Fmr. Miss America Winners Speak Out Amid Controversy About The Pageant's Leaders | Megyn Kelly TODAY

[@G_mpDWLe111]

Anyone else think it’s ironically funny that the two “mean girls” of The Miss America Pageant are named Gretchen and Regina??

[@Luvbengs1]

Elizabeth Martin 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@megandunklin6147]

But that Regina's dad didn't invented toaster strudel

[@Digimonisbetterthanpokemon]

I know I'm late to the party but I was drinking water and choked from laughing so hard. Thank you!

[@rightasrain3680]

Suzette Charles Is so incredibly articulate. She should be the CEO.

[@P00katube]

And Suzette should rightfully and LEGALLY restore the title of Miss America 1984 back to Vanessa Williams!!!!!!

[@annewalker9221]

Joseph Dugan really? Did Mrs. Williams have her title taken from her? If so that’s sad. Mrs. Williams showed them up! Yay!!!

[@annewalker9221]

Vivian Winho thank you. ;)

[@P00katube]

@@annewalker9221 Vanessa Williams was forced to hand over her title to Suzette Charles because somebody leaked nude photo of Vanessa Williams to Penthouse.

[@monilaninetynine3811]

@@P00katube I thought she did.

[@Selahsmum]

I still remember when heather whitestone won! As a young girl seeing a deaf young woman be so accomplished including being aballet dancer, was so inspirational to me.

[@emmarose4234]

Life At Home, the best part was that she chose to use her talent to witness to others about Jesus Christ. ☺️ (I wasn’t born until after she had become Miss America, but I love her sooooo much!)

[@taurahelms3068]

I remember watching Heather Whitestone McCallum will Miss America when I was a teenager. She won for Alabama and I was born and raised there. I am so proud. Some people like to think that Alabama is a backward state with no redemption due to its past and for that moment in 1995, Heather Whitestone was a bright shining star that proved that we could be progressive. She still is.

[@a32tl]

Heather Whitestone's Miss America victory in '95 was the best win ever in the pageant's history. Her talent performance was AWESOME! She was an exquisite contestant and shone more brightly that night than any other girl there. Not knocking the other contestants, it was simply Heather's night to shine the brightest! She was full of grace and truly captured the hearts of Americans that night!

[@emmarose4234]

Andy Jacobs, YES! Heather Whitestone (or Heather Whitestone McCallum, as she is known now) is so stinking sweet!!! 😍

[@janemariecox6547]

Heather is still beautiful and so classy. Suzette looks great too even though she got it by default when Vanessa Williams was forced to resign

[@bdavis8397]

That's not default it's the rules. Suzette Charles is articulate and extremely talented the embodiment of Miss America.

[@janemariecox6547]

@@bdavis8397 I never said she wasn't talented or beautiful. She's very gracious and articulate. But she didn't "win" the 1984 pageant. She is still a Miss America.

[@Melinda8162]

@@janemariecox6547 Suzette was FIRST runner up and, IMO she should have won! Williams knew she could be eliminated if they knew before the pageant she had posed nude....she tried to hide it. Suzette is the better choice!! And, was absolutely gorgeous when she won! Still is! ( " Actions have consequences"!!).

[@janemariecox6547]

@@Melinda8162 Hey I like Vanessa and Suzette. They were both very good in the 1984 pageant. Could have gone either way.

[@emmarose4234]

Jane Marie Cox, I LIKE THEM BOTH TOO!

[@dehende07]

This sounds Mighty familiar, the two bullies was Gretchen & Regina.....AKA MEAN GIRLS👀

[@ca8824]

Life imitates art.

[@kayaneubrand8661]

dehende07 haha my thoughts exactly!!!!

[@misstee101]

I'm with Suzette and Heather and Cara!

[@georgerobbins3198]

She is still one of our heroes and a great representative for Alabama. She slayed every category, but we thought they would never crown her because she was deaf. Thankfully, we were wrong. I will never forget her homecoming. Her parade was the longest ever, from one end of the state to the other.

[@emmarose4234]

George Robbins, she did a food safety PSA a while ago. It’s so cute!

