This next-to-last episode of Miss America Reality Check began with Miss Alaska asking the advisory board for clarification concerning what they want to see from her as far as change. I think she's tired of being in the bottom three and I can't say that I blame her. The board told her that she has a tendency to come across as really overbearing which makes her seem like a know-it-all. They told her that she needs to be more aware of the people around her and their reactions towards her. Miss Alaska took note of that and thought aloud that perhaps people don't always want her opinion and instead would just like someone to listen to them. Very astute this one!

The ladies were all in the house for the night and Miss Florida took this opportunity to speak to her fellow green team members. One of them asked her about her nervous reaction at the pool (in the last episode) concerning getting wet. Miss Florida told them of an accident involving an explosion she was in when she was just 15 years old. It was so bad that it burned off the top three layers of skin on her face and she has scarring. That's why she was afraid to jump in the pool and have her makeup come off -- she's self-conscious about her scars. Miss Hawaii was especially touched by her story (as was I). I was even more shocked to hear her say that this was the first time she'd ever spoken about the accident since it had happened. Girl, that's not good!

The next morning, the girls assembled for another challenge. Michael welcomed them to the ultimate balancing act. Each member of each team would have to cross their respective teeter-totter carrying a martini glass filled with colored water. They would then have to dump their water into a large cylinder. The first team to get their liquid above the colored line on the cylinder would win the challenge and an advantage in the next event. As always, the advisory board was there to watch and would be paying special attention to the grace and poise they presented in this challenge.

The girls seemed to have fun with this challenge and luckily nobody was hurt. It came down to a neck-and-neck battle between the light blue team and the pink ladies. The pink ladies were the ultimate winners and worked well as a team. Michael then told everybody they would be learning how to walk on stage next and needed to go change into their swimsuits and meet him outside. Once outside, they were introduced to master choreographer Fred Tallaksen. Fred and the two ladies with him would be helping the girls with their runway walk. Apparently, the Miss America pageant wants to update the swimsuit and evening gown presentations and get away from the stodgy walks of yesteryear.

The biggest mistakes the ladies were making while practicing were taking short steps and being too stiff. Many of the ladies seemed to loosen up a bit and were able to get their walks down. Miss Michigan didn't need any help though, she was a natural up there. Later, the ladies had to put on their evening gowns and prepare to be critiqued by celebrity designer Randolph Duke. Because the pink team won the poise and grace challenge earlier, they would get special one-on-one consultations with him regarding their evening wear. Most of the ladies didn't receive much criticism on their dresses. The worse that seemed to have happened was Miss Iowa being told she looked like an ice skater, Miss Tennessee being told that her dress looked like something a grandma would wear, and Miss Indiana getting a little upset because they didn't like her gown that she had designed herself.

At the next challenge, the ladies were asked if they could look fabulous without using their gowns as a crutch. Michael told them that inside there were 52 black, floor-length, turtleneck dresses for them. There were also "design stations" for them that had accessories they could use to alter the dress to make it more like them. They would have an hour to finish their gowns and the advisory board would be looking for creativity and individuality in this task.

Some of the gowns these ladies were designing were downright hideous! Miss Tennessee was thinking about using feathers on her gown while Miss Iowa was wrapping her black dress in some kind of bulky purple cloth. When their time was up, they were told that now they would get to show off their creations -- on the catwalk! Miss Virginia did really well on the catwalk as did Miss Florida (she used red Saran Wrap on the waist). Miss Rhode Island and Miss Indiana looked fabulous by keeping it simple, while Miss Kentucky, Miss Iowa, and Miss Tennessee were disasters. The advisory board said Kentucky's dress reminded them of a pinata. They wondered where the black fabric was on Iowa (the purple remember?), while Tennessee was likened to Mother Nature as she had weird sticks of brown and green foliage stuck in her gown. Miss Alaska was the shining star of the evening with a nice dress (it was just a tad short though) and a great walk.

At the Tops and Bottoms Ceremony, the six girls called down in front of the board were Florida, Iowa, Tennessee, Virginia, Alaska, and Rhode Island. Miss Florida was told by the advisory board that they love her personality but she seems too self-conscious. They brought up the whole swimming pool thing again and Miss Florida opened up and told them about her accident when she was 15. She then told them this whole experience has taught her that she can be beautiful. The board placed her in the Tops.

Miss Iowa was told that she has a great positive energy but that her purple dress (and especially her long black gloves) were no good; she ended up in the Bottom. The board told Miss Tennessee that she is entertaining but that her dress was very distracting and had nothing to do with the advice she'd been given that day. She was a Bottom. Miss Virginia looked absolutely amazing but was told that her competition is Miss Illinois (since they look so much alike) and that she needs to work on developing her own personality. Virginia was a Top.

After Miss Alaska and Miss Rhode Island stepped forward, Alaska was told that they were glad she'd taken their advice concerning her personality but that the leggings she was wearing were bad. They told Miss Rhode Island that she looked incredible but is blending in with the other girls too much. Miss Alaska was a Top. That means that Miss Rhode Island was a Bottom. Alaska then informed us that she's not afraid to change anymore while Rhode Island said she was disappointed they didn't see her personality.

Next week is the final episode of Miss America Reality Check before the Miss America pageant on January 26. The previews told us that everything the ladies have learned will be put to the test. The contestants will vie for attention on the red carpet and then the ladies are shocked as they found out the final Top 3.

I really liked this week's episode and especially appreciated the lack of attention on Miss Utah. I do wonder why we haven't seen some of the other states' contestants though. Where is Miss New York, California, Texas, and Hawaii? Perhaps they don't need as much help as some of the other ladies that have been "featured?" What is your opinion on this and what did you think about this week's episode?

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Have a question related to reality TV? Email HamsterDame!
HamsterDame's blogs: Silly Reality and Silly Hamsters.

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