Former Miss PA Ruth Weisberg thinks Miss America “needs to die”

Back when I hosted the morning show on WPST, Ruth Weisberg was my traffic reporter while competing for Miss America. "I was doing traffic while I was in the pageant. I would get up at 3 am, do my air shift, hit the gym, then read up on everything, because if you're going to win this thing then you have to be consistent across all platforms- evening gowns, swimsuits (not bathing suits), talent, and interviews," she said.

Ruth thinks it's all about your ability to stand up under pressure. "It's like training for a marathon, only it's a year long marathon." Then if you win....

"After you win the thing, then the real work kicks in because you have to go out and speak to the community, the pillars, and the volunteers that make these pageants run. You've gotta go do appearances and parades and ribbon cutting ceremonies," she explained.

Ruth says through it all she "never" felt objectified. "Absolutely not, let me tell you something. There are more queens behind stage than the ones that are wearing tiaras. The real queens are the men that run these pageants." Instead, Weisberg felt celebrated.

"I had a blast. I never once felt objectified, exploited- if anything, I felt celebrated for my talents and hard work," she said.

As for the scholarship, "By the time you factor in the training, the coaching, the gowns, and all that goes into it, whatever scholarship you get really offsets those initial expenses. So unless you win the big one, you really make your money on the appearances. That's where it really happens and then you can rack that up."

I asked Ruth Weisberg point black if she would change the pageant and she responded with the honesty that she's known for throughout all her years of radio and television.

"I think it needs to die, honest to God, I don't want her to be like "Cats" or some old troll up in a rhinestone schmatta. It was a good fight, it was valiant. There's other ways for women. Sometimes you win by not winning," Ruth said.

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