Miss Utah 2013 Addresses Pageant Gaffe, Finally Answers Question (VIDEO)
Miss Utah 2013 was granted a reprieve for her now-infamous response to a question about gender equality during Sunday's Miss USA pageant.
Marissa Powell, otherwise known as Miss Utah, flubbed on a question about women being the primary earners in 40 percent of American homes, yet still earning less than men.
Earning herself a place in pageant history, Powell replied that we need to "create education better" during a botched answer.
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"I think we can relate this back to education and how were are continuing to strive to … (silence) ... figure out how to create jobs right now," replied the beauty queen. "That is the biggest problem."
However, Powell was able to correct her answer while on the "Today" show on Tuesday.
"Oh my gosh, so much, I was so excited and so nervous," explained the 21-year-old. "The question was a little bit confusing to me, and I just started speaking without really processing."
When asked to take another stab at the question, Powell enthusiastically agreed.
"So this is not okay," Miller explained in her second chance at answering the query about society. "It needs to be equal pay for equal work, and it's hard enough already to earn a living and it shouldn't be harder just because you're a woman."
"That was perfect," applauded "Today" show host Matt Lauer. Watch the video on YouTube here.
Despite her pained response during Sunday's pageant, Miss Utah was third runner-up at Miss USA 2013.
However, the Miss USA 2013 crown went to Miss Connecticut, Erin Brady.
The South Glastonbury, Conn., resident won the crown after taking the stage in a white sparkling gown and fielding questions about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision uphold widespread DNA tests.
Brady said that she hopes her background will change people's minds about beauty queens.
"I think that now more than ever, they're accepting that we're all intelligent individuals and that it's really not a stereotype anymore," said the Central Connecticut State University finance major, according to the Associated Press.
