White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of one of the most powerful clubs in America.

Miss America Goes Back To Jersey

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Daily Beast Bipartisan Brunch
After six years, Miss America is returning to her rightful place on the Atlantic City boardwalks.

The Miss America Pagent announced this morning that they’re going back to Jersey and will announce it later today at a live press conference from the historic boardwalks. Annoucned by Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, news of the deal was broken by the AP.

(photo by Bruce Boyajian)

“For decades, the Miss America organization has awarded scholarships to thousands of young women to help further their goals of higher education and achieve their dreams,” said Acting Governor Guadagno. “New Jersey is proud to once again host the Miss America Pageant here in Atlantic City. We are confident that Atlantic City’s famous boardwalk and variety of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues will showcase the city’s vibrancy and attraction to the participants and many visitors that will attend the Miss America Pageant every year.”

“We are so very proud to bring Miss America back to her birthplace in Atlantic City,” said Sam Haskell, III, the Miss America Organization’s chairman of the board. “We are grateful to Governor Christie and his staff for helping make this possible. Throughout the decades, Miss America has evolved into an organization that enables over 12,000 young women to enter and participate in our scholarship program each and every year. Today, Miss America remains an iconic symbol, and our roots have always stayed connected to Atlantic City. Our proud heritage is rich in history, having been named by USA Today as one of the Top Ten pieces of Americana remaining in our great country today.”

“We now look to the future as we prepare for our most exciting television event ever for Miss America with the support of our network partner, ABC,” said Art McMaster, MAO’s president and CEO. “The return to Atlantic City will allow us to showcase our Miss America events in the place where it all began almost 93 years ago.”

“Miss America is as much a part of Atlantic City as the beach and Boardwalk,” said Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson. “It is great to see this event come back home. It could not have happened without the leadership of Acting Governor Kim Guadagno.”

“I cannot think of a better way to reintroduce the country to Atlantic City,” said John Palmieri, executive director of the Casino Reinvestment and Development Authority. “The return of Miss America to Atlantic City is indicative of the tremendous progress CRDA and its partners are making in revitalizing the city.”

Board action by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority (ACCVA) is expected later this month to finalize the multi-year agreement that brings Miss America back to Atlantic City. The CRDA, ACCVA, and the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) all played key roles in forging the agreement that will attract even more tourists from around the world to America’s premiere gaming and vacation destination.

Since taking Office, Governor Christie has taken strategic, comprehensive efforts to ensure New Jersey continues to be a leading destination for sports and entertainment events. The Governor’s actions will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in economic growth benefiting businesses – large and small – throughout New Jersey. Additionally, numerous concerts, tournaments and events are making New Jersey a must-stop venue for sports and entertainment.

Interview with Mallory Hagen, Miss America 2013

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Mallory Hagen spoke this morning on Fox News with Gretchen Carlson, but she began her interview reign with WHC Insider’s Tammy Haddad last Saturday. Hagen was named Miss America in Las Vegas and we spoke with the Brooklyn, New York resident who tap-danced and talked about toughening gun laws during the 92nd annual Miss America Pageant on the ABC Network.

She began her college education in her birthplace Auburn but moved to New York four years ago to find herself and restarted college. Mallory previously competed in the Miss America Outstanding Teen program three times and the Miss New York competition twice before calling herself “a bit of a bridesmaid until now.” Her stunning white dress that wowed the studio audience cost $400, less than her prom dress. Mallory’s mother, a dance instructor, told the WHC Insider she knew when she was pregnant with her that one day her daughter would be Miss America.

Diane Sawyer Names Miss Montana as ABC's Person of the Week

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Miss Montana on stage, Thursday January 10th, at preliminaries at Planet Hollwood, Las Vegas.

Miss Montana Alexis Wineman will be Diane Sawyer’s Person of the Week tonight on ABC’s World News. The 18-year old Miss America hopeful appeared earlier today on Good Morning America discussing how she’s the youngest contestant in the 92-year history of the pageant and growing up with autism.

