Miss California Keeping Title - Till Trump Decides

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Officials of the Miss California USA pageant strongly criticized some of the actions of titleholder Carrie Prejean on Monday but said it's not their decision whether she should be stripped of her crown.

Co-executive directors Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler told a press conference that only Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump can make that decision.

Trump plans to hold a press conference Tuesday in New York City. One of Prejean's publicists, Melany Ethridge of A. Larry Ross Communications, said her client would be at Tuesday's event and would issue a statement then.

Miss USA officials have said Prejean has been "unavailable" and so in the meantime they have appointed the state pageant's runner-up, Tami Farrell, as a "Beauty of California Ambassador" to fulfill any duties the winner normally would handle.

Lewis said that if Trump allows Prejean to retain her crown, state pageant officials would welcome her back and encourage her to take part in her normal duties.

"We're still going to be able to fulfill our duties no matter if Mr. Trump offers a second chance or utters his famous line from `The Apprentice,'" Lewis said (meaning, of course, "You're fired").

Prejean, 21, of San Diego, created controversy during the Miss USA pageant when she answered a judge's question by saying she believes marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

The state pageant has been investigating whether she violated her contract by making public appearances with groups opposed to same-sex marriage. Prejean also failed to reveal that she posed in her underwear as a teenager.

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Moakler said Prejean's failure to reveal the photo to organizers shows she entered the pageant under false pretenses.

"For us the severity of nudity in the one photo that Carrie Prejean has admitted was hers is not the issue. The fact that she entered the pageant and admitted it, is," Moakler said.

Moakler said that women entering the pageant are given documents that require full disclosure, but they do not say that any disclosure will make the person ineligible.

Rather, she said, the documents say the entrant should disclose things so officials can evaluate them.

"Our system is about empowering women to be the best they can be," she said.

Lewis said the state pageant has never criticized Prejean for her beliefs, but he added that Miss California USA must represent everyone in the state.

Lewis said the appointment of Farrell wasn't meant to be punitive or retaliatory against Prejean. Lewis and Moakler are officials of K2 Productions, which independently produces the state pageant under license. Lewis emphasized they were not speaking on behalf of the Miss USA or Miss Universe pageants.

In the meantime, blogs raised questions about whether a double standard existed as stories surfaced about topless pictures of Alysha S. Castonguay, now Miss Rhode Island USA. She was a New England Patriots cheerleaders when she posed for Maxim last year.

The 22-year-old Castonguay, who has said she told pageant officials about the pictures, apparently is in no danger of being dethroned.

On CBS' "The Early Show," Castonguay defended Prejean, saying Prejean's comments on gay marriage are the main issue, not her photos.

Comments

[GhostNyc]

Two DO U CHES

[rabiddog6708]

There once was a gal named Prejean
Who ran afoul of the Pageant Machine
She smiled sweetly at Trump
Who was such a chump
That he declared her pics clean

[Yaaawn]

Glad she kept the title. She did nothing wrong and I have more respect for than ever. The real losers here are the self rightous gays

[Stash]

Once Trump decided to keep Rivers, he deserves to keep Prejean as well. A few boobie shots pale when compared to the crap Joan Rivers did. He gave her a pass. He'll give Prejean a pass.

[Stash]

What did I tell you? Standards mean nothing to Trump. Trump, Rivers, and Prejean. They all deserve each other.

[felisa11]

I don't know why she wants to hold on to the crown. She will always be remembered for an uneducated answer and her anti-gay marriage tour.

Someone should advise her to pursue another career, possibly get some more education.

[Loompa]

How did her answer appear 'uneducated' you vacuous- minded twit. Just because she doesn't kiss PC butt, you declare her 'uneducated' - well, I think we can see who actually deserves that moniker - go back to grade school you empty-headed twit

[kate99]

if trump lets her off with breaking her contract as miss California he is a bigger joke than I figured

this has nothing to do with her views its the fact she has gone off on her little crusade and forgot she was contracted to represent California at events not the religious right at anti gay marrige events

[zipowitz]

She did represent CA as she said exactly what the majority of the voters said. And you are kidding yourself if you think she isn't being persecuted because of it.

I wonder, had she would have prefaced her answer by saying "I agree with President Obama and that marriage should be between a man and a woman" would people be up in arms and asking for her resignation as they are now?

[kate99]

what she signed a contract as miss cali to front there campaign not go on some crusade against gay marriage her answer has nothing to do with this plus she lied over and over again now she is saying her topless pics she did not know were being took bull

look she might be a nice girl from what I have seen she is and she is entitled to her views as is perez but he went over the top big time but all this says is it is ok to lie to get ahead its ok to break a contract

[bghta]

I say kick her out.!!!!

[Kateyras]

She is not really very good looking, especially those fake boobs, they look so, uh, well, FAKE! Plus WAY too much makeup. But it is the phoney "I'm so holy" crap that bugs me.

[Pie7]

I hope Trump let her keep her title.

Go Miss California, Gawd is on your side.

[L3ftofC3nter]

who is Gawd? Is that the Gay godfather? My friend pronounces it like that. He always says 'Gawd is Golden'-LMAO!

[Pie7]

No, but with cens0rship here, one has to be careful. For example, I don't know if they will block me if I spell the word with a captital (T)itle or lowcase (t)itle.

[water57]

Trump will try to draw this story out for very long time, and everyone will think he has starting at new TV series. This story will fade away, before he runs out of hairspray.

[Rubyfoo]

Combover meets chest augmentation. Haven't had so much fun since Frankenstein had it out with the Werewolf.

[aspertame2]

Trump will want to give Ms. Prejean a pass, if only to tick off Rosie. But he's not entirely impractical and what is good for the National Organization for Marriage would appear to be decidedly bad for an increasingly irrelevant yearly "entertainment" event.

Petty of me, but as she makes her appearances, I do wonder how the hair and wardrobe people are treating Mis Calif. Amazed in a way that she does not yet sport a mohawk or buzz cut!

[water57]

Just where will Trump decide her fate in the Trump plaza?

[armadillo]

Anyone wanna cover the bet that she is talking with Playboy as we speak.

[cyoohoos]

Trump is a softy for blondes. Didn't he forgive Ms America for drugging and partying a while back? She's got nothing to worry about if that's the case.

[MissKaren]

Except that the girl he gave a second chance to went into rehab, aced it and went on to do the job quite well. This cupcake cannot be rehabilitated from evangelical Christianity and, as the icanhascheezburger cat said, "Sorry, we can't cure stoopid.".