| Subject: Shawn Weatherly's article in The Item, Sumter, South Carolina |
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Date Posted: 00:10:40 11/21/09 Sat
You're eating Henry Kissinger's dinner roll
By SHAWN WEATHERLY HARRIS
Special to The Item
I read in the newspaper the other day Hillary Clinton's quote when asked, "What would Bill think?" She quickly replied, "My husband is not Secretary of State, I am."
I thought, "Way to tell 'em, Hillary!"
It reminded me of my own experience with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Just the title itself, Secretary of State, can be so official sounding that we forget they're only human. The night I met Dr. Kissinger I was treated to his own very blunt but human qualities.
Lee Majors, of the TV show "Six Million Dollar Man," had talked me into joining him for another Hollywood event. After work, on Friday, I flew with Lee on his private jet into Denver from Los Angeles. This time the hook to reel me into going was Diana Ross sitting at our table and singing at the event. I'm a huge fan of the Supremes; every time I hear their music my soul is transformed, I forget all insecurities, and I am suddenly a passionate, powerful, creative woman with unlimited potential.
As Miss Universe I traveled everywhere with my chaperones Barbara and Suzanne. I never really appreciated their expertise until the years after my job as Miss Universe ended. Meeting the presidents of the United States, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, had all gone so smoothly in the capable hands of my chaperones. When I was on my own, however, I found myself sorely lacking in the areas of etiquette and decorum.
The night I ate dinner next to Dr. Kissinger was one evening when I would have paid anything to have Suzanne or Barbara safely at my side.
"You're eating Henry Kissinger's dinner roll," Lee whispered.
What to do? What to do?
I sat at the head table of the Carousel Ball, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundations', star-studded, annual fundraiser. Henry sat on my right and his dinner roll had sat untouched on his plate for at least three of Diana Ross' songs. I figured if they weren't bringing any food, and he didn't want his roll, maybe he wouldn't mind. All day I had starved myself so I could squeeze into this purple-beaded gown I easily fit into the previous year when I made appearances as Miss Universe. Maybe I had used poor judgment, because I did feel a little light-headed now that it was 10 o'clock in the evening and all I had in my stomach was my dinner roll and countless glasses of wine. I stuffed the last bite of his roll in my mouth, leaving no evidence it was ever there.
Under the strain of hunger and a dress that was squeezing my vital organs, I was reduced to a groveling hyena, eating the former Secretary of State's food right off of his plate. I missed my chaperones. If Barbara or Suzanne were here they would run interference for me, take the roll for me or complain to the chef that I needed to eat.
My cheeks were still bulging from Henry's roll when Dr. Kissinger said, "Hello, we haven't been introduced yet, I'm Henry Kissinger. I understand you're Miss Universe."
I threw some wine in my mouth to try and get the roll down and managed to say, "Oh thanks, but I'm an ex-Miss Universe, that was last year."
"Well, ex-Miss Universe, you can eat my dinner roll anytime," he said.
"Oh my God, I am so sorry. I haven't eaten all day and … ,"
"Do they stop feeding you when you're not Miss Universe anymore?"
"Sometimes it feels like it," I said.
Photo Provided
Weatherly met many world leaders while serving as Miss Universe. Here she's with Cuban president Fidel Castro.
"That happens when you're an ex-Secretary of State too."
"I am so honored to meet you Mr. Kissinger."
"Call me Henry, please."
Henry ended up giving me his salad and his dessert. I wish I could say we discussed politics and world affairs but mostly we traded dinner disaster stories. We had both been to more huge dinner affairs than we could count.
After the ball was over, as we left the hotel, Lee and I were photographed together by swarms of paparazzi. The next week a friend called me and asked if I had seen in a tabloid the picture of Lee and me together with the caption that said in huge letters, "EX-MISS UNIVERSE PREGNANT WITH SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN'S BABY!!"
Geez! I must have really been bulging out of that dress after eating my dinner and most of Henry's.
Sumter native Shawn Weatherly Harris won the title of Miss Universe in 1980. She later became an actress, starring on TV in "Baywatch" and appearing in numerous films and other TV programs. She lives in California with her husband and children. She will write a series of stories for The Item Web site, www.theitem.com. Reach her at her email address, shawnw92660@yahoo.com.
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