Judging Beauty
How important is being sexy in a pageant?
As far as the sexy factor, you are kind of as sexy as you are wanting to be. Because sometimes I don't feel I am all that sexy. Especially when you've got like pimples on your face and the brownies are showing, you don't always feel all that sexy. But I do feel like at some point it's important but it's as important as you want to make it.
How important is sex appeal to the judges?
I actually have no idea. I've never really sat down and talked with one of them or asked anybody, "Hey, are the judges looking? Does it say 'sex factor' on there?" I've never actually asked them that.
How important is poise for a beauty queen?
I think that is extremely important to have really good composure and poise. Because, you don't want to walk around slouched over as we're doing this interview. I'm just like this "what up girl?" They don't want to see that. So they are already looking at all those things. Let's be frank here, you are not exactly wearing some long evening gown all around the town. That's why they are supposed to be looking at your posture and how you are carrying yourself. How are you looking at the people, are you acknowledging everybody? It is very important to have all that composure and all your posture in check.
What kind of questions do the judges ask?
It can actually range, some of the questions can get kind of crazy. I think some of the girls at USA were really getting some controversial questions about Iraq and then some of us were just getting some general questions about our bios and then some questions about the actual organizations. So it can kind of range, it can be difficult, it can be easy.
How do you make a comeback after a bad answer?
I think you just pause, think and finish, because that happens to me all the time. You'll be talking and then you kind of have a brain fart and you're like, "What did I just say?" So if you think about it and then finish, I think you'll get more appreciation as opposed to if you just kept on going and then you're just sounding like an idiot.
What happened to the talent portion in the Miss USA competition?
There isn't a talent portion, like at all. I don't know, Donald Trump is in charge of it and I guess they just didn't want to have a talent portion in there, it's more so for the Miss America system and for some of the other systems that are around, but I don't know, they don't have a talent portion for this system. Our talent is walking across the stage with a smile on our face.
