PAGEANT PHONE COACHING | INTERVIEW HELP

Justin with delegates at the 2003 Miss Teen USA Pageant

g MAKE THE JUDGES REMEMBER YOU
YOU MUST BE ABLE TO PAINT PICTURES
By Justin Rudd

YOU ONLY HAVE a few moments to make the judges remember you! Of all the other contestants that the judges will see that day, you have to make the greatest impression. You must be able to "paint pictures" with your words. That means that the judges must be able to visualize what you are talking about. Let's take your volunteer service, for example. An average contestant will share that she has just completed 100 hours of volunteer work at the local nursing home during the last year.

However, the contestant who will score higher will briefly share about her relationship with the 90 year-old Jacob, bed-ridden with cancer at the nursing facility across town and her ability to make him smile when she brings him homemade chocolate chip cookies and sings songs for 15 minutes every week for the last few years.

g WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING ABOUT JUSTIN RUDD
NOW THERE'S A REAL BEAUTY OF A QUESTION
By Janet Eastman, Los Angeles Times

HEY, BEAUTY PAGEANT CONTESTANTS. We know you can walk the walk, but can you talk the talk? If your biggest flaw is an inability to answer those heady questions about world peace and public health, you may want to consult with Justin Rudd, a pageant enthusiast who steadfastly prepares hundreds of contestants, coaches and judges for the grueling interview phase, which can sometimes count for 50% of an overall score.

Each week, Rudd e-mails them five questions that are similar to those sprung on contestants. Topics range from politics "What bothers you most about what is happening in your country today?" to vanity "If you could be on the cover of any magazine, which would you chose and why?"

"Answering these questions reveals a lot about a person's values and ideas," says Rudd, who comes up with the little thought-provokers or culls them from pageants he's involved with on local, regional and national levels. "There isn't one correct answer to any of these questions. If the contestant can support it, it's right. I don't give answers but guidelines on how to prepare a response that's well thought out and effective."

Click Here: FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO THE FIVE-A-WEEK CLUB

A PAGEANT EXPERT who has helped two Miss Americas as well as a number of other titlists capture their crowns has particular interest in the Miss USA Pageant. Some of those competing for the Miss USA title are his pupils.

	Since 1989, Rudd has helped several budding titleholders capture the crown, including Miss USAs, Mrs. United States, Mrs. America, two Miss Americas, Tara Dawn Holland and Heather Whitestone.

Long Beach (Calif.) resident, Justin Rudd, who conducts one-on-one training sessions and operates an on-line interview preparation service, has high stakes in the highly competitive showdown. "One of the most important aspects of the pageant is the critical interview phase which accounts for one-third of their score. This oftentimes overlooked element of the pageant experience frequently becomes the determining factor in whether or not one succeeds," said Rudd. "In addition to offering private pageant interview coaching, I operate an on-line service called the Five-A-Week Club where I help these aspirants prepare for this difficult area of competition."

Since 1989, Rudd has helped several budding titleholders capture the crown, including a few Miss USAs, Susie Castillo; Mrs. United States, Andrea Preuss; Mrs. America, Andrea Preuss; and two Miss Americas, Tara Dawn Holland and Heather Whitestone. From his computer, Rudd, has discovered that the information superhighway is an ideal way to help these young women prepare. "It's amazing how many first-time contestants decide to wing this process only to find out too late how truly difficult it is to effectively communicate their point. Most of my clients have learned this lesson the hard way and that's where I step in," he revealed. "To think that it's not uncommon to spend $1,000 on an evening gown and a lot of time and resources on swimsuit, makeup, getting into shape, etc.. It's foolhardy not to thoroughly prepare."

Rudd provides his free service to those who subscribe.

His club has attracted a few aspiring male contestants and one missionary in Jordan who uses the questions as icebreakers at gatherings. Subscribers who need more than five questions a week can buy Rudd's booklet, "1,001 Pageant Questions" ($24.95).

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