Jeanne Robertson

Jeanne Flinn Swanner Robertson (/ˈdʒiːni/ JEE-nee; September 21, 1943 – August 21, 2021) was an American comedian, public speaker, and beauty pageant winner who was crowned Miss North Carolina 1963.

Jeanne Flinn Swanner was born at the Naval Hospital Boston in Chelsea, Massachusetts and raised in Graham, North Carolina, one of three daughters. According to one of her YouTube videoclips, not only was she taller than sisters Katherine and Andrea, she was also especially tall as a youth, growing to 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) by age 13. She was an avid basketball player.

In 1963, at age 19, she was named Miss North Carolina and went on to be named Miss Congeniality in that year's Miss America competition. As of 2021, Jeanne Swanner, at 6 foot 2 inches, is still the tallest contestant ever to participate in the Miss America pageant. Robertson credited her reign as the catalyst for her career.

Following her Miss North Carolina reign, Robertson used her scholarship to fund her college education at Auburn University, where she majored in physical education, joined Alpha Gamma Delta, and played college basketball. Robertson graduated in 1967, and in 1990 she was inducted as an alumni member of the Omicron Delta Kappa Circle at Auburn University.

Robertson taught physical education for eight years in North Carolina.

Although she began her public speaking career with her pageant title, Robertson achieved much more national attention as a humorist and speaker. Her anecdotes have been broadcast regularly on satellite radio comedy channels, including XM Radio's Laugh USA, Sirius Radio's Blue Collar Comedy and its Family Comedy Channel, and Laugh Break. Her popularity soared, however, in 2009 after a handful of humorous clips from her talks became popular videos. Robertson distinguished between a humorist, which she considered herself, and a comedian, stating, "The humorist weaves the longer stories with a point. We don't go 'after' anybody. I'm telling my life."

In 1980 she was designated a Certified Speaking Professional by the National Speakers Association, and served as the association's president in 1985. She was also a Golden Gavel award-winning Toastmaster.

On April 29, 2008, she spoke at the White House for National Volunteer Week to honor the 1,300 volunteers who donate time to work at the White House.