Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 28, Miss America Organization Board Chairman, Sam Haskell, III will be featured on CBS's The Early Show* to talk about the success of his book, Promises I Made My Mother, which will also be featured as one of their "Holiday Reads." He will also be discussing his involvement with the Miss America Organization, The Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and a few other things on which he is working. Be sure to tune in! 

*Please check your local listings

I can’t believe I haven’t weighed in on the 2012 judges panel yet! Where does the time go? 

As you all know, the panel was announced last week. Check it out here.

As always, the panel did spark a bit of controversy. Some people aren’t happy with the panel, and that’s okay! Kris Jenner was certainly a surprise to me and while I don’t necessarily think she’s the greatest person alive, I am more than a little curious to see if her daughters come to the pageant. I want to see them in person, I can’t help it! 

I don’t have a lot to say about the individual panel members – I think that MAO team will train them well in the scoring system and they will pick a lovely girl out of the 53 lovely contestants. But, the panel debate did spark another debate in my head.

Is there such a thing as a pageant expert?

If a pageant was so moved —and I am talking local, state, or the national Miss America pageant—could they find a panel of judges who were confirmed pageant experts? And would that panel be able to pick the “perfect” titleholder?

I’m not entirely sure I think this is possible. I have judged pageants myself, and I would not call myself a pageant expert. I am well versed in the scoring system and I understand what the job of a titleholder is (although each title does have its own requirements), and there are certain subjects I have studied—but I'm not an expert. I feel confident about the titleholders I have helped choose regardless of me being an expert, or not.

Of course, there are people out there who have judged hundreds of pageants, and perhaps they are being closer to an expert than I am. But the judges aren’t the only part of the equation—the contestants and their performance comes into play. How they perform is the focus, obviously, and nerves / mood / etc. affect that.

I don’t think there is such a thing as a pageant expert. I think the best you can do, if you are choosing a panel, is pick people you trust and admire. Then train them on the scoring system and the job you are asking them to fill. From there, it’s really up to the contestants.

What do YOU think?

Check out the 2012 co-host of the Miss America pageant!

The Miss America Organization is proud to announce that it is bringing back the voting aspect for the 2012 Miss America Pageant! The votes will determine one contestant as America's Choice!

 “I knew I wanted to win, but I wasn’t sure that I could,” she admits. “It was so hard to imagine.

Click in to read more about how Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan and MAO are celebrating this day!

Check out what Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan has to say to students considering dropping out of high school.

Sun. October 2 @ 8:07 p.m. ET* on TBS

Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan will perform the National Anthem on Sunday, October 2 in Philadelphia, prior to the 8:07 p.m. ET* start of Game Two of the National League Division Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizen's Bank Park.  Tune in to TBS to see Teresa participate in this special event!

Artistry, the official skincare and cosmetics sponsor of the Miss America Organization, just debuted their fall line. Here are some tips and inspiration!

Embrace your natural beauty
• Use subtle colours and a light hand to accentuate your best features.
• Invest in quality makeup brushes—like the ARTISTRY® Lavish Brush Set.
Sculpt with neutrals
• Use light, luminous neutrals to highlight your brow bone, the middle of your eyelid, your cheekbone.
• Use dark, intense neutrals to create dimension and drama along the lash line and in the crease.
Accent with colour
• Use touches of pink—on eyes, cheeks and lips—for a youthful glow.
• Prime your lips for rich colour with a lip pencil one shade darker than your lipstick. Fill in lips entirely with pencil, then apply top color.

Check out the new fall collection from Artistry here.