000 Heather French ,Maysville, Kentucky
2001 Angela Perez Baraquio, Honolulu, Hawaii
2002 Katie Harman, Gresham, Oregon
2003 Erika Harold, Urbana, Illinois
2004 Ericka Dunlap, Orlando, Florida
2005 Deidre Downs, Birmingham, Alabama

Miss Dunlap will begin a career in country music now that she has passed on the crown to Miss America 2005.

In addition to potential scholarship money, all fifty-two girls gained many valuable tools, as well as lifetime friends.

After three nights of preliminary competitions and interviews, ten women were selected out of the fifty-two contestants. The judges included: Niki Taylor, Phil Maloof, Jennifer Hanson, Barry Phillips, Lawrence Hamilton, John Weidman and Miss America 1987, Kellye Cash

The Top Ten Finalists

Miss North Carolina, Kirstin Marie Elrod
Miss California, Veena Goel
Miss Oklahoma, Elizabeth Kinney
Miss Georgia, Danica Tisdale
Miss Kansas, Megan Bushell
Miss New York, Christina Ellington
Miss Louisiana, Jennifer Dupont
Miss Alabama, Deidre Downs
Miss Arkansas, Lacy Fleming
Miss Texas, Jamie Story

After seeing the women all in black, the casual wear showed off their personalities, their outfits, their moves and their great figures.

The swimsuit competition showed off their Speedo suits and the number of the Pilates the girls had done. A lot!

Harrison must have had a field day identifying potential candidates for future Bachelor and Bachelorette productions.

After wishing the women good luck, Chris announced the top five finalists:

Miss Alabama, Deidre Downs, 24
Miss Louisiana, Jennifer Dupont, 23
Miss California, Veena Goel, 22
Miss Arkansas, Lacy Fleming, 22
Miss North Carolina, Kirstin Marie Elrod, 23

The Top Five Finalists

In a one minute interview, we learned that Miss Louisiana would give away a house if she was Oprah Winfrey next year. And Reese Witherspoon was called out as one of Miss California's role models.

Then, Clay Aikan sang while the "Final Five" showed off their evening wear.

The first four women were escorted by their father. Miss North Carolina was escorted by her mother.

Jennifer Dupont was selected as the leader in the casual wear competition.

Jennifer Dupont was also selected as the leader in the swimsuit competition.

Deidre Downs was selected as the leader in the evening gown competition.

The Quiz

A multi-question quiz taught us more than the one minute interviews. The questions asked were as follows:

1) Forbes Magazine recently published its first ever list of "The World's Most Powerful Women." The #1 ranking was an American. Was it:

A. Laura Bush
B. Condoleezza Rice
C. Oprah Winfrey

The answer, answered correctly by Miss California and Miss Arkansas, is Dr. Condoleeza Rice, our nation's top security advisor.

The other three women answered Oprah Winfrey.

2) How many electoral votes will it take this year to be elected President?

A. 186
B. 270
C. 312

The correct answer: 270

Miss California, again, got this answer right, as did Miss North Carolina and Miss Alabama.

3) This year's Olympics Games were held in Athens, Greece. The next summer Games in 2008 will be held in:

A. Beijing, China
B. Buenos Aires, Argentina
C. Paris, France

All five women proved they watched the final ceremony in Athens. How embarrasing had they not all gotten Beijing correct.

4) To be President of the United States, you must be a man or woman of this age when assuming office:

A. 30
B. 35
C. 40

The constitution says one must be 35 years old. All but Miss Louisiana got this answer correct. By this time, Miss California was on a roll.

5) What year did the women get the right to vote? Was it:

A. 1920
B. 1925
C. 1930

The only woman to get this answer right was Miss Alabama which was "1920." All four others chose "1930."

6) Which of these closes with the phrase: "that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

A. The Constitution
B. The Declaration of Independence
C. Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Miss Louisiana and Miss Arkansas answered correctly that it was Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, which meant we had a three-way tie:

Miss Arkansas, Miss Alabama and Miss California all got four answers correct. However, there was no time for a tie-break.

The judges narrowed the playing field to two finalists.

Miss California received fourth runner up with a $20,000 college scholarship.
Miss Arkansas received third runner up with a $25,000 college scholarship.
Miss North Carolina received second runner up with a $30,00 scholarship.

Deidre Downs & Jennifer Dupont

Miss Alabama and Miss Louisiana, the top two finalists, were the only two to show their talent.

This year, talent becomes the highest scoring element of the competition - 20%.

Miss Louisiana performed a jazz dance to "Life of the Party."
Miss Alabama competed by singing the ballad "This Must Be Love."

After the talent competition, the two finalists dressed in their evening gowns. Miss Louisiana in a leopard print dress and Miss Alabama in a shimmering silver top and long white skirt, stood before Art McMaster, President & CEO of the Miss America Organization and thousands of family, friends and Atlantic City locals.

Finally, Chris Harrison announced "Miss America 2005 is Miss Alabama, Deidre Downs."

"You are Miss America," Chris said to Miss Downs. "I can't believe it," Miss America 2005 responded.

Scoring for the Miss America Pageant was based on a scale of 100 points. A 30% score carries over from preliminary competitions and added to that is 15% each for evening wear, casual wear and swimsuit, 20% for talent and 5% for the quiz.

Clay Aiken sang the "Miss America" theme song while Miss Downs made it her famous walk.

Miss Downs' platform: Curing Childhood Cancer

She will spend the coming year addressing community service organizations, business and civic leaders, the media and others to generate awareness about this issue.

"At age ten, I was the only girl on a boy's baseball team," she said. "And I later played volleyball on a full scholarship at the University of Virginia. At home, back in Birmingham, one of my accomplishments was creating a special license plate to benefit pediatric cancer research."

The 5-foot, 10½-inch, blue-eyed brunette pre-med student will receive $50,000 toward this end.

She pledged to use her year as Miss America to reestablish the competition as a major cultural event amid criticism that it is a outdated forum and has little relevance to modern women.

"People don't realize all the positive aspects of this program," she said. "People don't see it as more than a pageant. It's a scholarship program and it's not afraid to be glamorous."

She also defended the revealing two-piece swimsuits by Speedo that raised eyebrows in this year's competition. She said, "swimwear should remain a part of the event because it demonstrates a healthy lifestyle at a time when obesity has become an epidemic."

Congratulations Deidre Downs, all fifty-one other contestants in tonight's competition, all previous Miss Americas and Chris Harrison, for doing a great job filling Bert Park's old shoes!

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and role model living!

~ Jennifer King

To request an autograph of Miss America 2005, please send an 8 x 10 self-addressed stamped envelope to:

The Miss America Organization - Autographs
Two Miss America Way, Suite 1000
Atlantic City, NJ 08401

To request an appearance by Deidre Downs please fax your letter of request on letterhead to the Manager of Personal Appearances at 609-345-6860. Please include a contact name, phone number, fax number and the date you are requesting Miss America to appear.