Janie Allen, the 23-year-old Miss Colorado, is in Las Vegas with every intention of becoming Miss America.
“I have a great shot to win this year,” she tells me. “I feel prepared. I absolutely believe I’m coming home with the crown. I’m not going there to lose.”
The Miss America Pageant comes down at 6 p.m. Jan. 29 on cable’s CMT. You can see Allen on “Pageant School” at 7 p.m. Friday on CMT. “Pageant School” also airs 4 p.m. Jan. 29 on VH1.
Misbehaving pageant winners have been in the news lately – Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss New Jersey USA, Miss Nevada USA.
“There are wonderful young ladies who compete in the Miss USA system, but we are different,” Allen says. “We are first and foremost a scholarship organization.”
I love it when they say that.
Allen also notes that the Miss USA system does not have a talent element – and Allen has a lot of that. She graduated last summer from Metropolitan State College of Denver where she studied piano. She’ll wow the judges with George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor.
“I’m so excited I just can’t wait,” she says. She also has a boyfriend, so forget about it.
Spelling bees
I’m not a fan of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” playing the Buell through Jan. 28. Anytime a Broadway play throws in John Elway and Gov. Bill Ritter jokes, it’s trying too hard. But Denver critics love the show – so what do I know?
Well, I know Colorado has a proud history in the National Spelling Bee with seven grand champions since 1957. Here are the winners and their winning words.
1957, Dana Bennett, schappe; 1959, Joel Montgomery, catamaran; 1979, Katie Kerwin, maculature; 1980, Jacques Bailly, elucubrate; 1982, Molly Dieveney, psoriasis (see heartbreak of); 1989, Scott Isaacs, spoliator; and 2002, Pratyush Buddiga, prospicience.
Katt on Melo
Check out Carmelo Anthony and rap/comedian Katt Williams talking it over at myspace.com/artistonartist. Williams wraps the give and take by saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, the man, the myth, the legend that is Carmelo Anthony. He’s really that dude. Yes, he’s that humble, he’s that real, he’s that down-to-earth, he’s that laid back, he’s that young, he’s that rich … and yes, if you catch him at the wrong point he might knock your (expletive) out.” Carmelo’s back on the court Monday. Williams is at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen Feb. 28 to March 4.
City spirit
Greg Goldfogel has settled on the name Alto for the Italian jazz club he’s putting into the former Sambuca space, opening next month … Colorado Springs is one of the few stops on the tour that Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Ray Price are taking in March backed by Asleep at the Wheel … Newsweek has a book excerpt from Boulder author Sara Davidson about “‘the narrows,’ the phase in life where everything gets harder – before it gets easier.” … Sightem: Donald Seawell in black leather jacket with Marvin and Judi Wolf at “Spelling Bee” opening night … Sez who: “I’m only young once, who cares if I’m a goofball.” Ashton Kutcher.
Moving
Mayor John and Helen Hickenlooper sold their LoDo loft for $1.835 million.
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Husted also appears Tuesdays and Fridays on “Good Day Colorado” on Fox 31. You can reach him at 303-820-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at denverpostbloghouse.com/husted.
