Vanessa won the crown but Suzette would probably have been a celeb had there been a show like "American Idol" or "America's Got Talent" or "X-Factor". For pageant judges, however, Vanessa Williams was the "it girl" that year. Swimsuit and Interview put her on top...and, oh boy, did Vanessa have a winning smile!!! Miss America does more than just sing during her year of service...interviews, public speaking and signing autographs. Just the Way I see it. Both are talented, but in different ways.
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
@Enrique Enrique you are clearly not educated on MA history. There have been several very famous Miss America's b efore and after Williams. Scandal, more than anything, propelled her into fame.but you are discounting women like MaryAnn Mobley, Lee Merriweather, and Phillis George, and these few represent those MAs that chose entertainment as the life's vocation.
I love this rendition so much, that after hearing the original Barbra Streisand recording I wish Barbra herself would have sang it similar to her. We know Babs has the pipes
you clearly have never seen the full scope of all the talent performances once they increased on an enormous magnitude the year the Terry Meeuwsin of Wisconsin won in 1973 your as the 1973 Miss America actually in the reverse of this is Suzette Charles fiasco below that shows a total lack of people doing the research before they know what they're talking about, I would like to suggest that you may be like consider two things. the number one thing is that when it comes to the talent portion it has changed variously over the years but since about the mid-70s all the way up until the mid-90s mentally '90s. it became stage presence naturally gifted well-trained whether piano violin singing clogging ventriloquism anything. to suggest that she is by far and away the best talent proves two things. you have failed to do your due diligence and research on TH-cam to see the prelim talents of the 75th anniversary pageant. I had heard I did not make it to that pageant I live 2 years 2 hours away and I had heard that the Miss North Carolina Lisa banford that won the preliminary talent piano and piano and be for the preliminary talent award for women that later than made top 10 I don't know as someone who appreciates Chopin and all this etudes Rachmaninoff and everybody I've never seen a woman play that piano that insane. it can be hard to find because it you have to figure out where exactly it is and what day or what you know if she's in the sigma group new group or alpha group or whatever it is. just humor me with this go to Google or no to the TH-cam search engine and type this name shani Nielsen .. she was missing the end of the year Tara Holland won MA . luckily somebody has put on TH-cam exactly this most insane song naturally gifted well-trained theater arts major who graduated from Mars Hill college. she sings a like a shortened version of the Jekyll and Hyde musical song that was added when the musical was revised it was a song called in his eyes. now I don't care if you want to say that you think that Suzette Charles can express herself as far as singing goes you need to also be able to hit a high c like this woman does and you also need to be able to possess naturally through training and natural abilities the pitch and intonation I have never ever ever heard of before or since and I have every take back to 1958 and I also have every single prelim they started selling those so you know I've always thought that she needs was great as far as singing goes if you actually want to believe that Suzette Charles not walking around the stage and engaging her audience or anything is just like she belongs on that stage is that much far superior of the singer. maybe you need to ask why it is that she's struggling to put her college kids through school? because I won't buy I didn't like her song then when I saw it with my mom and 8th grade I knew I actually thought that Pam battles from Alabama would win first runner up over Suzette. because Pam battles had a really fantastic preliminary interview which back then was I believe 40% of the composite score that carried over and determining who made it into the top 10. you know you have to take everything into consideration this is a scholarship qualifying contest I just think that if Suzette was that spectacular I don't know I'm not saying this against you but I hear from so many people that how she should have won. again I'm not saying that's it that's what you should or are saying however I also do appreciate when people do acknowledge the fact that they have heard that she did much better in the interview but we don't know that until 19 no until the early 2000s they were never even preliminary evening gown awards given out for the pageant system so that meant that the judges if they were preliminary and final night judges they could easily rig the system if they wanted to by weighing very heavily their favorite contestant way above anyone else and evening gown. and then that goes towards that composite score that goes towards deciding who makes top 10. no she shouldn't have one because you know what they never released what the prelim interviews scores are ,-:except for the non finalists interview winners and why? why? uhm 🤔 👌 yeah that's right it's a job interview! 🤔 Google Rebecca King MA '73,
I seriously beg you just Google the name shani Nielsen. if you want to compare singers to singers even though that that woman Miss Indiana that I'm going to have you pull up is standing at a microphone listen to her pitch and her consistent intonation I don't know if you know what that means but it's very moving it's from the musical Jekyll and Hyde and the very next year they put her on the tour and they replaced her with Linda Eder!
@@Parker528 I will reply to that long winded response by saying that talent is about entertaining an audience, which she does! Shani did an outstanding job, never was entertained by Meeuswin's version of He Touched Me. High C notes are for critics and music specialists, audiences want to be entertained, which Suzette did brilliantly IMO! Be well and do nice things for your neighbors during these turbulent times! XO
Here are a few tidbits about Suzette Charles. First and foremost to most people's surprise Suzette tried her hand at News Anchoring back in the late Eighties, early Nineties for Channel 14 in Columbus, Georgia. After Miss America she toured with Lou Rawls and worked with Stevie Wonder. She was originally considered for the role of Sondra Huxtable on the Cosby Show. Not sure why that never came to fruition. She was cast on the Soap Opera loving during the 1984-85 season as well as appearing on the show Frank's Place. She eventually moved to the United Kingdom and began working as a Music Artist there. She had great success in the U.K. One of her Chart topping hits was called Free to Love Again. Check it out here on TH-cam. It was a very popular club song played around the world. To many people's surprise, the tracks on the song was electrifying. Presently, She is the mother of two and married to a prominent New York Surgeon.
