Pageant Weekend Is Exciting
I am a pageant person—always have been and always will be. Not from the perspective of competing, of course, but as a viewer and a lover of all things fashionable and fabulous.
I became a fan I guess as a young girl watching the pageants with my mother.
“Who do you like Susan,” she would ask.
“Let me study them awhile,” I would respond.
My mom’s pageant of choice was Miss Universe. She liked to see all the exotic faces and costumes and Miss Venezuela was always one her favorites. Makes sense because they literally breed pageant queens in that part of the hemisphere. The current Miss Universe is from where—Venezuela.
Nonetheless when our very own Tiana [Griggs] was crowned Miss Georgia there was no way I was missing this particular pageant.
Having a six-year old daughter, Robyn, I now share the tradition my mother started with me with her. We’ve been propped up on the sofa together since she was age two for the Miss USA, Miss Universe, and occasionally Miss Venezuela pageants. She likes it—especially all the sequins and heels which may haunt me later.
Now I’m not advocating the idea of pageantry for her by any stretch of the imagination—it’s just fun to watch, be a sofa critic, and root for your pick all the way to the crown.
So anyway when I learned the Miss USA pageant would be moving from Las Vegas, its usual venue, to Baton Rouge, a bit closer to home, and on top of that featuring a beautiful hometown girl my mind began making preparations to go.
We here in the office kicked around the idea of a girl’s trip out to see Tiana compete and in the end it came down to Hannah and I. Now Hannah has been my “roadtripper” as of late. We did Disney in April with my two kids and as much as I would have liked Robyn to accompany us for this unprecedented event this one was sans kids. (A big thank you to my sister Nesa.)
In the week leading up the the pageant we readied the paperwork necessary to apply for media credentials and once approved plans came together slowly but surely.
The drive was long but I’ve made it so many times before for far less meaningful purposes. As Hannah knocked down the miles hour by hour, we both were overcome with this childlike giddiness.
It wasn’t about the trip itself or for me being child free for 48 hours—it was about supporting someone we knew from youth follow a dream, achieve a goal, and inspire a city, state, nation to follow their dreams not to mention that she had a real shot at the title.
In the week leading up to the live telecast, I predicted Tiana to make the Top 15 and Top 10 with little review of the other contestants not just based on beauty but because I knew what she was made of. Mind you I have been observing pageants for more than 30 years and I feel like I have a good indication of what contenders look like, my margin of error on predictions is pretty low too.
I remember whispering to Hannah during the swimsuit portion that I didn’t like Miss Nevada because she was going to be a problem. When Tiana was announced first to the Top 6, I felt it was her title to lose. Two names later when Miss Nevada was announced I thought to myself “she still hanging around” and then I turned to Hannah and said “she’s still a problem.”
I knew it would all come down to the ease and manner in which each of the ladies addressed their selected question. History has proven there is no room to wiggle on the final question. Tiana was to speak last which worked to her advantage. After all we were in the Louisiana Bayou and she would prevail just as the Disney’s Princess Tiana.
She wiggled, just a tad.
After all the questions had been answered and waiting for the final tally I made my own based on the history, not my heart. Iowa would be last; Louisiana and North Dakota would fight for fourth and fifth; Tiana in third, either Miss Nevada and Miss Florida at the top.
When Miss Florida was named third runner-up I nearly pooped in my pants with excitement because I was off the mark, and Tiana still had a claim to the title but then they called her name next and I deflated again.
Not that third of 51 is a let down by any means but because “our girl” was supposed to represent the nation at the Miss Universe pageant.
Nonetheless, it was a great ride that we will not soon forget. Tiana is etched in Georgia history as a representative of Monticello, She is much loved and appreciated for her tenacity and beauty, inside and out.
Big ups to Jasperites who made the journey to the Bayou—Lois, Booky, Nannette and Robert, who would have imagined traveling 550 miles to have a coincidental meeting at Belles’ Casino lobby. The same goes out to Charlene, “Big Blue,” Toya, Demetria and the rest of their crew. Great minds think alike, Hannah and I wondered for more than 200 miles what Raising Cane’s was all about, now we all know.