Looking Back, June 8, 1984: Beauty queen Vanessa Williams visits New Bedford

If the June 9, 1984 Standard Times article covering 1984's Miss America Vanessa Williams' appearance a day earlier at the Miss Massachusetts Pageant at New Bedford's Zeiterion Theatre didn't get some readers' attention, a front page story and photo a month later on July 23, certainly did —and raised lots of eyebrows.

The story reported on the scandal that had been swirling around Williams like a tornado for several days — and the picture of her shown on the cover of the September 1984 Penthouse Magazine with a smiling George Burns (then 88) and the magazine headline reading, "Miss America, Oh God, She's Nude," probably caught more attention than preceding articles on the breaking story.

For it was nude pictures of Williams, taken two years prior to being crowned Miss America, that Penthouse announced it was publishing in its September 1984 issue, that caused 10 months in the warm limelight to turn into a long spell of cold spotlight.

In a Standard-Times story from July 24, 1984, a local reader of Penthouse was expecting what some might describe as tasteful and artistic nude photos, and said at an area newsstand before opening the magazine, "What's new about this? I can't see where a nude body is such a big deal. I don't see what the big stink is."

Then he opened the magazine and saw the 10 pages of photos featuring the beauty queen and another woman in compromising and uncompromising positions. "Ah, now I see why," he said. "I didn't know she posed like that."

A July 20 AP story in The Standard Times described the photos as "Nude photographs of Vanessa Williams in intimate scenes with another woman," and said that pageant officials were "extremely distressed" over the photos and were meeting on that day to decide whether to cut short the reign of Williams, then 21 and the first black Miss America. According to the New York Daily News, no other Miss America had ever been forced to resign.

The photos had been taken in 1982 by freelance photographer Tom Chiapel of New York and a spokesman for Williams had said that she considered the publishing of those photos by Penthouse as "unauthorized use" and an "invasion of her privacy."

Robert Guccione, publisher of the magazine, said he paid a lot for the pictures but wouldn't say how much. He also said there was nothing unauthorized about them and there was no invasion of privacy as he had a release form signed by Williams, claiming Penthouse had "every legal right" to publish the photos.

The next day, a story in The Standard-Times said that pageant officials indeed had decided to request that Williams resign within three days because of the photographs. Officials said the action was taken because she violated a morals clause in her contract by posing for the nude and erotic pictures.

"There is nothing coy about them," said Gucciome of the photos. "They're quite exciting." He also had claimed that Williams, who had worked as a makeup artist and receptionist for Chiapel, had insisted on having the photos taken. "She wanted them done."

Upon research of the photos that got Williams dethroned, one might understand the pageant's reasons for concern — especially in the tamer times 30 years ago, and considering there was a morals clause in her contract. The pictures included totally nude shots, sexual positions with another woman, and also photos of Williams dressed in a leather and steel ring harness.

After being asked to give up her crown, Williams, who lived in New York, had told the AP in an interview that she had forgotten all about the photo session. She argued that she did not recall signing that release and that the photos were not to be shown publicly. She also said she was told that she would not be identifiable in the photos. The revealing and unforgettable photos however, with her face (among other things) in full view may have hinted at a different story.

In that front page story on July 23 with the photo of Williams and George Burns on the magazine cover, the floundering Miss America was expected to announce her decision that day at a press conference, whether or not she would turn over her crown to the first runner up, Suzette Charles, Miss New Jersey.

Her announcement came the very day the September issue of Penthouse hit the newsstands, ahead of schedule. The story said vendors had reported brisk sales of the $4 magazines with 800 purchased at a stand in Dallas and 300 at one in Bridgeport, Conn.

The next day on July 24, a story in The Standard Times said that Miss New Jersey had taken Williams' place and had become the 58th Miss America, basically by default. Vanessa Williams had become the first black Miss America and was now the first Miss America ever forced to quit, ending her reign two months short.

Also on July 24, 1984, an evening edition Standard-Times story said that by 8:45 that morning, nine people had already gone to the Bristol Fruit newsstand in the city to see for themselves what all the fuss was about. Ken Martin, then owner of Cape News Co. of New Bedford, said he expected to sell out of the 5,000 copies he would be distributing in the New Bedford area and Cape Cod.

The New York Times reported in its Sept. 7, 1984 edition, that Williams had filed suit against the photographer, Tom Chiapel and that she also planned to sue Penthouse. People Magazine later said that Williams had filed a $400 million lawsuit against Chiapel and Penthouse but dropped the suit one year later as she said it was a "no win situation" and that she didn't want to relive the scandal and just wanted to get on with her life.

Williams recovered from the ordeal and launched a career as an entertainer, earning multiple Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nominations, becoming one of the most successful Miss America winners in the field of entertainment.

In the June 8, 1984 Standard-Times story on Williams' visit to New Bedford, then Mayor Brian J. Lawler had presented her with a key to the city at a luncheon at The Main Event restaurant and told her on behalf of the city that she would be welcomed back warmly at any time.