[@Rachel0731]

Funny that even though she’s hearing impaired, I can still hear her southern accent. ☺️

[@MalloryNewcomb]

Heather Whitestone seems like a sweetheart & such an inspiration 💕

[@junkboy555]

I know Vanessa Williams is somewhere thinking, “At least I’m not Gretchen Carlson !!!! (DROPS MIC)”

[@CherokeeBird]

Both ladies are still very beautiful. My hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama, is where Heather went to school, Jacksonville State University. We sure were proud of her when she won. Having a deaf older brother, she was an inspiration

[@elissaharbuck2170]

She graduated from my high school in Hoover, AL and trained at the dance studio my sister danced at! Such a small world ❤

[@ElSmusso]

Heather is still beautiful, & a hero for overcoming her impairment.

[@marie6226]

ElSmusso A lot of Deaf people feel that it isn't an impairment or disability, and are proud of being Deaf

[@emmarose4234]

I don’t view Heather as a hero for “overcoming” her disability, but for not being ashamed to share God’s love with others. ❤️

[@Divainlaw]

Anyone else see the coincidence that Regina and Gretchen are also the names of two of three “Plastics” in the movie Mean Girls?

[@taurahelms3068]

Gretchen Carlson gives off the vibe as a person who is deep down insecure and angry. You should not use your position as a bully pulpit to silence people who don't think the same as you.

[@andym.3711]

Wait wait so no one is going to point out the fact the the “mean girls” in this situation are Gretchen and Regina? 😂

[@MTknitter22]

Thank you Heather and Suzette. It took guts to tell the truth and name the names. You are both lovely !!

[@seanspeaks8334]

Both Suzette and Heather look gorgeous.

[@emmarose4234]

Sean Speaks, YES THEY DO!

[@amandahuginkiss8561]

Heather Whitestone is beautiful and classy!

[@emmarose4234]

Amanda Huginkiss, you bet! Love your username. PUT DOWN YOUR GLASSES! IVANA TINKLE!

[@ashtonlagleva3158]

I believe Cara. Gretchen Carlson, Regina Hopper, and the entire board needs to resign!

[@lashayjohnson4403]

Cara didnt need to resign

[@pamfoster4460]

@@lashayjohnson4403 Cara did NOT give up the crown and completed her reign, but her and Nia were silenced and the New Miss America is going to have the same fate if Regina has her way, due to being a Gretchen Carlson puppet.

[@Thatonemomcarri]

This needs to be a movie

[@blinkybill2198]

Do you mean "Mean Girls 2"?

[@Thatonemomcarri]

Blinky Bill yes!!

[@fortheloveofgod7258]

I❤Suzette Charles. She is very beautiful and intelligent. She represents the Miss America organization brilliantly.

[@virginiaalvarez9651]

Suzette Charles it’s really great, well spoken, pretty and know perfectly what she says !!!!

[@janemariecox6547]

Heather and Suzette need to take over the leadership. They obviously care a great deal for the pageant and have worked hard for it. Gretchen sucks....I hate the name Gretchen. Sounds like a 90 yr old womans name lol

[@knownothingish]

Gretchen is the name of the one of the characters in Mean Girls.

[@iDalisMediaTV]

GRETHEN is a bully and she should be ashamed....really she should have apologized immediately , She just ruined her position in the me too movement FOREVER. Check out SUZETTE CHARLES...an AMERICAN HERO IN ALL OF THIS...yes GRETHCEN should resign....for sure..

[@ronyeahright9536]

Gretchen is completely full of herself, and thinks this "me too" crap has made her bullet proof.....didn't take long for someone to knock her off of her high horse.

[@AkSonya1010]

This is really sad if you take away bathing suits, evening gowns and then Miss Americas platform what do you have; absolutely nothing. I am glad this is being exposed so maybe they can go back and make it better. Miss America at a local Dairy Queen that is ridiculous and sad. The whole point to her reign is to bring awareness to her platform.

[@ronyeahright9536]

Yeah, take away bathing suits and evening gowns, and maybe you can show some heifer with a big nose and acne reading a book and juggling.

[@Datblondeone]

With none of those, What’s a pageant then?

[@ronyeahright9536]

Well, well....what do you know. Turns out miss " me too", champion of women's rights, Gretchen Carlson, disgruntled , fired, former employee of Fox News...is herself not only a bully and a villain, but a bully and villain of young women trying to earn scholarship money for college. Ain't that a fine kettle of fish.

[@burymedeep-be7dm]

Gretchen needs to go!