Sabrina LaBeauf had already filmed her first episodes as Sondra on the Cosby show when Suzette gave up her title in September. It’s between her and Whitney Houston but Sabrina got it because Cosby was impressed with her Yale school of drama background
Good for her! Still she came in 1st ru in this pageant! Her career after the pageant has been nothing to write home about, but it seems she stayed in the musical field! Just shows....The judges did their job by crowning Vanessa!
I watched this Miss America pageant that night and Suzette Charles had me spellbound during her talent segment. She brought a soulful style to the song. It was a historical moment to witness two African Americans win 1st runner up and the title for the very first time. I haven't seen this in over 20 years and bless you for posting it!
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
I agree. What is sad about Suzette competing this year is that she was strong enough to beat other winners in the previous few years and in the few afterwards. But personally I think there is no shame in being a runner up. After all with all the contestants someone has to win and someone has to be placed last and every slot in between!
@enriqueenrique Not even hardly. Have you never heard of lee merryweather? How about phyllis george? Mary Ann Mobley. So many more. What do you like vanessa williams brought shame to the crown. We have lowered our standards since the date she won, but the fact is she did not uphold equalities the qualities for which that crown was initially awarded.
Suzette sang with more soul than Vanessa Willliams but I wouldn't say she had a better voice. The voices are about equal but Suzette has more of a distinctive voice based on this performance. Vanessa was and is just breath-taking beautiful. I guess she showed us who had the most distinctive voice with her long career in singing.
GREAT!!! In perfect pitch and singing effortlessly and flawlessly!! Vanessa Williams is great but Suzette crushes her! As for the 1983 MA title, Vanessa should've won...Suzette has the pipes, but it's the collective package that gains the crown. But still...I'm blown away by Suzette's talent...label worthy!!!
Vanessa is quite lovely, but always thought SC was slightly more beautiful. And just a slightly better voice. Fitting that both of them were Miss Americas, I guess.
My co-worker was a musician for the Miss America Pageant. He said the judges believed Vanessa was sexier and had more star quality!!! He also said it was so very close that they could have tossed a coin to pick the winner. LOL
Clearly Suzette had the better voice, but Vanessa was more than just a voice. She had SS down with her poise and dance background, she was intelligent, was at least 5 inches taller, and she had a charisma that Suzette and all the other girls that year just did not have. You couldn't look away from her. And I met her during the week back in 83. She was friendly but was definitely NY, so don't get too close! lol. Clearly Suzette's talent bolstered her to 1RU, but her packaging was horrendous. Her swimsuit was horrible, I think she wore either a green or rust colored SS, just no. She can't help her height, but I thought EG was bad, and let's end with that hair. Any girl in 83 had nothing that looked like her hair. She was too slick and looked like a casino lounge singer, which she was. Had she gone a bit more girl next door she might have pulled it off, but I doubt it. Vanessa was the first person to come to AC that year, something usually reserved for HI or AK. Nope, NY knew they had a winner, and she dominated the local papers and created such a buzz right from the start, everyone wanted to come and see this girl. That being said, Suzette KILLED it that night. I was there, and she was definitely the most talented of the top ten.
Liam Foreman yes I agree there is something special about VW. And by no means am I down playing SC beauty or talent but there's is just something extra with VW
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
Agreed! I met her a few times after she won and she was very nice! She really nailed a very simple song. I was happy with her placement and Suzette Charles, like you said it is the whole package! Cheers to two very talented women ❤️🎤🎤❤️
Her voice is amazing. And I certainly wouldn't say that her career went nowhere. She has been and is successful in her own right, in the right path designed for her.
Different era for the pageant and the country. I spoke to my friend's dad who was a judge. Her performance, according to this particular judge, was "too soulful". That was the 80's and Vanessa appealed more to Mid-America. Suzette only won one preliminary award in Talent. Vanessa, however, won BOTH Swimsuit and Talent Preliminaries. This judge said that Vanessa also aced the interview portion. Coming out of the prelims, Suzette was in 9th place. Vanessa sustained her 1st place status up and through the final night.
You know there is an interview category???? And a swimsuit category! Short contestants generally don't do well in swimsuit compared to taller ladies! Suzette was not robbed.... Her after Miss America musical career shows that!
Suzette Charles was one of the most beautiful and talented contestants to ever grace the stage of Miss America. Vanessa Williams get so much credit for her Talent with her voice but I dare say she wasn't even close to the talent level of Suzette Charles. Just think for a moment how different things would be today if the choice had been Suzette and not Vanessa on that fateful night. Both of these women have a far more talented singing voice than Diana Ross ever dreamed of and yet she was a big star of her day.
WTF !!!!!!!! Why you placing Diana in this! Ridiculous!!!!! The judges saw otherwise in crowning Vanessa Miss America and her after Miss America career verifies their choice! As for Suzette after Miss America? We are still waiting on that "Pop" solo career!
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
You are all over the place with nonsense! Diana Ross? Why are you pitting her against women who could almost be her daughters? Anyway....The judges saw it differently and correctly judging by careers!
Suzette Charles definitely could out sing Vanessa. Why did not Suzette's musical career take off or become explosive like Vanessa's. I think Vanessa won the pageant because people said she was more well rounded and gave better interviews and stuff. They both were beautiful and talented. They both were so light skinned that I remember the African American community not being so impressed saying neither one of them were truely black, with complete black features. That took awhile.
Suzette's talent was better than Vanessa's, but overall Vanessa came out on top, From what I understand during preliminary competition, no one could touch Vanessa's interview scores.
Exactly. Suzette sang better. However, Vanessa outdid her in all the other areas. Swimsuit, evening gown, interview etc... In fact, they interviewed one of the judges who said that no one was in 5 points of Vanessa in the interview category. In essence, Vanessa overall outperformed Suzette.
