Las Vegas Weekly

January 24, 2009 · 4:45 PM

Live Blog: Reporting from the 2009 Miss America Pageant at Planet Hollywood, it’s Robin Leach

By Robin Leach

Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson, Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund and Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry Gooden.

Photo: TVT

4:37 p.m. PT: The doors are closed, and, maintaining its 80-plus-year tradition, Miss America 2009 is ready to get underway. Everything is ready to roll, and handsome host Mario Lopez is ready to waltz with the 52 contestants for the parade of states production number.

I am five rows behind the judges at center stage, so I’ll report everything exactly as they see and call it. We will be back at the top of the hour with the judges’ first 11 picks and the four gold sash winners that America voted on from TLC’s reality TV series Countdown to the Crown.

4:57 p.m.: All 7,400 seats inside Planet Hollywood’s Theatre for the Performing Arts are filled, and frenzied fans from different delegations are cheering, chanting and waving banners, state flags and blown-up photos of their home state contestant.

It’s two minutes to air.

5:19 p.m.: The four state winners chosen by America as gold sash Top 15 finalists are Miss South Dakota, Miss Georgia, Miss Indiana and Miss Alabama.

5:30 p.m.: The judges have now selected as the remaining Top 15 finalists Miss Michigan, Miss Delaware, Miss Arkansas, Miss District of Columbia, Miss Iowa, Miss New York, Miss California, Miss Florida, Miss Kentucky and Miss Tennessee.

5:50 p.m.: A majority of the gold sash winners from Countdown to the Crown made it to the final 15. The six who didn’t are Miss Idaho, Miss Kansas, Miss Ohio, Miss Texas, Miss U.S. Virgin Islands and Miss Wisconsin.

Now it’s the next eliminations after the fitness and lifestyle, formerly the swimsuit, contest.

5:54 p.m.: Moving on to the Top 12 for the evening gown competition are Miss Michigan, Miss Tennessee, Miss Hawaii, Miss California, Miss Georgia, Miss Florida, Miss Kentucky, Miss District of Columbia, Miss Indiana, Miss Iowa, Miss Arkansas and Miss New York.

6:31 p.m.: Two more contestants have been eliminated now (Miss Arkansas and Miss Kentucky) after the evening gown competition, and the 10 going on to the talent competition are Miss District of Columbia, Miss Georgia, Miss New York, Miss Hawaii, Miss Indiana, Miss Florida, Miss Iowa, Miss California, Miss Tennessee and Miss Michigan.

6:45 p.m.: Miss District of Columbia, Miss Hawaii and Miss Michigan are eliminated.

6:48 p.m.: The final seven are Miss California, Miss Florida, Miss Georgia, Miss Indiana, Miss Iowa, Miss New York and Miss Tennessee.

6:57 p.m.: Miss Indiana Katie Stam is crowned 2009 Miss America, as correctly predicted by the three previous Miss America Pageant winners, all of whom were crowned in Las Vegas. Miss Georgia Chasity Hardman is first runner-up, Miss Iowa second runner-up, Miss Florida third runner-up and Miss New York fourth runner-up.

For 2009 Miss America Pageant musings by Mr. Johnny Kats, click HERE.

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