[@FzyonZarzuelaFernandez]

News FLASH she already resigned as MISS AMERICA CHAIRWOMAN last June 5th!! 🤣🤣😳😳🤪🤪

[@pamfoster4460]

@@FzyonZarzuelaFernandez Yes, she did, but the destruction she and Regina did STILL exists and local/regional/state and National is paying the price for it.

[@Nelsonhmhpub]

Suzette Charles still looks great after all those years !

[@dadyarusski4594]

Yes!!! Smart girl for writing that letter! Smart former Miss America's for protecting the institution! And, I hope they give Gretchen and Regina the boot!😼🍶👑💖

[@emmarose4234]

For all y’all fans of Heather: she did a Got Milk? print ad in 1994, milk mustache and all. It’s soooooo adorable.

[@Timotimo101]

have always admired Suzette Charles and Heather Whitestone ... two favorite Miss Americas although I do know that Suzette became a MA by default. Even so, a favorite.

[@ignacioc.delacruz1042]

It is just ironic that both Megyn and Gretchen were involved in the Fox news scandal and now I bet Megyn felt like the very thing that they fought against at FOX news, Gretchen then became the bully.

[@beckymigdal4435]

Bill oreilly must be laughing his head off.

[@annewalker9221]

Becky Migdal that is so so funny

[@Splintz4daWintz]

yup

[@YolandaAdamsfan]

I don't know why, considering all the settlement money he's paid out and his loufas...

[@dianabrown2258]

It's the pageant girls like Gretchen who ruin pageants for the Heather and Suzettes (which there are far more of!)

[@knownothingish]

Gretchen and Regina. Two of the Mean Girls.

[@merricat3025]

Gretchen is self serving. Always had been

[@Beltfedshooters]

It was doomed when they got rid of the swim suit competition.

[@CJJohnson-tt6xs]

Cj What is going on with pageantry these days? Being a former pageant queen & still a pageant queen at the age of 75 years old I am still an adventurous girl ,it is really ashamed that these pageants have gotten to be the way they are. I will pray for these pageants now;because we really do need it now for pageantry.

[@laurelgrace900]

#standwithcara

[@personaldove]

Roger Ailes must be smiling somewhere. Oh and O'Reilly must be laughing right now.

[@DriveAustra]

Thanks to this enlightening interview, a plethora of inaccuracies surrounding the Miss America Pageant have been brought to the forefront, prompting a departure from its conventional characterization as a mere "pageant." The transformative changes undertaken included the removal of the runway, the cessation of the swimsuit competition, and the termination of the evening gown segment. Of particular significance is the revelation by former Miss America Mallory Hagan, who was crowned as Miss America 2013 while representing Miss New York 2012. Hagan asserted that she experienced body shaming (in my opinion, possibly due to significant weight gain during her 12-month reign as Miss America) and attributed the swimsuit competition as a catalyst for contestants adopting unhealthy nutritional practices and exercise routines in their quest for victory. The desperate pursuit of pageant success led some participants to embrace inadequate eating habits, such as subsisting on iceberg lettuce and a daily cheese cube, in order to maintain an excessively thin physique ideal for winning the swimsuit competition. It is my belief that these young ladies should have been better educated at the state level before entering Miss America. This, in my view, constitutes unfair judgment within the pageant. Ultimately, Mallory's revelations, coupled with the modifications made by Gretchen Carlson, the former CEO, inadvertently provided a platform for the Me Too Movement. This movement gained significant momentum and posed a considerable threat to the longstanding 100-year legacy of the Miss America Pageant in the United States. I applaud Heather Whitestone McCallum, Miss America 1995, and Suzette Charles, Miss America 1984 (who replaced Vanessa Williams following her resignation) for speaking out publicly about the unfortunate direction the pageant had taken in recent years. Thanks to the recent appointment of Robin Fleming, a former director of Miss Florida USA with experience from the MISS USA system, the program has been successfully turned around. She has worked diligently to restore the important traditions that made the Miss America Pageant a household name and a family event. While she still faces challenges, such as transitioning the program back from "Competition" to "Pageant" and expanding the runway even further to align more closely with the traditional runway, and revisiting the Miss America anthem, her efforts are commendable. The Miss America 2024 pageant was an exceptional production, and we now have one of the most intelligent and ambitious Miss Americas ever, who serves as an incredible role model not just for young girls, but for boys and girls who dare to dream.

