Miss America '84 speaks out about Vanessa Williams

Lost amid the hype over the apology that Miss America CEO Sam Haskell delivered to Vanessa Williams on Sunday night was Suzette Charles, the Mays Landing, N.J., native who, as runner-up in the 1984 pageant, was awarded the crown when Williams was forced to step down in the wake of the Penthouse mag nude-photos scandal.

Charles told "Inside Edition" that she feels that Haskell's televised mea culpa wasn't necessarily necessary:

"I'm not sure what that was all about," said Charles, who went on to become a regular singing attraction in Atlantic City casinos in the 1980s and '90s. "I have a feeling that was about ratings. I think that as accomplished as she is, and how she's worked so tirelessly for 32 years to build her career and to prove to America what she was always all about, I'm not sure why she needed that apology."

Charles, who said that she has not seen Williams since the night of the pageant 32 years ago, also suggested that the apology may have had to do with verbal "slurs" hurled at Williams and her family by pageant mucky-mucks when the scandal broke.

Trump to Schwarzenegger: "You're hired!"

DU BIST gefeuert!

For the non-Teutonic among us, that's German for "You're fired!"

We offer this brief language lesson in the wake of the announcement that Arnold Schwarzenegger has been tapped to replace Donald Trump (where's he been these days? It's like he dropped off the face of the Earth) as host/overlord of "Celebrity Apprentice," the competition show in which the Rich & Famous create and stage charity fundraisers.

Hiring Ahh-nold to replace Trump, who had to forfeit his "Apprentice" gigs because of federal "equal time" regs for political candidates, is the classic grand slam, according to the show's executive producer, reality-TV titan Mark Burnett.

"After leaving the show to run for political office, Donald made it clear that he wanted 'The Celebrity Apprentice' to be able to continue to raise millions of dollars annually for worthy causes, and now NBC and I have found an amazing new leader to do just that," Burnett said. "Gov. Schwarzenegger will use his vast and highly successful business, political and media experience to drive this hit franchise to new heights."

For his part, the German-born, two-term former governor of California and (before that) action-film megastar is positively euphoric about his new role.

"I have always been a huge fan of 'The Celebrity Apprentice' and the way it showcases the challenges and triumphs of business and teamwork," offered The Governator. "I am thrilled to bring my experience to the boardroom and to continue to raise millions for charity. Let's get started!"

Despite his obvious enthusiasm, Schwarzenegger will have to keep it in his pants for a while: Word is that a new "CelebApp" season won't hit until sometime late next year.

Interestingly, Schwarzie isn't unfamiliar with the phrase "You're fired!" made famous by The Donald on both "The Apprentice" and the celeb-centric version of the show. According to Variety.com, he uttered the line in his 1994 blockbuster, "True Lies."

Thursday at 10 p.m., A&E will premiere "Cosby: The Women Speak," a one-hour special in which a dozen women - including actress Louisa Moritz, publicist Joan Tarshis and model Beverly Johnson - talk about their alleged drugs-and-sex encounters with Bill Cosby.

The show also will look at how the made-in-Philly video of comic Hannibal Buress calling out Cosby for his behavior ignited one of the year's biggest celeb scandals, and how Cosby's spin doctors have handled the accusations against their client.

- Daily News wire services contributed to this report.