MSNBC anchors David Shuster, Contessa Brewer, and Tamron Hall erupted in what the network characterized as a "feisty" discussion over Miss California Carrie Prejean Tuesday morning.
Shortly after pageant owner Donald Trump announced that Prejean would keep her crown despite the recent topless photos of her that have circulated around the internet, Shuster went off on the beauty queen.
"Can I vomit right now?" he asked. "Doesn't this represent everything that is wrong with the superficial nature of these pageants?"
Shuster continued, taking Miss California runner-up Tami Farrell to task for her poor grammar in her appearance on the "Today" show Tuesday morning, where she said that Prejean was "binded," and not "bound," by her contract.
"This entire thing is a sham! It's ridiculous!" he said.
Brewer immediately jumped to pageant contestants' defense, saying, "Some pageant contestants are smarter than others."
"And these two are clearly not very smart," Shuster shot back. "It's all about superficial beauty. This is one of the most superficial events we will find in our culture."
Brewer, who argued that reality TV is more superficial than beauty pageants, fought with her co-anchors to let her get a word in -- "Tamron, let me finish!" Brewer said to Hall -- and called this controversy "a great jumping off point for a conversation about same-sex marriage."
"The only jumping off point is jumping off a cliff if you really believe that people at these pageants have anything worthwhile to say to the rest of us," Shuster responded. "If you really believe that, then that's your jumping off point and I suggest you jump off the cliff, because this is as superficial as you'll ever see."
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Shuster also tweeted his outrage, writing, "Prejean, who got cosmetic surgery before the pageant, just spoke of 'how women can make a difference in the world.' Absolutely revolting."