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Carrie Prejean

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Template:Pageant titleholder bio

Caroline Michelle "Carrie" Prejean (born May 13, 1987) is an American model and beauty queen from Vista, California. She held the title of Miss California USA 2009, and placed first runner up in the Miss USA 2009 pageant. She gained nationwide attention over her answer to a question about same-sex marriage. She was eventually dethroned on June 10, 2009, with the producers of the Miss California USA pageant citing continued breach of contract issues as the reason.

Prejean has appeared as a model for Target, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, and Nordstrom. She has also appeared in Bliss magazine, as a model for E!: Entertainment Television, at the 81st Academy Awards, and in an interactive model search competition for the NBC game show Deal or No Deal.

Personal life

Prejean was born in San Diego, California to Francine Coppola and William Prejean. She was raised in an evangelical Christian household in Vista, California. Prejean's parents divorced in 1988. A custody battle went on for more than a decade.

Prejean graduated in 2005 from Vista High School. She is currently a senior at San Diego Christian College, a small, evangelical liberal arts college located in El Cajon, California, and attends The Rock Church, where she volunteers with their outreach ministries. Prejean also volunteers with Luv-em-Up Ministries in El Cajon, where she works with children with developmental disabilities. Prejean is studying to become a special education teacher and also volunteers for Best Buddies, a non-profit organization that helps people with disabilities, and for the Special Olympics.

Pageants

In 2005, Prejean competed in the Miss California Teen USA pageant and placed first runner-up to Stephanie Brink. In 2007, she competed in the Miss California USA 2008 pageant and initially placed third runner-up; later a judging error was discovered and she was promoted to first runner-up.

Prejean returned the following year and won the Miss California USA 2009 title, succeeding Raquel Beezley as California's representative to the Miss USA pageant. She had received breast implants paid for by the Miss California Pageant a few weeks before. Prejean competed at the nationally televised Miss USA 2009 pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009, and placed first runner-up. Prejean's answer to her final question during the pageant became the subject of controversy.

Miss USA 2009 controversy

Main article: Miss USA 2009 controversy
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Prejean attracted nationwide attention with her response to a question about same-sex marriage during the 2009 Miss USA pageant. Prejean was asked by pageant judge Perez Hilton whether she believed every U.S. state should legalize same-sex marriage. She responded,

Well I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one way or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. You know what, in my country, in my family, I do believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, no offense to anybody out there. But that’s how I was raised and I believe that it should be between a man and a woman.

The media attention intensified after Hilton posted a video blog on his website, where he called Prejean a "dumb bitch" and said her answer was the worst in pageant history. "She gave an awful, awful answer that alienated so many people." He also told ABC News that she lost the crown because of how she answered the question. adding that "There are various other ways she could have answered that question and still stayed true to herself without alienating millions of people." Prejean has also stated that she believes that her answer cost her the crown.

Prejean stated that she was told by Miss California USA pageant officials that she "need to not talk about" her faith and was pressured to apologize for her statement.

Donald Trump, who owns most of the Miss Universe Organization, defended Prejean's answer, saying that "Miss California has done a wonderful job" and that "It wasn't a bad answer, that was simply her belief." He then added that the question was "a bit unlucky" and that no matter which way she answered the question "she was going to get killed". Several elected officials, including Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco and a prominent supporter of same-sex marriage, and political pundits criticized Hilton and defended Prejean for honestly stating her personal beliefs.

Post-Miss USA Pageant

Events

Following the pageant, Prejean appeared in a television advertisement opposing same-sex marriage for the National Organization for Marriage, which had contacted her shortly after the pageant. She also hired a Christian public relations firm. In late April, Prejean presented an award at the Gospel Music Association's 2009 Dove Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. Prejean also spoke at Liberty University's final convocation of the year on April 29, 2009.

On May 1, Prejean stated on On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren that she did not have an opinion on civil unions for same-sex couples, but that she supports certain rights of same-sex couples, such as hospital visitations. She has stated that she would be willing to meet with representatives from California's largest gay rights group "as long as it's not political".

Photograph controversy

On May 4, 2009, a photograph of Prejean partially nude with her back turned to the camera appeared on a celebrity gossip blog, leading to the directors of the Miss California USA pageant investigating Prejean for potentially violating a contract clause against prospective pageant candidates having been photographed "nude or partially nude". Prejean stated on May 5 that she had posed for the shot as a seventeen-year-old and objected to its release, saying,

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 Web site that openly mocks me for my Christian faith. I am not perfect, and I will never claim to be.

She has also stated that she was "naive, and young" at the time of the photography and regrets having made the decision.

National Organization for Marriage president Maggie Gallagher stated on May 5 that the release would not affect Prejean's role with her group. She commented that "On a personal note, as a former unwed mother, I want to say to Americans: you don't have to be a perfect person to have the right to stand up for marriage." Alicia Jacobs, a local reporter for KVBC in Las Vegas who served as a judge at the Miss USA pageant, has stated that the pictures "go beyond what the Miss California pageant says are appropriate," and do not befit Prejean's status.

