Shanna Moakler is a name and face you’ll recognize from her stint as Miss USA 1995, acting across television and movies, and most recently dabbling in reality TV. Those first two, pageants and television, converged in reality TV when Shanna came on as a host of The CW’s latest reality show Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants. Joined by co-hosts Carson Kressley and Cynthia Nixon, Shanna challenges mother and daughter teams with weekly pageant events where they must perform and survive the de-sashing ceremonies.

After just a few weeks into the series I’ve already been thoroughly entertained and was thrilled with the chance to talk with and interview Shanna Moakler about her role and experience on Crowned. Read on to find out what Shanna was looking for from the mother daughter pairs, if she had any favorites, and what she’d pick as her own team name if she paired up with one of her daughters.

Shanna Moakler interview with Wild Bluff Media 12/21/07:

Wild Bluff Media (WBM): How did you get involved with Crowned?
Shanna Moakler: They called me up and asked me if I’d be interested in being a host and judge. Carson was already attached, which was cool, and I love pageants so I thought it’d be something easy and fun. Reality TV is always fun.

WBM: Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants started with 11 mother daughter pairs. Were you involved in the initial selection process to reduce the pool down to those 11?
Shanna Moakler: No, I wasn’t. They went all over the country and had tapes from all over the country. I wish I had been though as that would have been really fun.

WBM: After so many successful years in pageants how did it feel to be on this side of the judges panel?
Shanna Moakler: Oh, relaxing. I didn’t have to worry about running around, makeup, and all that crazy stuff that all the girls get into. It was nice meeting some girls that had competed and teaching girls that hadn’t competed. It was fun.

WBM: Is this your first turn being one of the judges instead of being judged?
Shanna Moakler: I’ve actually judged pageants all over the country for years from the time I was Miss New York and Miss USA so this was a nice fit.

WBM: Of the three judges you have the most pageant experience. Did you find that you were judging the mothers and daughters differently than the other judges based on your background?
Shanna Moakler: Absolutely. Carson brought more of the fashion and beautfy while I was strictly the pageant pro. Cynthia gave more of a modern, real, woman’s take.

WBM: I’ve definitely noticed you take the lead in the evaluations and performances. I was really impressed with how you handled those.
Shanna Moakler: Thanks. I wanted to be like more fun, like laugh more about it, but they kept saying, “This is serious. You have to be very serious.” Now I look at it and think it wasn’t that serious.

WBM: You were very formal in a lot of moments like when the team came out with their name “Silent But Deadly.” I was impressed with how you kept your composure.
Shanna Moakler: You couldn’t not laugh. They were clueless. All those people, they were real. It’s really who they are.

WBM: Each week one of the teams is desashed. Is that decision solely made by you, and the other judges?
Shanna Moakler: It’s really up to the three of us. In fact, there are very serious game laws that the networks and producers have to follow. So yeah, it was definitely up to us. We didn’t know what was going on in the house, or what the teams were saying. We only saw what they were doing in front of us in the theater.

WBM: Was there generally an agreement between you or were some of the decisions difficult to make?
Shanna Moakler: We typically agreed, but there were a couple of weeks where we had to take some time and really go through it. Sometimes Cynthia and Carson would agree and I’d give in. Then Carson and I would agree and Cynthia would have to give in. There were definitely times when we’d disagree. I was judging them more from a pageant point of view . Cynthia, who hosted Scandinavia’s Next Top Model, was judging it more from a model’s point of view so sometimes we’d clash but overall we’d get along.

WBM: Were you ever tempted to keep a lower ranking team because you were interested in their potential for drama?
Shanna Moakler: We didn’t really know what they were doing drama-wise. We’d just stay to what they did in their performance.

WBM: When you met the 11 teams, did you pick a favorite early on? Did that pick ever change during the season?
Shanna Moakler: Yeah, I had a couple of favorites and they didn’t really change. I really liked Gina and Hollis [Dream Gals] and I really loved the Diamond Dolls and Moya and Jenileigh, the Daredevil Divas. Those were kinda our favorites, but we didn’t know where they’d fall, but we really liked those guys. They all had really good energy. I know it’s silly and pageantry, but what we were really looking for was a good relationship between the mother and the daughter. We wanted to actually see a loving relationship. Those teams seemed to have a natural ease with one another.

WBM: You mentioned you were basing things on what you saw on-stage and you didn’t get to see them back at the house. But considering all the experience you’ve had with pageants, did you ever get the chance to work with the teams and give them tips. I’d imagine you’d see them up there and really want to step up and help them.
Shanna Moakler: There was lots of stuff I wanted to teach them, but I didn’t get that opportunity.

WBM: Some of the mothers and daughters clearly have more pageant experience than others. Did you cut any of the novice teams slack or did you hold everyone to the same level of expectations?
Shanna Moakler: I did. I definitely tried. You’ll even hear me say things like, “I really had the bar up here for you. I’m disappointed. I thought you’d do better.” Because of their experience or the other teams I tried to give them a little leeway.

WBM: You have two daughters of your own. Would you ever want to enter a mother daughter competition with them?
Shanna Moakler: If my daughters showed an interest in pageants, yeah I would. I would definitely let them try it. I would also let them know what it entails. There’s only one winner and that’s hard for a lot of people to understand. More than anything I want to teach my daughters inner beauty and self-confidence. To me, that’s the most beautiful thing.

WBM: Off the top of your head, if you paired up with one of your daughters and had to pick a team name, what would it be?
Shanna Moakler: Oh my gosh. I have no idea. I never even thought of that. It would be… give me a second… The Vivacious Vixens.

WBM: I know we’re just a few weeks into the show, but has there been any talk yet for additional seasons? If so, would you want to come back and do it again?
Shanna Moakler: I would definitely love to do another season. It was such fun. Cynthia and Carson made it a blast. The mother and daughter teams, we actually got very connected to them. I’ve heard rumors in passing and we don’t know for sure, but yeah, I would definitely be part of it again.

WBM: If the show expanded to include a fourth judge, who would you want it to be?
Shanna Moakler: I really like the panel as it is. I think it’s perfect. There are no egos. There’s no trying to out do each other. It’s really comfortable. I like it the way it is.

WBM: Any spoilers or hints you can give us on what to expect?
Shanna Moakler: I’m on strict orders not to, but I can tell you it gets better and better each week.

“Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants” airs on The CW at 8pm on Wednesdays.

Sir Linksalot: Crowned