By April MacIntyre Mar 25, 2008, 20:47 GMT
ABC Family's newest offering, "America's Prom Queen" debuted March 17, and features Miss USA 2003 Susie Castillo and Prom Committee Members Brooke Hogan, Jai Rodriguez, Theo Von and CosmoGIRL's Editor In Chief Susan Schulz as mentors to the girls.
02/10/2008 - Brooke Hogan - 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards - Arrivals - Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA USA © Chris Hatcher / PR Photos
Guest Judges Include Musical Artist Sean Kingston, Actress Spencer Grammer and DJ Stryker
ABC Family puts viewers in the driver's seat with the all new reality series "America's Prom Queen", which bowed Monday, March 17 (9:00 10:00 p.m. ET/PT).
The six one-hour episodes will send ten lucky girls on an exciting journey in hopes of becoming "America's Prom Queen."
The girls will participate in challenges that test their prom know-how from sense of style, ability to dance, prom spirit to planning skills. Each week, the Prom Committee will narrow down the competition to a final Prom Court of contestants.
Then, after the fifth episode, the final decision will be turned over to America to cast their vote for the girl they believe most deserves to become "America's Prom Queen." Viewers will be able cast their vote via text messaging or online at www.abcfamily.com
Monsters and Critics joined a few other onliners to speak to the first eliminated prom queen hopeful, Torree Whitney.
It’s my understanding that all of you contestants were close contenders in high school to be prom queen, but didn’t quite get there. Is that true?
T. Whitney For most of us, yes. I think for some of us it was and some didn’t even have a prom. They didn’t get a chance to be a prom court. So, there is a little bit of both.
So now, you’re out of high school and you’re not in college, but are you pursuing a career in acting after this show?
T. Whitney No, I’m not. I don’t think I like the whole TV scene.
So this will be your only television experience - this particular reality series?
T. Whitney Yes, I think so. Then again, something else could come up. But as of now, this is my only one.
What was the most fun moment for you in this particular series?
T. Whitney I think the most fun for me was making our dress actually. It’s always kind of like been my dream to make a dress, and I finally got the chance to do it. So, that’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had.
Did you actually get to keep the dream dress that you designed and if you did, if you’ve worn it since?
T. Whitney Yes, we got to keep our dresses, but I have not worn it since I think I’ve gained pounds and I can’t fit in it anymore.
Did the show accurately portrayed who you are as a person, or if there’s anything that sort of didn’t get in there that you wished had?
T. Whitney Actually, I was really surprised to see that most of what happened while I was there was the experience of being in a house. They really didn’t show a lot of what was going on in the house as far as us eating, us hanging out in the rooms. I was kind of disappointed not to see it. But actually, I felt like the mean girl on the show. They edited it show much that I looked so mean and I felt so bad.
This show kind of made it like you were really into the prom, but I’m sure that you also have a lot of other things that you’re interested in that didn’t kind of come out. I was wondering what some of those other things are?
T. Whitney I’m not really into anything special. I just do normal things - go shopping, to the beach and stuff. You couldn’t really get that or get who I am from the show because I was only there for a short amount of time. Some people don’t really know anything about me. I’m pretty general – hanging out, watching movies. I pretty much like to sleep all the time and eat. That’s about it.
How did you get involved with this? How did you go through the audition process, or what led you to being on the show?
T. Whitney Actually, I was with my mom. We were walking around the Block of Orange, just shopping. This woman comes up to me and was like, “Oh, my God. Have you ever been a prom queen before?” I was like, “No,” and I told her the situation. She was like, “You have to audition for this new reality TV show we have called America’s Prom Queen.” I was like, “All right. I’ll just do it.” My mom kind of pushed me into doing it because she loves this stuff.
So, I filled out this big questionnaire form. I went to an interview and they filmed me. They called me back to go for some more interviews and they told me that they picked me. That was pretty much how it happened, kind of unexpectedly.
How hard was it? I assume you had to keep it secret that you were the first one taken off the show. Was that hard to keep secret from the family and friends?
