Brain vs. Beauty

It's hard to resist poking fun at poor Ms. Teen South Carolina for her answer to a socio-geographical question in front of a huge TV audience and a packed house in Pasadena.

Even when given a chance to answer the question and speak again in a courtesy interview with Matt Lauer, it became apparent that she is not the smartest South Carolinian out there- which is perfectly fine.

What I find so funny is that these pageants pretend as though brains really matter in their competitions. Perhaps this is because the organizers want to ensure that the title and its duties will be carried out to better the country and its youth.

That didn't seem to matter with Tara Conner.

When Miss Teen South Carolina was asked, "Recent polls have shown that 20% of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?", the unfortunately comical response below was given.

Ms. South Carolina: I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education, like such as in South Africa and the Iraq -- everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should... our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. -- or should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future.

Go ahead, read it again, you know you want to, but it won't make any more sense the next time through.

What is so amazing is that being in the top five, after this answer she was awarded 3rd runner up which means someone was ranked below her after the answer. So again, if it doesn't even matter what the answer is...which it clearly does not, why ask?

If you are going to have a beauty pageant, have one, if you are going to play Jeopardy, get Ken Jennings. I don't want to see Ken Jennings in a nightgown and I don't want to see poor teenagers forced to answer questions they aren't prepared to answer.