Crowning of Miss America 2000 Heather Renee French

[@muscled57]

She was head and shoulders above all the rest of the top 5, a well-deserved win. Just look at the sit down top 5 interview session. She nailed it there..

[@brookehenson6123]

I met her in 2001 at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. I was on my 6th grade trip and I recognized her and she graciously posed for a picture with me. Very sweet lady.

[@agiteseantesdeusar]

One of the best Miss America's we love you Heather greetings from Costa Rica

[@robertmofford]

One of the best MAs ever. A true class act.

[@renegaderunner332]

Agree!

[@californiagold3857]

She was sensational, as was Donnie and Marie. Great hosts!

[@KathyTravisLeslie31]

NO, Heather is the very first person to ever win the Miss America contest with short hair. She married my best friend, and she is my forever Miss America--she STILL works with the Veterans. She should run for President one day, and she designed her gown she had on. I just love her.

[@lindalds]

first runner up had short hair as well.

[@rosamejiamusic6863]

Heather is such an amazing woman and role model! My favorite Miss Kentucky and Miss America!

[@renegaderunner332]

One of my favorite Miss America's!

[@mr.andrewmichaels1738]

I have had MANY Miss America moments. But getting to know Heather IS one of my favorites! In 2004 in Atlanta City we got to hang out and chat and laugh a lot. I’ll post a pic of her reaction to one very special moment we had. A few years later @ Miss VA America we were cutting the dance floor up and she had to do something and asked me if I could “watch the kids” for a few minutes. I of course said sure! We all danced on the dance floor and had a ball. The pictures are priceless. Heather was and remains one of the true beauties ever crowned. Please tell her that Blair Michaels says Hey Lady! 😉💕👑

[@mca1218]

3:17- Down to the two finalists. Heather & Jade look like they were having a moment- sharing a joke, a prayer, an aside...we'll never know, but it was lovely, and they seemed to have bonded in those final 2 minutes. I remember this one well: Jade was a tall, sleek amazon of a lady, and Heather an effervescent, bubbly siren in powder blue- and had a short-haired contestant ever won a pageant??

[@patrickkeenan2515]

+mca1218 Yes Susan Perkins is Miss America 1978 and the night she won her hair wasn't even to the bottom of her neck......See I agree that at least from what we saw in tv the final night that Heather was the correct choice. What people time and again (I literally get exhausted writing this) forgot is literally how crucially important each contestant does in the preliminary interview, 10 minutes of questions, and in actuality, a job interview. And those results of the preliminary interview as a pageant rule are NEVER released for the top ten (this has nothing to do with the award that goes to the highest scoring prelim interview winner who was NOT a toip ten finalist) and how those prelim judges graded those interviews in comparison between Jade and Heather. Through the years, the preliminary scores of swimsuit, talent (both of those used to be the ONLY prelims contests in which prelim winners were announced; not until early 2000's were the winners of each of the 3 nights of prelim evening gowns announced), interview and evening gown were added up into a composite score and also, through the years that composite score going into the final nights worth of scoring decreased and increased through the years. I also believe that even in the middle to late 60's the prelim interview wasn't even scored, and even though they did announce prelim swimsuit and talent awards, those ladies with the top ten composite prelim scores announced the final night, it would be explained by Bert Parks, all started on an equal slate and the prelim scores would only be considered or referred to in cases on a tie; I think that last part was added as a rule the year Susan Anton and a girl from New Jersey tied for 3rd runner up.

[@harperhenry7406]

hey thats my mom

[@annerector8765]

She's beautiful, Harper. I bet you are too!

[@muscled57]

your mom was amazing that night, so head and shoulders above the rest of the field, it was evident that she would win after that final five interview...she killed it!

[@mr.andrewmichaels1738]

You’re one blessed kid!

[@emmarose4234]

WOOOOOOO!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@NMarsden]

Which one?

[@renegaderunner332]

Excellent Miss America!

[@renegaderunner332]

You can see Ms.Illinois reaction when they announce Miss Pennsylvania as 2nd runner up. She knows that Ms. Kentucky is going to win.

[@minnie1247]

Agreed. I work at a restauraunt and she was there with the current miss america and they were such sweethearts! I got a picture too. :)

[@alyh5344]

She’s running for Secretary of State currently and I’m so glad to be working on her campaign!!

[@dolcevitausa]

some of the Miss America winners leave you scratching your heading thinking what the heck...not this Southern beauty....one of the most congenial and beautiful that has worn that Miss America crown...

[@bingovegas4867]

If you call Kentucky a Southern state? Really???

[@MrFrencheL]

That's my aunt!

[@kirbyyamagata7502]

I got to meet her at a gaming show in Vegas several years ago. Only Miss America I've ever met and it still is a great memory. I remember her saying my name reminded her of a video game character lol

[@renegaderunner332]

One of my favorite Ms. America's!

