Advertisement There’s been some time for fun, such as going on a gondola ride at The Venetian, going go-kart racing and seeing a production of “Phantom of the Opera,” where she got her picture taken with the actor who plays the Phantom ... at his request.
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Kristina Smaby performs Tuesday evening during a preliminary competition during the Miss America pageant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. For more photos from Miss America week in Las Vegas check out the online photo gallery. Also, check out the interactive Smaby Nation photo with magnifying "lens."
Miss America photo |
"It’s absolutely crazy busy. We have gotten very little sleep and we are on the go constantly,” said Smaby, a Holmen High School graduate who got to Miss America by winning the Miss Wisconsin title last June. “It’s been a lot of work, but I’m loving every minute."
This week the process of determining the successor to last year’s winner, Katie Stam of Indiana, began in earnest.
Monday, Smaby faced the panel of judges who will choose the next Miss America. Smaby said she felt like she handled the grilling on gay marriage well, and she got a memorable question from conservative talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh, who wanted to know whether she would date a young man who lives at home with his parents.
While the judges will make the final decision, for the first time in Miss America history the contestants will get to vote on who they think should be in the finals. The 53 contestants are divided into three groups — Alpha (Smaby’s group), Sigma and Mu— and contestants will choose the four they believe should be among the finalists.
The 17 contestants in Smaby’s Alpha group were to vote for their finals favorites after their Tuesday night preliminary talent competition. Some contestants were confused on what they were supposed to base their votes on, said Smaby, but she’s pretty clear.
"I’m going to vote on who embodies the spirit of Miss America because at the end of the day I know I want a Miss America who I feel a connection with and is kind and tenderhearted to everyone,” Smaby said. "I wish the judges could just pick because they’re the ones that see us in interview and really get a feel for the culmination of everything.”
The public also gets a say, getting a chance to vote for their favorites by text messaging after a special pre-pageant show airs Friday night on TLC.
Smaby has had some trouble sleeping, even getting out of bed and starting to get ready for the day even though she had been in bed only an hour. But she had a full night’s sleep Monday and was well-rested for her performance in Tuesday night’s talent preliminary.
That was important for Smaby, an almost lifelong dancer, because she wants to win her talent prelim in the worst way.
"It’s definitely a big goal of mine to win talent. Every year at Miss Wisconsin that was always my goal, all four years. I feel like this is it," Smaby said.
"It would just put a really good closure to my dancing experience."
While Smaby’s lyrical ballet performance to Celine Dion’s “River Deep Mountain High” Tuesday night drew wide praise — and not just from Smaby Nation members — she didn’t quite make her goal. The Alpha group talent award, with a $2,000 scholarship, went to Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron, who sang “Listen.”
Mimi Pabon, the first Miss Puerto Rico contestant in more than 50 years, won the evening’s Lifestyle and Fitness Award, as the swimsuit portion of the competition is known.
Smaby’s turn to strut her stuff in the black Winnwear swimsuit was to come Thursday, along with her evening gown competition. She did the onstage question part of the competition on Wednesday, after the paper’s deadline.
Each night’s preliminary competition is followed by a reception for all the contestants in the Planet Hollywood conference center ballroom. Smaby was mobbed by well-wishers, taking pictures with members of the Smaby Nation for at least 30 minutes before she was whisked away to her room, which she shares with Miss Vermont Laura Hall.
