- 15 hours ago
Savvy Shields AKA Miss America stopped by the THR offices for a candid conversation.
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00:00Hi, I'm Jane Carlson with The Hollywood Reporter and I'm sitting here with Miss
00:04America herself, Savvy Shield. How are you? I'm so good. I'm so glad to be here. How
00:10long have you been Miss America? Oh, heavens. So a little more than, I want to
00:15say ten and a half months so far. And you're on? Ten and a half? Ten and a half? Yes.
00:19Okay.
00:20Something around there. And you're on a kind of a bit of a speaking tour across
00:23the country. More or less. How long have you been doing this? Ever since you were
00:27crown, you're in a different state on average every 48 hours. Oh my gosh. You
00:32are ping-ponging across the world, the country, and you know, it's the craziest,
00:36most adventurous job. Where was the last place you were before Los Angeles? Oh, I
00:41have to look honestly at my social media. I think I was somewhere in Texas, maybe? Oh my
00:46gosh. I think I was in Texas. You really are ping-ponging. Or Philadelphia. I thought you were
00:50gonna say Nevada. I really don't know. No, I think I was in Philadelphia. Oh wow, that is smart. Okay.
00:55I don't know actually. I could be lying. I'm not sure. Well, what's the best part about
00:59being Miss America? You know, really and truly, and this is gonna sound so cheesy,
01:05but it's so true, it is getting to see the emotional connection across the
01:10country. I mean, one of the things that I've realized and I've gotten to see is
01:12how everyone somehow has some random connection to a Miss America. Whether it's
01:17their grandmother that loved it, or as a kid they grew up watching it, or they
01:21competed in the system, and it's really, you know, inspirational. It reminds you of
01:25why you did it in the first place, because you see how much of a voice it
01:29carries, and how much of a microphone the Crown gives you. Oh yeah, oh yeah. So tell me,
01:34what are some of your responsibilities that you want people to know about? Oh
01:37gosh, okay. I'm sure there's a list. Well, and the thing is that the list
01:41changes every day. Sure. I mean, it goes from speaking to and hanging out with kids in
01:47Rhode Island, talking to them, and just hanging out, and it goes to speaking on
01:51rice for an hour for the Rice Farmers of America, and it changes to going into
01:55hospitals, and hanging out with the Children's Miracle Network kids, and then
02:00over Thanksgiving I went overseas to Jordan County, Germany, and visited the
02:04troops, and it's really different every single day, but it's amazing. That must be
02:09really exciting to wake up every day and do something totally different. It is, it is, but
02:12also, you know, like your mind kind of doesn't know how I handle it, so when you're
02:15asking me where I'm from, I have no idea. You're like, I don't know. Because every
02:19day, you know, it's very daily, if that makes sense. Yeah. You know, it's a very
02:22daily job where you find out what the tasks are that day, and you try to
02:26accomplish it. If you try to figure out where you're going that week, you have no
02:29idea. It's way too much information. I'm sure that you feel like there are a lot of
02:33misconceptions out there about the pageant system and Miss America, so what
02:37are some things that we should know about Miss America? Oh, well, and that's one of my
02:41favorite parts, really and truly, of getting to hang out with people and meet
02:44people when I'm wearing the crown, and even when I'm not wearing the crown, and
02:47they find out I have the crown, because there are a lot of connotations that
02:51people, I think, even subconsciously have with pageants. Right. One of the things that
02:54people don't know is that the Miss America organization is actually the
02:57largest scholarship giving organization, period. I mean, I alone have over
03:02$90,000 that I still haven't even touched for my education that I can go back to
03:07after this. That's incredible. It's absolutely amazing that this
03:10organization's furthering us, not just in our, you know, pageant season of our lives, but in our
03:14career lives and who we are after that. I think, also, they don't know that this is
03:19a year of service. You know, what I do and what we've been talking about is I have a
03:23full-time job, and it's, yes, it's very glamorous, but at times it's a lot of hard
03:28work, and I think a lot of people don't connotate that, and they don't think of,
03:32you know, the glitz and glamour of what they see on TV versus the other 365 days of
03:38the year of what their Miss America is doing, and so it's exciting to get to tell
03:42people all the hard work that I do. It makes me, you know, try not to be that prideful,
03:46but I'm really proud about it.
03:47You should be proud. I mean, there was a lot of hard work that went in to
03:51getting ready for this. Tell me about getting ready for the actual competition.
03:56It's a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle, and every girl will tell you this. I mean,
03:59I would go as far as saying every decision I made for the past five years, what was in
04:05leading up to this goal that I had. I mean, in regards of what you're doing every day,
04:09of working out twice a day, practicing your talent every day, you know.
