The Miss America pagent will be leaving Atlantic City after 85 years for the glitter of Las Vegas, and the host will be James Denton of Desperate Housewives. The pageant will be held at the Aladdin Resort and Casino from January 17th through the 21st.  Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

“Desperate Housewives” star James Denton will host the 2006 Miss America pageant in Las Vegas, show organizers announced Wednesday.

Denton, who plays a hunky plumber on the ABC melodrama, will be the first to host the 85-year-old beauty pageant outside of Atlantic City, N.J.

Pageant organizers announced last week they were leaving the Boardwalk behind and heading to the Las Vegas Strip in hopes of boosting ratings and updating the contest’s image. via ABC