statcounter

PLUNK GENEALOGY -- see "Family" label on this blog and/or write Mike at mdplunk@hotmail.com

Thursday, April 23, 2009

A Little Pageant Perspective


Only if you’ve been in a coma for the last few days have you missed the brouhaha about Miss California that has received more media attention than the possibility that Pakistan will be taken over by the Taliban.

In the finals of the Miss USA pageant (a tv show I managed to miss), the representative from California was asked what she felt about states granting the option for legalized gay marriage. She responded with her personal opinion.

Before you get excited, I’m not going to espouse either side of that controversy. I have a much larger question to pose.

WHO CARES?

Boys and girls, it’s a beauty pageant. It’s pretty girls in bikinis. An IQ test isn’t required. Enjoy it if you will. I don’t know why they ask them serious questions anyway. They’re not interviewing for Secretary of State. We’re in armed conflict in multiple countries. North Korea is plumb insane. Pakistan is going sideways. Thousands of people are starving – and I don’t mean in foreign countries, although that is also true.

The world is in turmoil, and we give this appaling amount of attention to the personal opinion of a beauty contest finalist.

Despite all my years in media relations, I continue to be astounded at the news judgment of the media. I think it may come down to what’s an easy story to tell as opposed to what’s a complicated one that requires skill to present.

Be that as it may, do me a favor. Every time the Miss CA story comes on your tv or radio, please change the station. Let’s not give this pageant story any more unnecessary attention.

She probably said “world peace,” too.


1 comment:

Avery Dear said...

Hear, hear! This former UPI and newspaper reporter is often embarrassed by today's top news.