Seeing the coverage on, I think it was Telemundo, on Miss America’s dropping of the swimsuit contest.  They show this graphic — bold type of “Miss America 2.0”, and then jumping before the smoke… a bikini… and then we see the bikini… explode.  And the hashtag thrown in of “#byebyebikini”.

And, looking for it on Telemundo, because it is a striking and absurd graphic (an exploding bikini?), what I find I’m shifting through in all the stories is a gratuitous showing of b-roll from various recent swimsuit contests.  Because the viewer needs a firm illustration of what we’re talking about, right?

Sure, I recall a Mad magazine feature on the order of calling out hypocrisies for Miss America “claiming they’re all about” scholarship standards but if true “drop the Swimsuit contest” and see what happens to the ratings.  Sure, I recall in 1993 the issue put up to a public vote, and the morning radio duo on the standard aor station chomping leeringly at the news of the results.

And, sure, it doesn’t much matter one way or the other for the declining ratings or, frankly, diminished relevance or stature… and where, frankly, the only way anything gets traction to a wide audience is if someone’s stupid answer goes viral for public bemusement.  (Analyze if that is sexist or not at your leisure.)

And which shows a question:  when the ratings come in, there may be some hub ub about how they blew it popularity wise, with some un-pc commentary and analysis ranging in tone from tolerable to misogynistic… maybe even something from cross-purpose calling an indictment on society
… even though… nothing has shifted.  The Show goes to a narrower audience, adapt accordingly… and… be sure to make good use of old footage now because there’s not going to be any new footage of the swimsuit contest.

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