What do you think of Vanessa Williams?

Thank you, OP. I LOVE Vanessa.

I don’t have this album, but the Comfort Zone is top notch.

My friend knew someone who did he hair, very, very nice person. no diva attitude or anything.

R2 The Comfort Zone was one of the first CDs my parents bought for me. In the longbox packaging.

I like her -- and those Penthouse nudes were possibly the best thing to ever happen to her career.

She seems like a cool lady and I like how she sings "Somewhere There's a Place for Us." I liked her in "A Diva's Christmas" as well.

She looks like she's aging like a normal, beautiful woman. Face still looks like herself. Put on a little weight, but so what.

r6: A Capital Fourth?

Huckada bejeepers!

Her music is middle of the road 90’s AC. I don’t use it.

Meh. She's no Taylor Dayne, that's for sure.

I love her. And she got to fuck Rick Fox

I wonder if her version of girlfriend would’ve been better than the pebbles version of the song? Pebbles heard Vanessa recording the song and she stole the song by offering la Reid money, a car and her pussy. Pebbles couldn’t sing live.

Vanessa should’ve not leaned so heavy into adu,t contemporary music and gone back to the dance and r&b songs that were so good on her first two albums.

She got all the songs that Whitney, Celine, Mariah etc turned down. A few of them turned out to be decent hits ,so good for her.

R11 Vanessa seems to only be remembered for her ballads but she had some slammin singles. The Comfort Zone and Running Back To You and Work to Do.

I'm not surprised that Vanessa ended up singing AC and showtunes? Didn't she use to say that Babs was one of her favorite singers when she was growing up? I think she even sang Babs' slow version of Happy Days Are Here Again at the Miss America pageant.

I loved her first two albums when she was doing pop/R&B but when she started doing boring elevator music and standards I got bored with her. She seems lovely as a person though.

One thing I’ve noticed though is that she hasn’t posted any pictures of her husband in two years! Did they secretly divorce?

I love "Save the Best for Last."

Didn’t she lick some chick’s clit?

I met her backstage at Motown Returns ti the Apollo. Stone cold nasty bitch.

I saw her in ‘Into the Woods’ at the Ahmanson 20 years ago, and she was wonderful.

Multitalented--TV, Movies, Broadway, CDs

favorite song " dreamin"......

Met her once in a restaurant in NYC sometime in 2010. She was waiting for a table as was I. She was as nice as could be and TALL. We chatted and I told her I loved her single “Work To Do” and this, for some reason, cracked her up. She was laughing so hard one of her daughters said “mom stop it, you’re embarrassing me!” I was sorry to hear she did not get such great reviews for her event appearance in Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall.

She's always been good at spreading out her talent.

Pebbles sang fine live - and she wasn't a closet lesbian like Vanessa

^ THAT'S MAMA'S BABY!

- Wilma

[Quote]Pebbles heard Vanessa recording the song and she stole the song by offering la Reid money, a car and her pussy.

That made us bust out laughing. It's also very true.

[quote] Vanessa should’ve not leaned so heavy into adu,t contemporary music and gone back to the dance and r&b songs that were so good on her first two albums.

Her biggest hits were the adult contemporary songs

Legendary. Her becoming the most famous ex-Miss America is such delicious revenge.

Pebbles at the Apollo!

Love her. Beautiful lady, as well… still!

Loved her first three CDs.

Goddess!

Her first album The Right Stuff was made possible by the groundbreaking success of Janet's Control. Her video for "The Right Stuff" was a veritable note for note copy of Janet's "Nasty" video.

WHET Pebbles?

She's lovely.

I'm sad that she's aged out of whatever niche was serving her so well for years. She did a tour this year, apparently - I think she's on the sort of cabaret circuit now.

Loved her as Wilhelmina Slater.

[quote] WHET Pebbles?

She ripped off TLC and has been reaping the karma from that since.

It's weird that Vanessa didn't get good reviews for Whistle because everything she does in the theatre garners raves usually.

r34 Sister Perri", She founded Women of God Changing Lives (WOGCL) Ministries. Pebbles is an ordained minister.

Vanessa needs to try dance/pop/R&B again. She might have a resurgence with the gay audience.

[quote]I wonder if her version of girlfriend would’ve been better than the pebbles version of the song? Pebbles heard Vanessa recording the song and she stole the song by offering la Reid money, a car and her pussy. Pebbles couldn’t sing live.

Don't lie on Pebbles! She can sing live! Pebbles was way before her time. She actually wrote some of her songs and was the beginning of New Jill Swing. Beautiful!!!! And more alluring than Beyonce.

That said, Vanessa is awesome too. I love her fast songs mentioned above, but my favorite is her 1st single, The Right Stuff. I've seen her live a couple times but she never did that song live :(

r40. I saw her live in Vegas and the same thing - She didn't sing "The Right Stuff". WTF?!

Lovely person

Pebbles is a fucking ordained con artist, okay? Should it be any surprise that the role of minister is another trick up her sleave. And the museum with all the floor length pic of herself? One of the main tenets of any religion is selfLESSness.

