Ali, I'm pulling for you. Good luck.

It seems typical that this state's US Senator would have Miss America interns. I also don't think these types of pageants contribute a lot of value to the young women in this country. All that said, good luck to her as I'd like to see all succeed in their endeavors.

Ali
You did SC proud. Congratulations on your accomplishments. May God continue to bless you.

Congratulations to Miss South Carolina! You made the state, and especially the Upstate, proud tonight!

Ali should have won !!! She is beautiful and talented and she deserved the title instead of the tattoed Hagan !!!

Paige, if the only way a person can gain self-confidence, interview skills, and scholarships is by parading across a stage in front of panel of judges, then this is indeed a messed up society. The "talent" portions are often a joke. Pageants serve to promote a certain ideal (youthfulness, hypersexualized "virignity," "princess" entitlement status, corporate exploitation, patriarchal control). Many of these women (and little girls) have identity crises once they are too old for pageants or matriculate out of that world. They also tend to suffer from eating disorders. Pageants tell girls and women that the way to be successful is to compete against other women on the basis of physical attributes.
Farmeratheart is right. We should offer best wishes to all of them, but we should also recognize that a society that values women for their looks is not truly valuing them for their intrinsic qualities. I would say the same if we were discussing men's bodybuilding competitions and education was taking a backseat to selling a facade. That said, I'm glad that Ms. SC did well in something that many people view as positive. I'd hate to think that the only thing this state is nationally competitive in is its domestic violence rates.

Frankly, I think it's creepy that men like Donald Trump run these organizations.

If you call trying to hammer/bang the piano through the stage floor talent, she should have won. She played the piano like a 10 year old just learning how to play. One that thinks that louder is better, and banging the keys for action is showing off. No one, and I mean NO ONE that knows how to play the piano would EVER think Ali did a good job playing the piano. Quite frankly is sucked. Had she played elegantly (like a woman), smoothly, gracefully, and caressed the keys instead of hammering them she may have won. I hope she watches the recording of her performance and realizes how terrible she did. She needs to either pick another talent....maybe hammering nails in two-by-four's or learn how to play the piano like a professional adult and not like a child in learning.

Ali should have won!

If being honest is being rude, then I guess I'm rude. However, I'd rather be an honest rude person that a liar. And for your information, I have MANY friends, over 2000 on FB alone and MANY of whom have agreed, "liked" and commented on this very comment on my page. If you can't dance you do not choose dance as a talent. If you can not sing you do not choose to sing as your talent. If you can not play the piano do not choose piano as your talent. You obviously can not play the piano. People that can not play the piano enjoy listening to anyone bang around on the piano becuase it is more than they can do. What Ali did last night as her talent was to destroy the piano, she certainly did not play it.

I do not know what bullying has to do with someone being honest. However, AGAIN, I have many friends and was never bullied as a child nor did I have trouble accruding attention. I was an A/B student, voted most talented every year of my high school career, was voted the person most wanted to see at my reunions and yes, I do play the piano. If the piece is written to be played "elegatly" I play it so, if it is written to be played with Sforzando I play it as such. If you do not know what Sforzando means, look it up. Better yet, ask Ali, it is the way she played her entire piece.

(continued) I also managed to balance college (four dgrees), internships, friends and family. The problem is, Ali did not BALANCE her time or she would have practiced more in order for her performance last night not to suffer. She knew going into the pageant she would be perfoming in front of a TV audience. If she was not prepared perhaps she should have stayed at home.

21 must have been the time you turned into an idiot. Anyone that does not call a 21 y/o an adult is an absolute ignorant idiot. Yes, I agree you do mature a lot more between 20 and 30 and even 40; however, you are certainly an adult at the age of 21. According to our government you are an adult at 18. Ask the men and women that are fighing for us in the Middle East that are between the age of 18 and 20. I sure they will be the first to tell you they are an adult.

Get a life and stop trying to defend Ali's embarrassment. And if you want or have taught your children to be dishonest rather than honest, shame on you. And in the case you have taught them to be honest, I am quite sure some idiot down the road will tell them they are rude too.

Ali is certainly more talented than the new yorker. She should win. BTW this is not a piano contest.

When deciding who should be the spokesperson for this organization, as well as for their national service platform, The Children's Miracle Network, personality, charisma, and the "it" factor take precedence over talent. As malepianoplayer said, this is not a piano competition.

All of these contestants know the talent portion of the competition rates higher (35%) than any of the other portions. Ali is not more talented than Miss NY or she would have won. Paige, you are correct in everything you say. However, the Miss America pageant does not agree. Miss America think talent should be the "it" factor and being Ali's talent was sub par she did not win.