Prejean ousted for turning down TV appearances, not her gay-marriage views, Miss California USA officials say
It’s official. Miss California USA Carrie Prejean has been fired.
The reason wasn’t the anti-gay-marriage comments that have made her the darling of the political right. Nor was it the semi-nude photos that have made her the darling of many across the political spectrum.
It was that the San Diego college student wasn’t doing her job, pageant officials said in a statement.
"This was a decision based solely on contraction violations including Ms. Prejean’s unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the Miss California USA organization,” said Keith Lewis, co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant. “After our press conference in New York we had hoped we would be able to forge a better working relationship.
"However, since that time it has become abundantly clear that Carrie is unwilling to fulfill her obligations under our contract and work together,” Lewis said. The violations ranged from refusing to appear on the "Larry King Live" show to turning down red-carpet events from sponsors, said Lewis’ publicist, Roger Neal.
“I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract, said Donald Trump, owner of the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageant system. “Unfortunately it just doesn’t look like it is going to happen and I offered Keith my full support in making this decision. Carrie is a beautiful young woman and I wish her well as she pursues her other interests.”
The move was the latest twist in a story that mixes intrigue with the machinations of reality television. Prejean burst into prominence when she declared at the Miss USA Pageant that she did not believe that two people of the same sex should be allowed to marry. “No offense to anybody out there,” she said.
But offense was taken.
One of the pageant judges was celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, who is gay. And he helped fan flames of controversy around her statement by saying her answer had helped cost her the Miss USA crown. Then he engaged in a talk-show show-down that went on for days.
Both sides in the fight over gay marriage used the flap over Prejean to draw attention to their cause. The Miss California USA pageant officials, meanwhile, were incensed.
They accused her of “hijacking” their pageant and tried to strip her of her crown. Donald Trump, who owns the pageant, refused to go along with it, saying she could retain her title. But a month later, Trump allowed pageant officials to take her crown away.
-- Ruben Vives and Jessica Garrison
EDITOR'S PICKS:
When you think, and act, like you are above everybody else it really hurts when you come crashing down. Ta-ta Miss Carrie! Enjoy your ride on the front of that karma train that just hit you!
Posted by: Rick | June 10, 2009 at 03:15 PM
Good for Trump and the Miss California organization. It is too bad that the earlier controversy casts doubt on the organization's reasons for firing Prejean, because it sounds like they would have done the same if the question on gay marriage was never asked.
For the record, I completely disagree with her stance on gay marriage, knowing several happy gay couples (married and not) and believing that people should be free to marry whichever gender they choose. However, I wholeheartedly support Prejean's exercise of free speech. She is entitled to her opinion, and was brave enough to give her honest opinion on a controversial subject when asked. That bravery is rare in public figures these days, and I have to laud the person even if the opinion shared doesn't match my personal principles.
Posted by: FirstAmdt | June 10, 2009 at 03:36 PM
Riiiiiight......
Posted by: JasWm | June 10, 2009 at 04:01 PM
Yeah, they wanted her to go on "Taliban Live" in Pakistan, and she refused. Can you believe that?
What a joke. We all know this is about her stand on homosexual marriage.
Posted by: Truth | June 10, 2009 at 04:03 PM
She was probably fired for turning down gay related television appearance. Good for her for standing on her principals. I'm sure there wil be something better for her in future.
Posted by: BLACK | June 10, 2009 at 04:16 PM
The cover story put forth by the pageant is that Ms. Prejean was not fullfilling her committments. And that may be true, and if it is, the pageant is justified in dropping her. However, public comments by her "boss" at the Miss California USA organization show a total disagreement with Carrie's position on the gay marriage. So don't kid yourself- the pageant found a reason to get rid of her based on her political views. That she didn't live up to her contract terms gave them what they wanted- an excuse for dismissing her.
In the end, probably better for everyone. Carrie can speak her mind, and has gotten great PR. The Miss Californai USA pageant folks have shown themselves to be untolerant of views that oppose their own (but that remain in the majority in California). In the end Miss Prejean is better off without the pageant, and the pageant is happier without her (though I don't thik better off, but yes happier).
Posted by: KeepItStraight | June 10, 2009 at 04:20 PM
Those who are in support of gay and lesbian getting are guilty of false compassion. It is doing more harm than good to let people with behavioral problem do what ever they want with society being accepting of it. It's like telling someone who has a temper tantrum and that they should be accepted for who the are. Both needs to control their behavior...
Posted by: Vic Ferra | June 10, 2009 at 04:41 PM
This sort of story brings out all the anti-gay bigots. Nasty bunch!
Posted by: Jim Craft | June 10, 2009 at 04:48 PM
Nobody cares about the Miss USA pageant. Get a life, people. As for Perez Hilton, he is no Harvey Milk. At least Milk took a bullet for his beliefs. Hilton is a poseur who has nothing of substance to contribute to either issues of gay rights, civil rights, and such.
Posted by: DB | June 10, 2009 at 04:51 PM
The Carrie apologists are pathetic. You make these assertions with no facts to back them up.
Here's some facts, Keep it Straight, et al--
Miss Prejean no-showed or turned down over THIRTY Miss CA USA appearances.
She was stupid enough to leave a trail of UNPROVOKED and confrontational emails to Keith Lewis that CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE her unwillingness to do what she promised Donald Trump she would: cooperate.
Donald Trump was quoted today as saying (sic) ..that she was a sweetheart to me, but she treated everybody else like sh!t...
SHE WAS NOT FIRED FOR HER VIEWS ON GAY MARRIAGE. SHE WAS FIRED BECAUSE SHE REFUSED TO HONOR A LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACT THAT SHE SIGNED.
Is that a "Christian value"? Signing a legal contract and then not honoring it? Carrie sure thinks so.
She was also not fired for the fact that she's a lying, hypocritical sack of pageant crapola. Witnesses to Christ who try to live a "biblically correct" life NEVER pose for racy pictures that feature their exposed breasts.
Posted by: deshard | June 10, 2009 at 04:55 PM
Vic Ferra- behavioral problems? Really? Where do you get your psychological diagnostic capabilities? Your church?
You're an ignorant fool when you post comments like yours.
Homosexuality is not illegal, and was removed from the list of mental disorders in 1973 by the American Psychiatric Association.
I think they know a lot more than you do about what constitutes "behavioral" problems.
You clearly have an intellect problem.
Posted by: deshard | June 10, 2009 at 05:09 PM