Awwww..(BLUSH!!)...Thanks Ms. Legs. Birds like a feather "funk" togther!

MsLegs said:

She also was featured on "Hey Good Lookin" from the same album.....

Now how many Ms. America's you know, gave up the funk???!!!!
[Edited 5/25/05 16:28pm]

JANFAN4L said:

funkpill said:

Not 2 Many Have Funkin W/Clinton On Their Resume Period. Vanessa is a bad.

wow..she is the most famous...i thought there were others like in the early ages of man...




Oprah Winfrey

Before becoming an Emmy Award-winning television talk show host, Oprah Winfrey won the 1971 Miss Fire Prevention and Miss Black Tennessee titles. When asked what she would do with a million dollars, Winfrey delighted the judges when she blurted out, "I'd be a spending fool!" She competed in the Miss Black America Pageant, but failed to make the finals.


Vanessa Williams




The first African-American woman ever to win the Miss America Pageant, Williams won both the swimsuit and talent competitions at the national contest. Sadly, she was asked to resign when Penthouse magazine published sexually-explicit photos she had posed for earlier. Despite initially appearing to be ruined by scandal, she rebounded and achieved fame as a recording artist (The Right Stuff), film star (Under The Gun, Eraser), and Broadway star (Kiss of the Spider Woman).


Jeri Ryan

Sexy Jeri Ryan, who starred as the sexy Borg character, "Seven of Nine," in Star Trek: Voyager, competed as Miss Illinois in the 1990 Miss America Pageant. There, resembling the 'Toon character, Jessica Rabbit, she won the swimsuit competition and placed as 4th runner-up.


Halle Berry

Berry, whose pageant titles include Miss Teen All American, Miss Ohio-USA, and first runner-up to Miss USA, won the coveted role of Queen in the Alex Hailey mini-series,Queen, on the TV series Knots Landing and Living Dolls, and starred in the movies Jungle Fever and The Flintstones. She made history as the first African-American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress.


Diane Sawyer




Chosen as America's Junior Miss in 1962, Diane used her pageant scholarship money to attend Wellesley College, worked as a weathergirl, then press aide to Richard Nixon during his presidency and after his Watergate resignation. In 1981 she was named co-anchor of the CBS Morning News. Initially dismissed by some critics as an unqualified beauty queen, Sawyer earned high marks and was hired as a Sixty Minutes correspondent, co-anchor of Day One, Turning Point, and, finally, ABC's PrimeTime Live. Sawyer ranks as one of the highest paid newswomen in television history.




Sharon Stone

Screen queen Sharon Stone, of Basic Instinct fame, honed her instincts for performing in small town pageants where she won the titles Saegertown's Spring Festival Queen and 1976 Miss Crawford County. When a Miss Pennsylvania Pageant judge suggested she try modeling, she contracted with the Eileen Ford Agency and her career was launched. Stone eventually switched to acting, starring in Basic Instinct, Sliver, and Intersection, and rapidly becoming one of the highest paid actresses in film history.


Delta Burke

One of the best known "losers" at the Miss America Pageant, Delta competed as Miss Florida in the 1974 contest. She failed to make the top ten after performing her British dramatic recital about soon-to-be-executed Queen Anne Boleyn, with a Southern accent. Later, she trademarked the role of former beauty queen as Suzanne Sugarbaker on the hit series, Designing Women, and starred in Filthy Rich and Love and Curses and All That Jazz. Delta's other pageant titles included Miss Florida Flame, Miss Veteran's Day, Miss Orlando Action Princess, and Miss All-American Girl.


Kathie Lee Gifford




Before rising to TV fame as star of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Gifford represented Maryland in the America's Junior Miss Pageant. She was quietly disqualified when she inadvertently broke the rules by chatting with a man in public. Reeeeege?!


Cloris Leachman

The renowned actress competed as Miss Chicago in the 1946 Miss America Pageant where she was named a semifinalist. Although she failed to win that national title, she later won four Emmy awards and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, The Last Picture Show. Leachman's dozens of credits include The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Texasville, Kiss Me Deadly, and Danielle Steel's Fine Things.


Tiffani-Amber Thiessen

Thiessen parlayed her titles, Miss Junior America and winner of the 'Teen Magazine Model Search, into a successful television career. The actresses roles include Saved by the Bell and Valerie Malone on Beverly Hills 90210 (She replaced Shannen Doherty).


Paula Zahn

After competing in numerous pageants and making the finals of the 1973 Miss Teenage America Pageant, Zahn entered television journalism, wracking up credits on The Health Show, ABC's World News This Morning, and CBS This Morning with Harry Smith.


Raquel Welch

Once considered one of the world's sexiest women, movie queen Raquel Welch only placed second in the Miss Southern California Pageant. Her film credits include the memorable role of prehistoric babe in One Million B.C.


Imelda Marcos

Before reigning as First Lady of the Philippines by the side of Ferdinand Marcos, Imelda Romualdez reigned as Miss Manilla 1953.


Susan Anton

Anton nearly won the Miss America title at age 18, when she competed as Miss California. After winning the talent competition singing Happy Days Are Here Again, she placed as second runner-up. Anton then contracted as the Muriel Cigar Girl, and eventually starred in Mel & Susan Together, Presenting Susan Anton, Cliffhangers, Baywatch, and in the movies Spring Fever, Cannonball Run II, and Goldengirl with James Coburn.


Mary Frann

The late Frann, who starred as Joanna Loudon on the hit sitcom, Newhart, won the 1961 America's Junior Miss title.


Marla Maples

Before becoming the second Mrs. Donald Trump, Marla was named Miss Photogenic and placed fourth in Georgia's Miss Teen Pageant.


Deborah Norville




Norville, the Inside Edition anchor who was embroiled in controversy when she replaced Jane Pauley on Today, was Georgia's Junior Miss in the 1976 America's Junior Miss Pageant.


Vera Miles

She won the 1948 Miss America swimsuit competition, but placed only third to a marimba-playing Minnesota farm girl (BeBe Shopp), who won the crown. Still, Miles went on to enjoy a successful acting career, appearing on Marcus Welby and Kojak, and in the Alfred Hitchcock films, Psycho (1960) and The Wrong Man (1957) with Henry Fonda.


Loni Anderson

Before the busty blond dazzled fans on WKRP Cincinnati and married Bert Reynolds, Loni was a busty brunette Miss Roseville in the Miss Minnesota Pageant.


Phyllis George

Phyllis, who won the 1971 Miss America title as Miss Texas, was the only winner to drop her crown on live television. She went on to become the first successful female sports anchor (NFL Today) and starred on Candid Camera, People, and CBS's The Morning News. She later served as First Lady of Kentucky with (now ex-) husband, John Y. Brown.


Ali McGraw

McGraw, who achieved overnight fame playing the dying lover in the film, Love Story, was a contestant in a "prettiest waitress" pageant in 1957.


Mary Hart

Famed for her insured legs and perennial perkiness, the anchor of Entertainment Tonight competed as Mary Johanna Harum, Miss South Dakota, in the 1970 Miss America Pageant. She made the top ten, but lost to Phyllis George. Hart later co-hosted PM Magazine and co-hosted with Regis Philbin before moving on to E.T. fame.


Bobbie Eakes

Eakes, who competed as Miss Georgia in the 1982 Miss America Pageant, won the role of Macy on The Bold and the Beautiful.


Michelle Yeoh

Americans know her as Pierce Brosnan's sidekick, Chinese secret agent Wai Lin, in the James Bond flick, Tomorrow Never Dies. But the former Miss Malaysia (1983) is known throughout Asia as a kung-fu queen who has starred in nine movies including the mega-hit, Police Story III: Supercop. And, yes, she performs her own dangerous stunts.


Lindsay Bloom

Bloom, the 4th runner-up at Miss International, achieved fame playing sexy blonds on TV sitcoms: Daisy on The Dukes of Hazards, Ray Krebb's girlfriend on Dallas, and Vega$. Later, she dyed her trademark blond tresses brunette to play Stacy Keach's sidekick, Velda, on Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer.


Jayne Kennedy

The former NFL Today co-host broke racial barriers when she competed as Miss Ohio in the 1970 Miss USA Pageant.


Nancy Stafford

After winning the Miss Florida title in 1976, Stafford won roles on The Doctors and St. Elsewhere, and as Andy Griffith's junior law partner, Michelle Thomas, on the series, Matlock.


Anita Bryant

Miss Oklahoma 1959 and second runner-up to Miss America 1959 (Mary Ann Mobley), Anita achieved fame as the quintessential patriotic performer and spokesperson for the Florida orange juice industry. She later became embroiled in scandal after taking a public stand against gay rights.


Mary Ann Mobley




Mobley, Miss Mississippi 1958, won the 1959 Miss America title after she switched from a prim aria to a mock strip tease in the talent competition. She later appeared in two Elvis Presley movies, and co-hosted the Miss America Pageant with husband Gary Collins.

sosgemini said:

and apparently was badgered into doing it with her own husband at sex clubs, much to the chagrin of SassyBritches

Tiffany Fallon

She was Miss Georgia USA in 2001 and finshed as second runner up in the Miss USA paegeant that year. She went on to pose for Playboy in December, 2004 and was recently selected as Playboy's 2005 Playmate of the Year.



Shana Moakler

She was Miss Rhode Island USA in 1995 and finished as first runner up to Chelsi Smith, but she was given the Miss USA crown when Chelsi Smith went on to win Miss Universe. She has been featured in several guest roles in movies and on television and was a cast regular on the USA series "Pacific Blue" during the late 1990's. She posed for Playboy in December, 2001. She married Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker in 2004, and she can currently be seen with her new husband in the MTV reality series "Meet The Barkers."

Damn sosgemini, you pulled a lot of rabbits out of your hat!

I've heard of a lot of these ladies but didn't know their background. I never was much into beauty pageants anyway. It's hard to forget that Vanessa Williams was Miss America because people are never going to let her forget it.

I did know about Mary Ann Mobly though because she is from my city and still has a house here.

vainandy said:

Actually, the only place I hear about the scandal nowadays is the Org. The media and the mainstream public have forgotten about it. Most people under 25 are fully unaware of it and know her either as "the first black Miss America," "the lady who sang the theme to Pocahontas" or, most recently, "the Proactiv chick." Pick and choose.

JANFAN4L said:

Don't forget "the Radio Shack chick."

RipHer2Shreds said:

cha know...she did have a hit last year with that Cedric movie..i had completely forgot about that..

and lets not forget "the hot black chick in that arnold movie"..



she is really the energizer bunny....and has had a lot of successes all over the place...i guess you dont realize it cause she isnt all up in our faces twenty four seven..but her music career was bigger then a Cindy Lauper and Paula Abduls. Yet we dont give her the credit. Her film career has been bigger then Madonnas. Yet we dont give her the credit. And her theater career has been more critically acclaimed then a host of other musicians turn actor....

interesting.....

sosgemini said:

I was going to add that she received good notices for her turn on Broadway in Kiss of the Spider Woman. I've even liked her in some films. Eraser was kinda fun.

Anyway, as far as her music is concerned, she's had a few good songs that I really like: Dreamin', The Right Stuff, Runnin' Back to You, and she even did a good job remaking The Isleys' Work to Do. The only slower song of hers that I can stomach is Just for Tonight. Anything else makes me hurl.

Vanessa is always working on something albeit quietly, all while raising her four kids. Her brother is building a nice resume as well.

JackieBlue said:

Her brother is also kinda hot!

jackieblue..are you related to the williams clan?

RipHer2Shreds said:

...and he also uses Proactiv*!

.
[Edited 5/26/05 8:46am]

Its funny how many replies this thread got. Her music was just average dance pop then she did MOR celine dion stuff as someone else mentioned.