[@tjeubanks903]

I rooted for Heather as soon as she made top 10 and was the obvious choice to win Miss America to me. She had a captivating aura. Also, Jade Smalls has to be one of the most gracious first runner ups ever.

[@runnerlegend7726]

I met her and she a fantastic person!

[@NMarsden]

Well done!

[@emmarose4234]

Donny and Marie Osmond!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ (Donny was the emcee for the 1980 Miss USA pageant too.)

[@MaarkW]

How great were Donny and Marie

[@tellif1667]

I think thats the last pageant I watched. I was rooting for her. She seemed really nice and pretty.

[@xanagu69]

Actually she is now Jade Simmons, formerly Smalls.

[@Juliaflo]

Heather French represented Maysville, Kentucky. Put on your thinking caps and name Maysville's most celebrated native.

[@annerector8765]

George Clooney.

[@jensmom604]

John Marsh, husband of Margaret Mitchell, the woman who wrote "Gone with the Wind."

[@Juliaflo]

@@annerector8765 Nope--His aunt, Rosemary. George is from Augusta, KY.

[@Timotimo101]

I used to like to watch the pageant every year in September but then they started making it like a job interview and i don't even know when/where they have it now.

[@cstoczyn]

Long Live Miss America!!!!

[@hugoleroi4250]

Stunning

[@him6683]

This was the year when all three world beauty pageants ( miss world, miss universe and miss aisa pacific) were won by INDIA. Such a great time it was . 2000!!!

[@timothyleon558]

But not this night

[@dazzdevynn6507]

The last Kiss America pageant that I went to in AC with my local pageant staff back when I was the Executive Director of the Miss Binghamton Scholarship pageant in NYS was this one.

[@emmarose4234]

Hehehehe, Kiss America...

[@Andrew-1980]

I wish I knew what Jade was saying to Heather. Whatever it was it must have been special because Heather gave her a huge hug

[@jopickett4613]

It Was The First Time A Country Western Goddess To Make The Announcement

[@irenesayagnao3864]

ur the pretties in the group. i love youre dresss

[@Juliaflo]

Yes, indeed.

[@doloreshuntoon7698]

Harmony, love and wisdom. Who knew.

[@chickennuggets2232]

I met her before and she let me wear her crown

[@ilovepandaswithcandy]

I'm related to her. She's my aunt.

[@Juliaflo]

It's Jade Smalls, not Simmons.

[@Gerard945]

She really is beautiful!

[@jollysincere]

you have a very pretty aunt!

[@VTMCompany]

Such a beautiful gal. I watched this 'live' in 1999. Her smile reminds me of Julia Roberts.

[@doloreshuntoon7698]

Wowsers!

[@icesk8mike]

The first miss America of the melenium

[@Parker528]

Millenium

[@jamalp1488]

Congrats to Miss Kentucky but Jade Simmons definitely should have won... true beauty, intelligence and grace.

[@emmarose4234]

Technically, weren’t Nicole and Heather both crowned in the 20th century? I’ll go sit in the corner and think about what I’ve done. No hard feelings for Donny and Marie...

[@Juliaflo]

2014-Centennial of the birth of Bert Parks.

[@twillacatron7596]

I met her

[@MichelleKrejci]

really? I know Taylor Henry

[@bingovegas4867]

Poor Heather, killed in a fall years later. So beautiful and married with young children. She was a wonderful Miss America.

[@VintageRose75]

Heather Renee French Henry is still very much alive.

[@rosieposie6671]

It was Leanza Cornet who died in a fall.

[@renegaderunner332]

Correct and she was the mother of two boys.

[@Haggiedc2]

Heather was great... I thought Illinois was slightly better..... but Heather was fierce.. so all good

[@cstoczyn]

RIP Bert Parks

[@antioneberry5278]

miss heather renee french is a young attractive woman👠.

[@Juliaflo]

I guess she uses her married name.

[@bdbj7]

It i sad that people are still talking about this.

[@MissSimAsiaPacific]

Nicole Looks diferent

[@cstoczyn]

Long Live Bert Parks!!!!

[@navopaba7661]

They all looked old ladies.

[@amandalamb5724]

Looks so dated but its not really

[@colleen4ever]

Was this that dreadful Miss America 2.0?!? Let me get this straight, her talent was a SCIENCE PROJECT?! And one that's all over youtube and that kids can do at HOME?!?! THAT'S A TALENT?!

[@SM-cs4bn]

dogfight

[@SM-cs4bn]

miss karen usa

[@johnredcorn9013]

Lol she married some old man and her career went down fast

[@taylorhenry1691]

who? heather? my mom? nope actually she's very much successful and happy.