Arguably one of the most beautiful women in the world and a force to be reckoned with, there is one word that can adequately describe Vanessa Williams — UNSTOPPABLE — and just like everything in her career, she rises to the top once again. The Miss America pageant has announced that Williams is returning as head judge.
Why the hell not and why did it take so long?
Williams, who was the first African American to win the crown, was forced to give up her crown after nude photos of her surfaced. Williams posed for some risque modeling photos earlier in her career, and those photos were sold and made into a Penthouse Magazine spread after Williams became “Miss America” in 1984.
But what was meant to shame her, did not. And Williams went on to become the most famous Miss America with the most prestigious career, spanning across music, televion, film and Broadway. No other pageant winner in history can match her accomplishments.
“I have been friends with Vanessa for 32 years,” Sam Haskell, executive chairman and CEO of the Miss America Organization, told The Associated Press. “When the photos were published, there were people urging her to fight, but close supporters knew if she lost that fight that she would be completely removed from the history books. Instead of pursuing what would surely have been a long and stressful legal battle, Vanessa decided to resign and focus on her career. Vanessa and her family were hurt during the aftermath of the resignation, and that saddened me.”
The Associated Press went on to sum up the many accolades of Williams:
Since her 1988 debut album, “The Right Stuff,” Williams has sold more than 7 million records worldwide and has scored No. 1 and Top 10 hits on various Billboard album and singles charts, including pop, dance, R&B, adult contemporary, holiday, Latin, Gospel and jazz.
Her work has been honored by 4 Emmy nominations; 17 Grammy nominations (of which 11 were for her individually); a Tony nomination, 3 Screen Actors Guild award nominations; 7 NAACP Image Awards; and a Golden Globe, Grammy and an Oscar for Best Original Song for her platinum single “Colors of the Wind,” from the Disney film “Pocahontas.”
She also starred on the TV shows “Ugly Betty” and “Desperate Housewives.” Williams co-starred with Cicely Tyson and Cuba Gooding Jr. in Broadway’s “The Trip To Bountiful” in 2013. She returned to the Great White Way the next year in the musical “After Midnight.”
She joins pageant hosts Chris Harrison and Brooke Burke-Charvet, music curator Nick Jonas and celebrity judges Brett Eldredge, Taya Kyle, Danica McKellar, Kevin O’Leary, Amy Purdy and Zendaya.
It’s been a long time coming..and we are glad to see her return. Undoubtedly, there will be a boost in the ratings that night! We salute you Vanessa and take your well-deserved bow — again!
