Diary of a Pageant Fanatic

Since I referred to myself as a “pageant almanac” I have received a ton of questions about my favorite pageant contestants/moments.  I follow pageants (Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss Universe) like a stock broker follows the market, like a recruiter scouts college athletes, like a girl getting married in a 10 days checks the weather constantly… etc. 

I decided to pay homage to five of the most influential “pageant women” in my life.  They are all very different, but all equally fabulous.  In all honesty, this list could be at least 20 contestants long, but I’ll spare you.

5. Angela Perez Baraquio (Miss America 2001)

The one thing about Angela that I absolutely loved was that you saw her spirit in every aspect of competition.  You didn’t just see an elegant woman in evening gown or a rockin’ body in swimsuit, you saw Angela.  By the end of the broadcast, I felt like I truly knew who she was and I was rooting her like I knew her!  I mean look at this picture, she took a potentially serious and HUGE moment and just had fun with it!  Angela reminds me to let “me” shine through in every aspect of competition.

4. Tiffany Collier (Preliminary talent winner – “Miss Spirit of the South” Tennessee)

I still have NO idea how this connection was made, but for some reason, Tiffany was a special guest at Miss Finger Lakes (in upstate NY) the year I was crowned.  To say the least… her rendition of “Proud Mary” brought the house down.  The Miss Tennessee Organization puts on a phenomenal webcast of their pageant every year… naturally it’s a national holiday for me.  I LOVED watching her perform that same number at Miss TN via my desktop computer.  She had a BLAST on that stage and because of that, everyone watching did too.  Sometimes we forget to just relax and enjoy being on the stage.  Tiffany reminds me to have FUN!

3. Stefanie Wittler (Miss Tennessee 2009)

ANOTHER Miss Tennessee veteran that I watched compete via webcast.  Stefanie was the baby of her class in Tennessee the same year I was the baby in New York.  I remember watching her compete two weeks before I left for my own state pageant.  Seeing her win a swimsuit and finish top 5 was SO motivating as I headed off into the sunset to my own state pageant.  Even though I was not as successful (see first blog post… ba dum chiiiii) Stefanie taught me not to compare myself to anyone else.  P.S. Stephanie went on to finish in the top 5 at Miss America 2010.

2. Hannah Kiefer (Miss VA 2007)

From the minute Hannah was crowned at Miss Virginia she was cemented in my top 5 for Miss America and truthfully never moved.  2008 was one of the most competitive years I can remember (ahem Melissa Chaty, Christina Thompson… also two titleholders that never left my top 5 and I’ve had the honor of meeting, nbd).  Something about Hannah was so special for me, she was the “it” girl to me- a perfect combination of old-school Miss America glamour and modern Hollywood starlet.   Hannah reminds me not to be afraid to break the mold and be myself.

Finallyyyyyyyy.........

1. Heather Renee French (Miss America 2000)

I was 11 when Heather Renee French was crowned.  It was the first Miss America pageant I legitimately remember watching and “getting it”.  Heather was flawless in every way to me.  Stunning face, perfect styling… heck, I would even wear that dress to Miss America 2013 if I am lucky enough to win Miss New York!  I will never forget her reaction and her obvious emotional connection to her victory.  Heather and her moment motivates me, even still, to put my heart and soul into everything I do.

Workshop Weekend and Headshots!

Anyone that knows me is well aware that I am a pageant almanac (in the least creepy way possible, I promise).  So much so that sometimes I forget that these women who have been state titleholders over the years are actually real people.  For example, when I attended Miss New York last year as a spectator and saw some of my absolute favorite contestants… ever, I was STAR STRUCK, but truthfully it motivated to get back into the game.  This year in particular has introduced me and allowed me to get to know so many of these women on a personal level, but each time I see them I am still hit with that initial moment of “I cannot believe I just had a conversation with (insert any number of titleholders here)”. 

Ok, enough about my shock and awe… onto the weekend (I promise it all ties together somehow!)

Sometimes the hardest thing about traveling to and from the city is figuring out how to get from the airport into Manhattan.  So in an effort to try something different, I took a bus.  This particular bus arrived 1.5 hours late and over the course of the entire trip put me back a solid 2.5 hours with a total trip time of 8 hours… ugh.  That said, nothing was going to dampen my spirits for the coming days.

