Voting Station

Maryline Blackburn

Please vote to return to collections.

Beauty Contestant

The Resume

    Model and singer
    Miss Alaska of 1984
    Resided in Fairbanks, Alaska
    Represented Alaska in the 1985 Miss America pageant
    Famously beat out second runner-up Sarah 'Miss Wasilla' Heath, later Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, (named Miss Congeniality instead) for the Miss Alaska title
    Later became an accomplished recording artist and ballroom singer, receiving two Grammy nominations
    Appeared in the movies, 'Made in Heaven' and 'School Daze'
    Ran for a seat in the Georgia State Legislature, representing the state’s 34th district, losing in the general election to incumbent Rich Golick (2010)

Why she might be annoying:

    Although she had been raised in Fairbanks, by the time of the competition she was known as an Atlanta-based vocalist. (Carpetbagger!)
    She sang in commercials for Chick-fil-A and Gold's Gym.
    She received unexpected celebrity after John McCain selected Sarah Palin to be his running mate in the 2008 presidential election.
    Because she had been Sarah's main competitor in the 1984 pageant, and because Palin was again facing off against a black opponent, she was labeled 'the black woman who beat Sarah Palin' in many circles.
    She claimed to not have even known that Sarah had gone into politics, much less become governor of Alaska, when she heard about the VP nomination.
    Her candidacy for Georgia House of Representatives was announced to great fanfare (again playing up a 'rivalry' with Palin), but she was soundly defeated in the general without much difficulty.

Why she might not be annoying:

    She is European-born and a self-described 'army brat.'
    She comes off as very personable and down to earth when making public appearances.
    She made history as the first African-American to represent the state of Alaska in the Miss America pageant.
    She sang the National Anthem at the inaugural ceremony of Senator Max Cleland.
    Her CD sales and appearance bookings spiked as a result of the attention she received in 2008.
    She performed at two separate Washington D.C. inaugural balls, hosted by Dionne Warwick and Ludacris (2009).
    She received the endorsement of former President Jimmy Carter during her state legislative race.
    There were consistent attempts made to get her to bash Palin, but she never took the bait usually speaking warmly about her.
    She claimed that her first thoughts upon seeing Palin were 'Oh, God she's gorgeous. I couldn't possibly beat her!'
    Palin wrote a warm note to her on the back of a group photograph reading: 'I do love you ... You're more admired than even you know. And please keep God Number One. He's got great things for you, baby. Love, Sarah Heath.'

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 24 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 45 Votes: 51.11% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 35 Votes: 80.0% Annoying