Miss California will keep title, Trump decides [Updated]

Miss California Carrie Prejean, whose comments about gay marriage set off a firestorm, will keep her crown, Donald Trump announced today.

The controversy began nearly a month ago, when Prejean was asked about her views on same-sex marriage during the nationally televised Miss USA pageant. Although she said she believed people were entitled to do as they liked, she said marriage should only be recognized as an institution between a man and a woman.

Trump said he had no problem with Prejean's comments.  "She gave a very honest answer when asked a tough question," he said at a New York press conference with Prejean sitting next to him. "It was the same answer the president of the United States gave... She has to be commended."

Trump also said he reviewed semi-nude photos of Prejean that have surfaced in recent days and concluded they should not disqualify her. "We are in the 21st century," said Trump, who owns the pageant. "We have determined that the pictures taken were fine."

Trump said Prejean and California pageant officials and Prejean have met in the last few hours and "are getting along very well."

For her part, Prejean attacked some of her critics as spreading "hateful" rumors about her and said she was simply standing up for her beliefs. 

[Updated at 9:15 a.m.:] Prejean singled out Perez Hilton, the Hollywood blogger and pageant judge who asked her the gay marriage question. She accused Hilton, a gay rights activist, of having a "hidden personal agenda" and that he knew the question would be "politically charged."

She also said she's received much support from strangers for her outspoken views and said the situation shows the importance of speaking out.

“I stated my honest belief,” she said.

Pageant officials had said that when Prejean became the darling of the anti-same-sex-marriage movement, she began shirking her duties as Miss California. They say she missed appearances, including the filming of a public service announcement the pageant put together featuring former and current Miss USA, Miss California and Miss California Teen winners speaking about the beauty and diversity of the people of California. Organizers said she was generally unreachable by pageant officials -- technically a breach of her contract, they said.

Prejean's backers insist she is being unfairly vilified by pageant organizers for a viewpoint that is far from extreme (California voters last year approved Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage). 

Officials with the National Organization for Marriage say Prejean is not a paid spokeswoman. She did attend the Washington, D.C., news conference at which the group unveiled the ad featuring her Miss USA pageant clip. And she lent her voice to a recorded call the organization used to thank supporters and solicit contributions. 

"Carrie has always been a spokesperson for herself. She believes what we believe," said Brian Brown, the group's executive director. "We're proud of her. . . . She's standing up for marriage and against the bullying we heard at this press conference today."

-- Carla Hall and Shelby Grad

Related:

Miss California USA pageant is rocked on its high heels


Photo: Donald Trump places a ribbon on Miss California, Carrie Prejean, during a press conference, where Trump announced that Prejean will keep her title despite controversy over semi-nude photos. Credit: Timothy A. Cleary / AFP / Getty Images

Comments

[andy]

Thanks DONALD for rendering that CROWN WORTHLESS. I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING YOUR SHOW IN THE FUTURE. As far as I am concerned that naked lady does not represent CALIFORNIA.

[doug]

Gay Marriage? What an Oxymoron!!!

[julian]

She is supposed to be a role model? Give me a break? A NUDE BIBLE THUMPER! I dont' think I want this hypocritical woman representing California! I PROPOSE WE BAN THIS ORGANIZATION FROM USING OUR STATES NAME!

[noone]

Carrie Prejean is no Christian role model. The girl is a whore masquerading as a Christian beauty queen. Maybe that's California's idea of a "21st Century" role model... it's a real shame if she is the best that state has to offer.

[Minority]

It is about time someone made the right decision, and not the political correct decision! Well done Trump!

[Roger Mcreynolds]

I think Shanna Moakler should have made the decision. Being a Playboy model, she has plenty of experience in nude photography.

[C. Cook]

She is not a scientist or an engineer, so who cares what she has said or will say.

[Seren]

I am gay. She is not. She is right she has a right to voice any opinion she wants even as Miss whatever the pagent is/was.
I also believe that gay guy who was a judge and later on Larry King bordered on vicious, Im SORRY to say - as he does NOT represent me.
That gay judges anger from the gitgo I think was what made the whole thing blow up way way out of proportion.
So what if she disagrees with Gay equal rights ? Shes not the first and she wont be the last 'bastion of whats righteous' ha, get over it guys and move on.....the more anger one dumps her way, the less rights the public will want to give us...so let it go and bless her and leave her in peace!
Shes only 21 years old for Christs sake and who hasnt made less than perfect life decisions at 21 !
I release the need to blame anyone for my right to be free:)

[Babrara Segal]

Congratulations Carrie you have been through a lot. You are the kind of women that represents CA well and the US. Although not everyone may agree with your opinions you have stood tall and strong for your beliefs and "empowering women". Perez, buy your own Tiara and stay away from younger beauty queens in the future.

