tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post399045122107420563..comments2024-03-28T18:32:38.243-04:00Comments on Poseidon's Underworld: There she was...Poseidon3http://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-46042523223835362402015-02-12T13:33:13.388-05:002015-02-12T13:33:13.388-05:00Yes, watch it on the weekend with sufficient Cuban...Yes, watch it on the weekend with sufficient Cuban (?) cocktails. You'll have fun with the dancing, costumes, hair, etc. This was all before Dancing With The Stars, though probably after Strictly Ballroom, so that stuff was all "new" at the time.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10845967694366470260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-88435861417242893412015-02-12T07:57:15.734-05:002015-02-12T07:57:15.734-05:00"Did you see..." Did I see?! Child, I ha..."Did you see..." Did I see?! Child, I have this three-hour pageant on VHS and it's one of the reasons I still have my VCR hooked up!!! LOL I make every close friend of mine watch it in order to bond properly with me. Ha! That chick was Pam Battles and I have no clue how she made it into the Top 10, much less the Top 5! <br /><br />How neat that you knew someone who became Miss America, albeit not one of the greatest recipients of the title! <br /><br />I do have "Dance with Me" on DVD and had it in my hand to watch just a few nights ago, ironically enough, but because it's over 2 hours long and it was getting late on a work night, I chose something else. I'll have to watch it soon!Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-42239161137561479642015-02-11T20:00:14.917-05:002015-02-11T20:00:14.917-05:00Oh, and did you ever see Dance With Me? It's ...Oh, and did you ever see Dance With Me? It's a lot of fun actually as I recall. Very easy to watch without having to pay too close of attention.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10845967694366470260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-78540232278872406532015-02-11T19:59:02.441-05:002015-02-11T19:59:02.441-05:00Wow, that is a parade of giant hairdos! A lot of ...Wow, that is a parade of giant hairdos! A lot of AquaNet died to keep those dos in place! And yikes, did you see the contestant wearing the heavy wool sweater with purple feathers at her throat? I can't imagine anything like that even being allowed these days.<br /><br />I do remember the very next year after Vanessa won, because of the scandal, they went with a goody-two-shoes Mormon girl from Provo Utah. I even sat a couple of students down from her in a class I had. I would say that she was NOT prettier in real life. :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10845967694366470260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-24813440406287474732015-02-10T10:24:32.099-05:002015-02-10T10:24:32.099-05:00Dave, thank you for visiting this tribute page and...Dave, thank you for visiting this tribute page and for leaving your thoughts and reminiscences. I couldn't agree more about the "other" Vanessa Williams (WHO?!?!?!), a personality I never enjoyed on "Melrose Place" or anywhere else.<br /><br />Just so you know, there are several youtube.com clips of Vanessa's evening gown and talent segments. That pageant in its entirety doesn't seem to be available, though it is a complete and total scream from start to finish! I did, however, come across this clip of the Top 10 gals being selected, followed by a howlingly fun introduction of past winners (something they would NEVER take such time to do nowadays.) My side-splitting fave is Miss 1976, Tawny Godin...<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SLJ6zM-YfUPoseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-75632130904663863822015-02-06T20:13:42.623-05:002015-02-06T20:13:42.623-05:00Well, better late than never reading this eh? I c...Well, better late than never reading this eh? I consider myself a real fan of Vanessa Williams. <br /><br />I don't think I saw the Miss America pageant that started it all, but once the photos came out, I was really mad at America's puritanical fervor and supported her (in my heart) from that point on. <br /><br />But it was her music which really made me fall for her. Her Greatest Hits album and both her Christmas albums are pretty much worn out Chez Moi. I believe I have all her albums and a solid majority of the songs have made the move to my ipod.<br /><br />I've seen Eraser (yes I admit it), and Soul Food, Ugly Betty, the Christmas Carol movie (which I thought was one of the better versions), etc. I even saw her in her Broadway role of Into The Woods singing beautifully and of course looking like a million bucks (take that Bernadette, and Meryl!).