A new Miss America has been crowned and it's the girl with the red cup.
Miss New York Kira Kazantsev walked away with the title Sunday much to the surprise of viewers all over the country. After all, beauty pageant contestants put themselves through the wringer to come out as the best and yet the girl with the red cup won.
Kazantsev sang "Happy" by Pharrell Williams for the talent portion of the beauty pageant, sitting cross-legged on the stage while banging a red plastic cup on the floor. Inspired by "Pitch Perfect," a 2012 movie starring Anna Kendrick who played a character who auditioned for a spot in an a capella group by performing with a cup, she said that she wanted to show contestants who will be joining the pageant in the future that it's possible to become Miss America by doing whatever talent they wish.
"I literally in that minute and 30 seconds had the most fun I've ever had, and that's because I stayed true to myself and I did what I wanted to do for my talent, no matter what everybody else told me, and it paid off. I'm very happy about it," Kazantsev adds.
But most of the Internet doesn't share her sentiments.
People took to social networks to share what they felt about Kasantsev's talent for Miss America and, as usual, they didn't hold back. Even well after the pageant was done.
So I guess @Pharrell and I can't stop collaborating. #MissAmerica #WhatIsHappening?? pic.twitter.com/AhsTA62PJJ
— Anna Kendrick (@AnnaKendrick47) September 15, 2014
Usually red cups aren't necessarily a key to getting a scholarship. #MissAmerica
— NexGoal (@NexGoal) September 15, 2014
I bet parents sinking money into voice and dance lessons are headed to the cabinets right now in search of plastic cups.
— Jed Blackwell (@JedBlackwell) September 15, 2014
Paying 50,000 dollars a year for a performance degree when all I needed was a pack of red solo cups
— (@mattredmond22) September 15, 2014
This is a dark day for cups.
— Joshua Malina (@JoshMalina) September 15, 2014
Not that their opinions mattered.
Miss New York still went on to become Miss America, winning $50,000 in scholarships which Kazantsev she'd be using to attend law school. She beat out other pageant contestants who danced, sang, and played the piano, as well as one who did a ventriloquist act.
For three consecutive years now, Miss New Yorks have walked away with the Miss America title. In 2013, Mallory Hagan took the crown, while outgoing Miss America was Nina Davuluri, who passed the crown to Kazantsev in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall.
First runner-up was Courtney Paige Garrett, Miss Virginia, while the other top five finalists include: Ashton Jo Campbell, Miss Arkansas; Victoria Cowen, Miss Florida; and Lauren Kuhn, Miss Massachusetts.
