Is anyone old enough to remember when The Miss America Pageant was a big deal on television? That was when it took place in Atlantic City and there were only three television networks to choose from. And even then, the contestants weren't real lookers and seemed ten or fifteen years behind the times. Well, after losing its network TV deal and moving to Las Vegas last year, the "scholarship" pageant that seeks "role models, not models" is back and will slip onto the tube tonight with out most people even noticing.

And if the preliminaries are any indication, there's good reason.

Over the weekend, a pair of 24-year-old Big Miss Sunshines took the lead on the way to the crowning tonight in Las Vegas.

Miss California-- and Celine Dion ringer-- Jacquelynne Fontaine of Moorpark, won a gigantic $2,000 scholarship for singing opera in the talent competition. Miss Pennsylvania, Emily Wills-- from the town of Beaver (Hey now!)-- won a whopping $1,000 in the swimsuit competition. She wore a black-and-white striped bikini. Hubba hubba!