Miss Benton Harbor Contest

[anonymous]

I was at the Miss Benton Harbor Contest last night. One thing was said by the MC was this is not fixed. Well you will have a hard time trying to convince me and alot others of that. The young lady that should have won didn't. It was so obvious of who should have won that I was ready to leave after the final 10 contestants made their speech. Those seats was so small and uncomfortable. I think they was design for someone 5'5" weighing 105lbs. But anyway When they did the crowning I was shocked. I looked around to see the expressions on everyones face to see was I the only one that couldn't believe it. The majority of the crowd was in the same disbelief. Afterwards while outside in the hallway the person that should have won name was brought up numerous times. Everyone said she was robbed. The judges had an easy decision to make on the crowning of Miss BH. I'm going to say this, either they was blind and unexperienced at what they was doing or it was fixed plan and simple. The lil girl in the black dress should have won without a doubt. But the audience and myself we are not judges. We are not a Highly qualified judge to know what it takes to be Miss BH lol.

[Miss MH]

Was you one of the contestents because it seem like it.

[Spongebob]

Well i think that i would like to run out for Miss benton harbor and i know that i will be very very nerviuos and im not even the shy typ but whenever Im in the front of a large gruop I always get scared and knowing that Lm being judge all i would think about is what the judges will think about me and if im good enough to be Miss benton harbor. Maybe i should focus more on what i think and work on my confidence before i start worring about what people think about me. Well Im very excited to do Miss benton harbor and to know that Mr. Tripplett will be one of the chair persons makes me really happy because i think that hes a really good outgoing outreaching person.

[benton harbor]

I was there at the contest and spoke to the little girl in the black to say 'you did a wonderful job and I hope you pursue your platform', but she had a very bad attitude. I see why the judges did not pick her.

[Fixed Miss BH contest]

As far as attitude I didn't see any of that during or after the pageant. The only thing I saw was all the girls tearful, happy and hugging each other at the end. I spoke with a friend of mines and I was told something I didn't know. The girl that won mother is a comittee member for the pageant. She stepped down this year but for that reason only. Also she is the niece of the basketball coach of that school. Which I know has alot of pull. So that should say something on how Miss BH was chosen. I am a fair person I think she did ok but didn't earn the title. It was given to her not because of her performance, it was given to her because of her mother involvement with the comittee. The Triplet girl who won 2nd runner up is also related to a comittee member. I dont have any complaints about her she did good and deserved a spot. So I cant say she won due to her status.Her speech was good and she answered the question well. But I think the Williams girl won overall and so do 95% of the audience that was there. Also another thing. The MC Mr Triplett didn't mentioned all the accomplishments of the Williams girl that should have won. The judges didnt hear she was on the honor society, 5th in her class, secretary of the honor society, placed 5th in a nation wide essay contest out of 400 and all the volunteer work she does with younger kids and plus work.It probably would not have mattered any way since it was fixed. If she did have an attitude I think that is reason enough to be upset if your introduction was purposely misread. I feel if there is a situation like that, judges from a neutral city should have judged the pageant. I think what happened sunday was so unfair to the kids that participated. I know all the girls worked hard to participate in the pageant. They did not get a fair shot to win. Adults shouldn't teach kids the only way you can succeed in life is only done by who you know and not by what you know.

[Former Miss Benton Harbor]

As a former Miss Benton Harbor winner, I can assure you the contest is not fixed. What you see on the night of the pageant is actually the second phase of the competition. The first stage starts at about 7am in the morning with a contestant/judges breakfast and interview. Yes we were interviewed between 8am and 9am in the morning. It is here that you show all of your accomplishments in school and in the community. The contestant is rated and given a certain number of points. Believe it or not, the top 10 finalists are picked in the morning session.

Next in stage 2, you see things such as speaking, walking, poise, and stage performance, etc....

So for someone to say it's fixed is not true. It's based on who exemplified the best overall interview/performance in both stages.