As the days lead up to the competition airing on the ABC network Saturday, January 12 at 9 p.m. there are already a few winners among the women. Miss North Dakota (Rosie Sauvageau) and Miss Washington (Mandy Schendel) received the awards for Talent and Lifestyle & Fitness, respectively, on Thursday night. Of course, its up to the judges to make the tough decision. This year, the Miss America All-Star judging panel includes “Dancing with the Stars'” Cheryl Burke, Mary Hart, Daymond John, GMA’s Sam Champion, designer Bradley Bayou and Olympian McKayla Maroney.

Here are all the Judges on Thursday being taught how to not betray their favorites with a little help from Maroney being “not impressed“:

The judges will get to show the rest of the world how impressed they are tomorrow night during the live broadcast from Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

Miss America: 91 Years of Advocating for Education and Funding the Dreams of America's Young Women

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As seen on The Huffington Post by Sam Haskell


Tomorrow night live on ABC, we will mark the 91st anniversary of an American icon as we continue our beloved tradition of crowning the next Miss America. At the Planet Hollywood Resort in spectacular Las Vegas, one woman will be chosen from 53 national finalists who are the most beautiful, talented and intelligent young women this country has to offer. At the risk of sounding like a diplomat, all of our contestants are winners. Here’s why:

Our young women have dreams of going to college. Last year, the Miss America Organization made available more than $45 million in scholarships to help turn those dreams into reality. I’ve watched lives change because of the scholarships from our pageant program.

Here are just two examples of the impact that Miss America can have in fulfilling American dreams — 50 years apart from one another.

Crowned 50 years ago, Maria Beale Fletcher was told by her father that it wasn’t his dream that she go to college. It needed to be hers to dream and to fund. Maria promptly entered the local pageant and won $250. She went on to win Miss North Carolina and the Miss America pageant in 1962. With her Miss America scholarships, Maria earned her B.A. in French and philosophy at Vanderbilt University. She went on to become a successful business woman and an advocate for education.

As we say goodbye to the 2011 Miss America Teresa Scanlan, we proudly watch her pursue an undergraduate degree in government at Patrick Henry College, followed by law school. Not only has Patrick Henry College offered her a full scholarship, she plans to use the more than $62,000 in scholarships from the Miss America Organization to attend Harvard Law School. We wish her the very best as she pursues her dream to be a lawyer, U.S. president and Supreme Court justice.

The Miss America brand is known and loved for helping to fulfill the dreams of our nation’s young women. We are now entering a new era for our organization as we expand our mission to encourage more girls and young women to pursue their dreams of a higher education and to attain the goals that will take them into their future.

Following her crowning on Saturday night, the 2012 Miss America will spend her year touring the country to encourage all young women to pursue a college education, and will focus on driving interest in the arts, as well as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. The Miss America Organization will work with national and community partners to create an unconventional approach to driving young women’s interest in STEM.

Our efforts coincide with the national momentum to teach STEM curricula outside traditional school settings, targeting female students who are currently underrepresented in STEM professions. Our hope is to help shift girls’ attitudes about STEM and boost the percentage of women employed in STEM-related industries. It’s not just the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do for America’s future and our economy.

Across the country, millions of little girls have the dream of becoming Miss America. Some of the young dreamers have won the crown and gone on to become media stars and moguls, missionaries and mothers, news anchors and newsmakers, singers and scientists, lawyers, doctors, teachers and preachers… and none of them started with a crown. They started with a dream.

The Miss America Organization is so much more than a beauty pageant. It’s a dream machine.

So please join us tomorrow night on ABC. When the lights go up and the music begins, you will be a part of something bigger than crowning a new Miss America… you will be inspiring the next generation of little girls who will dare to dream.

Sam Haskell is the former chief of Worldwide Television at the William Morris Agency and the current Chairman of the Board of the Miss America Organization. He was named in 2007 by TV Week as one of the 25 Most Innovative and Influential People in Television over the last quarter century.


Miss America Hopefuls in Las Vegas

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While presidential candidates were parading in New Hampshire, 53 contestants for the Miss America Pageant arrived in Las Vegas to compete for the 2012 crown. They have already made a splash on the strip by walking in styles by the pageant’s newest sponsor, Express, at the Fashion Show mall. Check out the 2012 Summer fashions in the video below shot by Sam Haskell, Jr., the son of Miss America Board President Sam Haskell:

Click the image to watch!

