Miss Teen South Carolina had enough abuse heaped on her after her performance in the pageant (in the infamous map question). But then she went on the Today show and I'm not sure that made the situation any better. First of all, they were completely patronizing to her. Second of all, I'm not sure she convinced anybody that the map answer in the pageant was a fluke. You can watch the interview below and see if you have a heightened opinion of her intellect:
Since we first ran this video, we've taken some criticism for being too mean to her. I said she is "not very bright." You know it, you know it, the American people know it, but is it wrong to say it on camera? Are we too mean to her?
So, that brings us to our question of the day:
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. She definitely fits the stereotype of the dumb blonde with that answer. I too would have put a map up and asked to locate the USA and Africa, The Iraq, and the other Asian countries. No wonder she's going to a college I've never even heard of. She's definitely not Ivy League material.
VC at 11:42AM on Aug 31st 2007
2. And how many times did she have to rehearse that interview speech? It was obvious that the response was memorized...check out the expression on her face after she has "done well"! She'd better look like that for the rest of her life. Right now, she reminds me of Lohan, Spears and Hilton, better known as the shallow and empty-minded Tart Trio.
gwen at 12:05PM on Aug 31st 2007
3. # 1, you sound pretty intolerant to me. Yes, she put herself in the spotlight voluntarily and made a huge blunder, but why all the nastiness? Do people like you enjoy seeing people fail? Also, just because YOU never heard of the school she will be attending, doesn't mean it's not a good school. Not everyone can go to Harvard or Yale...and it doesn't mean they are stupid.
April at 12:47PM on Aug 31st 2007
4. Yes, you can say that she is dumb, but, in the moment you make a public display of her by saying she is dumb you display your own ignorance and stupidity! Truly, you show yourselves to be 'dumber' than her and your statement becomes void. In the end though, you live in a country of ignorant saps that have IQ's the size of the volume of thimbles and as is you are justified by the majority of your peers. In all honesty though, you are the stupid ones!
gigantor1231 at 1:01PM on Aug 31st 2007
5. Who the hell watches beauty pageants anymore? Those things have definitely lost clout - rarely are they even on major networks anymore. Probably because they are a throw back to the 1950's idea of what women were supposed to be.
David S. at 1:14PM on Aug 31st 2007
6. GEE,,,DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INFORMED HAD SHE READ THE YOUNG TURKS BLOG ON A DAILY BASIS? PROBABLY NOT, BUTTT,,,THEN AGAIN NOBODY ELSE AGREES WITH THEM EITHER. AND BY THE LOOKS, NONE OF THEM IS A BLOND EITHER.
Plinkoman at 1:25PM on Aug 31st 2007
7. Gigantor1231, I'm not sure where that logic came from, but pointing out someone's lack of knowledge would REQUIRE the knowledge to find that lack in the first place. Ergo, the Young Turks wouldn't be "dumber" (btw, the proper term is "more dumb," but I guess that shows my ignorance of grammar by pointing it out, doesn't it?).
The answer she gave just shows us the farce that we call high school. Nothing more, nothing less. Hopefully the young woman learns more from her college.
And yes, it is a little tasteless that anyone in a media position felt it necessary to point out her ignorance...but telling the truth isn't always tactful.
R.R. at 3:03PM on Aug 31st 2007
8. Is she smarter than a Fifth grader?
She needs to sue the school system that "graduated" her.
Doris at 3:33PM on Aug 31st 2007
9. Cenk, Cenk, Cenk, Cenk...How interesting to learn how very intelligent YOU are. Making a young women and easy target for these sort of remarks.
What positive good does pointing out the obvious serve.
Will the public fun-making so devastate this individual or push to learn as much as she can as quickly as she can?
Yes, even her well rehearsed Today show answers fell short and the patronizing of those hosts did not make things better.
The bar has been so lowered that after returning from a trip to Myanmar, (find that on a map), and speaking to someone I know who is the head of a school and learning she never heard of it, or Burma, or other such countries gave me no comfort. Grab a globe and begin testing/ Better, ask your kids to name the states and their capitols, or as many adults who their representatives are>
Steve at 4:24PM on Aug 31st 2007
10. R.R., I completely agree with you! I think this also demonstrates how forgiving we are to beautiful people in our society. If she wasn't blond, young, and pretty would people feel so bad for her? Would she have gotten a second chance to redeem herself on national television?
I'm glad to hear that she's planning to go to college to further her education. She's going to need it! There are enough blithering idiots trying to get into design and production in LA...
Bea at 5:35PM on Aug 31st 2007
11. I didn't realize that Turks were on Air America! No wonder they suck lol! They are on one of the lowest rated stations. Hmmmmm seems like AOL is trying to push that radio talk station. Good luck! lol! yeah right!
livinxsacrifice at 6:28PM on Aug 31st 2007
12. In all honesty, I don't think it's fair to say she's "dumb" at all.
First of all, she's still young. While most of the contributors on this board are very articulate and capable of deep thought, I'll be the first to say that I *thought* I knew everything as a teen, and it wasn't until reaching adulthood that I could admit that I don't - I bet I'm not the only one here with that honest confession.
Most teens are under a lot of pressure, especially when transitioning from high school to college - add in a pageant and the pressure multiplies.
Then there's the strange double standard when it comes to the brains/beauty balance. While it' frequently said that "beautiful people" don't have to work as hard as "unattractive people," just as often it can be said that they must work twice as hard, just to combat the you-only-got-here-because-of-your-looks stereotype. Of course, I'm not saying that's always the case, nor that any of this has any bearing on Ms. South Carolina's mis-speak.
I really believe that she was probably only doing what her coach/parent/advisor/whoever suggested she do: put in as many of the current key world issues as possible into the answer of whatever question you get. What else does Iraq have to do with Americans not being able to find U.S. locations on a map?
She's young. She's under pressure. She's in the spotlight. She may have been able to slide by because she's cute. She may have been called upon to reach further because she's cute. She's possibly just a sweet, unpretentious, misunderstood young woman. We may never know. I just thank her for giving me a good laugh, and all in all, being a good sport about it.
lin at 7:02PM on Aug 31st 2007
13. She is young, she was under the spotlight but geezzzzzzzzzz she is a friggin' idiot!
And anyone that goes that icky pedophile meeting place way of pageants is being trained only to look pretty, starve yourself, smile big, twirl a baton, get hair dyed at early age, plastic surgery at early age, be cutsie and smile.
They are Barbie dolls in training! Do not even try that 'I do this to earn a college scholarship' malarky. What in hell is wrong with these parents raising their daughters to believe that in order to succeed in life they only have to strut around and smile. I raised my daughters to value all ethnicities, all religions, to say to youself 1,000 times a night 'I must receive, at minimum, a 4 yr degree', to treat people as you would be treated b ut if it's a man and he tries any abusive behavior or trys to force himself on you, kick his ass, Kung Fu training, also. I raised strong, independent, eloquent, caring, educated daughter's.( They are beautiful, though )
A girl or woman should never cling to the belief that beauty will get you through this life. It just t'aint so.
rhodalee at 8:41PM on Aug 31st 2007
14. THREE turks? and collectively, you are this dumb?
N Danielson at 9:26PM on Aug 31st 2007
15. 14, N, what do you mean? 'Splain it.
rhodalee at 10:27PM on Aug 31st 2007