T. Whitney Not really, because they knew from the start that I really couldn’t say anything about it. So, when they’d asked me, I would say, “You’re going to have to just wait and see.” They understood that I really couldn’t say anything. I didn’t want to because I was so embarrassed. It wasn’t that hard. They were good sports about it.
If you had been a judge, whom would you have sent home on the show last night?
T. Whitney I possibly would have sent home either Macy or Lashell, but probably Macy I would have sent home.
I noticed that four of the contestants were from New England - a region not known for beauty queens - not that there’s not attractive girls there. The four contestants that were from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, did you goof on their accents?
T. Whitney Actually, I love accents. I think there were only maybe three of them who you could really tell. I think it was Kendra and Ashley. It’s kind of funny because when they talk, some of the things they say come out totally different and then their words don’t make any sense. It was actually really entertaining. I love accents. I think they’re so awesome.
Since you’re not going to be exploring any options with TV, are you going to pursue going to college? If so, are you formally stepping off the beauty queen train? Your bio seems to list you as a career beauty queen. I was wondering if you were putting an end to that.
T. Whitney As far as college goes, I was going to a JC college before this show. I’m not in college right now, but I’m going to go back. As far as the beauty queen, I don’t really consider myself to be that. That was kind of more in my high school life that I considered myself that. But now, no, I think I would just move on. I’m actually thinking about being a teacher and beauty queens are not teachers.
Did you do anything special to watch the show last night?
T. Whitney Actually, yes. My sister actually had a party at her house with all of her friends. I went over to my grandmother’s house and my friends came over and my family was there and we all just watched it and ate food. It was pretty fun. I recorded it.
Could you talk just a little bit more about how your part was edited down because it seemed like they basically sent you off because you weren’t that enthusiastic, but I didn’t really notice that much difference between you and the other girls in the part that they showed on the show. Was there more to that or behind the scenes?
T. Whitney Like you mean on the interview parting when I was talking, how I was portrayed?
Well, was it really just the catwalk, do you think?
T. Whitney Oh. I really think it was. On the catwalk when I was watching myself, I wasn’t as enthusiastic as most of the girls. I think they based it off of that because the judges weren’t around watching us make the dress and everything else. I don’t really know how they based their decision off of.
As far as me going into doing interviews and stuff, oh, my God, there was so much edited that I could not believe it. I was so embarrassed. I felt so bad because that’s just not how I am at all.
So what’s the one thing that you take from this experience, or what do you take with you out of this?
T. Whitney Throughout my high school, I was the one that was always nominated for homecoming princess or homecoming queen or prom queen. I always just thought, “Oh, the prettiest, most popular girl.” But coming to the show, it just proved that anybody can be a prom queen as long as you have the desire and the drive. You have to want it.
Some of those girls, you never would imagine them being prom queen at your high school just because everyone else would nominate the cheerleaders, the popular ones. Some of those girls, I can see them being prom queen because of their heart. Some of those girls, you could tell they really wanted it. I’ve learned that looks are not everything.
On one of your little confessionals in front of the camera, they had you saying something like along the lines of friends come and go, but like a crown is forever. When you said that, I thought to myself, “You don’t actually mean that.” Did you change your mind?
T. Whitney Usually, when you’re going in to win something, usually you’re not there to make friends. What I meant to say was -- I know this sounds so bad -- I wasn’t there to make friends with everyone. Yes, I got to know people and I like them, but I knew that I would not be long-time friends with them just because we don’t live around each other.
The crown is forever - I cannot believe I said that. Some of these things I say, I don’t even know why I said them. I guess I’d want the crown to be mine forever, but I have my own crown. I guess I should just say that to myself.
Was there anyone you were secretly pulling for to win?
T. Whitney There is, and it’s going to sound totally weird because I kind of bashed her on TV. But honestly, I want Carmen to win so bad. If not Carmen, I want Katelyn to win because those girls are the nicest people. They’re there for the right reasons and I just want them to win.
View blog reactions
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)
Advertising
There are currently no comments for this article. Be the first to comment! (no registration required)