Am I the only person sick and tired of liars, thieves, fakes-ass-poseurs, charlatans and the like doing so well in their chicanery?

Thank you for reading my mini rant...it was therapeutic.

[quote][R40]. I saw her live in Vegas and the same thing - She didn't sing "The Right Stuff". WTF?!

Maybe because it has so many samples in it. It came out when sampling hit big.

Someone told me recently they saw her live and she did sing it though.

And Pebbles can do no wrong in my book!

r43. If she IS a FUCKING con artist, then she is smarter than most people. Im sick of dumb fucking people that put a dollar in the alleged con artist pocket and don't accept any blame. More power to Sister Pebbles if these dumb fucks can't see thru lthe iars, thieves, fakes-ass-poseurs, charlatans and the like. Wake the fuck up, people!

I think she was an idiot to run for Miss America when she knew there were graphic lesbo sex pictures of her in existence. Did she actually think that after she became Miss America those photos would never be exposed? What an idiot.

[quote] Met her once in a restaurant in NYC sometime in 2010. She was waiting for a table as was I. She was as nice as could be and TALL. We chatted and I told her I loved her single “Work To Do” and this, for some reason, cracked her up. She was laughing so hard one of her daughters said “mom stop it, you’re embarrassing me!” I was sorry to hear she did not get such great reviews for her event appearance in Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall.

Are you sure it was her? She is not tall.

"Running Back to You" was a fun dance single

Yes, it was a Janet copycat song, but I still think it's underrated.

No one thinks of her.

R46 And the Miss America Pageant has since apologized to her, just as they will someday apologize to me for rejecting me over that fisting video.

Her lean into AC was the best thing for her. She got substantive material that she can still perform today. I've seen her live a few times -- lovely voice, studied talent -- I think she is right where she's supposed to be.

r50 = Pebbles, wherever she is

Gorgeous woman, middling singer, fair actress.

Essentially great for tv presentation (maybe a revamp of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous or Entertainment Tonight), but who does that anymore?

The money and cars pebbles gave la Reid for girlfriend came from pebbles husband who she started fucking when his first wife was dying of cancer. She dumped him not long after for la Reid.

Pebbles was, is, and will always be a scheming, hateful CUNT.

Well, at least the gays love me.

I remember a drag queen doing Jody's "Don't You Want Me" as "Jody Watley! Who's Jody Watley?"

According to the coveted rag "Hollywood Life" she is still married to BDF husband Jim.

Her ex was hotter but probably cheated on her constantly.

According to two performers who worked with her, she loves the gays!

Beautiful, cool and classy but also had a wild side. She kept her composure despite prudish conservatives trying to destroy her and she got the last laugh as she became a successful recording artist and acclaimed actress on stage and film. Vanessa, Shari Headley, Iman and Whitney Houston were the most beautiful black women of the 80s.

Love her. I really enjoyed this piece about her and "Save the Best for Last" from a few months ago.

Happy birthday, lady!

[...]

[quote]Vanessa, Shari Headley, Iman and Whitney Houston were the most beautiful black women of the 80s.

You forgot two...

.....

[...]

[quote]Her becoming the most famous ex-Miss America is such delicious revenge.

Oh really? What about ME?

r69, Vanessa Williams is more famous than some talking bobblehead from a white supremacist cable network only watched by a few million people.

I LOVED "Running Back to You," R13. Our local drag queens ate it up when it came out.

I know some might hate this but Vanessa has her coterie of gay men she loves to have get togethers with, some in LA and a some in New York. She is the quintessential "hag". Sweet lady.

Pebbles is one of the worst grifters that I’ve ever seen in my life. Before she was famous, she was engaged to a drug dealer that got sent to San Quentin. She had the affair with the wealthy married man with the wife dying of cancer. She apparently took all of the wife’s clothing and jewelry after she died. The bitch took all of TLC’s money, then sued Viacom for portraying her as dishonest in the biopic (they settled for an undisclosed amount of money). Now she has that fake church con game running. She is worse than the inventing Anna woman. It would make a great series, but will have to wait until she’s dead because she will sue.

The series can be made using all the facts, you just make sure to change the details.

Is she so depraved she'd out herself as the subject of the story to sue a production for portraying a character that is like her?

[quote][R66] Janet isn't beautiful.

Nigga please. You done bumped your head.

I knew Pebbles had become a sister of the church, but I had no idea she was such a stunt queen, R73. She sounds like Real Housewives material.

[...]

Janet Jackson is good looking, but with help from a surgeon’s knife.

Janet was pretty with a sexy body. Not beautiful like Vanessa Williams or Iman or Whitney Houston or Naomi Campbell. Janet didn't play up her sex appeal until the Love Will Never Do Without You video.

EXCUSE ME

THIS THREAD IS ABOUT ME! ME! ME!

Great interview with Pebbles, if she IS a grifter, she damn good at it!

Janet is naturally beautiful. She was beautiful before and after the nose job. Her legendary smile alone is more captivating than the smiles of any other women named in this thread.

