Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 19, 1993 TAG: 9309190149
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. LENGTH: Medium
The field of 50 contestants, one from each state, was narrowed to five finalists late Saturday after two weeks of competition in swimsuit, talent, interview and evening gown competition.
Aiken, 18, of Columbia, was chosen from a group of finalists that also included Miss Oregon, Elizabeth Jeanne Simmons, 23, of Bandon; Miss Ohio, Titilayo Rachel Adedokun, 20, of Cincinnati; Miss Georgia, Kara Kim Martin, 23, of Statesboro; and Miss Virginia, Nancy Glisson, 22, of Williamsburg.
Glisson was chosen fourth runner up.
Aiken succeeds Leanza Cornett, 22, of Jacksonville, Fla., and will spend a year traveling nationwide promoting her cause. In addition to the title, the 1994 Miss America receives a $35,000 scholarship, a car and an estimated $200,000 in speaking fees.
Cornett, who traveled 20,000 miles a month speaking about AIDS awareness, said she will be in her new Los Angeles home Monday to prepare for her job on the syndicated television show "Entertainment Tonight."
The Miss America organization hired a new producer and made rule changes this year aimed at bringing the 73-year-old competition up to date. Contestants had to do their own hair and make-up and the dress code for the evening wear competition was relaxed.
This year's competitors, who chose such issues as eating disorders, literacy and nutrition, arrived in Atlantic City on Labor Day.
They were put through interviews by judges and hundreds of reporters, frequent appearances before civic organizations and the public, and long hours rehearsing for Saturday's televised pageant.
Celebrity judges brought in for the final round of competition were TV producer Suzanne de Passe, TV and Broadway producer Pierre Cossette, Miss America 1971 Phyllis George, People magazine publisher Ann Moore, model Kim Alexis, actress Joan Van Ark, and talk show host Dick Cavett.
Also Saturday night, for the first time, the pageant invited TV viewers of a special show about former Miss Americas to call in and vote on whether the pageant should "consider" eliminating the swimsuit competition - and 60 percent of the callers said no. Forty percent voted to bag the spandex and high heels.
A somber note was interjected into Saturday night's pageant by the fact that authorities had to beef up security for Kathie Lee Gifford, the show's co-host, after an alleged rapist threatened to kidnap the television star.
FBI agents and police were searching for a Shelby, N.C., man who they say had made threats against Gifford while he raped and burned his 59-year-old aunt Wednesday.
Police said the threats by Richard D. Jones, 33, indicated that he was obsessed with Gifford. Police also found at the rape victim's house a scrapbook Jones apparently made containing pictures of Gifford from magazines.
by CNB