Contestants will go through 3 nights of preliminaries and individual interviews with the judges before the finalists are selected live on national television at 9 PM ET on ABC.

Judges this year are dancer Mark Ballas (Dancing with the Stars), Emmy award-winning TV personality Raúl de Molina (El Gordo y la Flaca), TV and film producer Mike Fleiss (The Bachelor), producer and TV star Kris Jenner (Keeping Up With the Kardashians), actress Teri Polo (Meet the Parents), fitness guru Chris Powell (Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition) and TV news anchor Lara Spencer (Good Morning America).

Prince Edward Welcomed to Washington

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HRH The Prince Edward with Elizabeth and Rep. Dennis Kucinich

It isn’t every day that a member of the British royal family walks the halls of the US Capitol.

Washington welcomed HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, with a reception Monday evening by honorary co-hosts Sen. Roger Wicker, Sen. Mary Landrieu, Sen. Kay Hagan, and Sen. Thad Cochran. The Queen’s youngest son is the international champion of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, a program founded by his father, Prince Phillip, more than fifty years ago. The award is designed to encourage youth around the world between the ages of 14 and 25 with character and self-esteem development through volunteering and physical challenges.

“We hear a lot about young people going wrong and very rarely do we actually give credit to the vast majority of young people want to go right. And here’s just one program that does that,” said Prince Edward. “At the end of [the program] they get recognized for their achievements and that’s a mark that will then hopefully open doors for them wherever they go.”

The program is now in 132 countries and has helped more than 800,000 youth become leaders in their communities. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Young Americans’ Challenge was founded in the US in 2007, and is currently in 20 states and the District of Columbia.

Josh Randle, the President and Executive Director of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the US, explains: “To earn a bronze, silver or gold award, participants spend approximately 1 hour each week on each activity, culminating with the adventurous journey component. The award is non-competitive, it’s non-academic but rather it aims to develop one’s entire self, creating responsible and experienced citizens and encouraging selfless service to others.”

Prince Edward is traveling to Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and New York City to share the program’s mission, and to encourage and develop support from additional states, as well as other local and national youth programs, universities, and businesses.

“I’m proud to say that my state of Mississippi is among one of the 21 states to have embraced the award,” said Sen. Roger Wicker. “The award has achieved excellent momentum since it was launched four years ago here in the United States. I’m very excited about the work that has been done and the work that is to come.”

Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan is starting to work towards her own Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. In traveling the country and talking to young people she hears time again the biggest issue facing teens today is peer pressure.

“I think that says something huge. Why is peer pressure an issue? Because they don’t have the self-confidence to stand up to it. And how do we develop that self-confidence so they do have that and they’re able to stand up against peer pressure? By giving them opportunities for self-improvement. To have that sense of accomplishment that many people don’t get until they’re much older. And that’s what this program is all about, that’s what the Miss America Organization is all about: earning that sense of accomplishment.”

Attending the royal reception were Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – US Board Members Sam Haskell and Lanny Griffith; British Ambassador Nigel Sheinwald; Rep. Dennis Kucinich and wife, Elizabeth; Greta Van Susteren and John Coale; POLITICO’S Roger Simon and Marcia Kramer; Ellie Schafer, White House Visitor’s Office; Nathan Naylor, Veterans Affairs; AP’s Kimberly Dozier; Juleanna Glover; Ed Henry; and Michael & Meryl Chertoff.

For more information about the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program in the United States go to www.usaward.org.

Don Graham + DC Student Superstars

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DC Cap Talent Competition Winner Victoria Davis

It could have been a tryout for American Idol, from the terrific talent on stage to the enthusiasm in the audience. Yet, it was for something more important; providing scholarships to DC public and charter school students to go to college.  It was the third Annual DC College Access Program All Star Talent Competition and Gala led by co-chairs Donald Graham and Deborah Lehr.