[quote] I think she was an idiot to run for Miss America when she knew there were graphic lesbo sex pictures of her in existence. Did she actually think that after she became Miss America those photos would never be exposed? What an idiot.

Probably other contestants (and Miss Americas) also had skeletons in their closets that just never came out. If she hadn't become Miss America, dethroned or not, she would not have had the career she had.

Height: she's supposedly 5'5" or 5'6".

The poster who says anyone who hasn't lived the life of a nun should squash their entertainment ambitions for fear of sCaNdLe!!!! is a special kind of stupid.

Loved her in Desperate Housewives.

There's nothing good about hurting other people just to benefit your own objectives. Your own self, R181!

I wish she would do more dance music. Yeah, she recorded some pretty-sounding pop ballad standards like Colors of the Wind, The Sweetest Days and Save The Best For Last which will probably be covered for eternity. But her first two albums were fun as hell.

Poor Vanessa lost her pop music momentum by the late 1990s.

shes 59!

And looks way better than a certain pop superstar......

Beautiful eyes, magnificent tits, and a lovely singing voice. I always hated that she was stripped of her Miss America title. Sail on, silver girl.

Gorgeous, talented, lovely woman. She is one of the most successful former Miss Americas. Fuck those Miss America assholes.

Every time there's a Vanessa thread it seems dozens of people have testament to the fact that she's pleasant, professional, down to earth, talented, and hard-working.

I do remember the crew gift at the end of "Desperate Housewives." Vanessa wasn't one of the four core Housewives but the gifts (nice luggage) came with tags that said "Eva, Felicity, Marcia and Vanessa." I'm sure she wasn't making the money of the originals but I thought it was incredibly classy that she chipped in the same (I assume).

Why don't you gays ever talk about me???

[quote] Beautiful, cool and classy but also had a wild side. She kept her composure despite prudish conservatives trying to destroy her and she got the last laugh as she became a successful recording artist and acclaimed actress on stage and film.

I enjoyed when she got the pageant to publicly apologize to her and her mother. Nerves of steel. It took a minute but she bent them to her will. The best revenge is REVENGE!!!

I didn't know about that apology, R94.

damn it someone is cutting onions in here......

She still licked pussy.

Simulated r96 and what’s wrong with licking pussy, I don’t do it but a lot of people do. Did you have to change your moms jumbo sized sanitary pads as a kid or something?

She hit me in the head with a fondue pot.

Because R93, who plays piano in the dark?

Her decision to sing AC / MOR pop and standards might have been smart because she still gets steady work as a singer. Maybe she isn't selling out arenas but she seems to do OK with her singing engagements. The more R&B leaning singers of her era couldn't maintain any kind of steady success on the charts, not even someone as talented as Toni Braxton who had to branch out into acting and do reality shows. And Brandy who now does "concerts" in her bathroom while sitting on the toilet.

Meek moenay. Dahllahs. Every tieeme. Sayin?

[quote] Because [R93], who plays piano in the dark?

This lousy dude who finds his way to the piano just as I try to creep out in the middle of the night...he keeps pulling me back to love him.

[quote] Well, at least the gays love me.

We do, Jody, because you made us gay with your fierce music videos.

When did she drop the L ?

The Sweetest Days is a lovely song. She went through a lot early on and came through it with grace. I recall an interview she did with her parents. They were very supportive and probably helped provide a solid foundation. I love her.

R104, I think it was within a few years of going pro. She had to use it because there was another Vanessa Williams actress.

I wonder what agreement way made to allow her to get rid of the L

The other Vanessa Williams must have often faced disappointment when everyone saw her and realized she was not THE Vanessa Williams. The other Vanessa's career peak was playing Rhonda the Cardio Funk aerobics instructor on the first season of Melrose Place.

R107, she also had success with the cable show Soul Food. Which, ironically, was based on the film that starred our Vanessa. That show ran for a while. And it was certainly better than Melrose Place.

Nessa Williams have worked for one of them.

The lovely Vanessa Williams is proof that one can remain kind, professional and considerate even while being talented and successful, given the number of excuses fans make for the bad behavior and monstrous ego of other famous performers.

R104 she had to use the “L” for awhile with acting roles because the other Vanessa had registered the name with SAG first . The issue went into arbitration and eventually it was ruled that both women could use the name.

[quote] The other Vanessa's career peak was playing Rhonda the Cardio Funk aerobics instructor on the first season of Melrose Place.

Melrose Place was certainly not the brown skinned Vanessa Williams’s career peak. People who know her work barely know she was a regular during the first season of that. As someone upthread said, she starred in the tv series version of Soul Food for five seasons and won an NAACP Image award for her work. She also turned in excellent performances in New Jack City, the original Candyman and was recently in the reboot as well. And, like the light skinned Vanessa, she also still looks fabulous.

Vanessa E. Williams (the brown one) was the girl in DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” video.

And she’s just as beautiful as Miss America Vanessa.

She's no Sheila E!

R106 At least she didn't have to take a stage name like I did.