Miss South Carolina Teen USA Explains Her TV Meltdown [Video]

People.com ^ | 08/27/07 | Stephen M. Silverman

[MotleyGirl70]

I was watching a Jay Leno YouTube video of a segment called "Jaywalking". He walks the streets of L.A. and asks people random questions.

One of his questions was: Name a country that begins with the letter "u". Four adults didn't know the answer!

[Shimmer128]

Why would Michiganders point to a spot on their hands????

[Shimmer128]

Now THAT even I can understand!!! hoot!!! ack!! LOL!!!!!

[r9etb]

Michigan is shaped like a mitten (left hand), with the Upper Peninsula as the thumb.

[Enchante]

"Just the other day, I could not find the United States on a map either. But then later, I found out it was a map of Europe. So I demanded a map of the United States instead and I found it right away."

LOL, that made my day! fwiw, I don't know what her politics might be, and of course no contestant would want to get overtly political in such a setting, but I wish she could have said:

"It's no surprise that 20% of Americans cannot locate our country on our map when at least that many think that "9/11 truther" claims are worth taking seriously, that President Bush and VP Cheney are evil buffoons, and that Osama Bin Laden just wants to establish a worldwide chain of Sharia day care centers. It's no surprise that at least 20% of the country can't read a map when they went to public schools run by shameless Demagogues of the NEA shoving politically correct drivel at them all day. The poll result cited in the question merely reflects the fact that the Demagogues and the NEA have been running our educational system for much too long!"

[cripplecreek]

[Always Right]

All I have to say is she is completely innocent of all charges.

[cripplecreek]

I watched a show on the history channel about the truther/loose change crowd. They keep having to rerelease the loose change movie because the facts keep making them look like fools.

During the editing process they were talking about changing the wording of one of their claims because it would likely be proven wrong.

Point is that those people know they’re lying to dupe idiots into buying their movie.

[Enchante]

Ooooohhh..... I will lay down my life for her! Anyone who wants to insult this lovely young lady must go through me first. A duel to defend the lady’s honor........ :^)

[Holicheese]

No kidding she was a doll. You could tell that she had prepared for a certain question. Plus, give the girl a break. She is 17. lets see any of you juggle flaming batons!

[Bigg Red]

No kidding she was a doll. You could tell that she had prepared for a certain question. Plus, give the girl a break. She is 17. lets see any of you juggle flaming batons!

**

Now, you know dang well that if she was fat and ugly, you’d be ready to hang her at dawn.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

An answer (somewhat*) more coherent): Americans don't get much news about what goes on in other countries. More than this being merely embarrassing, this being uniformed could be bad. Many Americans don't realize just how many people around the world hate the United States, because their news, and sometimes their governments, often use the United States as a scapegoat.

Furthermore, when the leadership is ignorant, the ramifications can be bad for the whole country (i.e. officials in the intelligences agencies being unable to tell what distinguishes the two main sects of Islam--after September 11, to the not-quite-fully-applicable comparing the situation with Iraq to post-war Japan and South Korea--the Japanese and especially the Koreans are generally considered to be a homogeneous people; Iraq, not so much).

And to be fair, a lot of these Americans would have difficulty locating the United States on a map (unlabeled).

[org.whodat]

Upton is described as a varsity athlete and student leader at Lexington High School, where she graduated in June with a 3.5 GPA.

Well how dumb are the one's at Lexington high that have a 4.0??????

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Whoops.

Sort of did a Lauren Upton there.

[gcruse]

ROFL!!!

[Holicheese]

And your point????

[org.whodat]

One of his questions was: Name a country that begins with the letter "u". Four adults didn't know the answer!

That is just like winning the lottery, what are the odds of four Lexington high graduates showing up on at the same time. :)

[org.whodat]

That is just like winning the lottery, what are the odds of four Lexington high graduates showing up at the same time. :)

Damn

[avacado]

"All I have to say is she is completely innocent of all charges."

I completely concur! These FReepers in here wouldn't know a complex, in depth, multi-dimensional reply if it bit them on the nose!

She's INNOCENT! Bless her heart! ;-)

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Uzbekistan.