Piers Morgan won’t be winning any points for congeniality with his latest column.
British media personality Morgan savaged the Miss America competition’s decision to rule out physical appearance as a criterion for judging a winner on Tuesday, calling out former Miss America winner and current board chair Gretchen Carlson in particular.
“We are now open, inclusive and transparent,” Carlson is quoted as saying in Morgan’s new column, “and I want to inspire thousands of young people across this country to come and be part of our program. We are not going to judge you on your appearance because we are interested in what makes you you.”
Morgan also quoted Carlson as saying, “It what comes out of their mouths that we care about.”
“I’ve got some news for you, Gretchen: nobody on the entire planet cares what comes out of the mouths of Miss America contestants unless they say something so dumb it makes us laugh out loud,” Morgan wrote. “They’re not competing to see who is smartest, funniest, or most environmentally concerned.”
He added, “They’re there because they’re smoking hot.”
Carlson, who was declared Miss America in 1989 before launching a career in broadcasting, discussed the change on Tuesday’s “Good Morning America,” saying, “We are no longer a pageant … We are a competition.”
In addition to killing off the swimsuit competition, Miss America is also eliminating the evening gown portion of the competition. Instead, contestants representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia will wear attire that makes them feel confident, expresses their personal style and shows how they hope to advance the role of Miss America.
The swimsuit parade will be replaced with a live interactive session with the judges, the organization announced.
In Tuesday’s column for the Daily Mail, Morgan called the decision “absolutely ridiculous, and will be an inevitable ratings disaster.”
“I’m afraid the harsh reality is that nobody’s going to watch a beauty pageant to see an assortment of ugly, 250 lb. contestants giving their views on world peace. Period,” Morgan wrote.