04:13What was your talent, just so we...
04:14I'm a dancer.
04:14Oh, okay, okay.
04:15Dancer girl. That wasn't my talent. It was a lot better than that.
04:18But I, you know, did, was meeting with, you know, congressmen and senators in my state,
04:24trying to learn more about what was going on, and what more I could do, and being
04:27invested in your community. It is a lifestyle, and it's a lot of hard work and
04:31dedication that prepares you for a lot of other areas in your life.
04:34Were you surprised by the amount of support you received from your community?
04:39Yeah. Yes. Oh, I mean, overwhelmingly so, and still to this day, I mean, Arkansas, and
04:45that's where I'm from, Arkansas, but they have been overwhelmingly, overwhelmingly supportive,
04:51and what I found even more, I mean, just tender and heartwarming is that I've gotten that same
04:56response across America, and wherever I am, if I know every person in the room, or I don't
05:01know a single person, I've been embraced by that same sort of welcoming, which is really special.
05:06Do you recall what went through your mind when you heard your name announced as the winner?
05:11There was nothing going on. There was absolutely nothing going on, and I feel like there should
05:15be, and I feel like I should have this, you know, very emotional, like, I knew it answer,
05:19or something like that, but there was just, I mean, you're blacking out. There's no way you can
05:24prepare for that moment, and you know, when Chris Harrison's saying your name, you're freaking out,
05:29because Chris Harrison's right there, and Sierra's 10 feet away, and you're thinking all these other
05:32things, and it's a moment that you only remember from the pictures people show you afterwards.
05:37Right, right. You know what I mean? I had no idea how I reacted until I saw the video.
05:40Did you cry? Were you shocked? Do you? I remember being shocked, and then I remember, you know,
05:46I feel, and this is so funny, but I feel like I remember the month after, if that makes sense,
05:50because you're running on such a high for so long, and things keep happening, because Miss America
05:56just doesn't, all right, we'll wait for you, and then we'll go. I mean, it starts right then and
05:59there, and so you have to be ready to go, and ready to represent your country, I mean, as soon
06:04as that crown's placed on your head. Oh my gosh, and there are so many amazing people who work for
06:10the organization. Sam Haskell is the executive chairman and CEO, but he also used to run Worldwide
06:16TV at William Morris. Do you guys have a lot of interaction together? Yes, and he's, what's so sweet
06:22is that even during the competition week, regardless of if you're Miss America or any state you are,
06:28he does give an investment, and there were times when, throughout the week, that he would come and
06:33sit down with all the contestants and would talk to us about what the job actually was, because none
06:37of us really know, and so he would tell us, you know, what we should be expecting, and it's really
06:42sweet to see someone of that leadership give everyone the exact same treatment. I have to ask, do you
06:46guys ever talk TV? Oh yeah, all the time. Well, and so I was during, I think I stayed, uh,
06:52there was a,
06:52there was a time in January, it was right during Oscar season, I think, and that was all we talked
06:56about. It was great. Once, once an entertainment executive, always an entertainment executive.
07:01Right, exactly. It's in there. Um, I know you ran on the platform, Eat Better, Live Better. Yeah. So
07:06what's your go-to healthy meal that you would cook? Oh, smoothie bowl, if I can. Oh, I miss them
07:11so much.
07:11I try to find a smoothie bowl place every state I go in, because you, you know, I mean, I
07:16can't carry
07:16my blender with me through the airport every day, and so you, you miss the things that you can have
07:21whole food, real food, and you can cook it. Okay, so what do you put in your ideal bowl? It'd
07:25be
07:25frozen fruit, frozen bananas, berries, raspberries, strawberries, and then we'll put, like, a little
07:31bit of, like, vanilla. Ooh. That's great. That does sound good. You should be able to find some of those
07:37places in Los Angeles. I have. It's fantastic. It's great. I know all of them. Yeah. I
07:41imagine there are quite a few. Um, and speaking of this, you know, there's been a lot of chatter
07:45recently in the media about eating disorders. Yeah. Marty Noxon's To the Bone came out on Netflix
07:50recently, and Trian Belisario from Pretty Little Liars was talking about her struggle with an eating
07:57disorder in her essay on the Lenny Letter. Um, why do you think it's important that young men and women
08:02are having these discussions in the public? Well, I think it's beyond important. I mean, I think that
08:07so often in this social media age, we are expected almost to live up to our Instagram feeds, if that
08:14makes sense. Absolutely. So I think that very often we don't talk about the other 90% of our lives
08:19that
08:19are going on. And sometimes it's seen cool to talk about it, or sometimes it's seen as, you know,
08:26more real or authentic or relatable. Right. And I think it's really important to not only bring these
08:30conversations up, but make sure that there's a lot of follow-through in them. Sure. And making sure that
08:34there's a lot of taking care of the people where this is an issue, because this is absolutely an
08:39issue. I mean, one of the reasons why I started on pageants was because I'm painfully insecure,
08:43and I wanted a reason for someone to tell me I didn't need to be. Right. And so finding sources
08:47where you can have that open, honest conversation is huge. And that's with my platform. One of my
08:52biggest goals is people not realizing that it's a weight loss or weight gain issue, but it's a quality
08:57of life issue. Absolutely. And loving our body is not for the way that they look, but for the way
09:01that they
09:01work and trying to figure out that balance. That's such a great phrase. Yeah. That's such a great
09:06phrase. And it's so important. I think, like you said, with Instagram, social media kind of paints
09:10this picture, and it's hard to get out of that once you've started. Totally. I mean, you compare
09:15your backstage to everyone else's highlight reel, and it's impossible to go back. Right. Right.
09:18Absolutely. So I do want to pivot a little bit. Yes. You know, you obviously get glammed up a lot.
09:25Fair. What are your top two favorite moments that you've seen the pictures, and you're like,
09:31oh, this dress, or my beauty. Moments of myself? Yes. During your reign. Oh, wow. This is a funny
09:38question. I have not been asked this one. Really? I like it. Well, I feel selfish answering this. I don't
09:44know. Okay. So I really loved the last two award shows I did. Okay. I was living my best life.
09:51It was
09:51when, well, here, I'll give you two different answers. Okay. The last, let's say the billboards.
09:56When I went to the billboards. Okay. In Las Vegas, right? Living my best life. Yes. Billboards. Las Vegas.
10:01I had my hair all like slicked back. I was living my best life. And so when I saw a
10:05picture of myself
10:05there, I was like, oh, girl. Oh, okay. But then really and truly, I'm going to get super artsy and
10:09cliche here, but there's moments when I see, you know, pictures of myself when I'm, you know, at the
10:16beach with no makeup on or, you know, working out with my friends with no makeup on and we're all
10:21really sweaty where I feel, you know, confident in that moment. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah. And you feel
10:26strong in the sense of knowing who you are and who your soul is rather than what your shell looks
10:31like. Yeah. And so there's two different moments when I think I can see and be proud of that.
10:35What, um, obviously when you won the crown, what kind of a dress were you wearing? Were you?
10:41Oh, so I had this dress actually for like seven years. Cause like I knew, I knew, I knew that
10:47whenever
10:47I wanted to be, uh, going to Miss Arkansas and if I would ever go to Miss America, I knew
10:50what I wanted.
10:51Okay. And it was a black velvet dress and that was it. And I was like, I will never wear
10:55anything else.
10:56And so that was what I did. And I was so thankful. And velvet, very on trend. Bless up, bless
11:02up, honey.
11:02I don't want to say I started it, but we're fine. But she might have, but I may have, but
11:07I may have.
11:08So, um, let's talk about your muses, male or female, who is a big muse? Oh gosh. For you.
11:14Well, how, what realm are we going in? There's so many different realms in the world. That's what I've learned.
11:18There's so much life that goes on that we don't know about. I know. You know what I mean?
11:22There's so many, I mean, and this is, uh, I mean in the art world, I'm looking at, you know,
11:26all of my female artists that I'm looking towards in the pageant world, I look at all the four of
11:29Miss
11:30America that I look to. Sure. Right. Those are very vague answers. I'm very sorry.
11:34That's okay. Let me go back to a more specific. Well, how about this?
11:36Okay. Have any, have any past winners reached out and given you great advice?
11:40Oh, you know, this is a really special one. And, and this actually made me tear up, but, uh, the,
11:46uh, I want to say she was Miss America at 1970. Okay. Or, no, no, no. Miss America 1980.
11:521980. Okay. And she, she told me, uh, during the year you're Miss America, Miss America becomes you.
11:57You don't become Miss America. And I literally just lost it. I don't know why.
12:01Oh my gosh. Yeah. It made me just like, it gave me chills and it made me just, you know,
12:05reminding myself that what our identities are found in beyond, you know, our job, beyond our success,
12:10beyond our Instagram, beyond what we look like. Everything.
12:12Our identity is found in who our soul is. And it's a really good reminder.
12:15That's a great advice. Yeah.
