"AL...A..BAMA and Alaska Arizona Arkansas"

I watched Miss America today, and I'm telling you...I had no more gotten through Miss Alabama's opening shout-out when I started remembering some of my favorite pageant moments. Guys (say that like Bill Curry does when he's calling a game on ESPN2...don't ever say I don't offer a little something for both of the sexes here on BooMama), you'll have to bear with me on this one, because I doubt you'll recognize any of these memories.

But girls, let's take a trip down memory lane, why don't we?

#5 - Miss America, 1989-ish. Miss Texas did a moving dance routine to Elvis' "My Tribute." And right about the time the King started to sing, "HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON," Miss Texas bent over, braced herself with her arms, kicked her left leg up in the air so she was doing sort of an inverted split...and her arms gave way.

#4 - Miss America, 1991. Miss Louisiana CLOGGED HER HEART OUT.

#3 - Miss Mississippi, 1992(?). Honey East...a baton...some steps that got in the way. Honey took a tumble. You know, I've never seen anyone fall down and get back up with such grace. Honey kept those knees together the whole time and never lost her poise.

#2 - Miss Mississippi, 1989-1991. Dana Collins and her puppets. 'Nuf said.

#1 - Miss America. 1988. Marleesa Ball: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Marleesa Ball, a SEN-IOR at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I also enjoy flying aer-o-planes. However, lately I've learned I can fly higher when singing than I ever could in an aer-o-plane!"

It's also worth pointing out that Merritt's impersonations of #s 1 and 2 are pure. entertainment. gold.

If you have your own pageant memories to add, holla in the comments.