Joe Kelly Isn’t Happy With the Miss America Pageant Organization

Dear Miss America Organization,

I received your latest news release about your new agreement with Mohegan Sun concerning the next three years of your beauty pageant.

Oh, I'm sorry, is is still a "Scholarship Pageant"?

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In your release, you say that the agreement means that for the next three years the competition will be held in Connecticut. Wow! Does anyone care?

Here's the part that really gets me: You say that you hope to "bring back the beloved 'Show Us Your Shoes' parade, in its new home state of Connecticut this year."

I'm sorry, but the "Show Us Your Shoes" parade is an Atlantic City parade - it's not a Miss America parade. Sure, the parade was centered around the pageant and it's contestants, but what made the parade was the people and the city  of Atlantic City itself.

The Atlantic City Boardwalk was a perfect place for the parade. Lots of space with a magically backdrop of the beach, but intimate enough where spectators could get within a few feet of the contestants, floats, bands, and other participants.

The people of Atlantic City also made the parade. Whatever the weather, they showed up in huge numbers, always cheering and rooting for all! We understand it may have been a show put on for the TV cameras for you, but it was a great event, in of itself, for us!

I'm sorry, you're not going to get that in Connecticut, or anywhere else! That is Atlantic City's Parade!

I have one other bone to pick with you. In your news release, you call Miss America, "one of the nation’s most anticipated competitions." Um, ok, but, no. The Super Bowl, The World Series, The Olympics, Yhe NBA Championship - those are our most anticipated competitions. The Miss America Beauty Pageant? Well, for 99% of Americans who watch lately (and, that's a low number as we both know), it's become  a show to watch when nothing else is on.

Good luck and don't steal our parade!

Joe Kelly

Atlantic City, USA.

Be sure to listen to the Cat Country Morning Show with Joe and Jahna, weekdays from 5:30 - 10am on Cat Country 107.3, on the Cat Country 107.3 APP and catcountry1073.com.