Anti-gay Miss California sacked for failing to turn up to appearances
The recently crowned Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who caused outrage for expressing her anti gay marriage views, has been sacked for breaching her contract.
Miss California USA executive director Keith Lewis said in a statement that Prejean had been dismissed “solely on contract violations” and due to her “unwillingness to make appearances”.
Before being dethroned, she had caused controversy by saying marriage should be between “a man and a woman” at the Miss USA pageant in May.
Blogger Perez Hilton was one of the judges. When he asked her directly whether same-sex marriage should be legalised in all US states she replied: “In my country, in my family, I do believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offence to anybody out there. But that’s how I was raised”.
Prejean managed to keep her title despite public anger over her opinions. She also survived the publication of a number of topless photos taken when she was 17.
Donald Trump, who runs the Miss California USA organisation, said: “I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honour her contract with the Miss California USA Organisation and I gave her the opportunity to do so.
“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.”
Trump was less generous in remarks to TMZ.com: “To me she was the sweetest thing. Everyone else, she treated like s–t.”
Prejean’s replacement as Miss California will be Tami Farrell, who was runner up in the original contest.
Interviewed on Larry King’s talk show, she gave a more diplomatic response to the gay marriage question, but seemed unwilling to reveal her personal views: “Honestly I think it’s a personal decision and I think it’s a civil rights issue and it’s something that we should let each state decide.I think it’s silly with all this controversy right now that the world is looking to beauty queens for the answer, that’s my honest opinion.”