My lovely mentor Amanda Beagle (Miss Ohio 2004 and talent winner at Miss America) and I ventured to the Isle of Staten for the Miss NY workshop.  The day was long, but I won’t lie, having full-blown pageant fever again is AWESOME!!!  Hearing Kaitlin talk about her year as Miss New York gives me goosebumps.  Even though only one girl gets to follow in her footsteps I am working hard, keeping my fingers crossed, and wishing at 11:11 every night that it’s my name they call!  Then again, so are 25 other young women.

All the contestants at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island!

I had the pleasure of having dinner with Amanda and my wonderful hostess for the weekend, Gina Valo-Miss Michigan 2007.  I loved hearing about how being involved in the MAO has shaped their lives and how everything just falls into place and happens as it should, you just have to trust that.

… Sunday!

Photoshoot time with Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010.  The woman is outrageous. Period.  I swear she manages to find an extra 10 hours in the day somehow.  She is a student, an employee, head of her own company, and such a massive contributor to the MAO organization… and even with all of these she is still SO real, genuine, and plain old fun!!  So Claire and Hair and Makeup Artist Lindsay Zelli came over bright and early to get these photos going!  Zelli is unreal.  I LOVED that I couldn’t see any of what she was doing until the very end, I just had to trust the peanut gallery’s (Claire and Gina) fun commentary.  I must say Miss Zelli… ya done good!

We shot two looks outside the NYU library… and I’m sure ticked off plenty of students in the process- oops!  Claire and Zelli were an absolute blast.  Their excitement definitely rubbed off on me and helped me relax and I am SO pleased with the final product! 

My favorite four headshot options for Miss NY

I worked with Amanda on talent in the afternoon.  My gosh, the woman knows what she’s talking about.  I am so pumped to keep working on my song “Gimme Gimme” and show the judges and the audience how far I’ve come when June rolls around.

Gina cooked an AMAZING dinner: chicken, asparagus, and sweet potatoes.  Gina, Amanda, and Mallory (Miss NYC), and I chowed down while we chatted about hot topics, current events, and other interview prep questions.

Unfortunately, the night flew by farrrr to quickly and before I knew it I was back on the bus heading to good ole Buffalo!  This blog really doesn’t do this past weekend justice, since so so soooo much happened, I’m sure I left plenty out.  

Katelynn (Miss Empire Rose) with her card!

Mallory (Miss NYC) made one too, but she was camera shy!

Our friend Brittanie's family all making their cards!

Thanks to all for the support, words of encouragement, and lovin’ I have received.  Keep spreading the word about 1000 Cards, 1000 Dollars… Send me your cards and make your donations!

www.missamericaforkids.com/donate/jesseladoue

Hoppy Easter and 1st CMN Visit!

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend.  I enjoyed not one, but two delicious family dinners- and I’m sure I will be paying for them via Jillian Michaels and the “30-day shred”. 

Toby Tarball - My very own Easter Bunny!

We are 4.5 days into “1000 Cards, 1000 Dollars” and I could not be happier.  Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared, promoted, and/or tweeted for the campaign!  Keep it up!  Even though the campaign is 1,000 I want to reach 10,000!!!  Send me a picture of you with YOUR card!

My little sissy, McKinley, and her gorgeous card!

My big brother, Donny, and his awesome card!

Saturday I visited my first CMN hospital (Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira, NY).  This is the hospital where I was born and my Aunt Beth has been a NICU nurse there for as long as I can remember!  It was an amazing experience to spend some time there and in Pediatrics.  It really made what the movement is all about that much more real and meaningful.  I hope that if/when I someday have children that these resources are available to us if we ever needed it. 

 My Aunt Beth (and NICU nurse!) who helped orchestrate my hospital visit this weekend

Here’s the summary for the past few days
~700 blog views
~14 Cards Received/Delivered
~$560 in donations DONATE HERE: www.missamericaforkids.com/donate/jesseladoue
~350 video views WATCH HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9yW5tWzGOI

1000 Cards, 1000 Dollars

I am OVER-THE-MOON excited to introduce you to the ...

"1000 Cards, 1000 Dollars" Movement!