Frankly Suzette Charles is an incredibly beautiful woman with outstanding body Anna Grace and Poise not many women have ever possessed on that stage. She was however biracial and they weren't looking for a biracial Miss America they were looking for a black one.
Basically Vanessa had "Star Quality" and sex appeal unlike Suzette. Although both Women are Classically trained aspiring Broadway Superstars at this point, Suzette prior pagentry experience made her way to robotic. Vanessa.was more poised confident sexy and less robotic.
Suzette Charles born Suzette DeGaetano Beautiful! I love her singing. She was runner up to Vanessa Williams. Therefore even the runner up was a woman with African descent. Suzette Charles is the daughter of an interracial married couple of a white man with Italian descent and a black woman of French West Indian descent. She had a different background from Vanessa Williams even though they were both viewed as lightskinned black women back then. Lightskinned black is such an oxymoron just like darkskinned white is such an oxymoron. Vanessa Williams is the daughter of parents with mixed African and European. Vanessa Williams did DNA testing. Her ethnic composition was shown to be an even mix of African and European which is not a surprise to me. We are so conditioned by the one drop rule which I feel is very irrelevant in this 21st Century.
She is actually the most sweetest person you ever meet. I met her and that's something that I will never forget. I will keep that forever and never forget it I actually have a picture from when her and I met right in my bedroom and I look at it everyday and it makes me happy that I actually got a chance to meet my Miss America. And it's just really awesome how 1984 my year has two Miss America's I consider them my both of them my Miss America I love Suzette and I love Vanessa and I just find that awesome that I have to miss America's and anybody else that was born in 1984 has two Miss America's only time 1984 which is awesome
@thesinger. I agree with you. My daughter was in a pageant over this weekend and that's what I told her. If she wants to win pageants, she is going to have to be middle of the road. She said, "momma, I'm not gonna do that." Here in America, you have to or you aren't gonna get nothin'. You have to know how to play the game in order to get the scholarships you need.
I don't think it was that close. I give Suzette the talent edge. Besides Vanessa's mind blowing appearance it was said her interview skills were leagues above the others.
I'll never forget watching t his pageant and when the last two ended up being Vanessa Williams and Suzette Charles I was already on cloud nine. I loved this song then and it still hasn't lost it's flavor after all these years. I also remember seeing her do guest appearance on Frank Place with Tim Reid and Daphne Maxwell Reid. I wish her career had taken off she would have been a true asset to the entertainment community.
Not to take anything away from the sucess of Vanessa Williams but I always thought Suzzette shsould have won Miss America 1983. She's just as beautiful as Vanessa but a much more talented vocalist.
Her voice is incredible. I never understood how she didn't make it a long career in entertainment. Vanessa was a bit more animated in her talent, and certainly had more stage presence, but in my opinion, Suzette's voice was better. I heard that most pageant observers that year said that the top two were head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. It's ironic that both got to wear the crown that year. I am a HUGE Vanessa fan, but thanks for posting this.
Suzette voice is outstanding She is a little over 5 foot 3 with a beautiful figure. Vanesa wasnt much taller.She was wonderfully trained and a sweet girl not nasty at all.She had some bad luck and made some wrong moves in show biz but she is a legitimate talent who made America proud.
Clearly had the pipes. Vanessa had the overall better package--she has that little something extra than Suzette, I was a little kid watching and Vanessa was mesmorizing to watch. Vanessa also chose a better song to perform than Suzette, so no mistakes were made in the final outcome of this one.
For those who thought Suzette outdid Vanessa, don't forget the interview which counted for a large % of the total score. I suspect Vanessa took the crown with her interview - she always seemed more personable in interviews than Suzette, although I liked Suzette a lot. I also thought Vanessa had a bigger presence in general. Lastly, Suzette was technically a better singer than Vanessa, but Vanessa poured more into her performance, IMO.
@Karmaizabytch15 how fantastic you have suzette charles, a former miss america as you're cousin. i do hope you get to meet this history making woman. she is to be greatly admired. bless you khadijah!
She was just outstanding. I am sure she's been very successful in life, but I sure wish she'd had a bigger singing career. I would love to hear more from her. Come on, Suzette, share your talents with us.
I will never forget watching it on TV. Never cared for the talent portion. Ballerina, opera singer, piano player. Mediocre singer but Suzette charles was that WOW moment. Amazing voice. I thought over all Vanessa was the winner but talent was all Suzette
@Adizero7000 She did sing too loudly, and she was just a bit too plain looking when you put her side by side with Vanessa. She was an awesome contestant, but first runner up was the perfect spot for her ... Vanessa clearly outshone everyone the entire week. It was sort of a foregone conclusion on Saturday afternoon leading up to the final night of competition that it was Vanessa's to lose. i'm happy Suzette was able to take over for Vanessa after she stepped down.
It would have been very telling if Suzette and Vanessa had both competed in the same preliminary talent competition. Which gal would have won that imaginary one since both won their respective talent competitions?
I was there that night in 1983, and backstage afterwards. There is positively NO WAY that Suzette was 5'3". Just look at any video where the top ten is standing together. Suzette was several inches shorter than the next shortest girl. From day one Vanessa stood out. She won talent in her bracket, but it wasn't just about her singing, it was the look, the confidence, and her arrogance. She defied anyone to turn away from her, she just commanded your undivided attention.
Suzette Charles gave the best vocal performance ever in Miss America history. I was glad to see Vanessa Williams win that year but Suzette clearly gave a better performance.
hey everyone -- i think Vanessa's fantastic career as a dynamic singer and actress has proven "who should have won" that year -- suzette has a nice singing voice, but Vanessa has enormous gifts and star quality -- she is also an outstanding mother and an all-around delightful (and GORGEOUS) woman
well, they both launched solo careers in entertainment, and we all know how that story ended. so what does that tell you about who's talent was better?
