The Future of the Past: Miss Teen South Carolina Lauren Caitlin Upton

I guess it's better to be famous for something than not famous for anything. That must be the thought process behind the fame of being former Miss Teen South Carolina; Lauren Caitlin Upton. While her botched answer to a question posed to her during the Miss Teen USA pageant in 2007 is still perhaps what she is best (and will always be) known for, it's still more than most. Her notoriety has also earned her a number of other opportunities; modeling for Donald Trump, that pistachio commercial, and has earned her and her boyfriend, Brent Horne, spots on the 16^th season of CBS's Amazing Race. In addition to being one of the most viewed YouTube clips EVER, "Caite" Upton is also the youngest member to join the Amazing Race repertory at the tender age of 20, whose first episode just aired in February.

While dwelling on what is past is never a good idea, it's still fun to remember the time. Links to the video clips of the pistachio commercial and Miss Teen USA pageant are HERE and HERE, respectively. However for the full dialogue of then Miss Teen USA Lauren Caitlin Upton's response which is so lauded, here is the transcript.

Aimee Teegarden: Recent Polls Have Shown that 1/5 of American's can't locate the US on a world map; why do you think this is?

Miss Teen USA South Carolina, Lauren Caitlin Upton: I personally believe that US American's are unable to do so because, uh, some people out there in our nation don't have maps and, uh, I believe that our education like such as South Africa and uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as and I believe that they should, uh, our education over here in the US should help the US, or, er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future.

Miss South Carolina Lauren Caitlin Upton began to say something else when Mario Lopez pulled the microphone from in front of her. Perhaps she was trying to get out; "May I begin again?" or "And now, for my real answer."

While we all know public speaking is very difficult (Aimee Teegarden at least had a note card to read the question from) this is what beauty pageant contestants are supposed to do; they're supposed to rehearse questions like this, have pretty generic answers, and be able to fit the right peg in the right hole. Now look for Lauren Caitlin Upton to go on to a much respected career in the film and television and commercial industry and then run for president in another 20 years or so.

You may scoff, but you never know.

Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKPCs6dSsYM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww