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Vanessa: Vanessa Williams
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Light-eyed, sultry Vanessa Williams was the first African-American to win the Miss America crown (1983). She was forced to turn in her tiara after Penthouse magazine published nude photos of her, but she bounced back with a successful career as a singer, starting with the 1988 dance-pop album The Right Stuff and including the album The Comfort Zone (1991) and the song "Colors of the Wind" from the Disney feature Pocahontas (1995). The 1990s saw Williams branch out into Broadway and make a respectable go at the movies, playing semi-tough babes opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser (1996) and Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft (2000). She has since had a successful career in television, including guest shots, a 2003 series (Boomtown) and an Emmy-nominated role in Ugly Betty (2007, starring America Ferrera).
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Jason Alexander, Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, Jason Danieley, Josh Groban, Angela Lansbury, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Bernadette Peters, Emmy Rossum, Elaine Stritch and Vanessa Williams were among those who performed in honor of Mr. Sondheim. The performers were accompanied by The Los Angeles Philharmonic with Paul Gemignani as Musical Director and Conductor. The event was produced and directed by Paul Lazarus.
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In 1988 Vanessa's debut album "The Right Stuff" was released. It won her a new image – a more playful, funky and sexy Vanessa Williams. Her single "Dreaming" hit #1 in the charts.
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Albert Reed was spotted at Entertainment Weekly's bash in Hollywood with celebrities Heidi Klum, Isaiah Washington, America Ferrera, Vanessa Williams, Robert Duvallto to name a few. Marc Malkin from E-Online chats with Albert about his upcoming appearance on Dancing with the Stars.
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