You Have No Idea: A Famous Daughter, Her No-Nonsense Mother, and How They Survived Pageants, Hollywood, Love, Loss (33 page)

Devin, the most stylish son a mother could ask for. Your panache, love for the finer things in life, and music will take you far. I have no doubt all of your dreams will come true.

Sasha, your exuberance is infectious. You always give me a funny story to tell, your smile lights up a room, and I will always be your biggest fan in your fan club … superstar!

Irene, we did it between kids’ schedules, the 101/405 chaos, and coast-to-coast sit-downs. Brava!

And the incomparable Brian Edwards, who is solely responsible for getting this book handed in on time! Your tireless effort, attention to detail, and quirky Southern phrases always charm the hell out of everyone you deal with. Your recollections are outstanding, and I couldn’t have completed this without you at the helm. Thanks for your dedication, loyalty, and friendship through almost thirty years!

Vanessa Williams

To all the teachers who paved my life path for the love of music, books, and a desire to be a constant learner.

Brian Edwards, I could not do this without your guidance and detailed management skills.

Irene, you made the words flow in my voice.

My “peeps” (you know who you are) for the support and encouragement to make this project possible.

Big hugs, much love, and sincere “thanks” to you all.

Helen Williams

SPECIAL THANKS

D
ebbie Allen; Chuck Amos; Gena Avery; Andrea Barzvi and Jennifer Joel at ICM; Betsy Berg; Kate Best; Amber Brockman, Alexandra Marcus, and the PMK-BNC Team; Brad Cafarelli, Lucian Capellaro; Diahann Carroll; Michael Chanslor and Viral Video; Kristin Chenoweth; Marc Cherry; Linda Chester; Bettina Cirone; Sam Fine; Lauren Feinstein and the Crush Brands Team; Geordie Frey; Liz Germano; Karen Gottlieb; Michael Gruber; Bruce Hanson; Sam Haskell; Jason Hoffman and the ABC/Disney TV Photo Department; Scott Hoover; Gary Jaffe; Oscar James; Mike Jelline and the UTA Team; Caytha Jentis; Travers Johnson, Beth Parker, Erica Ferguson, and the Gotham/Penguin Team; Scott Jones; Kyle Kogan; Andrew Leff and Kyle Whitney; Bonnie MacIsaac, Sharon Pearce, and Liz Puro; Ana Martinez-Holler, Johnny Grant, and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; Kathi Mead; Deborah Medeiros-Baker; Lee Meriwether; George Miserlis; Jim Morey; The NAACP; Ron Nash; Maura Olson; Frank Pulice; Ellie Ross; Lisa Ross-Strother; Mike Ruiz; Maria Shriver; Diane Sims; Midge Stevenson; Tim Thayer; Carmen Marc Valvo; and Ise Michelle White

INDEX

Note: Page numbers in
italics
indicate photographs.