[Chris]

The fact that some people have criticized Miss California for her personal opinion is ridiculous. It is a free country and everyone has the right to their opinion.

If you want to rip people rip politicians because their opinions become policies.

[Bill R.]

Good move Trump. I don't believe she should be attacked as earnestly as she has by the media or the same-sex marriage proponents, while Perez Hilton goes unscathed after he called her the "B" and "C" words. Hilton used the opportunity to further his agenda, then he gets upset that she didn't give him the politically correct answer? Screw you Hilton.

[Don Thomas]

Thank you Mr. Trump. This whole episode demonstrated what intolerant, hateful criminals the the sodomites really are.

[Erika]

Not surprised by Donalds decision. He has a weakness for trainwreck beauty queens, remember the drunk one he allowed to keep her crown?

[Mott]

I posted once before that regardless how radical, defiant, or media influenced these children may be during their young immature teenage years toward their parent's values, in most cases, when these same children grow into mature adults, they end up thinking more in line of their parents values. So by that token, homosexual "marriage" still stand to have a future uphill battle.

[Joe Jericho]

The media and doo-gooders are attacking her for her opinion. You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves. You stink.

[Doris]

Good for Mr. Trump. He did the right thing.

[AsianPitcher]

Typical two faced right wing backwards' double standards. It is perfectly ok when flashing her body for personal gain, which is obviously a violation of BASIC MORAL STANDARDS. Then she turns around to attack others when it's something different from her narrow mind. All she has is just skin deep beauty but an ugly mind. Shame on you, Prejean.

[Vic Arpeggio]

How many days before this liar -- who deliberately concealed semi-nude photos of herself from pageant officials -- becomes a "Joe The Plumber"-esque commentator on FOX News?

[Steven Seagal]

Of course she should keep the crown. The pagent pays for her breasts and then doesn't want her to show them to anyone (?).
The pagent nor the contestant knew before hand that the gay question would be asked. Because the contestant didn't give the "politically correct" answer , now she must be disqualified.
What was it again that we are trying to tech young people?

Thank you Donald Trump for steering the pagent in the right direction.

SS

[Sal Nesrevi]

Good for her and kudos to Trump for not being a politician. When Ms. Prejean was asked the question about same-sex mariages, what was she supposed to say? Had they not wanted an honest answer, they should not have asked the question. Betcha that question won't be in future contests.

Besides, it's all for the fluff. These women - all of whom are beautiful and statuesque - are not chosen for their degrees in nuclear physics or medicine.

[DIANE LEONARD]

YES SHE SHOULD KEEP HER CROWN. MR. TRUMP ABSOLUTELY MADE THE CORRECT DECISION. BOTH ARE TO BE APPLAUDED FOR THEIR COURAGE, AND STRENGTH.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO, OR BE FORCED, TO GIVE UP THEIR BELIEFS.

[Joel]

So this is the woman who is supposed to represent ALL of California? Mmmm...I find that interesting to say the least. It does show how irrelevant these beauty pageants truly are. It also shows, in a glaring fashion, how Donald Trump is little more than a headline chaser. She broke the contract she signed. Plain and simple. I think she's personally very naive regarding her outlook towards people other than her own "type" but that's not the issue here. She lied. She broke her contract. She shouldn't continue to have the crown but "The Donald" has once again shown there's never too low a place to stoop to garner newsprint. Peace

[Trump jumped the shark]

Donald Trump is an idiot. He obviously does not care about California's image at all. He's more pro New York. If this happened in his State, he would have fired her.

[J. M. Rice]

She shares the same views about gay marriage with most ordinary Americans, plus those of our president and every other major candidate in both parties and most members of Congress. Yet for expressing these views her title is challanged, a common example of the grotesque tyranny we suffer at the hands of effete, arrogant commissars of political correctness and their media promoters, in their drive to co-opt and redefine marriage, labelling all those who object as bigots.

Trump has shown good sense in confirming the title. It should be a no-brainer to all but the most cynical and hystyerical of the gay marrage advocacy, who want same-sex marriage because they've always had fantasies about having a wedding. And now, these adolescent fancies are being depicted to the world as sacred human rights denied. It's enough to cause this long-time advocate for gay rights to puke.

People, listen: It's all noise and smoke. Don't let the glib logic fool you, don't let the polemic intimidate you: gay rights don't need gay marriage, gay marriage activists are all hysterics who call the failure of gay marriage to pass 'another gay holocaust". Consider the source.

We should regain our wits and collectively throw a huge cream pie in the over-made-up faces of these screeching, preening drama queens and end our preoccupation with their little con job. We have far more important public issues to deal with!

[Frank F]

Defend traditional breasts.