Meet Miss Georgia Betty Cantrell, the new Miss America

Miss Georgia Betty Cantrell is the new Miss America, but her crowning moment was nearly overshadowed by a three-decade old pageant scandal, and a still-raw debate over whether the NFL’s reigning champions cheated on their way to a Super Bowl victory. Cantrell rode an opera performance of “Tu Tu Piccolo Iddio” from “Madame Butterfly” to the title in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Sunday night, besting 51 other competitors in the nationally televised pageant. She won a preliminary competition earlier in the week, also with an opera performance.

I’m still so overwhelmed, I don’t know what to say other than thank you!

Miss America Betty Cantrell

The pageant also marked the return of Miss America 1984 Vanessa Williams, who was back for the first time after resigning the crown in 1984 following a nude photo scandal. Pageant executive chairman Sam Haskell apologized to Williams, who served as head judge, on behalf of the pageant.

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