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CNN Live At Daybreak

Changes Made in the Miss America Pageant

Aired August 15, 2001 - 07:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The tribe has spoken. A few minutes from now the folks from the Miss America Pageant are going to make some big changes -- they're going to announce them. Organizers are actually taking a page from Reality TV. Are we talking about "Survivor," "Fear Factor" on the runway?

Bob Renneisen is president and CEO of the Miss America Organization.

Good morning, Bob.

BOB RENNEISEN, PRESIDENT AND CEO, MISS AMERICA ORGANIZATION: Morning, Carol, how are you?

LIN: I'm doing just fine.

I know you're trying to change the image that viewers have of the Miss America Pageant and take a look at this. I mean when most of us think of the Miss America Pageant, this is what we think of, you know, a parade of beauties and when most of think of Reality TV, frankly, this is what we think of. How do you marry the two?

RENNEISEN: Actually I think the first Reality TV was probably the first time Miss America was telecast in 1954. What's happened over the years is the Miss America Organization has changed its program. It's evolved almost on an annual basis. But we haven't changed the television show in the same way that we've changed the program so this...

LIN: I mean are you having girls jump off cliffs, dive into pits with rats?

RENNEISEN: No, no, no, but what we're trying to do is make sure that what we put on TV is an accurate reflection of what really goes on and that -- and that's -- that, more than anything else, is the effort this year.

LIN: All right, this is the cool thing. One of the new features you're going to be announcing is something called a jury room, similar to the diary room in "Big Brother" or the tribal council on "Survivor," where 41 contestants who didn't make the top 10 get into a room, they get to vote on the remaining winners and we, the audience, get to hear what they say about these girls. RENNEISEN: They do get a vote, yes. I think the difference here is they're not going to vote to see who leaves but to see who they think ought to be Miss America. Bear in mind, Carol, that these young women will have been together for three weeks of very intensive competition by that time so they do get a very good opportunity to get to know one another.

LIN: Bob, also, you want these girls to be able to show that they're sensitive and aware of current events, U.S. history and government. I mean most recent surveys show that most Americans think Elvis is still alive and half the people can't even name the president of the United States. How do you expect these gals to do?

RENNEISEN: Basically what we're -- what we're looking for in the Miss American program is a truly outstanding young woman each year. I think we've found that, but I don't think what we've shown on TV necessarily demonstrates the depth and the intensity of the competition that these women go through each year. You know each year this starts with more than 12,000 young women and ends up with 51 in Atlantic City during the Miss America competition, and yet, I think what we've shown on TV probably gives a short trip to what they actually go through to get there.

LIN: Do we really want to see that, Bob? Isn't it going to get kind of ugly?

RENNEISEN: I don't think so. I think what you're going to see will be surprising. It's not ugly at all. What happens is kind of a coming together of some very bright and intelligent young ladies and it becomes more like a sorority than the often-quoted cattiness that people think goes on.

LIN: Oh, so those rumors about girls cutting up each other's dresses behind the scenes aren't true?

RENNEISEN: No.

LIN: All right. Well, one scene you're going to put on television here during the pageant is you want it -- you want these gals to be able to show their poise, their presence, as well as a sense of family. And frankly, as a modern day woman, here is what I don't get. The way you're going to do this is you're going to have -- you're going to have them escorted onto the stage by their dad or another significant male in their life. Why should it be that a man should take her up on stage and that should really show her a sense of self?

RENNEISEN: Typically -- historically, you know when the young ladies come on stage, they're escorted by a man, whether it's been a dancer or a host. You know our only change this year is we thought it might make it more comfortable for the young woman to be escorted by a family member.

LIN: And the audience get to -- gets to participate in some way similar to what we saw at the Democratic conventions and the Republican conventions? RENNEISEN: Well, you know to anyone who's ever been personally at the Miss America Pageant, it's very much like a political convention everywhere. Each state sends a large delegation. It's -- in some ways it's like the Super Bowl, and I don't think the television program has ever shown, you know, what really is going on in the audience so we want to make an effort to do that this year as well.

LIN: Oh Lord, well, we're going to see it September 22.

RENNEISEN: We look forward to having you.

LIN: All right. Thanks so much, Bob Renneisen of the Miss America Pageant.

RENNEISEN: Bye.

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