[@thomascampr]

ME TOO PROPAGANDA is ruining everything.

[@ca8824]

The local Diary Queen bit is unbelievable. That makes me think it's hard to deny real mismanagement here.

[@gwp5066]

but that is poor management not bullying.

[@ItsMe-qb6gl]

To be fair, Dairy Queen and Children’s Miracle Network hospitals have had a partnership campaign for several years and the Dairy Queen appearances were to promote that, as Miss America has been the Goodwill Ambassador for CMN hospitals for several years.

[@Splintz4daWintz]

All of Mis America contestants are absolutely beautiful people in every way. It's so sad they have to tolerate corrupt leadership. Leave the swimsuit competition alone.

[@Farrah300]

And the Evening Gown Competition too.

[@wadisanaa]

Gretchen struck me as an rude even when she was on Fox ….. and she was miss America ...how is that possible ?

[@ronyeahright9536]

she looks like a man in drag

[@song4you80]

Put the beautiful and talented Vanessa Williams in office she will take care of it dignity and pose. She the only Miss America. And that Suette Charles was in the position for 7 weeks she has no business to say a thing about anything.

[@dadyarusski4594]

Ha ha! Gretchen is finding out she should have checked with the other Miss Americas, before she started changing things! 😄🍸🌹🇺🇸💖

[@gwp5066]

Why are the former Miss Americas dictating how this thing is run? They are acting incredibly entitled. It's like all the former prom queens going to the student council and telling them how to decorate for the prom!

[@littlesinga]

george partridge Because the pageant has a standard that’s been in place for over 90 years. And suddenly this person comes in and completely destroys everything the organization stands for.

[@memomourcrazylife7754]

Karen Feck - it might be stupid - but they've let Vanessa Williams go a month or so to go in her reign.

[@mariaa.salazar3486]

It’s not that Miss America that I watched growing up sorry I have to say

[@myrootsgraspNewsoil]

maybe they can start to mud wrestle and fight these things out? And finally make Miss America really great! 🙌

[@dolcevitausa6448]

This is exactly what Miss USA organization is going through in 2024 with Laylah Rose..

[@dansby37]

And the same outcome needs to be done at Miss USA, that I has been done at Miss America, fire and overhaul the entire leadership of the organization. I always notice that Miss USA do follow what "big sister" Miss America does, so I hope in this instance, former Miss USA's do what former Miss America's did and put the heat on the Miss USA organization and cause change.

[@meganpeters6597]

#istandwithcara

[@RachelDavisMatthews]

Gretchen Carlson has always been about Gretchen Carlson - if the ratings are up for the broadcast its only because of the controversy, but I doubt they will be - and then we can say bye bye to that opportunist who only won her title because they threw out the Interview scores that year.

[@gwp5066]

Hate to tell you: all Miss Americas are pretty much all about themselves especially the ones putting themselves out there now trying to dictate how the pageant is managed. I have a lot more respect for the ones who have kept quiet and realize they had the job for one year and moved on.

[@emac543]

They really should have removed the swimsuit competition. It's just not relevant and is demeaning as part of a scholarship competition.

[@P00katube]

When Vanessa Williams was COERCED to surrender her title of Miss America 1984, the Miss America Pageant started it's long and swift decline.

[@ashleyfarco7602]

I know I’m super late here. I’m hard of hearing/DeaF. I don’t know why Megyn chose to say hearing impaired since that term is very offensive Deaf/deaf/hard of hearing people. Ugh!

[@maggievp]

I agree, but it’s all in the perspective of the deaf person. Some deaf people don’t mind the term hearing impaired. Ask them how they preferred to be introduced as.

[@ashleymitts]

So is Gretchen still part of Miss America

[@itsjemmabond]

I don't think so.

[@frankwebb1014]

I know it wasn't your fault. Hyper sensitive. - Gholos

[@angelaschrade5679]

?????????????

[@jasons6460]

Without being told, nobody would believe these two women were Miss America when they were young. I am not trying to degrade them. I just think, before your thirties, your look and appearance are mostly given by your parents, while after that, your are the only person who makes you how you look.there is another theory that if you wanna know how your girlfriend would look like in thirty years, just look at her mother.

[@lorirees4248]

Jason Song this statement is a bit ridiculous. I would believe it. Both of these women are beautiful. They were crowned 34 and 25 years ago. I’m not sure how you would expect them to look or age. Do you think they have let themselves go?

