Show &Tell: The Decline of America

GO WATCH THIS VIDEO! Then come back and comment. Seriously, go!

12 comments:

Jess Connell said...

This is what immediately came to my head. To quote the principle on Billy Madison,

Miss Teen South Carolina, "what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it"

Yowch- that had to be the most painful answer I've ever heard from a pageantress!

Elspeth said...

I have to agree with you on that one. It would have been more humorous if it wasn't such a sad revelation of the system that "educates" most American children.

Anonymous said...

That poor girl. I get really bad stage fright, and my heart breaks for her. That's the problem with all this YouTube stuff-- one hideously embarassing moment gets put out there for everyone to see.
:)
emily

Jess Connell said...

Emily-
You're so compassionate. :) The first time I watched it I was in complete and total shock. I couldn't believe it was authentic. The second time I watched it I thought exactly what Terry wrote- "WOW- this is the outcome of exactly what she's being asked about-- American public school education! Yowzas!"

Clearly, I lack your mercy and tenderness because I never took (or admittedly, even thought of) the compassionate side of it. Shame on me!
Jess

Anonymous said...

I could excuse it as possible stage fright, but that girl KNEW a question asked on stage would be part of the deal.

Pathetic.

Sandi said...

Let's hope it was stage fright otherwise if that's representation of the average teen we are in trouble.

Amy said...

I must say that I am with Emily on this. I was active with theater and pageants during my high school years, but all of this ended after one terrible bout with stage fright that I will never live down. Fortunately, YouTube was not around back then! ;o)

Anonymous said...

They interviewed the girl and she did indeed say it was stage fright. I do feel kinda bad for her but it is so painful to watch -- embarrassing for whoever taught her -- all I was thinking was isn't the pageant world supposed to be teaching these girls poise and calm under pressure? Sigh ...

Martinsburg Church of Bruin said...

What gets me - and I'm not trying to be UNcompassionate here - is that this girl, who is supposed to be an example of poise under pressure, was named third runner up. Out of the top five. There was someone who was scored worse than her? That's what I don't get.

But she obviously must have exhibited something before the live TV broadcast bit because she did get into the top few, right?

*~Tamara~* said...

I am also likely not as gracious as I ought to be. When I first heard this, I had my back to Mark and he was playing it. I turned around and said, "WHAT was THAT??" The look on his face was one of agony. My first reaction, when I went over and saw it for myself, was to just stand there with my mouth open. The thought of stage fright did enter my mind, but then again, we see evidence of "the decline of America" in teenagers' dialogue all the time.

Recently on a train ride from South Bend, Indiana into Chicago, I had the agonizing privilege of sitting near a group of young people on their way to see a Broadway show. I swear it was all I could do to not stand up and give them a tutorial in proper usage of the English language. One girl said "like" 8 times in one sentence. (I'm a bit OCD and couldn't help myself.)

Mrs. Anna T said...

My fiance shared this with me yesterday, and after having a good laugh, we both said, 'poor girl'!

CG said...

Wow! I also feel sorry for her. I was the queen of stage fright and flubbed performances in high school, so I can't help but feel compassion. If it was not stage fright I am still sorry for her for having been so poorly educated. I think this girl needs a big hug, a Bible, and a lot books!