Why do beauty contests have question and answer portions?

For me, beauty contest shows not only beauty but brains.It will not be completed if no question and answer portion.Ever since,when talking about beauty contest there's always a question and answer,to show how beautiful and smart they are.

You have a point. However we can also think that it was called a beauty contest not only because of the physical beauty one has, it's as well the beauty of their brains - also known as intelligence.

Beauty is not only the physical aspect. Hence , in beauty pageants they have the question and answer portion to determine who is also beautiful in her mind, meaning if she has the brains. all of the contestants are beautiful, so the final determinant will be who gets to answer beautifully. Beauty should always be balanced, beauty in physical aspect and beauty in mind. So, it's indeed a BEAUTY contest.

You know, I have to agree with you on this. If it is a beauty pageant, then that's what it should be all about. Who cares if they have brains or not. It all about what they look like.

I think you are misunderstanding the meaning of beauty pageant. Beauty is a general term that include physical, mental, emotional and verbal wellbeing. Physical beauty means nothing if you cannot handle yourself in a responsible way or if your attitude sucks. Most of the beauty peageant don't just look for a beautiful lady or man but for someone who can represent them when need arise. That is why brain is a must if you want to competite in beauty pageant.

You have a point there that it is more rightful to call it beauty and brains pageant. Come to think of a girl winning a pageant without brains all she have is beauty. Isn't it a it awkward for sponsors to carry their winners with out brains, they could not represent something well if they don't have the brains. Beauty with brains is much appealing than without brains at all.

I guess it is to balance the programme. Of course, it is a beauty contest but promoters want to more palatable to the audience. They want the constant to be the ideal package of a woman - beautiful and smart. The main appeal of the beauty contest is the beautiful girls but since the girls who join these contests are supposed to be role models - they also have to smart (or at least for the question and answer portion). I know it's hard to believe that judging a beauty contest is supposed to be easy but remember the old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Many judges and people have different standards of beauty and perhaps the only arbiter of what makes a true beauty queen (and role model) is the answer they give on that portion.