It’s serious if the contestants don’t know it’s rigged. Nothing wrong with a professional wrestling type of “competition” as long as everyone know the game. But participants need to know.
I see.
So, what are we going to call this? “MissUSAGate?”
Ugh.
In Texas it is a crime to rig a publicly exhibited contest, which is why wrestling "matches" are promoted as "exhibitions" or "shows" not contests. Looking at the statute, I think it would extend to a beauty pagent.
§ 32.44 TEXAS PENAL CODE. RIGGING PUBLICLY EXHIBITED CONTEST.
(a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to affect the outcome (including the score) of a publicly exhibited contest:
(1) he offers, confers, or agrees to confer any benefit on, or threatens harm to:
(A) a participant in the contest to induce him not to use his best efforts; or
(B) an official or other person associated with the contest; or
(2) he tampers with a person, animal, or thing in a manner contrary to the rules of the contest.
(b) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept any benefit the conferring of which is an offense under Subsection (a).
(c) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.