[To former Miss BH]

If what you say is true on how the top 10 finalists are chosen then my assumptions or thoughts on Pageant night is true. The second stage is what I saw and these are the girls that made it from that 1st stage morning interview. So as far as what I saw and everbody else saw it is very clear now that it was fixed. The girls went through the first stage the top 10 was picked from there. Now thats a done deal with the 1st stage. Now the second stage is now being judged and it has nothing to do with the first stage. Now from what I saw at the pageant and everybody else that was there afterwards, the true winner(s) was not picked. If you ask me and all that was there besides the judges the top 2 was the Triplett and Williams girl with out a second guess. Those 2 girls did the best out of all of them thats if they were really judging by speech, poise, walking and stage performance. The winner almost cried after the question and her speech because she knew she messed that up and plus she had Q cards in her hands, The 1st runner up locked up and her speech was not good, the Tripplett and Williams girl did very good on their speech and question. One more thing the Triplett and williams girl wasn't given directions on which way to go after their speech and question. Ms BH and the 1st runner up didnt know where to go after there speech because they was so upset with their performance they went the wrong way and had to be turned around to go across the stage.If the factors were speaking, walking, poise, and stage performance, etc....
for chosing Miss BH then I say with no doubt it was fixed. I didnt know exactly how they was judging but since you told me its clear now.

[Former Miss Benton Harbor]

I wouldn't say it was fixed necessarily . From the point system, it's based on the number of points overall from the 1st stage and the 2nd stage. The winner could have had a very high score on the 1st stage and a mediocre score on the second stage and still won.
The two girls that you thought rocked it out in the 2nd stage might have had mediocre scores in the first stage and high scores in the second stage.
Statistically,it's all where the numbers may fall.

And most importantly, make sure that the girl looks good in her dress. Right size, altered correctly, flattering. I have seen some girls with good attitudes, etc. but had a non flattering dress and it was over. On the flip side, I've seen some girls with bad attitudes and sharp dresses that stole the show.

But I won't sit here and say....some of the committee members do lobby for some of their favorite girls to win. And some of these people try to influence the judges.(So as far as being fixed, that may be where the judges are influenced to give certain girls higher scores than others. You would be amazed at the amount of ##$$!!! that goes on with this pageant. Over the years I have come back a couple of times to view the contest and I'm amazed at some of the folks that get picked.

But you said the queen had cue cards, when did they start allowing that? We had to speak from the heart and on the spot.
My year, the competition was fierce!!!

To former Miss BH wrote:

If what you say is true on how the top 10 finalists are chosen then my assumptions or thoughts on Pageant night is true. The second stage is what I saw and these are the girls that made it from that 1st stage morning interview. So as far as what I saw and everbody else saw it is very clear now that it was fixed. The girls went through the first stage the top 10 was picked from there. Now thats a done deal with the 1st stage. Now the second stage is now being judged and it has nothing to do with the first stage. Now from what I saw at the pageant and everybody else that was there afterwards, the true winner(s) was not picked. If you ask me and all that was there besides the judges the top 2 was the Triplett and Williams girl with out a second guess. Those 2 girls did the best out of all of them thats if they were really judging by speech, poise, walking and stage performance. The winner almost cried after the question and her speech because she knew she messed that up and plus she had Q cards in her hands, The 1st runner up locked up and her speech was not good, the Tripplett and Williams girl did very good on their speech and question. One more thing the Triplett and williams girl wasn't given directions on which way to go after their speech and question. Ms BH and the 1st runner up didnt know where to go after there speech because they was so upset with their performance they went the wrong way and had to be turned around to go across the stage.If the factors were speaking, walking, poise, and stage performance, etc....
for chosing Miss BH then I say with no doubt it was fixed. I didnt know exactly how they was judging but since you told me its clear now.

[To former Benton Harbor]

I thought that was kind of odd myself with the Q-Cards and not making eye contact with the audience. But anyways thanks for the info and maybe your right the 2 girls I said shouldn't have won could have racked up points on their first stage interview. If so they should have had alot of p[oints to cover all the mistakes in the second round. They was blown out on the second stage.I would chose a person that want fold under pressure would be the best pick to represent your city or town. It would have been fair if they had neutral judges to judge due to the situation they had with some of the pageant members being related to some of the girls running.

[Finalist05]

We don't really know what goes on behind closed doors with the miss BH pageants! honestly, I must say that I enjoy watching & seening the contestants at the pageant what gods has for somebody it is for them!

[BH fixex fixed fixed]

I also feel that the contest was fixed. The young lady who won Miss BH didn't do well at all. She was reading from her Q cards, Mr. Tripplett had to remind her what to say it was a mess.I think she only won because of her platform.

