Tattle: Carrie Prejean gets thumbs-up from the Donald

OUR NOT-SO-LONG national nightmare is over: Miss California, Carrie Prejean, can keep her title.

(By Howard Gensler) --- Donald Trump descended from a skyscraper yesterday to make his ruling. We still think he should have named Carrie the "Celebrity Apprentice" and Joan Rivers Miss California, but what can you do.It's been a busy week for Trump but once again he used his Solomonic wisdom to do what he does best - get publicity for Donald Trump and properties owned by Donald Trump.

Really, were there a dozen people in America who actually cared about the Miss USA pageant? Are there a half-dozen who can recall who won? In allowing Carrie to retain her crown and simultaneously saying he would love to have Perez Hilton back as a judge, Trump has appealed to both sides in the gay-marriage divide.

"We've reviewed the pictures carefully," Trump said at a packed news conference at Trump Plaza in Manhattan. "We've made a determination that the pictures taken were acceptable. Some were risque, but we are in the 21st century." We're still having beauty pageants, dude. We're fighting over gay marriage. We're at war with fanatics who stone women for going to school. Are we really in the 21st century?

"It's the same answer the president of the United States gave," Trump said of Carrie's response to Perez's gay-marriage query. "It's the same answer many people gave. She gave an honorable answer. She gave an answer from her heart, and I think for that she has to be commended." We're with you, Donald. We have said repeatedly during this ridiculous controversy that Carrie is absolutely entitled to the opinion she stated. It's a beauty contest, for pete's (or Trump's) sake. Carrie was catwalking in high heels, not running for office. She was wearing a sash, not a judge's robe.

Sure we think her higher authority might frown on the nudie shots and the fake boobs, but that's just us - and we frown on neither. So we were 100 percent with The Donald's decision and with Carrie retaining her title and her important runner-up status should anything happen to whoever actually won. But then Carrie had to open her mouth.

"On April 19 on that stage I exercised my freedom of speech, and I was punished for doing so," said Prejean, who described Perez's question as "politically charged" with a "hidden personal agenda." "This should not happen in America."

Take a breath, dear. Perez's question was only "politically charged" because you gave him an answer he didn't want to hear and he made an issue of it. If you want your answer to be respected as coming from your heart, then his question should be respected for coming from his heart.

His "hidden personal agenda"? What's "hidden" about it? He's an out gay man who writes a snarky gossip blog. He believes he should have the right to marry a man. You don't. You both have a "personal agenda" and neither one is hidden.

As for the line "This should not happen in America," to what do you refer? Judges shouldn't ask "politically charged" questions of pageant babes (that's playing into a stereotype) or people shouldn't have "hidden personal agendas" even if they're not hidden?

Miss California USA pageant is rocked on its high heels

Miss California USA organizers say Carrie Prejean hijacked the event to spread her views on marriage.

By Carla Hall - May 12, 2009

Ever since Miss California Carrie Prejean declared onstage last month at the Miss USA Pageant that she believed gay people should not have the right to marry, she has battled her critics in TV interviews, been championed by groups opposed to same-sex marriage and pretty much eclipsed the woman who beat her to become the reigning Miss USA.

(Does anyone even remember what state the winner was from?)

But that's nothing compared to what Prejean did to the Miss California organization. She hijacked it, the organizers said, for her own message.
"Up to now, we've just been riding along as a passenger on this runaway train," Keith Lewis, co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant, said Monday morning at a news conference at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. "But that ends today."And with that, the organizers labeled her a rogue Miss California and, well, ostracized her. They don't have the authority to dethrone her. That power lies only with Donald Trump, the owner of the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageant system. He is scheduled to weigh in on the brouhaha today at a news conference in New York.

Instead the organizers installed the Miss California first runner-up as a kind of shadow Miss California. Tami Farrell, a gleamy-eyed, long-haired blond in a short one-shouldered dress, beamed and took her place on the dais when she was introduced as the "official Beauty of California ambassador" by Shanna Moakler, executive director of the state pageant.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.

Prejean lost the pageant (she was runner-up to Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton). But her statement quickly became fodder for the ongoing culture war over same-sex marriage. Gay-rights activists criticized her, while her backers said she was being unfairly attacked.Yes, there's also some controversy over recently revealed semi-naked photos of Prejean (clad in panties, her arm draped strategically over her chest with nary a nipple in sight) and chortling over a breast enhancement job the local pageant helped finance. ("The majority of women who are titleholders have breast implants . . . I didn't think breast implants were shocking," Moakler said, chuckling.)

But pageant officials 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.

