This time, the question was a little easier for Miss Teen South Carolina.

After being stumped by a Miss Teen USA pageant question on live television Friday night, Lauren Caitlin Upton's confused, mangled response has been drawing a lot of attention.

The 18-year-old got a chance to redeem herself yesterday on NBC's "Today" show when she was again asked why one-fifth of Americans can't locate the United States on a map.

"I would love to re-answer that question," Upton said. "Well personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map. I don't know anyone else who doesn't. And if the statistics are correct, I believe there should be more emphasis on geography."

That was much better than her previous response, which included "U.S. Americans" and mentions of South Africa and "the Iraq."

A YouTube video of Upton has drawn a couple million hits and thousands of comments, many of them with harsh remarks for the Lexington High School graduate who plans to attend Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C.

Upton was taking her flubbed answer -- and the attention -- in stride.

"Everything did come at me at once. I was overwhelmed and I made a mistake. Everybody makes a mistake. I'm human," she said yesterday. "I seriously think I only heard about one or two words of the actual question."

Upton's former principal Creig Tyler remembered her as a well-rounded student.

"She took college-prep and honors courses and performed well," Tyler told The (Columbia) State newspaper.

Miss Teen Colorado Hilary Carol Cruz won the crown. Upton was third runner-up.

(Associated Press)

Fox names 'Band' mates

Fox has tapped a pair of chart-topping musicians and a pair of personalities from the other side of the planet for its next musical competition.

Goo Goo Dolls singer John Rzeznik, percussionist and band leader Sheila E. and Ian "Dicko" Dickson, a music-business veteran who has lately acted as a judge on "Australian Idol," will serve as the judges for "The Next Great American Band," which debuts in October. Dominic Bowden, the host of "New Zealand Idol," will perform the same duties on "Band."

The worldwide "Idol" connections for Dickson and Bowden are not coincidental; "American Band" is a production of 19 Entertainment, the folks responsible for all "Idol" incarnations worldwide.

Like "Idol," "The Next Great American Band" will challenge groups to perform in several different styles as it searches for the top unsigned band in the country. The three judges will narrow down the field to 10 finalists who'll perform live each week, playing a mix of their own music and cover tunes. Viewers will have the final say in who stays and who goes.

(Zap2it.com)

Beauties, geeks compete

Will a Hooters waitress find a kindred soul in a guy who researches quasars? Will a software engineer benefit from his association with a theme park performer?

The nine pairs of "Beauty and the Geek" contestants have one more factor to figure into their social equation on the CW's upcoming fourth season of the hit reality show that will kick off with a two-hour premiere at 8 p.m. Sept. 18.

Competing against the partnered hot women and brainy men is another incongruous pair: a gorgeous guy and a geeky girl. Sam is a 26-year-old party promoter from Davis, Calif., who will be teamed up with Nicole, a 25-year-old Tufts University musicology grad student from San Francisco. This new couple will not only test the concept of book smarts vs. social smarts, but also provide a gender-based twist to the formula.

Among the challenges the geeks will have to meet are performing an autobiographical rap and competing for the title of Prom King. The beauties will be taxed by participating in a debate and substitute teaching a third-grade class.

The winning team will share a $250,000 grand prize.

(Zap2it.com)

'John' star busted

Austin Nichols kicked off the weekend with a gnarly run-in with the police.

The "John From Cincinnati" star was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving Friday morning in Jackson, Mich., the Jackson Citizen Patriot first reported.

Nichols was reportedly stopped on N. Jackson Street at the Louis Glick Highway around 2:30 a.m. after he was spotted going the wrong way down a one-way street in a silver Mercury Mountaineer. He was administered a breath test, booked and then tossed in the Jackson County Jail. This summer, the 27-year-old actor has been staying with extended family at nearby Clark Lake.

The spiritual surfing drama "John From Cincinnati" recently got the ax from HBO. On the show, Nichols played John Monad, a mysterious surfer who meets the Yost family at Imperial Beach, Calif.

(Zap2it.com)

'SNL' with coffee?

"Saturday Night Live," which has made a living poking convention and corporate America in the eye, is cozying up with Starbucks.

The show's "The Best of '06/'07" DVD will only be available for sale at the giant coffee chain.

"The world where you went to a store and bought a DVD, those stores are not there anymore," "SNL" creator-producer Lorne Michaels said.

"As long as the show itself is good, I'm perfectly happy however it comes out," he said.

The "SNL" DVD features "standout performances or great moments" from the past season, Michaels said, along with backstage footage and cast commentaries.

"Last season was one of my favorite seasons ever in the series," Michaels said. "I really love this cast and they seem to genuinely care about each other and root for each other, and that shows up on screen."

The DVD is now in stores. The 33rd season of "SNL" premieres Sept. 29, with host LeBron James and musical guest Amy Winehouse, Michaels said. Seth Rogen is set to host the following week, with musical guest Kanye West.

(AP)

Comcast adds HD channels

Comcast has launched three more high definition channels on its cable systems in the Southwestern Pennsylvania region. They include A&E HD (Channel 256), Food Network HD (Channel 257) and HGTV HD (Channel 258). Comcast now offers 23 HD networks on many of its systems.

(Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor)

Minear, Holland re-team

Tim Minear and Todd Holland, who worked together on Fox's short-lived cult series "Wonderfalls," have joined forces again for "Miracle Man," an ABC pilot about a disgraced televangelist who finds God is using him to perform real miracles.

Minear told The Hollywood Reporter the show is not "an indictment of religion. It's a love letter to the religious." Minear will write the pilot and Emmy-winner Holland, a Kittanning native who grew up in Meadville, will direct.

(R.O.)

First Published: August 28, 2007, 9:30 p.m.