Outside of Charles' talent, she did not shine the whole week at Miss America. Also, she did not fit the stature of a Miss America back then. She was like 4 ft. 11 of something like that. Vanessa had the strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes and was more the Miss America type being the first black to wear the crown. Obviously times have changed and all that foolishness doesn't matter any more. But even today, Suzette could not beat out Vanessa in a pageant.
In my humble opinion, I believe that suzette charles was vastly moretalited on the night of the pageant then was vanessa williams. Of course, I realize a lot more goes into judging who will be miss america than strictly the talent but I think that suzette really deserved at that night. I guess if anything might have hurt her. It was her height, but she was absolutely stunning and very articulate and could sing like a bird. Maybe fate or the felt the same way. And ultimately found a way to get Her The Crown.
Suzette DeGaetano......... is a her REAL NAME! Why did they change it name it?! Was it to cover up the fact that she is of Italian descent! She clearly has a beautiful voice but it was a shame she was only Miss America for only 7 weeks! Also she is the documented in the "Italian American Women Trail Blazers" as the 1ST ITALIAN -AMERICAN WOMAN CROWN MISS AMERICA! This woman should have MORE FAME! We must give some respect and recognition to our ITALIAN-AMERICAN WOMEN sisters in this country! HERE IS TO YOU, SUZETTE GeGAETANO!
But remember this was 1983, and biracial women were not as openly accepted back then as they are now. The Italian-American community in New Jersey would've never accepted her under that honor in the 80's.
@Adizero7000 No ... she took over for Vanessa Williams after she resigned. Suzette only served for a month or two before she crowned the next year's winner.
Personally I like the song however I think that there were moments in the song when I think that she over did the notes. The notes were either sold loud or she held the notes to long.
you're more than entitled to your opinion -- but of course i said "dynamic singer and actress" -- i was talking about the whole package, the star quality, the warmth, etc. -- of course Vanessa cannot be compared to the famous singers I mention -- but next to Suzette, I don't think there's even a reason to have the conversation as to "who is better" after all these years . . . BE WELL! Hey - trivia - the pageant was 25 years ago this week!!! September 17, 1983!!!
Goosebumps.....she killed it.....the arrangement was beautiful...her singing was amazing.....
Vanessa won the crown but Suzette would probably have been a celeb had there been a show like "American Idol" or "America's Got Talent" or "X-Factor". For pageant judges, however, Vanessa Williams was the "it girl" that year. Swimsuit and Interview put her on top...and, oh boy, did Vanessa have a winning smile!!!
Miss America does more than just sing during her year of service...interviews, public speaking and signing autographs. Just the Way I see it. Both are talented, but in different ways.
Yes, but Vanessa had/has that magic extra something
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
Translation: Vanessa was a bullshitter and an actress.
@Enrique Enrique you are clearly not educated on MA history. There have been several very famous Miss America's b efore and after Williams. Scandal, more than anything, propelled her into fame.but you are discounting women like MaryAnn Mobley, Lee Merriweather, and Phillis George, and these few represent those MAs that chose entertainment as the life's vocation.
STILL one of the best talent performances in MA history, if not the best! A gorgeous arrangement of a standard song, and she simply nailed it….
I love this rendition so much, that after hearing the original Barbra Streisand recording I wish Barbra herself would have sang it similar to her. We know Babs has the pipes
you clearly have never seen the full scope of all the talent performances once they increased on an enormous magnitude the year the Terry Meeuwsin of Wisconsin won in 1973 your as the 1973 Miss America actually in the reverse of this is Suzette Charles fiasco below that shows a total lack of people doing the research before they know what they're talking about, I would like to suggest that you may be like consider two things. the number one thing is that when it comes to the talent portion it has changed variously over the years but since about the mid-70s all the way up until the mid-90s mentally '90s. it became stage presence naturally gifted well-trained whether piano violin singing clogging ventriloquism anything. to suggest that she is by far and away the best talent proves two things. you have failed to do your due diligence and research on TH-cam to see the prelim talents of the 75th anniversary pageant. I had heard I did not make it to that pageant I live 2 years 2 hours away and I had heard that the Miss North Carolina Lisa banford that won the preliminary talent piano and piano and be for the preliminary talent award for women that later than made top 10 I don't know as someone who appreciates Chopin and all this etudes Rachmaninoff and everybody I've never seen a woman play that piano that insane.
it can be hard to find because it you have to figure out where exactly it is and what day or what you know if she's in the sigma group new group or alpha group or whatever it is. just humor me with this go to Google or no to the TH-cam search engine and type this name
shani Nielsen .. she was missing the end of the year Tara Holland won MA . luckily somebody has put on TH-cam exactly this most insane song naturally gifted well-trained theater arts major who graduated from Mars Hill college. she sings a like a shortened version of the Jekyll and Hyde musical song that was added when the musical was revised it was a song called in his eyes. now I don't care if you want to say that you think that Suzette Charles can express herself as far as singing goes you need to also be able to hit a high c like this woman does and you also need to be able to possess naturally through training and natural abilities the pitch and intonation I have never ever ever heard of before or since and I have every take back to 1958 and I also have every single prelim they started selling those so you know I've always thought that she needs was great as far as singing goes if you actually want to believe that Suzette Charles not walking around the stage and engaging her audience or anything is just like she belongs on that stage is that much far superior of the singer. maybe you need to ask why it is that she's struggling to put her college kids through school? because I won't buy I didn't like her song then when I saw it with my mom and 8th grade I knew I actually thought that Pam battles from Alabama would win first runner up over Suzette. because Pam battles had a really fantastic preliminary interview which back then was I believe 40% of the composite score that carried over and determining who made it into the top 10.