I put her with tyler collins ("girls nite out") and tracie spencer

JANFAN4L said:

1st of all, she should be arrested. No one on earth should be allowed to be that f*cking beautiful.
"The Way That You Love Me", "Comfort Zone", "Happiness", are some of my favourite songs by Vanessa. Been a fan of hers since "The Right Stuff". Her "Next" album was pretty awful. I think she's had a great career. A pretty full and diverse one compared to most. "Dance With Me" is one of my favourite movies. Vanessa's efinitely a triple threat. As sosgemini said; she's done a lot but not given to much credit. Though she's not filling arena's, her shows usually sell out quick. Was hoping to catch her this time around, but no.
"Everlasting Love" is a nice album. Yeah it's a/c but it's a very nice listen. And now some more Vanessa!

Why is this in past tense? Oh, I get it!

I think she had (still has) a really great strong voice had some substational hits. Was she Janet or Madonna? Hell, no! Was she Celine Dion but much hipper, I would say so. I think the problem that plaqued her is trying to get both a young and old audience. Cher managed to do it with her recent tour and "Believe". Vanessa's trademark songs if you were to ask your momma were the slow ballads "Save the Best for Last" and "Love is" but if you were to ask someone in their 20s maybe 30s they might pick her upbeat songs like "Runnin Back To You" or her cover of "Work To Do". I think when "Sweestest Days" (which I admit I don't own so I'm not sure what it sounds like) came out, it looked like she chose the older possibly more trustworthy AC audience...but then she comes out with the funky "Happiness", which flops because people have no idea what to expect on the album (I certaintly didn't!). You'd think she could do both, but I'm not sure that she can (I don't think the audeince is biting anyways). For example, her new single is a beautiful verison of "You Are Everything", which I've heard here and there....and the single is a maxi with remixes. I think her time for courtin the young audience is up, sadly and I'm not sure if the AC people will welcome her with open arms. Also, I think she's a victim of too many INCOMPLETE greatest hits CDs (not one of them has a solid tracklisting that captures everything). It's sad that her career ended up that way but I guess those are the breaks. If she put out an album of all new material, I might bite.
[Edited 5/26/05 10:51am]

VinnyM27 said:

I own her Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years disc and it's pretty comprehensive. It does have all of her major chart toppers (including her non-album hits such as "Colors of the Wind"). I would love though for Mercury (or whoever she's with right now) to put together a career-spanning collection that showcases the multidimensional woman she is. It should include songs from her B'way shows "Kiss of the Spider Woman," "Into the Woods" -- maybe some made-for-TV stuff like "Bye Bye Birdie," etc. We tend to not focus on how well-rounded a star she is. She shows no signs of slowing down.

The stuff you mentioned would be a really great collection, Janfan4l. Everlasting Love is the first album on her new label so hopefully there will be new and different stuff to come but I think she's leaning more toward jazz for the future.

People talk like her career fell off when it just changed. She doesn't do hot R&B tracks anymore but there aren't many, if any, 40 something black women who are not just successful but respected in music, theater, TV and film these days. When she's not singing with Placido Domingo or George Benson she's doing her Proactiv gig, getting nominated for a Tony Award and reading a script for a tv series or movie. And she does a mean salsa.

She reminds me of the throwback stars of yesterday. Glamorous, classy, well-rounded. We have enough women out there droppin' it like it's hot or making our necks snap and fingers pop.

im gonna have to admit that i now have a lot more respect for Vanessa then I did in the past...

i do think she needs to chill with the tv stuff...i think that might have added in lowering her celebrity appeal...that and the proactive...she can still do behind the scenes stuff for it but informertials kills careers...ask Cher.

and release at least one gay friendly dance track.....then she would be huge..

sosgemini said:

She's going to be on the new show South Beach. She has a remix of You Are Everything by Junior Vasquez but it's weak for daaays.


[Edited 5/26/05 11:53am]

sosgemini said:

Exactly*! That's all Vanessa needs to do to be larger-than-life to a lot of folks. Court the gay community with one (or a few) really hot dance song(s), commission some hot remixes and the woman is an instant gay icon.

Just add water.

I think she neglected to touch (or build bridges with) that market. That's why folks think she's somehow "not hittin'" anymore.

.
[Edited 5/26/05 12:03pm]

JackieBlue said:

i was a bit disappointed with the remixes.

i loved her first 2 albums. after those i lost interest in her work. i've been looking for the remix version of "work to do" with rapper dres from black sheep for awhile now.