The first time I got to see the Miss’d America Pageant was as a judge well over a decade ago.
I certainly had my doubts.
Why, as a straight man in my 40s, would want to watch a bunch of dudes in dresses and swimsuits walk a runway and sing Broadway showtunes?
It didn’t take more than 2 minutes to realize how wrong I was.
Whether you are gay, straight or any of the letters in the LGBTQIA+ world, the Miss’d America Pageant is a blast!
If you make the wise decision to be a first-timer — or a repeat fan — 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at Caesars Atlantic City’s Circus Maximus Theater, it will also take little time for you to realize that this is not some cheesy gimmick.
The performers are very talented.
The show is a top notch, television-ready production packed with lavish sets, fantastic dancers, over-the top performance sequences written and directed by Mark Dahl and impressive music courtesy of the Melanie Rice Orchestra.
“The theme this year is ‘Disco Down,’ and every year we say that Mark Dahl cannot possibly top next year, and every year he beats it,” said Executive Producer Richard Helfant. “Every year the show gets better and better with more energy, more excitement, more fanfare. He amazes all of us because the show continues to get better every single year.”
The host, Carson Kressly of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” fame, is an absolute perfect fit, straddling that wobbly fence of appropriateness, schtick and clever humor.
And, perhaps most importantly, the 34th Miss’d America Pageant — this year with a “Disco Down” theme — will benefit various LGBTQIA+ supportive charities.
“Caesars Atlantic City is thrilled to welcome back Miss’d America this year, which remains one of Atlantic City’s longest-running and most popular shows all year,” said Caesars Atlantic City Senior Vice President and General Manager Karen Worman. “Beyond being one of the City’s premier entertainment events for over 30 years, we feel so fortunate to partner with an amazing organization that has raised over $500,000 for non-profits across our region.”
The History
The entertaining and chaotic path to what Miss’d America is now could be its own book.
Atlantic City legends John Schultz and Gary Hill created the Miss’d America Pageant in 1994 at their former Studio Six night as a spoof of the Miss America Pageant to raise funds for local charities.
It took place annually on the night after that famous beauty pageant, the joke being that the drag performers “missed” getting into the real pageant at Boardwalk Hall.
“Many of the people who worked on Miss America in Boardwalk Hall would come to their club after the preliminary nights, after rehearsals and even after the finals night, and their club would be packed with people that worked on the pageant,” Helfant said. “And John felt that most of these people who worked on Miss America never got to see it because they were backstage or working, so they missed it, and he came up with the idea of Miss’d America for the people that missed seeing Miss America.
Helfant noted the first year was a very small, humble event on the deck at Studio Six.
“The winner actually fainted when he was announced on the runway,” Helfant said with a laugh. “He fainted on the runway, and when he came to, he was presented with a Burger King paper crown and a bouquet of dead roses that were wrapped in the want ads of the Atlantic City Press.”
The pageant was an immediate hit, and it sells out for the following year the day after the pageant.
“It became this phenomenon, and we would pack six-, seven-, eight-, nine-hundred people on the deck at Studio Six, which violated probably every code in the book, but it was all done in good fun poking Miss America, which we all loved.”
In the second year, Schultz and Hill decided to add a fundraising component to the pageant, and it became a major fundraiser for the South Jersey AIDS Alliance, which Schultz founded.
After years of successful show after successful show, it abruptly ended in 2005 and was absent from Atlantic City for five years before making its return in 2010 thanks to Helfant, former Visit Atlantic City President Larry Sieg, who was then with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, and the continued involvement of Schultz and Hill.
The event, which has been held at Borgata, Hard Rock and now Caesars since its resurrection, continues to not only attract a huge crowd, but it still raises funds for charities. And it’s for everyone, not just the gay crowd.
“More than half of the audience is not gay,” Helfant said. “Yeah, sure, it’s for gay causes and a lot of the contestants are gay, but it goes far beyond that and is for straight, gay, whatever. It is a fun night out no matter what. It’s a must-see for everyone, and if someone comes to the pageant and is not absolutely thrilled, I’ll give them their money back. That’s how absolutely off the charts funny this show is.”
What to Expect
If you never went to a Miss’d America Pageant, prepare to be wowed by the pageant, which features a runway that the male performers strut their stuff in elaborate costumes, dresses and swimsuits as a panel of 10 “celebrity” judges rate them for their skills just like the Miss America Pageant.
In between the pageantry, Kressly banters with the contestants and audiences, the orchestra dazzles with their musical skills, and the Miss’d America Dancers never fail to impress.
“It’s grown and has become more of a major production than it was in those early days,” Helfant said. “In the early days, the music was canned, and it had no dancers. It was all hysterically funny, and it remains so to this day. The topics we tackle are always very current and relevant and sometimes a little bit raunchy, but that’s the nature of the pageant. One of the biggest things is the presence of Carson Kressley, who is a multi-Emmy Award-winning television celebrity. He loves doing the pageant, and every year he gets funnier. He has dressed like the Pope, as Julius Caesar … you never know what to expect from him, and that’s the fun of it.”
Reigning Miss’d America Aria B. Cassadine will also perform one last time with her crown before she relinquishes it to this year’s winner.
“It really mirrors the Miss America Pageant,” Helfant said “Contestants are judged in swimwear, evening wear and talent, and there’s a question-and-answer section. The scoring even emulates the Miss America Pageant.”
Miss’d America 2026 will receive a crown and sash and $5,000 in cash. The first runner-up will receive $2,500, and the second runner-up will receive $1,500.
The lavish VIP afterparty will be held at The Palladium Ballroom at Caesars, and everyone is invited to attend the after-afterparty at Helfant’s bar, The Byrdcage, in Atlantic City.
“It has really become a city-wide event and national event,” Helfant said. “Our contestants are from all over the country, Our reigning Miss’d America is from Chicago, so they compete from all over the country. That said, it has retained its hometown feel because this is a true Atlantic City event. It showcases the best of Atlantic City and really shows the diversity and the inclusiveness of Atlantic City that everyone is welcome here, and that love wins!”
(Miss’d America takes place 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are $25, $65 and $100, with VIP tickets including an afterparty and preferred seating. Go to MissdAmerica.org and CaesarsAC.com for more information, and Ticketmaster.com for tickets.)
Scott Cronick is an award-winning journalist who has written about entertainment, food, news and more in South Jersey for nearly three decades. He hosts a daily radio show – “Off The Press with Scott Cronick” – 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays on Newstalk WOND 1400-AM, 92.3-FM, and WONDRadio.com. He can be reached at scronick@comcast.net.
