Miss USA 1973 Crowning

[jgullifer123]

I just thought about Amanda Jones and had to look her up. I was 3 years old when she won Miss USA. I always knew her name because the day of the pageant, my mother and I adopted a female kitten from a place in Strongsville, Ohio. My mother said we would name her after whomever won the pageant that night. So my cat was named Amanda Jones. I had Amanda Jones for about 13 years till she passed away. This is the first time I actually got to see the real Amanda Jones. Thanks internet!

[mu1977000]

I DO NOT GET HOW COME DID NO T WON MISS UNIVERSE 73 THAT YEAR MISS UNIVERSE WAS UGLY AMANDA WAS MISS UNIVERSE 73

[58936865233]

Knowing the backstory about Amanda Jones makes her onstage demeanor even more humorous.

[ninajahan]

I remember watching this with my best friend. This is the only Miss USA I remember and the only one that ever seemed like a cool person and not a cookie cutter pageant doll.

[dtw1958]

She is much better than Miss USA 72 and 74 for sure. I think her placement in Miss Universe was well-deserved too. Im a fan

[rEtRoStArEmO]

Gorgeous! I like her! I read her essay about beauty queens in American Dreams by Terkel. :)

[filmfreak222]

Actually, she was a real anti-beauty queen and didn’t even like these pageants or beauty contests. She was very intelligent, ironic and critical about the whole beauty universe and considered herself rather ugly and awkward. When she made her farewell walk the next year, she rubbed her nose – like in the movie The Sting - indicating that it was all a con. Afterwards, she jumped off the stage and walked out. An very interesting article is written about her under the pseudonym Emma Knight.

[Robergalv]

beautiful woman from Illinois, she has a great personality.

[VTMCompany]

omg/watch at 3:57 when she tells how she entered the contest...her tone and phrasing of words are REALLY like natalie doing a job acting the part ! ! !

[VTMCompany]

when she gives that big laugh and smile, she reminds me of natalie wood...even when she says 'you aren't kidding, are you?' that's natalie right over !

[BillVol]

I'm sorry, but this just doesn't compare to the prestige and tradition of Miss America. Miss America winners are a part of history. Miss USA winners are not even sidenotes.

[servegiorgio]

I like Amanda She is gorgeous,

[verathewaitress]

This woman is knock down drag out hilarious! She was selected because of her frank, anti-establishment candor. God, it's refreshing. I remember seeing this when I was a kid.

[aitch3]

I also remember watching this when I was about 10 years old with my Mother. We really were impressed with how very different she was than the typical beauty queen We were sure to tune in for the Miss Universe later that year and were so dissapointed she lost. I 'm sure she didn't care--much.

[VTMCompany]

well, yes amanda didn't win miss universe, but came as close to it as one can...being named 1st runner-up...

[aitch3]

yeah, that's right!

[servegiorgio]

bella

[IllinoisDawg63]

correction-Amanda wore an Al Capone "get-up" which consisted of a fedora, 1920s man's vintage jacket and also carried a violin case for the

"parade of states" opening.

[yasminadonis]

very real and naturally beautiful...an unlikely choice that reminds me of Shauntay in 2002

[IllinoisDawg63]

Is there also anything to show these 1973 candidates in state costumes? Amanda was dressed somewhat like a lumberjack. She is definitely one of my favorites. She's actually been considered one of the "reluctant beauty queens" in the pageant.

[coolcougs]

I remember when I won Miss Numbskull 1976!! I cried, and cried.....but I don't know why? My head hurt so bad, it was all that I could remember!

[martindonovan]

You have the passage of jane badler diana in the visitors in miss america 1973 ?

[tpageant]

Amanda is gorgeous! She's so cool on the stage.

[ChicagoHorn]

Amanda Jones is awesome! She is still beautiful and living in Illinois, her home state.

[pulitzer8]

One of the best Miss USAs indeed--should've been Miss Universe.

[vancoscellos]

i was there in greece that night when she was named 1st runner up. i was both shocked and saddened, she definitely was the better candidate!

[servegiorgio]

i love Amanda Jones first runner up at MISS UNIVERSE 1973

[alexmilstein]

About 25 years ago I worked with Amanda Jones at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles. She was my associate producer on a project, and I didn't know she had been Miss USA until a colleague mentioned it. She never mentioned it. It seemed to be a past life for her, and she dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, wore no makeup and tied her hair in a pony-tail.

Years later I read that when her reign was over, she made her final walk on TV and she jumped off the end of the runway and walked away...

[Kaiwaza]

One of best and brightest Miss USAs ever.

[rainydaywoman43]

its all so silly. isnt it?

[georgehr3]

I agree it is silly, but it is harmless. Don't know why a woman would enter a pageant and subject herself to being judged by strangers.But if she wants to do it there is nothing wrong with it.

[john3674]

I loved this and loved Amanda. She was one of my all time favorites....

[sysmax]

I hope to see the rest of the videos of Miss USA 1973. Thank you so much!

[sysmax]

I really like this girl, Amanda Jones, she's beautiful and smart. I hope to see the rest of the videos of Miss universe 1973. Thank you so much.

[er2006]

hi socal0123. thanks for posting this. i think amanda is my favorite miss usa now after watching the interview at the end. i wish you'd post the semifinal interviews and final Q&A. thanks again.