you know you have to take everything into consideration this is a scholarship qualifying contest I just think that if Suzette was that spectacular I don't know I'm not saying this against you but I hear from so many people that how she should have won. again I'm not saying that's it that's what you should or are saying however I also do appreciate when people do acknowledge the fact that they have heard that she did much better in the interview but we don't know that until 19 no until the early 2000s they were never even preliminary evening gown awards given out for the pageant system so that meant that the judges if they were preliminary and final night judges they could easily rig the system if they wanted to by weighing very heavily their favorite contestant way above anyone else and evening gown. and then that goes towards that composite score that goes towards deciding who makes top 10.
no she shouldn't have one because you know what they never released what the prelim interviews scores are ,-:except for the non finalists interview winners and why? why? uhm 🤔
👌 yeah that's right it's a job interview! 🤔
Google Rebecca King MA '73,
I seriously beg you just Google the name shani Nielsen. if you want to compare singers to singers even though that that woman Miss Indiana that I'm going to have you pull up is standing at a microphone listen to her pitch and her consistent intonation I don't know if you know what that means but it's very moving it's from the musical Jekyll and Hyde and the very next year they put her on the tour and they replaced her with Linda Eder!
Her after pageant history says otherwise!
@@Parker528 I will reply to that long winded response by saying that talent is about entertaining an audience, which she does! Shani did an outstanding job, never was entertained by Meeuswin's version of He Touched Me. High C notes are for critics and music specialists, audiences want to be entertained, which Suzette did brilliantly IMO! Be well and do nice things for your neighbors during these turbulent times! XO
Back when the pageant was a PAGEANT and actually fun to watch!
Thank goodness that it changed back with the 2024 pageant.
Here are a few tidbits about Suzette Charles. First and foremost to most people's surprise Suzette tried her hand at News Anchoring back in the late Eighties, early Nineties for Channel 14 in Columbus, Georgia. After Miss America she toured with Lou Rawls and worked with Stevie Wonder. She was originally considered for the role of Sondra Huxtable on the Cosby Show. Not sure why that never came to fruition. She was cast on the Soap Opera loving during the 1984-85 season as well as appearing on the show Frank's Place. She eventually moved to the United Kingdom and began working as a Music Artist there. She had great success in the U.K. One of her Chart topping hits was called Free to Love Again. Check it out here on TH-cam. It was a very popular club song played around the world. To many people's surprise, the tracks on the song was electrifying. Presently, She is the mother of two and married to a prominent New York Surgeon.
Did it she also appear in Las Vegas with Sammy Davis jr. For several years?
Sabrina LaBeauf had already filmed her first episodes as Sondra on the Cosby show when Suzette gave up her title in September. It’s between her and Whitney Houston but Sabrina got it because Cosby was impressed with her Yale school of drama background
Thank you for that update!
@@cushion93 well, I'm glad Whitney missed this one potential setback.
Good for her! Still she came in 1st ru in this pageant! Her career after the pageant has been nothing to write home about, but it seems she stayed in the musical field! Just shows....The judges did their job by crowning Vanessa!
I watched this Miss America pageant that night and Suzette Charles had me spellbound during her talent segment. She brought a soulful style to the song. It was a historical moment to witness two African Americans win 1st runner up and the title for the very first time. I haven't seen this in over 20 years and bless you for posting it!
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
I agree. What is sad about Suzette competing this year is that she was strong enough to beat other winners in the previous few years and in the few afterwards. But personally I think there is no shame in being a runner up. After all with all the contestants someone has to win and someone has to be placed last and every slot in between!
She did become Miss America
@enriqueenrique Not even hardly. Have you never heard of lee merryweather? How about phyllis george? Mary Ann Mobley. So many more. What do you like vanessa williams brought shame to the crown. We have lowered our standards since the date she won, but the fact is she did not uphold equalities the qualities for which that crown was initially awarded.
The microphone looks bigger than her. I am a Vanessa fan but Suzette's vocal was outstanding. Where is she now?
I love Vanessa Williams and agree she was the right choice overall. But this girl here sounds as good if not better than Striesand herself!
wow, what a gorgeous woman. One of the best singers in pageant history.
Suzette sang with more soul than Vanessa Willliams but I wouldn't say she had a better voice. The voices are about equal but Suzette has more of a distinctive voice based on this performance.
Vanessa was and is just breath-taking beautiful. I guess she showed us who had the most distinctive voice with her long career in singing.
Ya think?
GREAT!!! In perfect pitch and singing effortlessly and flawlessly!! Vanessa Williams is great but Suzette crushes her! As for the 1983 MA title, Vanessa should've won...Suzette has the pipes, but it's the collective package that gains the crown. But still...I'm blown away by Suzette's talent...label worthy!!!
She has the pipes that went no where! Wonder why?
@@williammials6080 she did not go “nowhere.” Do your research.
@@calisongbird Ask just about anyone and you'll hear Suzette Who? If her voice was all that.. She would have had a music career!
@@calisongbird One song does not make a music career!
Vanessa is quite lovely, but always thought SC was slightly more beautiful. And just a slightly better voice. Fitting that both of them were Miss Americas, I guess.
She was prettier. Vanessa was sexier. There is a difference.
I agree with you. I guess she wasn't willing to do what it took to become a big star because she had everything that it took.
""Agreed ⭐⭐⭐⭐👍✨💖☺✨
Better technical voice for sure, but prettier??
Than Vanessa?????
