During Miss America, Pixy Stix = Healthy Snacks

While every other contestant was doing last-minute push-ups to pump themselves up, Miss Maryland (aka Jade Kenny) had a very different approach to bringing out her "inner Beyoncé." During the Countdown to Miss America, we got a look behind the scenes of the 2015 Miss America Pageant and it was absurd and, in the loosest sense, enlightening. Backstage during the swimsuit competition there was a handful of contestants doing push-ups and sit-ups and jumping around. But Miss Maryland Jade Kenny wasn't one of them because she was eating Pixy Stix.

No, that's not some new kind of healthy, natural energy supplement. I mean the Pixy Stix of your childhood birthday parties. The powdery sugar candy that absolutely would've been confiscated from Sandra Bullock by Michael Cane in Miss Congeniality. Well, real life pageants are nothing like a Sandra Bullock comedy. I'm sure you already knew that, but candy backstage? That just seems unheard of.

During the behind-the-scenes countdown, the host caught up with Kenny prepping for her spot bikini competition — which she placed in the Top 3 contestants — and 23-year-old contestant revealed her sugary secret to rocking her bikini on stage:

I got the idea actually from Toddlers and Tiaras ... it gives you a little boost of energy and yes I am packing them tonight. They definitely help with talent and swimsuits to bring out your inner Beyonce.

As she eat a handful of Stix at the same time — which only reminded me of this moment from Breakfast Club:

And really didn't impress the @PrincessProbz account on Twitter:

Images: The Miss America Organization; ferrisbuellerexperience/Tumblr