Abdul, Paula, 157, 160

abortion, 136–37

acting career.
See
television career; theater career;
specific titles

adolescence of Vanessa, 110–13, 115–16

Alabama, 47

Ali, Muhammad,
34

“All My Tomorrows,” 232

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 275

Anderson, Loni, 159,
161

Another You,
161
, 171

Arkin, Matt, 114

Assante, Armand, 210

Astaire, Fred, 108

Atlantic City, New Jersey, 28, 31

Avery, Gena, 212, 213, 228–29

ballet, 67, 93, 155

Banks, Tyra, 211

Barber, Samuel, 73–74

Barsha, Debra, 152

Bartel, Jean, 51

Barton, Larry, 60–61

Battles, Pam,
35

the Beatles, 78

“Being Good Isn’t Good Enough,” 23, 25

Belanoff, Adam, 114

Bennett, Tony, 49

Berlinger, Joe, 114

Best, Kate, 210

“Betcha Never,” 182

bike accident, 1–3, 4

Billboard,
153, 157, 168–69

birth of Vanessa, 31, 73–74,
75

boyfriends.
See
Hanson, Bruce; Joe (boyfriend); Solimine, Chris

Bradley, Tom,
34

Broadway.
See
theater career

Brock, Lou, 61

Brown, Tony, 69

Bryson, Peabo, 169

Bucatinsky, Dan, 114

Bullock, Sandra, 213

Burns, George, 40

Bush, Barbara, 48, 49

Bush, George H. W., 48, 49

Bush, George W., 49,
55

Bush, Laura,
55

Bushnell, Candace, 258

Bye Bye Birdie,
276

Caan, James, 61

Calloway, Vanessa Bell,
162

“Can This Be Real?,” 154

Carroll, Diahann, 20, 223, 225–26

Carson, Johnny, 45–46, 60

Carstens, Karl, 48

Carter, Jimmy, 50,
54

Carter, Lynda, 159,
161

Caterson, Lynn, 27–28

Catholicism, 119, 136, 137, 219, 222

CBS News, 38, 41

celebrity of Vanessa, 47–48

chaperones, 8, 27–28, 44, 47, 69, 139

Chapman, Nicole, 156

Chappequa, New York

and family life, 233, 264

and Thanksgiving, 206

and Vanessa’s childhood, 90

and Vanessa’s home, 171–74, 187, 200–205

Chappequa School District, 90

Charles, Ray, 51

Charles, Suzette, 29–30, 32, 35

Chayanne, 212,
216

Cherry, Marc, 278

Chiapel, Tom, 11–13, 16

childhood of Vanessa

adolescence, 110–13, 115–16

bike accident, 1–3, 4

and family life, 82–91

and fashion, 10, 85–86

infancy, 74

and the Miss America pageant, 19, 20–21

and music, 77–82

and race issues, 20, 80, 89–90, 91

and rural living, 25

and sexual molestation, 104–6

and television, 81–82

choreography, 115

A
Chorus Line,
23

The
Chris Rock Show,
60

Christmas, 198–99

Cinderella,
108

Cinderfella,
108

civil rights, 52

Clapton, Eric, 169–70

Clinton, Bill, 49–50,
54

Clinton, George, 152–53

Clinton, Hillary,
55

Clooney, Rosemary, 78

Cole, Kay, 152

Cole, Nat King, 78

Collins, Gary, 8, 29–30, 44

Coltrane, John, 78

Columbia University, 133

The
Comfort Zone,
166, 168–69, 171

commercials, 240

community theater, 115,
123

Cook, Barbara, 277–78, 280,
281

The
Courage to Love,
69–70, 219–20, 223, 226, 228

Cullen, Lee, 186

Curtis, Colton, 213

Curtis, Liz, 213

custody issues, 198

Cyrano de Bergerac,
22–23

Cyrus, Billy Ray, 169

Cyrus, Miley, 268

Daily Mirror
, 60

Daily News
, 42, 44

Dallas Symphony Orchestra, 220

dance

and ballet, 67, 93, 155

and childhood of Vanessa, 93

Dance with Me,
201, 212–14,
216

and early setbacks, 65–67

and education of Vanessa, 10, 23, 65, 107–8, 110, 115

and family background, 78, 93, 99

and
Kiss of the Spider Woman,
175–77, 179–81

and
The Right Stuff,
157

role models, 48, 109