Well the music industry has said otherwise as far as careers have gone after Miss America!
My co-worker was a musician for the Miss America Pageant. He said the judges believed Vanessa was sexier and had more star quality!!! He also said it was so very close that they could have tossed a coin to pick the winner. LOL
Stunning! The best song in the competition...Love Vanessa Williams, but Suzanne Charles had a better song!
Clearly Suzette had the better voice, but Vanessa was more than just a voice. She had SS down with her poise and dance background, she was intelligent, was at least 5 inches taller, and she had a charisma that Suzette and all the other girls that year just did not have. You couldn't look away from her. And I met her during the week back in 83. She was friendly but was definitely NY, so don't get too close! lol. Clearly Suzette's talent bolstered her to 1RU, but her packaging was horrendous. Her swimsuit was horrible, I think she wore either a green or rust colored SS, just no. She can't help her height, but I thought EG was bad, and let's end with that hair. Any girl in 83 had nothing that looked like her hair. She was too slick and looked like a casino lounge singer, which she was. Had she gone a bit more girl next door she might have pulled it off, but I doubt it. Vanessa was the first person to come to AC that year, something usually reserved for HI or AK. Nope, NY knew they had a winner, and she dominated the local papers and created such a buzz right from the start, everyone wanted to come and see this girl. That being said, Suzette KILLED it that night. I was there, and she was definitely the most talented of the top ten.
Liam Foreman yes I agree there is something special about VW. And by no means am I down playing SC beauty or talent but there's is just something extra with VW
Vanessa had a magnetic personality.
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
Agreed! I met her a few times after she won and she was very nice! She really nailed a very simple song. I was happy with her placement and Suzette Charles, like you said it is the whole package! Cheers to two very talented women ❤️🎤🎤❤️
Suzette had all of that and more. Anyone that has ever met her will tell you that she is absolutely First class in every single category.
Gorgeous! That pageant hair is everything, though. ^_^
I've always thought it was interesting Vanessa and Suzette chose to do covers of Barbra Streisand tunes for their talent presentation.
Miss America contests are rarely this talented. I love Vanessa Williams but I always felt Suzette got robbed .
How? It just wasn't her time. And where is her career today? Nowhere.
Her voice is amazing. And I certainly wouldn't say that her career went nowhere. She has been and is successful in her own right, in the right path designed for her.
Different era for the pageant and the country. I spoke to my friend's dad who was a judge. Her performance, according to this particular judge, was "too soulful". That was the 80's and Vanessa appealed more to Mid-America. Suzette only won one preliminary award in Talent. Vanessa, however, won BOTH Swimsuit and Talent Preliminaries. This judge said that Vanessa also aced the interview portion. Coming out of the prelims, Suzette was in 9th place. Vanessa sustained her 1st place status up and through the final night.
They go on other things besides talent, the questions and looks
You know there is an interview category???? And a swimsuit category! Short contestants generally don't do well in swimsuit compared to taller ladies! Suzette was not robbed.... Her after Miss America musical career shows that!
Class class class!
Suzette Charles was one of the most beautiful and talented contestants to ever grace the stage of Miss America. Vanessa Williams get so much credit for her Talent with her voice but I dare say she wasn't even close to the talent level of Suzette Charles. Just think for a moment how different things would be today if the choice had been Suzette and not Vanessa on that fateful night.
Both of these women have a far more talented singing voice than Diana Ross ever dreamed of and yet she was a big star of her day.
WTF !!!!!!!! Why you placing Diana in this! Ridiculous!!!!! The judges saw otherwise in crowning Vanessa Miss America and her after Miss America career verifies their choice! As for Suzette after Miss America? We are still waiting on that "Pop" solo career!
Vanessa's total package gave her the crown...and she proved to be the most successful and iconic in Miss America's history.....it was sad that they both competed the same year, had one competed one year prior or after, it would have been a back2back win of 2 African American women
You are all over the place with nonsense! Diana Ross? Why are you pitting her against women who could almost be her daughters? Anyway....The judges saw it differently and correctly judging by careers!
vanessa is still recognized as miss america on the list of all miss america winners
Suzette Charles definitely could out sing Vanessa. Why did not Suzette's musical career take off or become explosive like Vanessa's. I think Vanessa won the pageant because people said she was more well rounded and gave better interviews and stuff. They both were beautiful and talented. They both were so light skinned that I remember the African American community not being so impressed saying neither one of them were truely black, with complete black features. That took awhile.
Suzette's talent was better than Vanessa's, but overall Vanessa came out on top, From what I understand during preliminary
competition, no one could touch Vanessa's interview scores.
Exactly. Suzette sang better. However, Vanessa outdid her in all the other areas. Swimsuit, evening gown, interview etc... In fact, they interviewed one of the judges who said that no one was in 5 points of Vanessa in the interview category. In essence, Vanessa overall outperformed Suzette.
Well let's face it: she certainly gave a performance and fooled a lot of people.
Frankly Suzette Charles is an incredibly beautiful woman with outstanding body Anna Grace and Poise not many women have ever possessed on that stage. She was however biracial and they weren't looking for a biracial Miss America they were looking for a black one.
Basically Vanessa had "Star Quality" and sex appeal unlike Suzette. Although both Women are Classically trained aspiring Broadway Superstars at this point, Suzette prior pagentry experience made her way to robotic.
Vanessa.was more poised confident sexy and less robotic.
BamaFan1962 um...Vanessa Williams is also biracial.
Suzette Charles
born Suzette DeGaetano
Beautiful!
I love her singing.
She was runner up to Vanessa Williams.
Therefore even the runner up was a woman with African descent.
Suzette Charles is the daughter of an interracial married couple of a white man with Italian descent and a black woman of French West Indian descent.