My personal platform is “Volunteerism: The Movement Starts With You” in an effort to inspire and encourage people to take action to support the causes that speak to them.  Every great movement, every great success starts with one person and one idea.  Who’s to say that one person cannot be you if you just try.

Easier said than done, right?  So in an attempt to give my platform life instead of simply preaching about it, I’m launching the “1000 Cards, 1000 Dollars” Movement!  I'm challenging YOU to lift funds and spirits for both CMN and MAO.  Volunteer thirty minutes of your time to make a card (on letter-sized white or construction paper) to be given to a Children’s Miracle Network child and their family.  Mail those cards to me at the address below. I will create an online gallery of all the cards received and then distribute them to CMN hospitals.  The more cards received, the more hospitals we can spread the love to!  I will be featuring my favorite cards on this blog as well as my twitter @misswesternny12.  So keep checking back to see if yours is selected AND to track the movement's progress.


(If you're not crafty, don't fret.  Click here to download and print card templates (thanks to www.homemadegiftguru.com for allowing me to us the cartoon images!)

So where do the dollars come in?  After you’ve submitted your cards, visit my Miss America For Kids site http://www.missamericaforkids.org/Donate/JesseLadoue to make a SECURE contribution of any size – no gift is too small!  While your card is a priceless gift, these donations allow CMN and MAO to continue making great strides to improve the quality of life for SO many!

Now even though the movement is called “1000 Ca
rds, 1000 Dollars”, I want to double, triple, quadruple, quintuple (you get the idea) this amount of both cards and dollars!  

Please watch my “1000 Cards 1000 Dollars” challenge video and share it with everyone… and I mean EVERYONE… you know.  Make your cards, make your donation, make this movement come alive! Even trend it to all of your followers and favorite celebrities on Twitter #1000Cards1000Dollars

Please contact me via email at misswesternny2012@gmail.com with any questions or if you’d like to help in any other way (creating card templates, sponsoring mailing costs to hospitals, other competition sponsor opportunities, etc.).

THIS MOVEMENT STARTS WITH US!!!!!!!!

Mailing Address:

1000 Cards 1000 Dollars
Jesse Ladoue

P.O. Box 457

Depew, NY 14043-9998

Crown Woes and Miss Greater Rochester

I didn’t realize how much of an acquired skill securing a MAO local crown really is until yesterday- my first official appearance as Miss Western NY.  It is NOT like riding a bike!  In an act of desperation as the clock counted down to the time I needed to leave for the Miss Greater Rochester pageant, I googled/consulted/searched a ridiculous amount of resources for tips and tricks.  I tried just about everything I read to no avail: using pantyhose a similar color to my hair- too flimsy, elastic in a diamond formation-not enough security in the middle, using snap clips instead of bobbi pins- couldn’t grab enough hair for stability.  The end result was returning to old faithful-elastic in an X formation with bobbi pins at each corner.  Miss NY Kaitlin Monte suggested a shoelace in a spider web shape, adding that to my list to try.   

OH! I also stapled the elastic to secure it, resulting in a staple in the hand (including drawn blood…ugh!)   Even with all that effort I wouldn’t say it was successful since every photo I’m in my crown is practically at a 45 degree angle.  THE GOOD NEWS… I have 11 more months to perfect it my strategy… wachaaaaaa!

Dare I say this is the MAO version of “initiation”?  You’re not allowed the luxury of a curved crown that actually slightly conforms to the natural head shape unless you win a state title- muahahahaaa.  Mull that over!

. . . . . . 

On to the event that matters – the Miss Greater Rochester/Upstate New York Pageant!!  Bravo to the MGR board.  This organization has been sending (great) titleholders to Miss NY for as long as I can remember and I’m sure even long before.  It is so clear that they truly care and value the organization and the opportunity it offers young women.  It’s not just about finding a winner here, it was about promoting a positive experience for all the participants- and that was evident.

Chelsea Prophet (MGR 2011) is a gorgeous human being- regal is the perfect word to describe her.  I’ve watched Chelsea compete from afar for the past few years and she is always striking and leaves an impression.  :-)

The best part about being a visiting local titleholder at a pageant… No Pressure!  I had such a fun time cheering on each of the contestants, playing photographer, tweeting!, and being an objective spectator.  I have to say, it is as nerve-wracking and exciting to wait for results both when you’re on the stage and in the audience.  It was a blast to get to know some of the members of the Miss NY Class of 2012!  Pictures are below… upstate/central/western ny #represent!

