UPDATE: There are more beautiful Darwin buffs than I first counted.

In listening to 51 preliminary interviews with Miss USA contestants, I lost count of the correct number of those who would teach evolution in the public schools.

The new Miss USA, Miss California Alyssa Campanella and Miss Massachusetts were not alone. I overlooked nuanced answers from the ladies from Vermont, Washington and New Mexico.

So, that's five in 51 clearly for teaching evolution while about 90% were opposed or called for teaching "both sides." Hat tip here to eagle-eyed F&R readers for catching this.

ORIGINAL POST:

Score one for Charles Darwin. The newly crowned Miss USA, Alyssa Campanella, 21, of Los Angeles, who calls herself "a huge science geek," says evolution should be taught in public schools.

No, it didn't happen on air in a replay of the Carrie-Prejean-Perez-Hilton showdown over a gay marriage question two years ago. Evolution was among the preliminary questions, not the televised finale.

Before her victory night, Miss California earned her way into the semifinals in preliminary judging including interviews in which she was one of only two among 51 contestants to unequivocally support teaching evolution.

Given the early Fox News alert that the contestants were rattled by the preliminary questions, I went to the site and watched all 51 interviews where they wrestled with the evolution question and other stumpers such as whether they have or would use an online dating service (mostly no), if they would pose for "tasteful" nude photos (split vote) and were asked to make the sounds of a cat, a motor, a police siren and a slot machine (painful to watch).

But the evolution answers would make Answers in Genesis -- the folks behind the Creation Museum and the upcoming Noah's Ark theme park -- proud.

One after another of the contestants, like Miss Maryland, confused the evolution of species with the origin of life (not the same) or said a variation of Miss Michigan's line that it's "silly" and "ignorant" not to know "both sides" including, evidently, religious views in public schools.

Three were flat out opposed: Miss Kentucky, home state of the Creation Museum; Miss Alaska who assures us "each of us was individually created by God for a purpose"; and Miss Alabama who doesn't believe in evolution.

Only Miss Massachusetts and Campanella stood up for Darwin.

The eventual winner (with an on-air question about legalizing marijuana -- she said medically yes, otherwise no) said,

I was taught evolution in high school. I do believe in it. I'm a huge science geek...I like to believe in the big bang theory and, you know, the evolution of humans throughout time.

Sunday night on the main stage, the first runner-up -- Miss Tennessee Ashley Durham -- was asked if burning religious books is protected by the same First Amendment free speech rules that cover burning an American flag.

She went with an answer that appeared to make the U.S. Constitution optional:

"I know that some people view it as a freedom of speech, however, burning the American flag is not patriotic at all. No American citizen should do that, and you should also respect other religions. I'm a Christian and a faithful person. I would personally not appreciate someone burning the Bible, and that's just a line you do not cross."

DO YOU THINK ... the evolution of the Miss USA/Miss Universe competition to include news-topical questions is a good direction?