12:17So you were, as you mentioned, you're from Arkansas.
12:19Yes. Yes. Arkansas.
12:20Yeah. Arkansas, everyone. Um, so you were at the University of Arkansas before you became Miss America.
12:26Yes.
12:27What are you going to do after your reign is over? Are you going to go back?
12:30I'm going to hibernate for like a week and re-figure out my life.
12:34Lots of Netflix.
12:35Exactly. Well, you know, recoup. But, um, so the goal as of right now is absolutely finish college.
12:42I'll get my degree. Absolutely do that.
12:44What, what was your degree?
12:45I'm an art major.
12:46Okay. I'm an art major.
12:47Oh, fantastic.
12:48I'm in graphic, painting, drawing, education.
12:50Wow. That's a mouthful.
12:51Trying to hit all four corners. You know, want to eat after college.
12:55And then so, but I, um, I mean, what's great and what's hard about this year is you see so
13:01many people,
13:01so many organizations, so many philanthropies, charities, and you can't really leave that.
13:06I mean, I'm going to be really pageanty and say, you see many, you know, world changers and creating world
13:11peace in their own different communities.
13:12And you can't necessarily walk away from that. You know, you become emotionally invested.
13:18And so when people ask, what do you want to do afterwards? I'm like everything, you know, because you see
13:23so much.
13:23You want to do so much. And that is a very lofty statement.
13:26But once the shiny hat comes off, it'll be more, you know, realistic to figure out.
13:30Right now I'm trying to remember what state I'm in.
13:32Well, speaking of, when is your reign over? When are you crowning the next Miss America?
13:36September 10th.
13:37And where is that?
13:37It's in Atlantic City.
13:38In Atlantic City.
13:39September 10th. I know it.
13:41Do you feel anxiety?
13:42I feel a lot of things. I feel a whole lot of things. I mean, you know, half of you
13:47is, you know, I mean, I'm not going to want to give it up.
13:50It's the greatest job in the world.
13:52And then the other half of you, you know, there's a reason it's a year.
13:55There's a reason it's a year, you know.
13:57I mean, I don't know if physically someone could sustain this, you know, for forever.
14:00But, you know, there's a lot of emotional connotations. It's very bittersweet.
14:04You know, it'll be very emotional to give up this crown, but I'm really excited to be savvy again.
14:10Well, congratulations. Before I let you go, we are going to do a little thing we like to call rapid
14:15fire.
14:15Okay.
14:16So, first thing that comes to mind.
14:18All right, I'm nervous.
14:19Okay.
14:20Yes, ma'am.
14:20We'll start with easy ones.
14:21Okay.
14:22Hair up or hair down?
14:23Up? No.
14:25Well, apparently.
14:27Up is what your brain thinks.
14:29This is like, you know that Friends episode where Phoebe makes them all make decisions?
14:32That's exactly, I think, where we probably got this from.
14:34And they don't know what they really want, what their decisions are, until they say them out loud.
14:37So, Savvy likes her hair up.
14:38She doesn't know that.
14:39I didn't know that until now.
14:40Okay.
14:41Bold lip or bold eye?
14:42Bold eye.
14:43Bold eye.
14:43Okay.
14:44Are you a morning person or a night owl?
14:46Morning.
14:47What is the most recent book that you've read and loved?
14:50Oh.
14:52Pride and Prejudice.
14:53I loved that one.
14:53That's a classic.
14:54Okay.
14:54A current TV show that you're binge watching?
14:57That I'm binge watching?
14:59Ugh, The Office.
15:00I'm like on the fifth round of all nine seasons.
15:02It's so sad.
15:03I love it, too.
15:03I watch it all the time.
15:05I don't know why I'm reading it again.
15:06Because Pam and Jem are amazing.
15:08That's all you want in life.
15:10Coffee or tea?
15:11Coffee.
15:11Pizza or tacos?
15:13Tacos.
15:14Favorite social media platform?
15:16Instagram.
15:16Beyonce or Jay-Z?
15:18Beyonce.
15:19Beyonce.
15:20Of course.
15:20Of course.
15:22I mean, you said you were a dancer.
15:23Right?
15:24I should have guessed.
15:25Okay, come on now.
15:26All right.
15:27Well.
15:27I feel bad for Jay-Z now.
15:29I don't feel bad for him.
15:30I need to apologize.
15:32Well, Savvy, thank you so much for joining us.
15:34Thanks for having me.
15:34It's been a pleasure.
15:35Absolutely.
15:36I'm Jane Carlson with The Hollywood Reporter.
15:37Thanks for watching.
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