The kids sang, danced and drummed their way across the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Stage as the audience clapped, hooted and voted on their favorites using dial remotes. The judges were internationally renowned opera soprano, Harolyn Blackwell, Olympic gold-medalists, Dominique Dawes, Broadway star, choreographer, and director Baayork Lee,  and Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, who knows a few things about competing.

Mr. Graham reminded the audience that it was a GOP led Congress that introduced and voted for this special program that helps keep DC students competitive and motivated by giving them scholarship money for college.  Speaker John Boehner was the head of the Education committee that helped pass such a resolution and was awarded a special apple for his work.  Congressman John Kline of Minnesota accepted in his honor and joked that the tears would be flowing if Speaker Boehner was there tonight.  Ms. Lehr also presented philanthropic superstar, Catherine Reynolds with an award for her great efforts for DC kids and helping many Americans be able to go to college.

ABC7/WJLA’s Leon Harris served as Master of Ceremonies and kept the competition moving and recognized DC Cupcake sisters, Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis, for their hard work in the community and their generosity of donating 400 cupcakes to the DC CAP Gala.

It was a tough choice for the judges to pick a winner as all of the contestants were incredibly talented.  The final results were:  3rd Place went to Sherman Wood ($4,000 scholarship), 2nd Place to Savannah Cranford ($6,000 scholarship) and 1st Place to Victoria Davis, a terrific singer, ($10,000 scholarship) and plans to pursue a degree in classical music.  All of the winners attend the Duke Ellington School of the arts.

Famous faces were everywhere including Julius Genachowski, FCC Chairman, David and Katherine Bradley, John Rogers (Deborah Lehr’s husband,) Steve Elmendorf, Wayne and Lea Berman, Pat Butler, and DC CAP board member Mark Ein.

A dance party followed with a red carpet, a band, fake paparazzi, beautiful starlets and lots of every happy DC students and their families.  Even a President Obama impersonator made an appearance.

Mr. Graham moved the crowd with his remark that DC-CAP is not just fulfilling the dreams of the very talented students on the stage but also the friends of those students. Marl Ein moved the crowd by pledging to give a $2,000 scholarship to each of the other seven finalists.  Other notable guests were CFO of Discovery Channel, Brad Singer and wife, Ali, co-founders and CEOs of OPNET (a Bethesda based tech company), Marc Cohen and brother, Alain Cohen.

Check out the photos from the competition and after party below!

New Miss America: Aspiring Politician

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Good-bye Miss Nebraska, Hello Miss America!

Teresa Scanlan made history Saturday night in what was an evening full of firsts in the Miss America Pageant’s 90 years. At the age of 17, Scanlan is the youngest (since they enacted age limits in 1938) and the first from the Cornhusker state of Nebraska to win the crown. As Miss America 2011, Scanlan will travel approximately 20,000 miles each month as the National Goodwill Ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and to promote her platform of Eating Disorders: A Generation at Risk. She was inspired to take up the cause by a friend who is struggling with bulimia.

Scanlan, who turns 18 next month, is deferring her enrollment at Patrick Henry College in Virginia. But her aspirations to study law and become a politician are stronger than ever. As she told the Associated Press, Scanlan is going into politics so she can “stand up for what’s right, stand up for integrity and honesty.

“At this point, attorneys and politicians are looked down on and have terrible reputations for being greedy and power hungry and I really think it’s important for people who have their heart and mind in the right place get into those powerful positions,” she said.

The recent high school grad beat out 52 other young women for the ultimate prize at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, taking home a $50,000 scholarship sponsored by Artistry exclusively by Amway to continue her education.

First runner-up honors went to Miss Arkansas Alyse Eady whose talent performance was Vocal-Ventriloquism to “I want to be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.” Eady earned a $25,000 scholarship while Miss Hawaii Jalee Fuselier was awarded $20,000 as second runner-up.

America had their say in another pageant first by voting online and via text message for their favorite contestants in the days leading up to the pageant. Miss New York Claire Buffie and Miss Delaware Kayla Martell won ABC’s America’s choice, both making headlines for the causes they represent. Buffie was the first contestant to ever run on a gay rights platform, and Martell hopes to raise awareness about alopecia areata, a disease that caused her to start losing her hair at the age of 13.