[@MalloryNewcomb]

Yeah they look like normal, middle age white and/or biracial women. If you are talking about youthful beauty, then yeah maybe it doesn’t make sense but that’s where you have to go look at their images when they are young. But they did not PEAK at 25 or whatever age they got the crown.. I see how they were both Miss America’s because you have to be smart and classy and know how to brand yourself to be Miss America. Both of them have that inner graciousness that makes them beautiful though they now possess a more mature kind of look. Still two very attractive, well put-together women.

[@CJJohnson-tt6xs]

Cj 👑🏆💐💄💅👠👄💋

[@annewalker9221]

Two ppl can’t share the crown. I thought this was a train wreck when the CEOs emails were published. Then I thought what’s the point of this pageant and then she brought up scholarships. I have been treated poorly when I did a couple pageants but I think that just comes with being around a bunch a bunch of girls and all trying to get a crown. And win. It’s sad because it’s just whoever the judges pick that night and everyone worked so hard

[@ShoppersL]

Good job Gretchen! Outer beauty isn’t the real deal. Women can’t support “metoo movement” and then support ppl judging women’s bodies at the same time?? Women are more than their bodies.

[@dianabrown2258]

...never been to a pageant I guess

[@bdavis8397]

If you want to change the basics of Miss America start another pageant. The Miss America pageant is talent, self expression and physical fitness. If you want to watch Jeopardy then change the channel. Removing the pageantry from the pageant is contradictory.

[@markallen4356]

Nobody said it was all about their bodies.but why should anyone be ashamed of being pretty.i doubt if all entrants are dumb or uneducated.a lot will be smart and frankly if they want to enter beauty contests or anything else why shouldn't they.i gets a bit monotonous when people are constantly degrading for the terrible crime of being attractive.

[@ronyeahright9536]

what about faces? if the contest should not have anything to do with "outward physical appearance" as gretchen said....then that means facial looks as well. Cant wait to see the next crop of contestants; crooked teeth, big noses, acne and double chins for miles. What a show.

[@BrittKatSlat]

Next story...

[@peterschiff4236]

Congratulations you have won Miss America.... eh?

[@elainejames5426]

Is Gretchen cleaning house?

[@NewAgeGigolo]

GO WOKE......GO BROKE

[@annewalker9221]

When is a law suit starting or has it started lol

[@al11220]

#metoo

[@user-ld7uj9pv8e]

Thought groping by el presidente Trump would come up.

[@ronyeahright9536]

only by deranged liberals still in full tantrum mode since election night

[@ca8824]

In 2018 why wouldn't a woman of color or an LGBT woman lead this organization?? What ever happened to representation of the intersectionality ethos. M.A. needs to pick a side are you going to be a serious institution about women's societal contribution or are you going to be a glamorous pagent? Right now youre failing at both.

[@janemariecox6547]

Suzette would be great as CEO

[@ca8824]

@@r.b.7633 Yeah, thats a poor, transparent, and frankly pathetic way to try to misguide the argument. I mean ultimately all that would be true except for one big glaring reality you left out. Minorities have historically been both intentionally and unintentionally excluded. Systems were designed to prevent or hamper their success. So it takes an intentional level of work to undo that long-standing and built-in bias. "Yes Blacks/Women were discriminated against previously but thats all over now!" - Non-Blacks/Women of Every Generation. So thats my rebuttal. Either youre going to continue to insist upon bigotry or you're going to act against it. Thats a choice you have to make. All the best!

[@Duluth218]

Has Sarah Huckabee ever thought of starting a Miss Fat Middle Age America?

[@littlesinga]

Live From Iqaluit Ugh, go away you sick pig!

[@beths3288]

Really? A serious discussion about a beauty pageant? Speaks volumes about how American women continue to view themselves - as decoration rather than as power and equality. Pageants are stupid. The people who participate in them do so for stupid reasons. There's no getting away from that. In what career would it be helpful having "Winner of Miss America" on your resume, other than as a star of a Real Housewives reality show?

[@Doris1888]

Well then Gretchen Carlson must be stupid because she entered the Miss American Pageant and had no problem wearing an swimsuit and evening gown when she entered it.

[@MB-le1vg]

#(pound)metoo

[@nigeluchiha2386]

She looks like the great value brand of Angelina Jolie.