Thanks? I think?

I was invited into a conversation yesterday about Miss America, and I felt inspired to write something about it.

Apparently Perez Hilton blogged after her answer on gay marriage that Miss California was a "dumb bitch", and Donald Trump stood behind his chosen judge by saying that the answer cost her the crown.

I was thrown off by this for many reasons.

First I was angered that Perez was invited to the Today show to discuss his point of view. Why are we acting as if this man has anything of interest to say? Why is he famous? For slandering others. I'm not sure where his high horse came from, but he ought to get off of it, if he has time, between stalking Zac Efron and drawing bodily fluids on Robert Pattison's face. The more we treat this man as if he is famous for SOMETHING worthwhile, as if he is the possessor of a great intellect and his opinion is something we ought to be clamoring for, the worse our lives will get. I then began a mental rant on how he was chosen as a JUDGE for Miss America. Of course it then occurred to me that the last time I actually watched a pageant David Hasselhoff and Meshach Taylor were judges. So I can't really be upset about the quality of judges because, let's all face it, they've never been people whose opinions are worth respecting. Why not just move the pageant over to the American Idol stage? Simon, Randy, drunk!Paula, and that other woman can be the judges. America seems to respect them, more than Perez I dare to believe.

I was momentarily distracted by the idea that the poor, nervous, possibly not bright woman ought to be entitled to her own opinions. It's true - it's a free country, and if you ask someone something, they can answer it any way they like, IN THEORY. I watched her answer, as posted below, and I thought hmm. Well the answer itself shouldn't have cost her the crown. What a shame that she's being judged for what she said and not how she said it...

Wait.

Are they really saying the answer itself determined who won or lost Miss America? As in they made judgments based on what she said? Like they listened and gave the crown to someone else, not because her chest was bigger or her hair was shinier or she had a nice butt? SINCE WHEN DOES INTERVIEW EVEN MATTER?? It's always been like talent, but even more meaningless.

Do I owe Perez Hilton my gratitude? It seems to me all this might have been a step in the right direction.

How disturbing.

So, um, Thanks... Perez... ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XMvviFbkf0