Congratulations to all the contestants, the organization, and the winners (Nina and Rayna!) for a very enjoyable show.

 Visiting Titleholders:

Katelynn Smith - Empire Rose, Lonna McCary- Buffalo, Desiree Wiley- Niagara, Sashless- Western NY

 Gorgeous winners and judges

 All contestants

 Miss Greater Rochester 2011 - Chelsea Prophet

 Miss Upstate NY - Rayna, Miss Greater Rochester - Nina

 Buffalo Gals

Elisabeth (Miss NY 2007)

Love to our new winners!!

Let me take you back 7 years...

Funny Story…

When I was 17 years old I competed for the title of Miss Finger Lakes.  When I arrived that day, I sized up the competition and figured I was out of my league.  My goal was to place top 5.  As they started reading off the runners up I just thought-Ah well, I tried… however, it was my name they called as the winner!  I was asked the question, “Are you excited to go to state (referring to Miss New York)?” to which I replied, “What’s state?”.  I had LOTS to learn.   That said, I loved every second of being Miss Finger Lakes and making the most of my year as a titleholder representing my home region.

Fast Forward to Miss NY 2006…

I arrived at the Miss New York 2006 competition the day after my high school graduation.  Again, completely out of my league, but this time there wasn’t a shocking happy ending.  I met amazing, gorgeous, talented, and accomplished women ranging from ages 18-24.  They weren’t “trying” to be Miss New York material, they WERE Miss New York material.  I spent the week soaking in the entire experience, making predictions, and trying to emulate what the other women were doing.  Looking back that was my BIGGEST mistake.

Prepare for Crash-and-Burn…

Competition time: Interview.  I wore a hot pink suit with black buttons and pink snakeskin shoes- enjoy that ridiculous mental picture.  I heard the judges laughing along with the contestant in the room before me (she went on to finish in the top 5).  I walked in expecting a gingerly conversation… wham… current event, hot topic, no judges even cracking a smile.  Awesome.  My two favorite memories from this interview are as follows and I dare you not to at least crack as a smile at my misfortune:

1)      My platform at the time was “Eliminating Hunger”.  Question: “What are your thoughts on hybrid fruits?” Answer: “Well, the advancement of food is incredibly important.  If they are proven to be safe to eat and can help more people obtain food I support them”

Example of hybrid fruits: Grapefruit, tangerine, etc… Who knew I was so serious about produce.

2)      If you recall, 2006 was smack dab in the middle of an election cycle, so there wasn’t much talk about the 2008 campaigns yet.  Question: “Who do you think should be the next president of the United States?” Answer: “The senator from Illinois that spoke at the Democratic Convention, Asafa Powell, presented himself so well and generated such interested.  I’d put my money on him for the next election”

Within 10 minutes of leaving the room I realized that I meant “Barack Obama”.  I couldn’t figure out how I came up with the name “Asafa Powell” until I was watching the Olympics two years later… he is a sprinter from Jamaica.  Wow.

Moral of the Story…

I hope that gave you a hearty laugh.  I was mortified at the time and still cringe at the thought, but if I would’ve had a cake interview, I never would have learned anything from it.  I probably competed for 4 locals since that, not for lack of interest, but life simply took over and pageants were not feasible.  However, here I was faced with my very last year of eligibility.  I’ve had the dream of representing New York at Miss America since I was six years old.  If I just had let it pass me by I would have ALWAYS wondering if I could have achieved it if I really gave it one last “real” shot.  So I got my tail in gear and put myself in the mindset that if I make it to Miss New York I will make every second of my last year as a titleholder count.  But, if I didn’t, at least I would never have to wonder what could have been.

Looking forward…

So here we are and I am the new Miss Western NY 2012.  I approached my first shot at the Miss NY crown as a girl pretending to fit into the Miss State mold.  This time around I am determined to give the judges the best and truest possible version of myself.  The Miss America Organization has given me so many lasting relationships, memories, and lessons.  It promotes constant progress and improvement of both society and self.  The values that became rooted in me in 2006 have truly flourished over the past 7 years and I am a better person because of my involvement in this organization.  

We’re going out with a bang, baby!