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Stephany Jeffers

Stephany Jeffers

How much reality can there be in a reality TV show about the seemingly unreal world of beauty pageant contestants?

TLC’s “Countdown to the Crown,” will attempt to answer that question in a run-up to the Miss America Pageant when the reality series airs Friday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m., and every subsequent Friday leading up to the Jan. 25 pageant. Reality TV fan or no, the show will offer a hook for Alaskans: The state’s own beauty queen, Miss Alaska Stephany Jeffers, will be featured on the show.

“There’s a lot of editing that’s done for television, so I am a little concerned with how it’s going to come out,” explained Jeffers, who just returned from the series filming. “While it may not be the reality as far as the uncut version, I think you will see a little more reality within the girls by the end of the episodes. We all kind of let the mascara go away, and dropped our guard. We decided to let (the audience) see what they see.”

Last year, TLC let viewers in early for a behind-the-scenes preview of the event with “Reality Check,” a reality series dedicated to showing what it takes to earn the title Miss America. This year, the network is doing it again with “Countdown,” which features the 52 contestants living aboard the Queen Mary ocean liner as they maneuver through assorted individual and team competitions — like shopping — that, according the TLC Web site, will “help them prepare for the pageant and prove they have what it takes to be a modern-day Miss America.”

Yet what the viewing audience will witness in the women’s preparation won’t be revealed, at least by Jeffers, a 23-year-old Anchorage resident raised in Chugiak.

“I am actually sworn to secrecy an immense number of times from actually giving away what happens on the show,” she said with a laugh. “But I can tell you it will have an effect on the Miss America pageant.”

While the show is designed in part as an introduction of the contestants, the effect Jeffers spoke of occurs as viewers help determine the pageant outcome by voting — online or via text message — four contestants into the final rounds.

The TLC Web site does give a few hints of the proceedings, while not revealing anything about the show winners, 15 women who earn gold sashes and become eligible to be voted into the top 15 of pageant.

Some of the team events include a scavenger hunt, fitness obstacle course, “Miss American Shopper” and a talent showcase. Individual events include a runway photo shoot, a fashion segment, and what sounds like a debate contest.

Jeffers said filming the show revealed that she needs to be more prepared for the actual competition, which in turn will make Alaska, currently in the media spotlight following Gov. Sarah Palin’s unsuccessful White House run, shine even brighter.

“Watching these young ladies, I saw that I was unprepared. When you go as Alaska you have this mindset that we don’t have the pageantry and program the other (states) do,” she said. “I don’t feel unprepared for the interview and talent, but there were some things I learned style wise. We aren’t quite as up to date up here. … One of the goals with the Miss Alaska organization is to update that (Alaska) image for Miss America. Because the rest of the world seems to have caught on.”

Jeffers, currently studying for a masters degree in theater at the University of Alaska Anchorage isn’t so sure allowing the general public a say is the best method of finding the most qualified person for the role of Miss America.

“I have two opinions. I do not believe that watching the reality show and voting for girls based on the show is going to help us chose the best Miss America,” she said. “On the flip side I am all for this voting in that it’s going to get people paying attention to the Miss America organization. It is a business, so if it’s the difference between two million and six million viewers, so be it. Then it’s good to have the public vote for someone to make the Miss America stage.”

Whether Jeffers walks away Miss America, or remains “just” Miss Alaska, she believes there is plenty of room to improve the image of the beauty queen as more than a Barbie doll with perfect teeth, hair and clothes, but as someone ready to tackle the world head on.

“I don’t know if it’s Alaska as much as it is the pageant world as a whole, but people still consider pageants as big hair and shiny dresses. It’s not like that now,” she said. “It’s much more modern. When I think pageant I don’t think 1980 Texas hair. We Miss Americas are business women, and we really need to promote that.”

And, well, don’t you want world peace too?

“Of course, everyone does,” she concluded. “But it’s funny. It’s amazing how much pageant girls cringe when they hear those two words put together.”