Miss America Season 1 Episode 12 Miss America 1966

In Miss America season 1 episode 12, viewers are taken back to the year 1966, a time period when the United States was going through tumultuous changes. The episode highlights one of the biggest events of that year - the Miss America pageant.

The Miss America pageant had been a popular event since the 1920s. It was a platform for young women to showcase their talents and personalities, and for one lucky lady to be crowned as the most beautiful and talented woman in America. However, in the mid-1960s, the pageant began to receive criticism from feminists who believed that it promoted harmful stereotypes about women as objects of beauty rather than individuals with talent and intellect.

The episode attempts to give viewers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes preparations for the Miss America pageant of 1966. It shows the contestants practicing their routines, getting their hair and makeup done, and participating in interviews with the judges. The episode also features interviews with former contestants who recount their experiences and feelings about the pageant.

One of the key themes of the episode is the competition between the contestants. Despite being friendly with each other, they were all competing for the same crown and title. The episode shows the different strategies the contestants used to stand out from the rest, whether it was with their singing voice or their wit.

The episode also highlights the changing political and social climate of the United States in the 1960s. The feminist movement was gaining momentum, and there were protests against the pageant outside the convention center where it was being held. The protestors believed that the pageant promoted harmful stereotypes about women and objected to the swimsuit competition in particular. The episode shows how the protests affected the contestants and the people working behind the scenes.

Despite the controversy surrounding the pageant, the episode shows that the Miss America pageant was still hugely popular in 1966, with an estimated 60 million people tuning in to watch it on television. The episode concludes with the crowning of the winner and the reactions of the other contestants.

Overall, Miss America season 1 episode 12 provides a fascinating look into one of the most iconic events of the 1960s and how it reflected the changing attitudes towards women's roles in society. Viewers get a sense of the excitement and tension that comes with competing in such a high-profile event, as well as the societal pressures that surrounded it.