[Blossomtime contest]

I guess Benton Harbor got what they deserved at the Miss Blossomtime Contest. The same performance that was given to them at the Miss BH Contest. A very poor performance from their chosen Queen. Maybe next time they will use judges at the Miss BH Contest that aren't Blind and Deaf. They had to be both because with the choice they made at the Miss BH contest they didnt hear or see a thing. My bad I meant to say the judges shouldn't be related or friends of relatives of the pageant participants. Next time BH be fair and don't choose the winner because the status of I know their Mother, Father, Uncle, Aunt or Grandparents. You choose a true winner by who did the best and earned it. The Miss BH contest was a joke. It left a bad taste in my mouth afterwards and I'm sure it did with others that were there also. The judges should have been hog tied and smacked a sticker on their forehead reading I was a judge at the fixed Miss BH contest.

[Former Miss Benton Harbor]

Wow, I keep hearing all this bad stuff about the pageant and how they pick the queen. It's sad how it's gone down over the years. The winner should absolutely be the best that shines and represents BH with integrity and poise.
On the other hand, look at the Miss USA pageant. There's no way Miss Kentucky should have won over Miss California. Miss Kentucky won and now is a spokesperson for Alcoholics/Drug Anonymous!Was she the best queen, obviously not. The judges must have been on something **!!:)Same with Miss BH. It's up to the judges to represent us as the brightest and best. And they don't.

[Former Mr BH Contestant]

Hey ladies.....lighten up!!!
I am sure there were others better suited. But, the judges ruled. These talented and aspiring ladies who did not win, will reach higher heights.
Peace!!!!!!!

[Former Miss Benton Harbor]

Well said Well Said

Former Mr BH Contestant wrote:

Hey ladies.....lighten up!!!
I am sure there were others better suited. But, the judges ruled. These talented and aspiring ladies who did not win, will reach higher heights.
Peace!!!!!!!

[stacey]

benton harbor wrote:

I was there at the contest and spoke to the little girl in the black to say 'you did a wonderful job and I hope you pursue your platform', but she had a very bad attitude. I see why the judges did not pick her.

The little girl in the balck dress should have won yes the contest is fixed. Everyone knew that she should've been crowned Miss Benton Harbor. You don't give a person a Crown because you feel sorry for them. I should have what it takes and the little girl in the black dress did. She was cheated out of Miss Benton Harbor out of pity and she still held her head up and did not have a nasty attitude.

[Kevin]

I attended Miss Benton Harbor Blossomtime for 2007 and I can asure you the contest wasn't "fixed."

The Blossomtime Festival and the Central Queen's Committee asure that this type of thing DOES NOT happen. Members from Blossomtime are included within the interviews and overlook the scorind calculations to exemplify the quality of a pageant's overall decision making process. The contest WAS NOT fixed.

The "girl in the black dress" did indeed capture my attention and I myself thought that she would for sure knab the crown, BUT you can't base your decisions on what you see on stage. It's a farther, more in depth process that goes beyond stage presence and FAKE onstage attitude.

Miss Benton Harbor Blossomtime 2007 was a liget, no questions asked, hands down CORRECT crowning.

[Brandon griffin]

Well, Throuhg the past years Miss BH was fixed Brittney brown,Nykia Byers,Shontielle Marsh, and Dawntiya Sims won fare and square!! Miss benton harbor 07' is a great queen we have to look at the interviews it takes alot of courge and graduttie to get on stage deaf or not it's about stage presents and matters and although they cheated or watever u should'nt talk about someone's deaf or watever the chase maybe about jasmine Nichols god gave her that crown and that's it ok... Some former queens are not showing royalty to ther new queen sisters that's wrong and god don't like ugly jazz is a sweet heart

[We got Jokes]

The Miss BH contest was fixed. I was there and if you didn't see that it was your blind or your one of the judges trying to justify what you did and as far as royalty that comment must have been a joke or you don't live in BH to see whats going on.

[Griffin]

Iam from BH and that's my home town I go to school college some where else so Iam going to be a adult like I am so u watch wat u say mr.Tripplett is my uncle shut your mouth u don't have confidence to get up there so shut up