"Up to now, it's been very difficult to get in touch with her," Moakler said. Asked if she had Prejean's cellphone number, Moakler added: "We do. She doesn't answer her phone. Her pastor does."And that wasn't all. Pageant officials said their sponsors have been getting hate mail because of Prejean's stand. They had nothing but scorn for the National Organization for Marriage, a group opposed to same-sex marriage that used in one of its commercials video of Prejean's now infamous pageant answer."Shame. Shame, shame, shame," Lewis said. "Shame for taking this young woman and exploiting her to further your own agenda."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."Quite a maelstrom for a 21-year-old (going on 22) at a Christian college, whose goal was to become a Victoria's Secret model. Prejean, although invited, did not attend the Beverly Hills news conference. She reportedly was on a plane for New York. 

In this post-beauty pageant era, none of these women get much national recognition unless they go astray in some carnal or substance-abusing way -- which makes Carrie Prejean even more unusual.In this case, her real recognition is over a stand on an issue. It's not the message the California pageant had in mind. "You have to understand we never want to take away a girl's beliefs or her voice," Lewis said. "But when you wear the title that says 'I represent everyone,' you can't then polarize the people you represent."

Pageant officials say all would be forgiven if she came back and returned to the business of beauty -- attending red-carpet events, charity gatherings, appearances for sponsors. "We just need to get back to business," Lewis said. "We want her to fulfill her contract."

Source: http://news.google.com

Carrie Prejean -- Who's the Boob Now?

By TMZ Staff / May 11, 2009

Those topless photos of Miss USA California Carrie Prejean were taken after she turned 18, according to one of her former pageant sponsors. This contradicts Carrie's position that she posed for the pics when she was only 17.

We obtained an email sent by the sponsor (we were asked not to use his name) and he says Carrie sent him one of the topless photos after January 6, 2009, asking "if she was in good enough shape for the Miss USA Pageant." The date is significant, because that's the day Carrie got a boob job. The former sponsor says the pic was post boob job and she was well over 18.

TMZ obtained 4 topless photos a week ago. Her rep contacted us and said Carrie's position was that she was naive at the time she posed. Then we got a second email stating she was only 17. As a result we did not publish the photos. But the sponsor says he's positive they were taken when Carrie was a full-grown adult.

Source: http://www.tmz.com

Miss California Carrie Prejean -- Take it Down!

By TMZ Staff / May 10th, 2009 

Miss California Carrie Prejean wants to put a lid on those nude photos that have been posted on the Internet -- stat.

We've obtained a cease and desist letter fired off from Carey's lawyer to thedirty.com, demanding that the site take down two photos, showing a topless Carrie posing for the cam.In the letter, her lawyer says, "One of the displayed images of Ms. Prejean was illegally taken under false pretenses when she was a 17-year-old minor and unable to consent to its creation." 

The letter goes on: "The other image depicts Ms. Prejean's likeness but is not an actual photograph. It is an electronic manipulation ["photoshopped'] of her image created without her consent."

The response from thedirty.com: "Your client's publicity rights are substantially inferior to the right of the public to consider, discuss, agree and/or disagree with Ms. Prejean's actions and views. This is not conduct for which your client's consent is required." Translation -- go pound sand.

Source: http://www.tmz.com

Miss California Denounces Racy Photo Leak

By Gina Serpe / May 5, 2009

Miss California wanted to be in the public eye—now the public is getting an eyeful of Miss California.

The first of a reputed six racy photos of Carrie Prejean, donning little more than her traditional family values, leaked online yesterday and immediately sparked a new round of calls for the already controversial beauty queen to be stripped of her tiara.

The photo—showing a topless, pink-underpants-wearing Prejean with her arm strategically placed—first appeared on TheDirty.com before making its way around the web. While only the single photo has been released, the site says there are five more, at least one of which is rumored to show Prejean completely nude.

The photo could affect her status as Miss California—Prejean's contract with the organization prohibits her from being "photographed in a state of partial or total nudity."

The anti-gay-marriage contestant turned traditional-marriage advocate quickly issued a statement denouncing the leak as the latest in a series of "attacks on me and my integrity as a woman."

"My comments defending traditional marriage have led to intimidation tactics that seek to undermine my reputation and somehow silence me and my beliefs, as if opinion is only a one-way street," says Prejean.

"I am a Christian, and I am a model. Models pose for pictures, including lingerie and swimwear photos. Recently, photos taken of me as a teenager have been released surreptitiously to a tabloid website that openly mocks me for my Christian faith.

"I am not perfect, and I will never claim to be. But these attacks on me and others who speak in defense of traditional marriage are intolerant and offensive. While we may not agree on every issue, we should show respect for others' opinions and not try to silence them through vicious and mean-spirited attacks."

Source: http://www.eonline.com