This weekend a new Miss America will be crowned for its 2016 edition. The beauty pageant is not to be confused by Miss USA, which is run by a different organization and had a lot of drama this year. Fifty-two contestants will be vyying for the title and taking over Kira Kazantsev's duties. All of the 50 U.S. states have a representative with District of Columbia and Puerto Rico also added into the mix. The broadcast will be hosted by "The Bachelor" presenter, Chris Harrison. “It is an honor to be back as host of Miss America for the seventh time,” he said. “This is a special event that has become near and dear to my heart. I'm proud to say I'm one of the longest running hosts in the competition’s iconic 95 year history.”
Vanessa Williams announced she will return to the pageant after 32 years, when she won and later was stripped off her title after racy photos of the beauty queen were made public. The "Ugly Betty" and "Desperate Housewives" star will serve as Head Judge during the competition. "Vanessa Williams made history by becoming the first African American to win the competition when she was crowned Miss America 1984, and she went on to conquer the worlds of music, Broadway, television, and film," said Sam Haskell, Executive Chairman & CEO of the Miss America Organization. "It is a great honor to welcome her back to the competition as our Head Judge."
Williams will be joined on the judging panel by Brett Eldredge, Taya Kyle, Danica McKellar, Kevin O'Leary, Amy Purdy and Zendaya. Nick Jonas will lend his musical talent as Music Curator for the television broadcast. He will personally select the music that will accompany the Swimsuit and Evening Gown competitions. He will also provide commentary throughout the evening on his music selections and the thought process behind each song. The live competition will air this Sunday, September 13 from Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on ABC starting at 9pm ET/PT. Viewers will be able to live stream the event using the Watch ABC app that is available on mobile devices and Apple TV. Who is your favorite to win?
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