BY BILL HUTCHINSON | NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
New York’s cup runneth over — again.
Miss New York was crowned Miss America 2015 Sunday night, marking the third year in a row that the nation’s pageant winner hails from the Empire State. Kira Kazantsev, 23, of Manhattan, won the beauty pageant in Atlantic City after singing Pharrell Williams’ hit “Happy” while banging a plastic red cup and seated on the stage cross-legged. Outgoing Miss America Nina Davuluri sealed the New York three-peat by passing on her jeweled crown to the emotional Kazantsev, who strutted the stage to the iconic tune, “There she is, Miss America.”
Kazantsev, a graduate of Hofstra University, scored the victory with brains, beauty and her unusual talent.
MEL EVANS/APKazantsev walks the stage in her swimsuit during Sunday's pageant. In the all-important question category, which counted for 30% of the total score, Kazantsev was asked what issue women in the U.S. Senate should press upon their male colleagues. “I really believe that sexual assault in our military is an issue these women have got to fight for,” answered Kazantsev, whose platform is raising awareness of domestic violence. She beat out Miss Virginia Courtney Paige Garrett for the crown and a $50,000 scholarship. The pageant was broadcast live on ABC from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
Kazantsev may be the first contestant to win the contest by playing a plastic cup on stage, topping rivals who sang, dance, played the piano, and even one, Miss Ohio, who performed ventriloquism while singing. This year’s outcome was a replay of last year’s, when Davuluri was presented the crown from Miss America 2013, the former Miss New York Mallory Hagan. Hagan, who was raised in Alabama, was living in Brooklyn when she won.
Prior to Hagan’s victory, a Miss New York hadn’t won the contest since Vanessa Williams was crowned in 1984. But Williams was forced to give up her title when Penthouse magazine published nude photos of her.
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