The Miss America Organization is the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women, making more than $45 million available last year alone. Want to see who won over the judges? Here’s Teresa Scanlan in her first press conference as Miss America 2011:

Check out the story in The Washington Post and watch her talk about her plans to run for President in 2028.

Cast Your Vote for the 90th Miss America

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Dear Miss America fans,

Democracy has come to the Miss America pageant.  You can join the thousands who have already voted by casting your vote for your favorite contestant as one of the finalists.  Each of the 53 contestants taped a short video telling you why they should be the next Miss America.  You can watch the videos and vote by going online to MissAmerica.org, on the Miss America Facebook page, YouTube Page, or by texting MAST (letters “ST” should be replaced by the state abbreviation you want to vote for) to 24470.

Voting ends at Midnight on January 13th.

Sam Haskell with the 2010 Miss America Judges after the Pageant in Las, Vegas

Sam Haskell, Miss America’s Chairman of the Board wrote a piece in the Huffington Post about his experience with Miss America and why you should watch the pageant that turns 90 this Saturday, January 15 on ABC.

A few highlights from Sam’s post below:

Before there was a television show to idolize singers or a program to see who thinks they can dance, there was Miss America: a showcase for talented young women. And before social networking meant interacting through a website, there was Miss America: a pageant that brought together women from every state to share their hopes for our great country. Over the last 90 years, Americans have been mesmerized by the magic of Miss America. I personally have been enchanted for more years than I dare put in writing, and it started way before I married a Miss Mississippi or became Chairman of the Board of the Miss America Organization.

The Miss America Organization is the largest women’s scholarship program, with up to $45 million in scholarships awarded each year. Even during these difficult economic times, we are not cutting back. I’ve watched lives change because of the scholarships from the pageant program.

Communities have been changed, too. This year, more than 13,000 young women made their way through the state and local pageants. Every contestant is required to actively promote a platform that serves her community. When crowned, Miss America supports our national service partner, the Children’s Miracle Network, which helps over 170 children’s hospitals around the United States.

The next Miss America is among the 53 young women currently in Las Vegas rehearsing for Saturday night’s pageant. She is smart and talented — she is America at its best. And now we can all be a part of history and vote for who we think should be in the top 15 finalists. Over 100,000 people have voted already on Facebook, YouTube and MissAmerica.org. I urge you to get to know these amazing young women and cast your own vote. Then tune in on January 15, 2011, on ABC to see if your favorite wins. I’ll be watching — after all, I’ve always loved a good show!

Also check out Sam introducing this year’s judges at the press conference held at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas:

Regina Hopper Joins Miss America Board of Directors

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The Miss America Organization has a new set of high-powered Washington hands to help prepare for its 90th anniversary and return to network television. Regina Hopper, President and CEO of America’s Natural Gas Alliance and Miss Arkansas 1983 has joined the Miss America Board of Directors.

“Regina’s unique experiences and expertise at the crossroads of law, business, political advocacy and media will add an important dimension to the diverse group of influential professionals serving on the Miss America Board of Directors,” said Board Chairman Sam Haskell, III.

Hopper has served as executive vice president of the United States Telecom Association and the American Trucking Associations, and won an Emmy while at CBS News for her work on 48 Hours. Prior to her time in media, she practiced corporate and securities law and litigation communications.

“I am honored to be joining this remarkable American institution,” said Hopper. “The Miss America Scholarship Program has advanced my many educational and work opportunities. I am now privileged to further these opportunities for today’s intelligent, giving and talented young women and to recognize the thousands who are a part of this incredible program.”

Hopper joins fellow Board members John Bermingham, Miss America 1971 Phyllis George, Tammy Haddad, Miss New Jersey 1973 Sue Lowden, Ed Peterson, Corinne Sparenberg, Barrie Jane Tracy, Paul Turcotte, Miss New Jersey 1971 Lynn Hackerman Weidner, Miss America 1964 Donna Axum Whitworth, and Ryan Wuerch.

As the world’s largest scholarship program for women, last year the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. The pageant is returning to network television in January under an exclusive multi-year deal with ABC.