Why is there a Miss America AND a Miss USA?

[DisneyFan32WI]

Why are there 2 different pageants? What is the difference?

 

[low-key]

Miss USA goes on to compete for Miss World, and Miss America is the high as you go

 

[allison443]

I believe pageants are privately run, for-profit organizations. They aren't "official" or anything like that. Anyone could start a pageant, couldn't they?
(There is also a Miss Universe pageant-that is what Miss USA competes in. Both the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants are currently owned by Donald Trump.)

 

[bicker]

I believe pageants are privately run, for-profit organizations. They aren't "official" or anything like that. Anyone could start a pageant, couldn't they?

Correct. There are two because two groups of people want to hold pageants.

 

[NC State]

Miss America is the first one that started it all. It's based more on interveiw and talent. Miss USA is owned by Donald Trump and it's based more on beauty, which also goes onto Miss Universe.
Just my two cents.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

Most of the time the Miss America contestants are more educated( even graduate students) and Miss America gives out a lot of scholarship money. Even here in my town the regional pageants ( before Miss PA) give out a semester of tuition at a local state college. I can't remember what Miss PA gets but it's a nice scholarship.
I like Miss America pageants so much more.

 

[DWGal210]

My brothers girlfriend is the runner-up for Miss Iowa with the Miss America organization so I've learned a lot this year.

From what I know, Miss America gives scholarships for winning, whereas Miss USA is more of a modeling competition.

She also told me that in the Miss USA competition, they do not score the Q&A as part of the score & there is no talent competition. You'll see the Q&A on Miss USA on TV but they don't use those scores in determining a winner.

 

[DebbieB]

There are other pageants. Mrs. America, Miss Hawaiian Tropic......

 

[bushdianee]

From what I've always heard Miss America is supposed to be based more on scholarship while Miss USA is a beauty contest. Not that I've ever seen a Miss America who hasn't been beautiful also!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

There are other pageants. Mrs. America, Miss Hawaiian Tropic......

I realize there are thousands of pageants out there, but the two I'm referring two seem to be redundant. How could 2 people have *almost* the same title at the same time? Why wouldn't there just be one? It seems really confusing and I was wondering WHY there would be 2 of the same thing.

 

[bicker]

Kinda like why does there need to be a McDonald's and a Burger King. :hmm:

 

[lpereira]

For the same reason there is both a mcdonalds and a burger king. They serve the same thing but the market place supports both. Miss America stated in atlantic city as a way to draw crowds to the boardwalk during the winter months. It started in 1920 something. Miss USA was strted in the 1950s by a bathing suit company after the winning miss america refused to pose in a swimsuit for moral reasons.

Miss America is a nonprofit corporation. Donald trump owns miss usa

 

[LBIJim]

There are other pageants. Mrs. America, Miss Hawaiian Tropic......

Miss Nude America at the local strip club.

Jim

 

[ilovepcot]

Seems to me that the contestants in the Miss America pageant are more like the girl next door...pretty and wholesome. Contestants in the Miss USA pageant are more the Las Vegas showgirl types. I have a cousin that was Miss Georgia back in the 80's and she competed in the Miss USA pageant. I asked her at the time about the difference in the two pageants and she mentioned sponsors, scholarships etc., but also said she'd rather have a rat chew off her foot than be associated with the Miss America pageant.

 

[Becky2005]

I believe pageants are privately run, for-profit organizations. They aren't "official" or anything like that. Anyone could start a pageant, couldn't they?
(There is also a Miss Universe pageant-that is what Miss USA competes in. Both the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants are currently owned by Donald Trump.)

Yes, anyone can start a pageant (although it's not as easy as you would think!!! I do a fundraising one & this is our 2nd year so still tweaking thigns, I don't know how people are directors for more than one! This one consumes all my time & I don't even make anything off of it! It all goes to charity).

There are a ton of small ones that are just local pageants and other ones that are pageants that each state has a winner that then competes nationally.

I do believe the difference between Miss USA and Miss America though is that one is a scholarship program and the other one isn't. They are 2 completely different organizations.

 

[allison443]

I realize there are thousands of pageants out there, but the two I'm referring two seem to be redundant. How could 2 people have *almost* the same title at the same time? Why wouldn't there just be one? It seems really confusing and I was wondering WHY there would be 2 of the same thing.

I guess I don't understand the confusion. Someone could start a "Miss United States" pageant, a "Miss North America" pageant, etc. It's almost like you are saying that the titles mean that "Miss America" is the most beautiful woman in America, so how could there be a "Miss USA"?

 

[stevenpensacola]

$$$$$$

 

[almburr]

My mother told me that the Miss.America pagent was for the smart,pretty ones who could carry on a coversation, and the Miss USA was for the pretty ones who were not the brightest bulbs in the pack.