A MISS America contestant coach has revealed two little-known secrets about this year's pageant as 51 hopefuls take to the national stage to compete for the crown.
Chris Saltalamacchio, the owner and founder of pageant preparation and production company Pageantry By Chris, spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun ahead of the 2024 Miss America competition on January 14.
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“It’s very hard to understand what goes into it unless you’re part of it and Miss America is definitely the pinnacle of pageantry in my eyes,” Saltalamacchio told The U.S. Sun.
This year, the nationwide pageant coach helped four women prepare for Miss America and two for Miss America Teen:
Saltalamacchio worked with the contestants to prepare for the competition which includes various categories thatcontribute to their overall score.
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For the 2024 Miss America pageant, taking place in Orlando on January 14, the scoring breakdown is as follows:
- 30% for Private Interview
- 20% each for Talent/Fitness/Gown
- 10% for On Stage Question
While the bulk of preparation for this class of women has largely included interview and document coaching, Saltalamacchio tries to be educated in all areas of the competition.
“What I like the most is when I kind of take on this role of the general manager,” Saltalamacchio said.
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In this role, he keeps his clients organized, making sure they have elements like wardrobe, hair, and makeup in order while coaching them through other areas of the pageant, like the private interview and essay.
Saltalamacchio explained that the contestants provide the judges with different documents before the pageant, including a fact sheet or resume displaying bits of information and then an essay, which is a new element this year.
Previously, contestants were writing their essays based on their personal platform, or service initiative, to which they dedicate their year.
“This year, Miss America shifted that — it is now an essay that is called a brand ambassador proposal where they talk about their platform or their service initiative but they also talk about their goals for the organization as a whole and how they will promote Miss America’s mission,” Saltalamacchio explained.
Each woman’s essay also highlights the specific skills that they believe will help them succeed as the titleholder, and how they plan to utilize social media effectively.
'THE MOST CRITICAL PIECE'
Part of that stems from the fact that in recent years, the Miss America Instagram, as an example Saltalamacchio gave, has typically functioned more for the organization instead of the titleholder.
The reigning Miss America, Wisconsinite Grace Stanke, has used her Instagram account to manage her presence both personally and as the titleholder.
“I think that the goal there is to help them be more relatable and see that yes, you’re Miss America, but you’re also a real person that people can interact with,” he said.
“It feels like there’s less of a wall up between those things if they use their personal account.”
In serving as a coach for the essay and paperwork, Saltalamacchio stressed that he does not write up the documents for the women.
Instead, he helps them refine and edit to ensure that the paperwork is the best possible representation of the contestant.
“We agonize over word choice and verbiage and things because, these two things and their headshot, are all the judges get in advance of meeting them before the private interview," he said.
"It’s the first days of competition, it’s worth the most points, and it is the most critical piece.”
On top of that, he does private interview preparation, working with women one-on-one to develop content and good habits.
As part of his coaching, Saltalamacchio brings together judges from around the country for his clients to practice in front of. That way, they’re gaining practical experience and real feedback.
Plus, given his background in theater, Saltalamacchio is primed to coach his clients through their talents. This year, with only one singing client, he hasn’t been as involved on the talent side, but that has previously been a bigger component of his coaching.
'SO MUCH HARD WORK'
As with so many large-scale events, there is always more than meets the eye - but that is especially true of the Miss America competition.
“There is so much hard work that goes in,” Saltalamacchio said.
A large portion of that work - the interview component, which counts most toward a contestant's overall standing - happens off-screen.
And while 2024 marks the first time in about five years Miss America will be available to stream for free, the interviews will still remain unseen.
“One thing that I always wish had been highlighted more on the broadcast that never really was was the private interview training and preparation that contestants go through,” Saltalamacchio said.
“The Miss contestants this year will have an eight-and-a-half minute private interview where the first 30 seconds of that is an opening statement that they craft on their own to introduce themselves to the judges.
"It can be about their service initiative, it can be about Miss America, it can be about a lot of different things.”
Saltalamacchio said he has a specific approach he took with his clients in crafting this statement.
But contestants then can be asked about anything from their personal service to supporting war efforts overseas to what they’re seeking in a presidential candidate.
“There is no question that is not fair game,” he continued.
“I firmly believe Miss America’s job is to talk about the program, to talk about what she believes in," he continued.
In that regard, Saltalamacchio wishes the interview was given more screen time, though he recognizes that this isn’t the most attention-grabbing moment of the competition.
He said it’s about conversation and how they handle themselves in the moment and dealing with potentially controversial topics.
Still, Saltalamacchio does think the scheduling makes sense.
"It’s right that the scoring puts us at a point where the interview does matter the most and it’s the first days of competition,” he said.
STEREOTYPES AND MISCONCEPTIONS
In speaking about the pageant week events, Saltalamacchio revealed a surprising bit of information affecting the contestants and the newly reintroduced fitness component.
“Even though we have been without a swimsuit or fitness competition for many years — and that has been reintroduced this year — the contestants don’t know what they’re wearing yet," Saltalamacchio explained.
"Rebel Athletic, who dresses the Dallas Cowboys, is the sponsor so we’re all kind of planning that they’ll be in some sort of combination of either crop top, tank top, something sports bra with leggings. But they’ll learn when they get there.”
So while contestants know to prepare for this portion of the competition, there will be an element of surprise in the wardrobe choice.
But while the fitness and swimsuit elements of the competition have come and gone over the years, some common stereotypes and misconceptions continue to plague the pageant world.
Saltalamacchio spoke about the perception that the contestants are “starving themselves and that they treat their bodies in ways that are unhealthy.”
“But I think there’s a misconception - it’s a stereotype that exists. Stereotypes exist for a reason," he said.
"There have been instances of that that have been problematic. But at the same time, I have witnessed nothing but a firm commitment to health and wellness from the clients that I’m working with this year. And I really appreciate that.”
Saltalamacchio said that the Miss America organization has trended in the direction of health and wellness, as it is now officially partners with the American Heart Association. An event will be held during pageant week to celebrate the partnership.
He said there’s also a new initiative about being #MissAmericaFit and contestants will receive questions about that, as they have to be able to demonstrate knowledge of that initiative.
“That’s one big misconception that I think will probably always persist as long as pageantry exists.”
'THE SISTERHOOD IS SO REAL'
Another big misconception he highlighted is the "two-sided coin when it comes to what we call the sisterhood.”
The four points on the Miss America crown are service, scholarship, style, and success — but the fifth is officially sisterhood.
“I will tell you, as someone who has experience from the outside and the inside, there are days where I feel like I’m part of that sisterhood just because of the relationships that I’ve built," Saltalamacchio said.
He has watched the contestants develop these relationships, saying that one client’s closest friends have come from doing pageants together.
“There’s this misconception that the girls are kind of catty to each other and rude," he said, adding that there are, of course, one-off instances.
”But in general the girls are so supportive and while it can be a cliche, the sisterhood is so real and so important.
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“Yes it’s a competition, and only one person will be Miss America every year, but it’s just so much more than that.
"And that’s something I wish people could see more of.”
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