Miss USA 2013: Miss Utah's garbled answer becomes online hit

Miss Utah, Marissa Powell, was asked the following question by a panellist at the beauty pageant on Sunday night:

"A recent report shows that in 40 per cent of American families with children, women are the primary earners yet they continue to earn less than men. What does this say about society?"

Miss Powell nodded, paused and then responded: "I think we can relate this back to education, and how we are continuing to try to strive … to … figure out how to create jobs right now. That is the biggest problem right now.

"I think, especially the men are … um … seen as the leaders of this, and so we need to see how to … create education better. So that we can solve this problem. Thank you."

Erin Brady of South Glastonbury, Connecticut, won the pageant after strutting in a white sparkly gown and answering a question about the US Supreme Court's decision upholding widespread DNA tests.

Asked if she agreed with the decision to swab the cheeks of arrestees, Miss Brady said she did, since they had committed crimes.

Miss Brady, who started competing in beauty pageants two year ago, gets the crown and a New York apartment for one year. She is expected to spend her title reign on a nationwide speaking tour and raising breast and ovarian cancer awareness, the organisation's official cause.

As the stage emptied, Miss Brady spoke about her commitment to fighting drug and alcohol abuse, which have marked her family, and her excitement at the prospect of telling her bosses at Prudential Financial she wasn't coming in tomorrow. Or ever again.

"They're going to be very upset to learn that I'm not coming," she said.

Telegraph