He also says reports by TMZ that the Miss America organization requested an apology from Williams were false. Haskell says Williams knew nothing about the apology before it happened. Once that was set, Haskell says, “I decided that I should apologize on behalf of the current organization.” Through her publicist Brian Edwards, also a friend, we started talking about having Vanessa perform a musical number on the 93rd anniversary telecast (Sunday night).” Vanessa and I started speaking seriously about her return to the Miss America telecast nine months ago. She and her family were hurt by the events of 1984 … especially things that were said and done after her resignation. “Scheduling and reluctance were the reasons that Vanessa had not returned. “I started the process of trying to get Vanessa to return to the telecast and the competition almost immediately. “When I became chairman of Miss America 10 years ago, Vanessa was the first former Miss America to contact me to offer support and good wishes,” Haskell says. Open men’s tennis finals, the pageant enjoyed an increase in viewers for the second straight year.Īll of which, Haskell says, had nothing to do with his apology to Williams. the New York Giants and the rain-delayed U.S. And while it was up against the NFL Sunday Night Football telecast of the Dallas Cowboys vs. The pageant topped Nielsen’s Twitter ratings for the week of Sept. Williams, now 52, moved on and developed a fabulous career as a stunning singer and actress.īecoming Miss America is not the huge deal it used to be, but Haskell has helped rescue it to some degree. Many reports for the past three decades have said she was stripped of her crown. Williams faced death threats prior to some appearances.Īnd then the photos emerged, and Williams resigned. In 1984, it was a huge story when Williams was crowned and broke the race barrier. Little girls grew up hoping to one day become Miss America and have longtime pageant host, the late Bert Parks, sing to them: “There she is, Miss America/There she is, your ideal/The dream of a million girls who are more pretty can come true in Atlantic City/For she may turn out to be the queen of femininity.” So I asked him: What’s the real story behind the apology?įirst of all, boys and girls, know this: There was a time when the Miss America pageant was must-see TV. I’ve known Sam Haskell, who grew up in Amory, for several years, and I’ve always known him to be a stand-up guy. Suzette Charles, first runner-up to Williams who took over the role after Williams resigned, told Inside Edition the apology was nothing more than a publicity stunt meant to boost TV ratings. Others wondered why Haskell felt an apology was necessary after she “embarrassed” the pageant in such a way. Thirty-one years of hard feelings were finally put to rest. “Now let’s go judge the pageant!” Haskell said, and then escorted her off stage. They did a Hollywood smooch on the jaw and exchanged the most powerful three-word phrase: I love you. I want to apologize for anything that was said or done that made you feel any less the Miss America you are and the Miss America you always will be.” Though none of us currently in the organization were involved then, on behalf of today’s organization, I want to apologize to you and to your mother, Miss Helen Williams. You have lived your life in grace and dignity, and never was it more evident than during the events of 1984 when you resigned. He said: “I have been a close friend to this beautiful and talented lady for 32 years. She resigned from the Miss America throne 10 months into her yearlong reign after nude photographs of her showed up in Penthouse magazine.Īfter Williams sang “Oh How the Years Go By” to an audience roaring its approval, Haskell walked over to Williams. He was speaking to Vanessa Williams, the 1984 Miss America and the first African-American to win the title. Though Sam Haskell of Oxford didn’t use those exact words, the executive director and CEO of the Miss America organization said the equivalent on live television Sunday night at the start of the pageant’s finals in Atlanta City, New Jersey. It soothes and heals wounds when nothing else works. It is arguably the second-most powerful three-word phrase in the English language
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |