Oh yeah Queen for a Day I remember watching it as a kid. Whoever had the best sob story won and I think she got a makeover the results of which were on the next show. It was a hoot! LOL!
They would have 3 or 4 contestants all with hard luck stories. At the end everybody would applaud for their favorite contestant. During the applause, a meter with an arrow (think speedometer on a ‘53 DeSoto) would appear over the contestant. The louder the applause, the higher the meter arrow would register. Then the winner would be escorted to a throne, presented with a crown and flowers provided by the host. (here,picture Bill Clinton blubbering in a 1950’s 3 piece suit...heh heh). Even for a kid it seemed pretty cheesy.