VIDEO:Miss Teen Contestant Not As Dumb As Seems?

At the Today Show, Miss Teen said ´When the question was asked, I was in complete shock. I drew a blank, I misunderstood, I made a mistake´.

A contestant at the Miss Teen USA pageant from South Carolina, Caitlin Upton, appeared on the Today Show yesterday to try to explain her awkward blundering answer to a question from the panel of judges at last Friday’s Miss Teen USA beauty pageant.

Asked to comment on the fact why studies showed that a fifth of Americans could not find the United States on a world map, Upton said: “I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don’t have maps”.

She also made references to South Africa, Asian countries and “the Iraq”, saying that these countries should be assisted by the American educational system.

Obviously, she did not come first at the beauty pageant, but did make third runner up.

“I am sitting here laughing at myself”, she told the Today Show, adding that she could not believe it was really her up there on the stage saying those things.

She was given an opportunity on the show to re-answer the question she had been asked at the pageant.

“Well, personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map. I don’t know anyone else who doesn’t and if the statistics are correct, I believe there should be more emphasis on geography in our education, so people will learn how to read maps better.

Look at the VIDEO from the Today Show.

Read the ARTICLE on Caitlin Upton during the question-and-answer session at the pageant.