Vanessa Williams:
Readers“bare” opinions
By Donna McCown Kirby
This week's issue of TV
GUIDE carries two arti
cles on former Miss Amer
ica, Vanessa Williams,
Tiie first article uses
Williams' experience as a
basis for a commentary on
"the hypocrisy of the
American people," while
the second briefly dis
cusses her upcoming
guest-starring role on
NBC's new series "Part
ners in Crime."
It appears that VJil-
liams and her activities
are still a subject of
louch debate. UNCA stu
dents , asked to comment
on the issue, responded
with the following:
Dale Medford (sopho
more); "Most contestants
are models and earn their
living that way. How they
pose is their own busi
ness. I never heard of
any rule that says Miss
America can't pose in the
nude."
Leigh Hill (junior):
"She was railroaded! It
wasn't fair of them to
condemn her for something
that happened before she
was Miss America. Cer
tainly, the timing of the
publication of those pic
tures was a play for
money, but I think they
used bad judgement.
John Downes (freshman):
I don't think she would
liave gotten an appearance
on that new TV series
without all the notor
iety. She's a lot better
off now than she was. In
the long run, losing the
Miss America crown won't
hurt her.
"Burt Reynolds did it.
Being nude never hurt an
actress, and that's what
she wants to be. Besides,
the pictures weren't that
good."
Chris Jolley (senior):
"I don't think it hurts
the integrity of the
crown. She was just mod
eling, and I don't think
that's immoral—besides,
she did it before she was
Miss America.
"I think if they want
to prohibit their contes
tants from posing nude,
they should ask before
the contest—not after.
"I think it reflected
well on her that she gave
it up when they asked for
the crown rather than
fighting it.
"Funny—that's the only
article with a photo
spread that I've read all
of."
Sabrina D. WlUiams
(senior): "I'm in the
middle, but I lean toward
agreeing with the pageant
officials. She does re
present America in other
places. If she's going to
have that position, she
shouldn't do things like
tViat. She put the pageant
in a bad position.
"I don't think it was
riglit for her to have
such a picture iivide.
Since she allowed them to
be made, wliat happened
was something she did to
herself. Her past v^as
personal, but your past
will catch up with you.
"Still, I admire her
guts to stand up under
everytliing that happened
to her because of it."
Johnny Poplin (senior):
"I think it's her busi
ness and nobody else's!"
Wednesday, Sept. 19, 1984/TUE BLUE BANNER/3
publicized. We just have
to trust those close to
us not to betray us.
"That photographer did
it for profit, and so did
the magazine. l^at they
did was more wrong tVian
what she did. What she
did didn't hurt anybody.
I'Jhat they did hurt her.
It might even hurt the
other girl in the picture
in the future.
"I think that giving up
the crown should've ».«een
optional. After all, the
photograplier chose the
poses—not her. I don't
tliink they should have
wiped her out that way.
That was a bit too much.
"I don't think the past
should affect today."
Sara Orozco (senior):
"She sure made a bare
entrance! It's fast pub
licity, but not the best
way.
"Personally, I don't
think she should have
lost the crown because of
it. I suppose the image
could be changed by let
ting her keep it. But, I
don' t think any Miss
America is all that inno
cent.
No doubt, there are
many other opinions on
this subject around caiir"
pus; this gives an idea
of what some of them are.
Elize fiass (junior): "1
feel angry! She trusted
that photographer! I feel
like grabbing that guy
and sliaking him! I think
we've all done things
that we wouldn't want
Niss Asheville studying at UNCA
Miss Asheville 1984, Christina Wilson
By Darryl Gosnell
"It's a dream. I have
to be dreaming," repeated
UNCA student Christina
Wilson after winning the
Miss Asheville pageant
this past August.
At age 18, Wilson, the
first Miss Asheville to
attend Ul'JCA, became the
youngest recipient of the
crown awarded annually at
the Asheville Jaycee
Women sponsored pageant.
The green-eyed blonde
set reasonable goals
going into the pageant.
"I hoped I would place
going into the finals. I
had done well in the pre
liminaries, but I had no
idea I would win. I was
really shocked," said
Wilson.
What made her enter
this pageant?
"I entered because it
would be a growing exper
ience," explains V>/ilson.
"I really had fun in the
other pageant so I
thought I would try it
again.
This pageant offered
another challenge, tal
ent. The Teen All-Ameri
can Pageant winner was
chosen completely on
beauty. I felt I could do
equally as well in a pa
geant with a talent comr
petition," said Wilson.
"Being able to share lay
love for music with
others was just great,"
she continued. "Of
course, winning was an
added pleasure."
Wilson stays busy with
personal appearances.
Maggie Lauterer inter
viewed Miss Asheville on
First Edition, a local
news program. She has
been making guest appear
ances at parades and
fund-raisers, too.
Wilson is pursuing a
degree in International
Business at UNCA. She
also holds a job at Tlie
Limited in the Asheville
Mall.
Why International Busi
ness? "I love to travel.
I have been to Europe
four times and to the
Bahamas twice. I love
learning about other
cultures because my
family is originally from
West Geriiiany and that
type of thing really
interests me," Wilson
said.
"In the long run, I
would like to be able to
combine my career and my
hobby," she said.
Looking ahead to the
state pageant to be held
in Raleigh the third
weekend in June, VJilson
said, "Consistency in
dress and an overall
balance will be the main
areas of concentration
for me.
"I want to be well-
rounded, with no weakness
in any phase of competi
tion. The judges look for
the All-American look,
and that is the look I
hope to convey," she
said.
"Although I want to do
well, the main objective
during niy reign will be
to represent Asheville to
the best of ray ability,"
Wilson said.