Stephanie Tollefson works in a hospital emergency room, and she has seen some dreadful things in her time. A lot of blood, a lot of suffering, a lot of sorrow.

But if you expect a gloomy, tormented soul, Ms. Tollefson will give you a pleasant shock. She's as sunny as North Dakota on a day in June. She's the kind of happy, upbeat person you'd like sitting in the next seat on an 18-hour plane ride.

Pageant versatility used to be a taboo subject, but Ms. Tollefson freely admits that she has competed in that "other" system (Miss America). She didn't win the state title there, but do you know what she did win? You don't need a clue. Think, think!

You guessed it. Miss Congeniality.

Breanne Silvi is a bartender, working in a French bistro. We don't know much French, but the place is apparently rather "petite."

"It has two stools," she said, laughing along with us at how tiny that made it sound. But we suspect the stools are never empty, and there's a long line snaking out the door.

This seems to be the year of the family girl at Miss USA. Ms. Silvi, in a totally unaffected way, brought up the subject of her family, and how much her relationships
with older and younger relatives mean to her. Any pageant hater who thinks beauty queens only spout about "world peace" should have heard her. Love begins at home.

Danielle Roundtree is a New York girl through and through. When she told PNB she had recently moved from Manhattan to Queens, she called it "a whole new world." A move between two New York City boroughs may sound like just a change of address to folks in the heartland, but in the Big Apple it's a big deal.

When she competes on the stage in Las Vegas, one person will be especially on her mind -- her father. "He died last year," she said, and it's clear that Dad was her hero. This one is for him.

But we don't mean to make Ms. Roundtree sound melancholy. She has a spirit of sweet mischief. Pageants should always be fun, and she will make this one more so.

She started as a teacher, then became one of the world's best-known beauty queens -- winning Miss USA 1994. Now she's a top broadcaster in L.A. But this lady can still teach. Her book "Catching the Crown," a favorite of aspiring beauty queens, is out in an expanded, updated edition. Gerdeen Dyer, a prominent journalist in his own right, recently interviewed Ms. Parker exclusively for PNB.

Q. Welcome, Lu. By revising and expanding your book, you make clear that you are bullish on the future of pageants. Do you think the industry is going to be dominated by a few big players, or will it be more about "niche" competitions?

A. I believe pageants will be around forever. In a sense, they were the first reality shows, right? Pageants offer contestants so much, like the ability to learn to speak in front of a crowd, learn state, national, and international issues, develop self-esteem, etc. ... The list goes on and on. Why would the future not remain bright? As for dominating the market, I believe the Miss USA/Miss Universe system will remain in the forefront. The Miss America system is strong, too, especially after making some major changes.

Q. Without naming any names (or even hinting), do you think a lot of girls in pageants get bad advice these days? Or is the problem getting no advice at all

A. Bad advice is given every day in all aspects of life. As for pageants, I'm sure those competing are looking for all the right answers. It's a must that they get advice from someone who knows what they are talking about, and even better from someone who has actual experience and has won a title! One of the main reasons I wrote the book after winning was because I realized there are so many girls/women who want to compete but have nowhere to turn for the answers. If they do, it's often too expensive. Catching the Crown answers those tough questions. I was there. I experienced it. I lived the stress, and the good times. I simply share what I think works and doesn't work.

Q. When you started out as a broadcaster, did you meet any skepticism or negativity because of your fame from pageants? And if so, was this more from men or women?

A. Oh, did I! But with that said, I understand where they were coming from. My first job in a newsroom was tough. I was hired with essentially no experience, and I was a former beauty queen. At that time in my life, I thought everyone liked everyone. I was naive. It took me months to come to grips with the fact that life is not that way. Men and women (of course, only a handful) were mean, ignored me, and were downright disrespectful. I cried many nights about it, but again, I learned that it wasn't about ME. It was an issue they had, about either their job, or personal beliefs. Over time, I was able to prove my abilities to work hard and get the job done. I have also learned to let those kinds of attitudes go in one ear and out the other. Life is too short to worry about it.

Q. I've found that certain professional people who claim to disdain pageants are often burning with curiosity about them. Once they get to know me, they start plying me with questions about what "really" goes on. Do you see this sort of thing?

A. I did experience those types of reactions, and I still do. Pageants evoke curiosity. They are fun. They are a learning experience. I think they got a bad rap early on, and that sticks with some people until they really see what it's all about.

Q. Do you stay in touch with former pageant rivals? Are many still involved in some way in the pageant business?

A. Gerdeen, I would never consider them rivals, just fellow competitors. HA! Yes, I do. Dayanara Torres, Miss Universe 1993, is a friend of mine. She is not involved as much anymore. I keep in touch with my former state director from South Carolina, Paula Miles. She continues to have a successful company. Also, Kandace Krueger, Miss USA 2001, is a friend. She has a successful company in Texas. There are many more. Also, I continue to meet women who have competed or held titles in the Miss USA / Miss Universe system. It's cool to share stories.

Q. Somebody once remarked to me that you had the "coolest name" in pageants. I agreed, but couldn't say why. What do you think about this?

A. I am named after my Grandmother Toot. Her name was Louise. Mom and Dad decided to call me Lu and spell it this way. I like it. I don't think of it as cool, but thanks! It's easy to remember.

Q. Men's pageants have gained some ground in recent years. But they haven't made a lot of headway in the United States, and nowhere do they equal the appeal of women's pageants. Do you think this will change, or will women's pageants always appeal to more people?

A. I'm not that familiar with male pageants, but I think it's great! I'm sure women's pageants will dominate, but why not make room for the boys? Do they wear Speedos? HA!

Q. What's your next big project?

A. I am always working on my next goal. Between work as a journalist, the book, golf, and winning the lottery ... who knows what's next? I find inspiration in doing good things. Life is short, and we all share the same planet. Why not try and make it easy for each other? Good Luck!

The book is available at www.amazon.com

Amanda Kozak is not the kind of Miss USA contestant you saw in the 1950s. She's beautiful and voluptuous, like the queens of the classic era, but she operates in a different kind of pageant environment.

Things change, and the world of beauty gets a little more complicated. But we can live with it.