salsa dancing, 181, 212–14

and Vanessa’s children, 190, 196–98, 275–76

Dance with Me,
201, 212, 213–14,
216

Dark Nights of the Soul
(Moore), 252

dating, 209

David, Keith, 221

Davis, Sammy, Jr., 59

Daytime Emmys, 275

Dear World,
115,
123

death threats, 46–47

Delille, Henriette, 219

De Niro, Robert, 62–63

Desperate Housewives,
278–79

Diana (babysitter), 79

Diane (friend), 8, 144, 149

Dion, Celine, 169

A
Diva’s Christmas Carol,
260

divorces

from Ramon Hervey, 189–90, 195–98, 202

from Rick Fox, 235–36, 237–38, 240–42

“Do Fries Go with That Shake?,” 153

Dowdell, Dennis, 9, 16, 37–40, 42–43, 57, 61

Drabinsky, Garth, 175

“Dreamin’,” 166–67

drug use, 7–8, 116–18

Dwyer, Cynthia, 59

Eckstine, Ed, 153–55, 156, 166–67

Edmonds, Kenny “Babyface,” 154, 182–83, 188

education

and dance, 10, 23, 65, 107–8, 110, 115

elementary school,
95
, 107–8

high school, 20–21, 114–18, 121

middle school, 110

Milton, 131–33

and race issues, 20, 45

Syracuse University, 21–23, 29, 138

and Vanessa’s children, 173, 263, 275–76

and Vanessa’s parents, 4, 99–100, 131, 133

Edwards, Brian, 268,
268
, 2
69

The
Electric Company,
29

Elejmal Temple, 23

“Ellamental,” 182

endorsements, 61–62

Enos, Mark, 202–3

entrepreneurship, 85

Eraser,
61, 185, 186–88

Europe, 60

Everlasting Love,
241

Fame, 156

farming, 85

fashion

and the Miss America pageant, 25–26, 28, 44

and
Ugly Betty,
257–64, 265

and Vanessa’s childhood, 10, 85–86

and Vanessa’s children, 275, 276

Vanessa’s jobs in, 11–12, 44, 136

Fashion Institute of Technology, 263

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 32–33

Fendi, 266

Ferraro, Geraldine, 8

Ferrera, America, 261–62, 276–77,
282

Field, Patricia, 261

Fine, Sam, 211

Fishburne, Laurence, 202

Fitzgerald, Ella, 78, 182

Flack, Roberta, 78

Fleming, Nancy, 51

Ford, Gerald, 50,
54

Fourth of July, 51

Fox, Aaron, 212

Fox, Jeanene, 212

Fox, Kyle, 214, 231, 240, 275

Fox, Rick,
242

and birth of Sasha, 238–39

divorce, 235–36, 237–38, 240–42

engagement, 224, 227–29

and family life, 214–15, 275–76

Helen on, 217–18, 225

introduction to Vanessa, 211–14

and relationship difficulties, 239–40

and
Ugly Betty,
267

and Vanessa’s pregnancy, 220–22

wedding, 206, 228–29, 231–33

Fox, Sarah, 212

Fox, Sasha Gabriella (daughter),
242

birth, 238–39

and family life, 239–40, 264, 276

and Milton’s illness/death, 248

and school, 263, 273

and Vanessa’s career, 264, 267, 274

Vanessa’s pregnancy with, 221

Franklin, Tennessee, 167–68

Funny Face,
65

Gabby (cousin), 1–2

gardening, 85

Geddie, Wanda Gayle, 27,
35

Gershon, Gina, 188

Gershwin, George, 65

Gershwin, Ira, 65

Gershwin, Lenora (Lee), 66, 179

Gerson-Saines, Emily, 174, 220

Gibson, Judy, 152

Gillette, 39, 40, 61–62

Giovanni, Nikki, 59

“Girlfriend,” 154–55

“Go for It All,” 27

Good Morning America,
45

Graham, Deneen, 47

Graham, Martha, 48

Grammy Awards, 157–58, 169, 171, 221

Grier, Pam, 120

Griffin, Doris (grandmother),
101

Griffin, Merv, 47

Guccione, Bob, 67, 106, 159

Gumbel, Bryant, 158–59

Guy, Jasmine,
162

Hallelujah, Baby!
, 23

Halston, 26, 48, 266

Hammerstein, Oscar, 174

Hannah Montana: The Movie
, 268

Hanson, Bruce,
140
, 1
41

and abortion, 136–37