HOME | NEWS | PEOPLE | FEATURES | INTERVIEWS
PAGEANTS | MAGAZINES | BOOKSTORE | MOVIES | SEARCH | CONTACT PNB

PNB interview:

Frank Sweeney talks
to Patrick Nathaniel 
Bartholomew III

The voice of a legend

PNB: First of all, how did a man who lives in New York City get the opportunity to direct Miss USA preliminaries in several states far from home?

Sweeney: Where we live is not terribly important in today's era of instant communication. My "back office" is in Wheeling, W. Va. Where the boss happens to reside isn't terribly material.

PNB: I'd like to know more about your bio. Tell us about your career. How did you get involved with pageants in the first place? Fill us in on Frank Sweeney.

Sweeney: I'm a hell of a nice guy. (laughter) Actually, I've been doing pageants for well over 40 years. I'm originally a disc jockey. I was an on-air talent in what they call radio's golden era on stations like KYW in Cleveland and WKNR in Detroit and a whole lot of other stations throughout the Midwest. Because of that disc jockey experience, somebody said that I should go emcee a pageant, and I did. I finally said to myself that this could be made into a business. We turned it into a business. That's basically it. From 1982 through 1993, I was the voice of the Miss USA, Miss Universe, and Miss Teen USA Pageants. I was the guy who said, "Live from wherever," live . . . except it was on tape.

PNB: How many years did you work for the Miss Universe organization? Sweeney: Six years. I was the vice president, and, in effect, I was the operational head of the company. My boss was Harold Glasser, who was a tough, tough boss, and a wonderful, marvelous friend throughout all the years.

We just threw a surprise birthday party for him down in Florida this January. I can't tell you how old he is, but he looks remarkable.

PNB: What was his title?

Sweeney: He was the president of Miss Universe Inc.

PNB: What were your responsibilities as the man in charge of operations?

Sweeney: You name it. I did it. As a matter of fact, if Harold wanted it done, it got done. We were very involved in site selection throughout the world. That was extremely important. We were involved in licensing of the various marks of Miss Universe and the administration of a vast company. When I say that, I don't mean the number of people, but Miss Universe encompasses license holders in about 80 different nations in addition to the 51 licenses that are held in the United States, so it is a terribly complicated process. It was an exciting time for me. I enjoyed it. I traveled all over the world.

PNB: Many pageant contestants are interested in getting their bodies in great shape for swimsuit competition. Tell us your own personal weight loss story.

Sweeney: I weighed 310 pounds. I was a heart attack waiting to happen, and I got it down to about 170 pounds.

PNB: How did you lose the weight?

Sweeney: I learned about nutrition and the balance of carbohydrates and proteins. I have become a vegetarian. I didn't start out to be, but that's what developed. I don't like meat anyway. I hate it. I ride that exercycle that I have at home for about 40 minutes a day. I ride that bicycle every single day, and I walk in Central Park. I try to do four miles a day, but I always get in at least two miles. In warmer weather, I get in more.

PNB: What foods do you enjoy?

Sweeney: I really like vegetables and apples and other fresh fruit. I make a special kind of air-popped popcorn. It's called Swingin' Sweeney popcorn. It's terrific. If Paul Newman can sell salad dressing, popcorn, and sauces, so can I. (laughter) No, really, it's kind of boring, but it has kept me alive these many years.

PNB: Name two or three girls who benefited more than others from their experiences in your pageants. Sweeney: It would be unfair. It's like asking parents to pick their favorite child. But there are a number of them that come to mind. Halle Berry started with us. God bless her. Now, of course, a lot of people claim Halle, and it is easy to do that because she is so visible.

She is one of the truly nice young people I have met, but there are a great number of others. What happens, in pageants, we treat all of our young women the same way, respectfully, kindly, firmly if that's necessary. But some keep up with you and they stay friends for years. I've got a number of them who work for us as emcees, my lovely Chris Rosenberger, and Mary Lynn Gagnon, who does most of my emcee work in Connecticut. Another special friend is Amber Rue from Minnesota, one of the dearest young women that God ever created. Another lady who wasn't one of my kids, but was in a way, Barbara Peterson Burwell in Minnesota, who is also a dear close friend, and she was Miss USA 1976. Over the past 22 years, we have become very close, and she has become a wonderful friend of the pageant. I call them "kids," and I can do it because I'm old enough. These kids have been superb.

PNB: What do you think Miss Universe and Miss America could change to increase the number of TV viewers for their pageants?

Sweeney: As a former broadcaster, I know you have to promote the product, and I don't think that the Miss Universe family and CBS have done as good a job of promoting as they should. I think the Miss America people have done a better job of promotion, and that has to be No. 1. Content, of course, has to be No. 2. I would rather see 12 semifinalists and not 10. Give two more kids a chance. Give an audience more people to root for, and you can cut out whatever other stuff is in the show to increase the number of semifinalists to 12. I really think that would make a difference. I like what the Miss Universe production team has done with the 1998 Miss USA Pageant. They have done a couple of good things, just the overall look of this show and this news interview, Mike McCurry kind of press conference concept for the Top 10. I think it's terrific. [Sweeney is referring to the mock news conferences for contestants, modeled after the freewheeling press briefings held by the U.S. presidential spokesman.] It gives the kid a chance to really handle herself and control the interview. But promotion more than anything is important. Increase the number of semifinalists, fast pace the show, don't do too much talking, emphasize the glamour, the lovely gowns, and the young people in swimsuit. You've got to do it. That's the competition.

PNB: You've been successful in increasing the number of pageant participants in states that have traditionally had low turnouts. What are the keys to the growth of a pageant?

Sweeney: You have to actively pursue the potential contestants. Once you've got them, you must give them good information. Then you have to telemarket, and you have to be persistent in encouraging these young women to get the sponsors that they need to be in the pageant. You can't simply say, "Here, go, do it." You're talking about young people. They have to be encouraged.

PNB: How is your business as a pageant director different from any others?

Sweeney: I'm in a business where there is only one satisfied customer a year, the winner. Everybody else wants to kill you. The title of my book will be "Hell Hath No Fury Like the Mother of the First Runner-up." The other thing that I get a kick out of is this typical comment by a runner-up's family member. I really love it when somebody says, "I don't understand why Susie didn't win. We prayed about it." Well, first of all, I can see the poor Lord up there, and St. Peter says, "Hey, God, Sweeney's running another pageant. They're praying like crazy." But I think the real answer is you prayed about it and God said, "No, at least not this time. Wait till next year." (laughter)

PNB: Frank, in summary, what has your involvement in pageants meant to you?

Sweeney: This is an honorable business. I've enjoyed being in it for over four decades, and I'm not finished. We've got some more to do. We've had an opportunity to affect the lives of some young people. I hope we've been good role models and shown the proper direction in which to go. We put on a show and give young people an opportunity to perform. We've given an opportunity for God-given beauty to be appreciated, and there is nothing wrong with that.

HOME | NEWS | PEOPLE | FEATURES | INTERVIEWS
PAGEANTS | MAGAZINES | BOOKSTORE | MOVIES | SEARCH | CONTACT PNB