Clinton Kelly to Host 'MISS AMERICA: BEHIND THE CURTAIN' on TLC

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- TLC today announced that Clinton Kelly, co-host of TLC's hit series WHAT NOT TO WEAR, is hosting the one-hour special MISS AMERICA: BEHIND THE CURTAIN, airing Friday, January 29, 2010 at 10 PM, immediately following the airing of WHAT NOT TO WEAR's 250th episode.  Clinton also returns as special correspondent to the MISS AMERICA PAGEANT when it airs Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 8 PM ET - live from Las Vegas.

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As host of BEHIND THE CURTAIN, Clinton takes viewers behind the scenes of the iconic pageant, sharing exclusive insight about the 53 contestants and never-before-seen footage from the preliminary competition that leads into the live event. Using his trademark charm and visionary sense of style, he checks in on the state titleholder's gown and bathing suit picks. In turn, Clinton receives insight into the pageant experience – from succeeding in the interviews to perfecting his pageant walk.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN will also reveal the 12 state titleholders who are eligible to be voted by America's Choice into the finals.

The next night, Clinton returns for his third year as a special correspondent for the live MISS AMERICA PAGEANT, joining host Mario Lopez as they prepare to crown 2010's Miss America live from Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

Friday, January 29 also marks a special episode of Clinton's series WHAT NOT TO WEAR – the 250th episode. Airing at 9 PM, Clinton and co-host Stacy London intervene with DJ Crizti Walsh, who dresses more like a teenager than a 40-year-old mother. To help this milestone makeover, Stacy and Clinton call on 12 contributors from over the past seven seasons to help them with the process. The former fashion victims share their stories with Crizti as they help inspire her new look.

MISS AMERICA: BEHIND THE CURTAIN is produced for TLC by Comcast Entertainment Productions. Executive producers are Jay James and Jennifer Ferraro Goodman.

Media who wish to cover the 2010 Miss America Pageant can download a Press Credential application online at www.MissAmericaPressRoom.com, where up-to-the-minute competition news and information, as well as downloadable high resolution images of Miss America 2009 Katie Stam and the 2010 contestants are located.

About TLC

TLC's innovative docu-series and reality-based programming include favorites Jon & Kate Plus 8, Little People, Big World, What Not to Wear, 18 Kids and Counting, Say Yes to the Dress, and LA Ink. TLC added to its menu of programming with Cake Boss and Ultimate Cake Off, and continues to expand into the food genre. TLC's daytime lineup includes the Emmy Award-winning A Baby Story. The channel is available in more than 98 million homes in the US, nearly 8 million homes in Canada and through the website at www.tlc.com. TLC is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries.

About Miss America

The Miss America Pageant - and the scholarship program itself - is among the most enduring endeavors in modern American history. From its humble beginnings as a "bathing beauty'" contest in the 1920s, the Miss America Organization today is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance, helping young women all across the country to reach their dreams and goals. For more information, go to www.missamerica.org.

SOURCE TLC