Drop Dead Gorgeous 1999

Here’s my attempt at rephrasing that section:

In 1995, the quaint town of Mount Rose, Minnesota, is abuzz with excitement as it prepares to host the esteemed Sarah Rose Cosmetics American Teen Princess Pageant. A film crew has descended upon the community to capture every moment of this highly anticipated event and its lead-up. Among those interviewed is 17-year-old Amber Atkins (played by), a bright-eyed aspiring journalist who enrolls in the pageant with the hopes of securing a coveted college scholarship and emulating her idol, Diane Sawyer.

The competition features an eclectic mix of contestants, including Rebecca “Becky” Leeman, the daughter of the town’s wealthiest resident. Becky’s mother, Gladys, serves as the chairperson of the pageant organizing committee and is herself a former winner. Tensions run high due to whispers that the judges’ connections to the Leemans’ furniture store may have influenced their decisions, sparking concerns about fairness.

As the days tick down to the big event, Mount Rose is beset by a series of bizarre occurrences that leave residents on edge. The tragic death of Tammy Curry (whose life tragically comes to an abrupt end when her threshing machine explodes), as well as the sudden and unexplained demise of a young man who had caught Becky’s eye, only add to the sense of unease. Amidst this backdrop of turmoil, Amber grapples with the possibility that her own mother Annette’s mobile home may be in danger of exploding, further testing her resolve.

Despite these challenges, Amber perseveres and remains committed to the competition, driven by a desire to make her mother proud. At the dress rehearsal, disaster strikes when contestant Jenelle Betz is rendered deaf after being struck by a stage light. In the face of adversity, pageant choreographer Chloris Klinghagen springs into action, providing Amber with an alternative costume for the big night.

However, organizer Iris Clark asserts that this new attire is not in compliance with the competition’s strict guidelines, leaving Amber feeling helpless and defeated. It is at this juncture that her fellow contestant, Lisa Swenson, shows unexpected kindness by relinquishing her own approved costume to Amber, allowing her to take to the stage and showcase her remarkable tap dancing skills.

As the lights dim on the night of the pageant, Amber’s dance costume inexplicably vanishes. She accuses Becky of pilfering it, leading to a heated confrontation backstage. Amidst this drama, Becky takes center stage, singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” while performing an unsettling dance routine featuring a life-sized Jesus doll on a crucifix - an performance that both astonishes and appalls the audience.

As the pageant’s winners are announced, a sense of jubilation settles over the crowd: Leslie Miller (cheerleader) takes home the silver medal, Amber secures the bronze, and Becky rises to the top with her triumphant crown. However, the euphoria is short-lived, as tragedy strikes during Becky’s celebratory parade the very next day. The elaborate swan float that had been a highlight of the event suddenly bursts into flames and explodes, claiming Becky’s life in its devastating aftermath. In the midst of this chaos, Gladys’s grief-stricken outburst reveals her complicity in orchestrating the pageant’s shenanigans, prompting an immediate arrest.

As order is restored, Amber takes center stage once more, this time as the crowned winner of the state competition, having won by default after her competitors fall prey to a bout of food poisoning. Her prize: an all-expenses-paid trip to the national pageant – only to discover upon arrival that Sarah Rose Cosmetics, the company behind the prestigious event, has been shuttered due to tax evasion. The news sends shockwaves through the contestants, many of whom are driven by rage and frustration into a frenzy of vandalism as they wreak havoc on the company’s property.

Years later, Gladys’s prison escape sets off a chain reaction, culminating in a tense standoff at the Mount Rose supermarket. With her declaration to exact revenge on Amber, Gladys sparks a six-hour stalemate that captivates local news crews and viewers alike. Amidst the chaos, a television reporter is struck by a stray bullet – only for Amber to seize the moment, grabbing the microphone and reporting live from the scene with poise and confidence. Her performance impresses the news station, paving the way for her future as co-anchor of Minneapolis–St. Paul WAZB-TV’s evening news program.