Last night in Atlantic City, Miss New York, 24-year old Nina Davuluri became the first-ever South Asian American crowned Miss America at the annual pageant. To learn more about the young winner, who performed a Bollywood routine for the talent section of the show, read Lakshmi Gandhi’s post, “10 Things You Need to Know About About Miss America Nina Davuluri.” Of course Twitter had all of the feelings as Davuluri was crowned.
Naturally, racist Twitter blew up in its usual ugly way with the “But is she really American?” tweets coming fast and furious. But you can find those for yourselves. Here are some of the other reactions we captured from the historic night.
First came joy.
I'm so f'ing proud to be a New Yorker right now. #MissAmerica
— Rachel Dratch (@TheRealDratch) September 16, 2013
i think its amazing that @NinaDavuluri was crowned Miss America. THIS is the american story.
— Questlove Jenkins (@questlove) September 16, 2013
First Miss America ever who looks like me, who could be my cousin or sister. #marginsfade
— Margin Fades (@marginfades) September 16, 2013
Ahhhhh!!! Congratulations to the first ever Indian American @MissAmerica, Nina Davuluri, proving American Beauty isn't just one type!!
— Salma Khan (@salma_khan) September 16, 2013
When the racists came out (as we knew they would), actresses Noureen Dewulf (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past), Tiya Sircar (The Internship) and Miss Mississippi Paromitra Mitra were unamused.
I'm so jealous of all these racist Miss America tweets, you guys… I'm Indian and on TV too!! @sepiamutiny
— Noureen DeWulf (@noureendewulf) September 16, 2013
SO jazzed to learn that #MissAmerica is Indian-American (represent!)! Then I made the mistake of reading Twitter. Racism is alive&well y'all
— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) September 16, 2013
Appalled at what people are saying about the new Miss America! People are absurd. Can't wait to see… http://t.co/vjKPyCeWPt
— Paromita Mitra (@RealMissMSUSA) September 16, 2013
The whole shebang gave the community a chance to make some self-deprecating jokes.
An Indian-American, Nina Davuluri, just won #MissAmerica. That's cool, but…CAN SHE SPELL?
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) September 16, 2013
#MissAmerica: “Mom, I just won the beauty pageant!” Mom: “SHUT UP! You’re still SINGLE and not a DOCTOR!”
— Narinder Singh (@NarinderSingh) September 16, 2013
Watch every desi girl be Miss America for halloween this year
— Kinza (@KinzaK89) September 16, 2013
I predict that Bollywood dancing will replace baton twirling as the #MissAmerica stereotype talent in the 21st century.
— Anuradha (@durgaakv) September 16, 2013
I give a few hours until miss new york parents find out shes not "at the library" #MissNewYork
— Nick Duggal (@NickDuggal) September 16, 2013
My entire family didn't know Miss America was indian until my dad got a text from someone in india telling us #indianpride
— Sonia Manocha (@soniamanocha15) September 16, 2013
After spelling-bee, Jeopardy & Harvard, Indian parents in US have one more thing to pressure their children over.
— greatbong (@greatbong) September 16, 2013
Hadji. Apu. Slumdog Millionaire. Aziz Ansari. Bobby Jindal (unfortunately). Mindy Kaling. Miss America. The Desi Amreekan Agenda in effect.
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) September 16, 2013
And acknowledge some very real truths.
When was the last time a dark-skinned, dark-eyed beauty won Miss India?
— Sonia Faleiro (@soniafaleiro) September 16, 2013
What's interesting is Miss America Nina Davuluri would never win pageants in South Asia because she'd be too dark to be considered beautiful
— Anna John ⚓ (@suitablegirl) September 16, 2013
And then there were the Weiner jokes…
Advice to the new #MissAmerica from New York: When Anthony Weiner calls to congratulate you, let it go to voice mail.
— phil_rosenthal (@phil_rosenthal) September 16, 2013
All in all, it was a heckuva night.
(h/t @Manish_Vij, @Sepiamutiny)
Kishwer Vikaas is a co-founder and editor of The Aerogram. Find her on Twitter at @Phillygrrl or email her at editors@theaerogram.com. Follow The Aerogram on Twitter @theaerogram.