Crown retention and firing

Following the release of her semi-nude photos, the pageant administration announced it would discuss whether or not Prejean should retain the Miss California USA crown. On May 12, the Miss USA owner, Donald Trump, announced that Prejean would retain the crown. In his remarks he said that "We are in the 21st century. We have determined the pictures taken are fine" and that "in some cases the pictures were lovely." Concerning her opinion on same sex marriage, Trump stated: "It's the same answer that the President of the United States gave. She gave an honorable answer. She gave an answer from her heart." On May 27, 2009, while acting as a one day guest host on Fox & Friends, Prejean echoed Trump's statement, equating her position on same sex marriage with that of President Barack Obama, the majority of California voters, and the California Supreme Court. K2 Productions, which produces the Miss California USA pageant, decided to terminate Prejean's contract for "continued breach of contract issues" on June 10, 2009, which was approved by Trump. Prejean has stated that K2 Productions wanted her to pose for Playboy and appear on the reality television show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!, though Keith Lewis, the executive director of K2 Productions, stated that Prejean had requested to be notified of all offers for appearances.

References

  1. Date of birth found on the California Birth Index 1905-1995, under PREJEAN, CAROLINE MICHELLE, on 13 May 1987 in San Diego County.
  2. ^ McKay, Hollie (2009-06-10). "Exclusive: Miss California Carrie Prejean to Lose Her Crown". FOX News. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
  3. Court docs: Miss California USA Carrie Prejean's parents used homosexuality as an insult. NY Daily News. Published May 7, 2009. Accessed May 12, 2009.
  4. 48 Hrs Inside the Controversy: A First Hand Look. The Rock Church press release. Published April 23, 2009. Accessed May 8, 2009.
  5. "Pageant official: We paid for Prejean's impants". Access Hollywood. NBC Universal, Inc. April 30, 2009. Retrieved June 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ "Carrie Prejean says she was asked to apologize for gay marriage comments, but refused". New York Daily News. April 27, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. "Timeline of the Carrie Prejean Controversy". Fox News. May 11, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
  8. "Here she is, Miss Marriage Martyr USA". Salon.com. April 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
  9. Christopher Goodwin in Los Angeles (25 April 2009). "California beauty queen Carrie Prejean becomes Republican hero". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
  10. LUCHINA FISHER (April 20, 2009). "Perez Hilton 'Floored' by Miss California". ABC News. Retrieved 2009-05-29. Hilton called Prejean "a dumb b----."
  11. "Gay marriage row at Miss USA show". BBC News. April 20, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  12. Perez Hilton (2009-04-20). "Re: Miss California's Answer to my question at Miss USA". PerezHilton.com. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  13. "Carrie Prejean Says Answer to Gay Marriage Question Cost Her Miss USA Crown". FoxNews.com. 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  14. "Miss California sparks outrage over gay marriage remarks". Christian Science Monitor. 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  15. "Exclusive: Donald Trump Breaks Silence on Miss California's Gay Marriage Comments". FoxNews.com. 2009-04-24. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  16. U.S. News & World Report - "Miss California, Carrie Prejean, Signs With Top Christian Publicity Firm"
  17. "Political Grapevine" segment of Special Report with Bret Baier, Fox News, August 24, 2009 (Miss California Continues to Grab Headlines)
  18. Newsom Defends Miss California. NBC News. Published April 23, 2009.
  19. New ad warns same-sex marriage activists want to silence opposition
  20. ^ Miss USA 1st Runner-up Carrie Prejean Goes 'On the Record' On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren. Published May 1, 2009.
  21. U.S. News & World Report - "Miss California, Carrie Prejean, Signs With Top Christian Publicity Firm"
  22. "A Carrie Prejean moment at Liberty University". Liberty University. May 9, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-17. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  23. ^ Leff, Lisa (May 5, 2009). "California pageant eyes Prejean for contract violations". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved May 5, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. Miller, Korin (May 7, 2009). "Miss California Miss USA Carrie Prejean may lose her title over little white lie, nudie pics". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  25. Celizic, Mike (May 5, 2009). "Miss California: I'll fight on despite racy photos". msnbc.com. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  26. Franklin, Marcus (5/12/2009). "Trump says Miss California USA can retain crown". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-05-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. "Miss California Carrie Prejean Hosts Fox & Friends: How Did It Go?". MediaBistro. May 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-31.

External links

Honorary titles
Preceded byRaquel Beezley Miss California USA
2009 		Succeeded byTami Farrell
Preceded byKatie Bestebreurtje Miss LaJolla USA
2008 		Succeeded byVacant
Preceded byElly Garner Miss Greater San Diego USA
2007 		Succeeded byBrieana Downey
Categories: