1980
After 25 years as emcee of the
Miss America Pageant, Bert Parks is dismissed. Fans are outraged
and talk show host Johnny Carson starts an unsuccessful "Bring
Back Bert" campaign. Parks is replaced by Ron Ely, television's
Tarzan.
1980
The Miss T.E.E.N. Pageant, a
program honoring teen excellence, is founded. Susan McDonald
wins the first title.
1980
Lenola Sullivan, Miss Arkansas,
is the first African-American woman to make the top five at the
Miss America Pageant. She also wins the swimsuit competition.
1980
Twenty-year-old Shawn Nichols Weatherly, Miss South Carolina-USA wins the coveted triple crown when she is awarded the titles of Miss USA and, then, Miss Universe.
The South Carolinian is the first American in thirteen years to accomplish the feat.
-
- Upon Shawn's victory as Miss
Universe, Jineane Ford, Miss Arizona-USA and the first runner-up,
assumes the Miss USA title.
-
-
1981
-
Moments after the credits roll
for the 1979 Miss Universe Pageant in Australia, the stage collapses
as 200 reporters and contestants rush forward to congratulate
the winner, Maritza Sayalero, of Venezuela.
- Eight
contestants plunge through the stage floor to the concrete beneath
and Miss Malta and Miss Turkey are hospitalized for minor injuries
after rescue workers pull them from the debris.
-
-
1981
-
-
'TEEN Magazine acquires the
rights to the Miss Teenage America Pageant from the Dr. Pepper
Company and transforms it into a nationwide mail-entry contest
celebrating teen achievement. Finalists are judged on grades,
community service, and intelligence. The winner serves as a ‘TEEN
columnist and spokesperson.
-
-
1982
-
- Ron Ely is replaced as master
of ceremonies by popular actor Gary Collins, husband of former
Miss America Mary Ann Mobley (1959).
Collins had starred in the film Born Free, while Mobley
had appeared in two Elvis Presley movies.
-
- The coronation song There
She Is is replaced by Look at Her and Miss America,
You're Beautiful after a contract dispute between pageant
officials and songwriter Bernie Wayne. However, the public is
disappointed and There She Is soon returns by popular
demand.
1983
CBS televises the first Miss
Teen USA Pageant from Lakeland, Florida. Ruth Zakarian, of New
York, wins.
1983
Marking the most important racial
milestone in pageant history, Vanessa Williams becomes the first
African-American to win the Miss America title.
1984
A media frenzy ensues after reporters
reveal that Williams posed for sexually explicit pictures before
her victory. When Penthouse publishes the photos, officials
request that Vanessa step down. She resigns during a nationally
televised press conference.
William's first runner-up, Suzette
Charles, becomes the second African-American woman to hold the
title.
1984
The Miss Teen
of America Pageant is founded. Debbie Brooks of Modesto, California wins the first title.
1984
For the first
time, an Eurasian woman wins the Miss USA title, Mai Shanley,
of Philippine and Irish parentage.
1985
In another racial breakthrough,
1985 became the year of the Latina beauties.
Laura Martinez Herring, a naturalized Mexican-American, is named
Miss USA, making her the first Hispanic to win a major U.S. pageant
title. She later marries a European count. Deborah Carthy-Deu,
Miss Puerto Rico, wins the Miss Universe title the same year.
1985
The Mrs. World Pageant is founded.
Rosie Senanayake, Mrs. Sri Lanka, wins the first title.
1985
The Mother/Daughter Pageant is
started.
1986
The first beauty contest television
series is started, the syndicated Dream Girl USA Pageant.
It lasts one season before being canceled.
1986
1986 – Miss Black USA Pageant is founded by Karen
Arrington.
1986
The Mrs. United States Pageant
is founded. Sharon Kirkby wins the first title (1987).
1987
Kaye Lani Rae Rafko,
an
oncology nurse from Michigan, wins the 1988 Miss America title.
When she voluntarily devotes part of her year of service to advocating
hospice care and promoting the nursing profession, she sets a
new precedent of social activism for titleholders. Her actions
are so positively recieved by the public, that the pageant begins
developing an official "platform" through which future
titleholders can be role models for public service.
1987
The first Miss Black USA Pageant is held at the
J.W. Marriott hotel ballroom in
Washington, DC., with twenty-one intelligent,
beautiful and talented African-American women from across the
nation. Tamiko Gibson, Miss Black Maryland, a
21-year-old University of Maryland Broadcasting Journalism major is crowned the
first ever "Miss Black USA".
1988
For the first time, an American
wins the Mrs. World title, Mrs. America, Pamela Nail of Mississippi.
1989
The Mrs. International Pageant
is founded. Rhonda Berglan, of Oklahoma, the mother of t
wo children,
wins the first title.
1989
The Lone Star state achieves
a monopoly on the Miss USA title when Texans win the national
crown for five consecutive years, 1985-1989. All five women prepare
under the tutelage of Richard Guy and Rex Holt, the flamboyant
founders of GuyRex, Inc.