<br /><br />I remember the brouhaha about the two Vanessa Williams and that Vanessa had to change her name. I told everyone that it was so ridiculous (since she was already super famous), that she should change her name to The Vanessa Williams!<br /><br />And I've seen the Bye Bye Birdie TV movie which was only okay. It must have been difficult for Vanessa to act overwhelming attraction to Jason Alexander. :-) But I had no idea there was a TV movie with Vanessa of Man of La Mancha. Her voice seems all wrong to me for that role since it is full of impossible high notes. Very few people can really sing it. I definitely need to track it down.<br /><br />Thanks Poseidon!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10845967694366470260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-86211569254935802042013-10-30T12:03:21.211-04:002013-10-30T12:03:21.211-04:00Your enthusiasm towards Ms. Williams was impressiv...Your enthusiasm towards Ms. Williams was impressive! I'm surprised her besieged (at that time) family even took the risk of speaking to anyone they didn't know on the phone, so good for you!! Thanks for visiting The Underworld and for sharing your story.Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-72624866633176484792013-10-30T08:40:33.431-04:002013-10-30T08:40:33.431-04:00I love Vanessa Williams! A friend from my hometow...I love Vanessa Williams! A friend from my hometown, Elizabeth Ward, was crowned Miss America in 1982 (I think). She posed for Playboy a few years later (I heard, "to spark her acting career"?). When news of Vanessa's photos made headlines, I remember feeling so sad (maybe 'angry' at her critics would be more fitting). I ended up calling her parents, in Millwood, NY, to tell them how fabulous I thought she was! Her father, a minister, said, "she's our daughter and we'll always love her." I still have the phone bill with their number. My friends get a kick out of it because they know I'm such a Vanessa fan. I think I saw where she was from in an Enquirer article and called and asked for a Milton Williams in Millwood, NY. (back in the day).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13923257256264306831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-19355460523439018142011-01-22T16:23:26.761-05:002011-01-22T16:23:26.761-05:00"save the best for last"
a pop tune tha..."save the best for last"<br /><br />a pop tune that can make me cry.normadesmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17325110017442011627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-61407782273134084592011-01-22T00:23:22.670-05:002011-01-22T00:23:22.670-05:00I never really paid much attention to her, but alw...I never really paid much attention to her, but always admired her for being a survivor and an obvious beauty. And "Save the Best for Last" is one damn good song.<br /><br />However, being a die-hard Desperate Housewives fan, I now LOVE her for her portrayal of new neighbor Renee Perry (a diva if ever there was one). She is deliciously saucy, arrogant and bitchy, but with a softer side as well. (I also get the feeling she enjoys the role because of the great writing). You can count me as a new fan!Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05595514820176726864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-13072931358668115512011-01-21T08:25:18.329-05:002011-01-21T08:25:18.329-05:00I am screaming! YES, I remember Vanessa whipping ...I am screaming! YES, I remember Vanessa whipping that obnoxious white microphone with the white cord (hello!!!) around. Those things were deadly. Miss Ohio (Pamela Regis, I think her name was) did a breathless song and dance, jazzy for 1983, of a song called "Shine it On" and had to lug that mic around. Then she put it back on the stand in order to shimmy and scoot around some to the music and a stagehand took it away!!!!!! She had to plie (or however it's spelled) over to the side of the stage and retrieve it for her big finish. By then she was really out of breath! Hysterical. And please tell me you noticed Suzette's red TALONS during her number. Streisand all the way, apparently!Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-79064783250125321162011-01-21T08:14:37.325-05:002011-01-21T08:14:37.325-05:00"She just lacked that certain something...&qu...<em>"She just lacked that certain something..."