She had a different background from Vanessa Williams even though they were both viewed as lightskinned black women back then.
Lightskinned black is such an oxymoron just like darkskinned white is such an oxymoron.
Vanessa Williams is the daughter of parents with mixed African and European.
Vanessa Williams did DNA testing.
Her ethnic composition was shown to be an even mix of African and European which is not a surprise to me.
We are so conditioned by the one drop rule which I feel is very irrelevant in this 21st Century.
She is actually the most sweetest person you ever meet. I met her and that's something that I will never forget. I will keep that forever and never forget it I actually have a picture from when her and I met right in my bedroom and I look at it everyday and it makes me happy that I actually got a chance to meet my Miss America. And it's just really awesome how 1984 my year has two Miss America's I consider them my both of them my Miss America I love Suzette and I love Vanessa and I just find that awesome that I have to miss America's and anybody else that was born in 1984 has two Miss America's only time 1984 which is awesome
This was just so beautifully done. She has an awesome voice. Bravo 👏
Any other year- she would have nailed it. Two exceptional women competing in the same year- only one could win.
Suzette Charles is a Miss America to be proud of and one of the best singers they have EVER had! God bless Suzette Charles!
@thesinger. I agree with you. My daughter was in a pageant over this weekend and that's what I told her. If she wants to win pageants, she is going to have to be middle of the road. She said, "momma, I'm not gonna do that." Here in America, you have to or you aren't gonna get nothin'. You have to know how to play the game in order to get the scholarships you need.
WOAH!!! She was great!!
Excellent performance. She was good. I think it was probably only a few points between Vanessa and Suzette. Vanessa just had that star appeal.
I don't think it was that close. I give Suzette the talent edge. Besides Vanessa's mind blowing appearance it was said her interview skills were leagues above the others.
She had the best hair and look of the talent Competition but she didn't have the IT FACTOR & she lost Vanessa deserved her win she earned it
Thank you sooooo much for posting this. I've been looking for this performance for years!
SHE SINGS BETTER HANDS DOWN! But we all have our own opinions.. I love them both!
Beautiful....perfect!!!!
Outstanding, wow!
beautiful!
I'll never forget watching t his pageant and when the last two ended up being Vanessa Williams and Suzette Charles I was already on cloud nine. I loved this song then and it still hasn't lost it's flavor after all these years. I also remember seeing her do guest appearance on Frank Place with Tim Reid and Daphne Maxwell Reid. I wish her career had taken off she would have been a true asset to the entertainment community.
Barbra Streisand originally sang this song. It was on her Wet Album. When Streisand released it as a Single, it only peaked at # 37 on the Hot 100!
Not to take anything away from the sucess of Vanessa Williams but I always thought Suzzette shsould have won Miss America 1983. She's just as beautiful as Vanessa but a much more talented vocalist.
Are you serious??? There is more to being Miss America than singing one song!
Best talent of any Miss America EVER!!!
Absolute class and charm and one of the best Miss America talent we have EVER had ! God bless our wonderful Miss America Suzette Charles ❤
Her voice is incredible. I never understood how she didn't make it a long career in entertainment. Vanessa was a bit more animated in her talent, and certainly had more stage presence, but in my opinion, Suzette's voice was better. I heard that most pageant observers that year said that the top two were head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. It's ironic that both got to wear the crown that year. I am a HUGE Vanessa fan, but thanks for posting this.
Again....The judges saw it differently! The music industry did also! Suzette's "pop" career never got off the ground!
It's obvious she was the better singer
Well....The judges and the Music Industry sees it differently!
She Nailed That Song... Wonderful...
Stunning performance! One can see just how strong a singer she was that night. Brava!! Mylam O. James
AMAZING!!!!!
Suzette voice is outstanding She is a little over 5 foot 3 with a beautiful figure. Vanesa wasnt much taller.She was wonderfully trained and a sweet girl not nasty at all.She had some bad luck and made some wrong moves in show biz but she is a legitimate talent who made America proud.
Talent will most likely win out..... Well it did for Vanessa's career!
AWESOME....Black Girl Magic!!!!
Clearly had the pipes. Vanessa had the overall better package--she has that little something extra than Suzette, I was a little kid watching and Vanessa was mesmorizing to watch. Vanessa also chose a better song to perform than Suzette, so no mistakes were made in the final outcome of this one.
For those who thought Suzette outdid Vanessa, don't forget the interview which counted for a large % of the total score. I suspect Vanessa took the crown with her interview - she always seemed more personable in interviews than Suzette, although I liked Suzette a lot. I also thought Vanessa had a bigger presence in general. Lastly, Suzette was technically a better singer than Vanessa, but Vanessa poured more into her performance, IMO.
And Swimsuit! Short ladies don't score well in Swimsuit and Gown!
love it!
@Karmaizabytch15
how fantastic you have suzette charles, a former miss america as you're cousin. i do hope you get to meet this history making woman. she is to be greatly admired.
bless you khadijah!
She did such a beautiful job!!
She was just outstanding. I am sure she's been very successful in life, but I sure wish she'd had a bigger singing career. I would love to hear more from her. Come on, Suzette, share your talents with us.
Too late! She did not connect with music fans after the pageant! Vanessa did however! The end!
I will never forget watching it on TV. Never cared for the talent portion. Ballerina, opera singer, piano player. Mediocre singer but Suzette charles was that WOW moment. Amazing voice. I thought over all Vanessa was the winner but talent was all Suzette
Kevseb66 you are sooooooo right, My mother to this day still thinks that she was robbed.
Still one of the best talents in the ""MA""... seized the moment with grace...👏🏽👏🏽❤️😉👏🏽👏🏽🙏🏼.....
beautiful and talented. What's up with today music?
This has Whitney flavor, emotion, vocal power. Vanessa is more sweet Broadway' Show Tune style .
With that being said she does have a stronger voice than Vanessa but Vanessa has the whole package and she won
@Adizero7000 She did sing too loudly, and she was just a bit too plain looking when you put her side by side with Vanessa. She was an awesome contestant, but first runner up was the perfect spot for her ... Vanessa clearly outshone everyone the entire week. It was sort of a foregone conclusion on Saturday afternoon leading up to the final night of competition that it was Vanessa's to lose. i'm happy Suzette was able to take over for Vanessa after she stepped down.
It would have been very telling if Suzette and Vanessa had both competed in the same preliminary talent competition. Which gal would have won that imaginary one since both won their respective talent competitions?
She took over when Vanessa Williams had to step down, I think..? And I remembered this spell-binding performance!!! Perfection 🎉
I would have picked Vanessa for Miss America too but Suzette did sing better that night. Vanessa's singing wasn't as good then as it is now.
I was there that night in 1983, and backstage afterwards. There is positively NO WAY that Suzette was 5'3". Just look at any video where the top ten is standing together. Suzette was several inches shorter than the next shortest girl. From day one Vanessa stood out. She won talent in her bracket, but it wasn't just about her singing, it was the look, the confidence, and her arrogance. She defied anyone to turn away from her, she just commanded your undivided attention.
Arrogance???? That not the correct word to use! Try CONFIDENT instead!
@@williammials6080confidence
Beautiful voice
in terms of voice i have to agree her voice is great but Vanessa is a balanced singer and performer.
Suzette Charles gave the best vocal performance ever in Miss America history. I was glad to see Vanessa Williams win that year but Suzette clearly gave a better performance.
+kevseb66 I totally agree with you. SC gave the best vocal performance of any contestant I have ever seen.
Clearly???? Her career in music says otherwise!
They were both great 👍
Beautiful
hey everyone -- i think Vanessa's fantastic career as a dynamic singer and actress has proven "who should have won" that year -- suzette has a nice singing voice, but Vanessa has enormous gifts and star quality -- she is also an outstanding mother and an all-around delightful (and GORGEOUS) woman
Wow!
WHAT A VOICE . HOLY CRAP
What a great voice ❤️💖
She can definitely sing.
well, they both launched solo careers in entertainment, and we all know how that story ended. so what does that tell you about who's talent was better?
Bravo!
she had an awesome. i can see why she can in 1st runne up. either way that was the first time we had to blk women hold the title in the same year.
Outside of Charles' talent, she did not shine the whole week at Miss America. Also, she did not fit the stature of a Miss America back then. She was like 4 ft. 11 of something like that. Vanessa had the strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes and was more the Miss America type being the first black to wear the crown. Obviously times have changed and all that foolishness doesn't matter any more. But even today, Suzette could not beat out Vanessa in a pageant.
does anyone have vanessa'a talent competition video? i'm also looking for Angela Perez Baraquio's talent and coronation video.
Her voice is GREAT, but Vanessa picked a better song.
In my humble opinion, I believe that suzette charles was vastly moretalited on the night of the pageant then was vanessa williams. Of course, I realize a lot more goes into judging who will be miss america than strictly the talent but I think that suzette really deserved at that night. I guess if anything might have hurt her. It was her height, but she was absolutely stunning and very articulate and could sing like a bird. Maybe fate or the felt the same way. And ultimately found a way to get Her The Crown.
Suzette DeGaetano......... is a her REAL NAME! Why did they change it name it?! Was it to cover up the fact that she is of Italian descent! She clearly has a beautiful voice but it was a shame she was only Miss America for only 7 weeks! Also she is the documented in the "Italian American Women Trail Blazers" as the 1ST ITALIAN -AMERICAN WOMAN CROWN MISS AMERICA!
This woman should have MORE FAME! We must give some respect and recognition to our ITALIAN-AMERICAN WOMEN sisters in this country!
HERE IS TO YOU, SUZETTE GeGAETANO!
But remember this was 1983, and biracial women were not as openly accepted back then as they are now. The Italian-American community in New Jersey would've never accepted her under that honor in the 80's.
@Adizero7000 No ... she took over for Vanessa Williams after she resigned. Suzette only served for a month or two before she crowned the next year's winner.
Vanessa´s hair is sandy-blond and she has green-grey blues eyes, and honey-colored skin complexion.
omgsh! she's good! O__O
Nobody does old school singing like this anymore. *cries*
Best talent
Personally I like the song however I think that there were moments in the song when I think that she over did the notes. The notes were either sold loud or she held the notes to long.
I agree
Suzette was good but just missing that extra something that is not better than Vanessa's performance.....but Suzette was good
SOUL 70's brought me here. lol
Damn...this is actually a better performance than Vanessa's by like 5 inches
you're more than entitled to your opinion -- but of course i said "dynamic singer and actress" -- i was talking about the whole package, the star quality, the warmth, etc. -- of course Vanessa cannot be compared to the famous singers I mention -- but next to Suzette, I don't think there's even a reason to have the conversation as to "who is better" after all these years . . . BE WELL!
Hey - trivia - the pageant was 25 years ago this week!!! September 17, 1983!!!
omgsh! she sure can sing! O__O
I really think she sang better than Vanessa Williams that same night...WOW
Both Suzette and Vanessa sang Barbra and they both excelled.
Where is she?
Vanessa was around 5'6.
Thats my cousin i think 5th shes related either to my grandmother or grandfather I forgot
I dont know how were related because I blacker than night and shes white mixed with african american and italian