Former beauty queen Vanessa Williams will be joined by Taya Kyle, the wife of 'American Sniper' Chris Kyle, as she hosts the pageant.
Vanessa Williams is making a big return to the Miss America pageant as a judge - three decades after she was forced to hand back her crown.
She was crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983 but she was dethroned after nude photos from her past resurfaced in Penthouse magazine.
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She opened up about the scandal - and how she will be returning to the competition - in an interview with Good Morning America.
“It was two, drastically different images," she said. "That was the issue. It was Miss America, who's really kind of untouched in that reality. And then there was this woman in a picture that was exactly the polar opposite of purity."
Williams will serve as head judge. Joining her at the judge's table will be Taya Kyle, widow of American Sniper hero Chris Kyle.
Speaking on Williams’ Penthouse scandal, Taya told INSIDE EDITION: “I don't think she did anything wrong. She's a very successful woman who owns her beauty and her talent and her skills and she's smart. I think she's a good face for this competition."
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Taya said she's still undecided about what she'll wear for the competition. One possibility: a black, beaded gown that she already owns - and last wore 15 years ago.
“I grabbed this out the closet on the way out the door," she said. "Literally I just had to say a little prayer and hope that this thing fit. And it did. It's an option, at least. I have one thing to fall back on if I need it."
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