</em><br /><br />Bingo. There's a clip on YouTube from a British magazine program, which charts Suzette being groomed for pop stardom by Mike Waterman (1/3 of the production team responsible for Kylie, Rick Astley, Bananarama, Jason Donovan, et al.), and she's like a zombie in both the interview portions, and also in the music video clips that they show. <br /><br />Both Vanessa and Suzette's talent competition segments from the Miss America pageant are up on YouTube, as well; and, technically, Suzette has the stronger voice (she does a cruise-ship-worthy job on Streisand's "Kiss Me in the Rain"). Vanessa actually misses a few notes on "Happy Days," but covers beautifully, and has oodles more stage presence. At one point, she whips the microphone cord in Judy Garland fashion, and her body language at her Big Finish is pure Diana Ross. Suzette just looked like...well, a Miss America contestant doing a the talent portion.TJBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09180041865489453236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-91468898400166251212011-01-21T08:07:56.703-05:002011-01-21T08:07:56.703-05:00Shoot! I forgot to mention that there was a time ...Shoot! I forgot to mention that there was a time in the late '80s when Suzette was linked with Mike Tyson!! They allegedly became a couple during the stormy period of Tyson and Robin Givens' marriage, though Charles said they were just friends and he was very gentle. Gentle?!?! And I'm thinkin' he could pick up the 5'3" gal with his pinky.Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-27859063127053445202011-01-21T08:05:45.448-05:002011-01-21T08:05:45.448-05:00IJP, it's great to see you again! Thanks for ...IJP, it's great to see you again! Thanks for commenting. For ME, the memorable Miss America's are Bess Myerson, Lee Meriwether, Mary Ann Mobley and Miss 2000 Heather French, who I happen to have met a few times (otherwise, she doesn't belong in this grouping.) Myerson had quite a (reality) TV career as did actresses Meriwether and Mobley, but I don't think any of them had QUITE the fully-rounded success across the entertainment fields that Williams has had. She really showed the world who meant business.<br /><br />TJB, you were almost a St Patrick's baby! In all fairness, Miss Charles did sing well at the pageant, too, and she looks terrific these days as well. She just lacked that certain something (dogged determination? height? charisma?) to really nail a career in showbiz. Thanks for the always welcome extra info!Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-24648458021674480472011-01-20T22:18:04.605-05:002011-01-20T22:18:04.605-05:00Wow, I had no idea that Vanessa and I share a birt...Wow, I had no idea that Vanessa and I share a birthday!!! Back in '91, I wore her <em>Comfort Zone</em> album OUT -- not just "Save the Best for Last," but the killer dance/pop track, "Running Back to You" (great video for that one, too). <br /><br />Incidentally, Suzette Charles attempted to cash-in on Vanessa's pop music success in 1993, signing with PWL Records in England and releasing the single "Free to Love Again," which was catchy, but not a hit. She also recorded a REALLY fabulous, unreleased song called "Just for a Minute," which became a minor cult item as a bootleg.<br /><br />Why do I know these silly things?!TJBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09180041865489453236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-47835502039951123812011-01-20T18:23:28.769-05:002011-01-20T18:23:28.769-05:00She is just such a lovely woman. I remember how t...She is just such a lovely woman. I remember how thrilling it was to watch her being crowned Miss America. Her singing in the talent segment was so far above anything seen before. She truly deserved to win and it was a shame that it was taken from her, but when you think of it, how many of the other Miss Americas can anyone recall now? I'm glad she persevered with her career despite what happened.Ima June Pullethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17323298147048526193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-34035861375936301602011-01-20T14:36:37.233-05:002011-01-20T14:36:37.233-05:00Strange isn't it? I always felt so unique and...Strange isn't it? I always felt so unique and I'm sure you're the same! LOL I have no explanation.Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-52848663085022457042011-01-20T13:46:05.082-05:002011-01-20T13:46:05.082-05:00Love her. I don't watch much TV now so haven&#...Love her. I don't watch much TV now so haven't seen her on Ugly Betty or DH, but she is such a classic beauty and her voice is silky-smooth phenomenal.<br /><br />How is it we have the same taste in men AND women?Topazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15514508159702613771noreply@blogger.com