MISS VIRGINIA AND MISS PUERTO RICO WINNERS IN OPENING MISS AMERICA COMPETITION

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron

Miss Puerto Rico Mimi Pabon

Winners of Tuesday’s opening competition, the first of three nights of preliminaries at Planet Hollywood Resort’s Theater of Performing Arts, were Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron for talent and Miss Puerto Rico Mimi Pabon for fitness and lifestyle (swimsuit).

Puerto Rico is competing in the Miss America pageant for the first time since 1962.

The finals will be broadcast live Saturday on TLC.

Best introductions during the parade of states came from Miss South Carolina Kelly Annette Sloan, who noted she’s from the state “where it’s still illegal to keep a horse in a bathtub.” Miss Minnesota Brooke Kelly Kilgarriff was ready with an updated Super Bowl quip: “Oh wait, the Saints stole my intro.” And Cameron pointed out that while her state embraces lovers, “it’s still illegal to tickle a woman.”