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Carrie Prejean

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Carrie Prejean
Carrie Prejean, winner of Miss California USA 2009.Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean
BornCaroline Michelle Prejean
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss California USA 2009 (rescinded)
Major
competition(s)		Miss USA 2009

Caroline Michelle "Carrie" Prejean (Template:Pron-en; born May 13, 1987) is an American model, author, former Miss California USA 2009 and Miss USA 2009 first runner-up. Prejean received national attention in 2009 stemming from her answer to a question about same-sex marriage in the 2009 Miss USA Pageant. Prejean was later ousted of her Miss California crown for alleged breaches of contract. Contentious litigation between Prejean and the Miss California organization was settled in November 2009. Later that month, Prejean released a book that her publisher described as telling "The Whole Story".

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. Prejean also works as an ambassador for the San Diego Padres as a member of the Pad Squad from 2006 to present.

Personal life

Prejean was born in San Diego, California to Francine Coppola and William Prejean. Her mother is Italian American. She was raised in an evangelical Christian household in Vista, California. Prejean's parents divorced in 1988.

Prejean graduated in 2005 from Vista High School. She is a senior at San Diego Christian College, an evangelical private school 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. She is studying to become a special education teacher.

In February 2010, Prejean became engaged to NFL quarterback Kyle Boller.

Pageants

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. 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

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. And, you know what, in my country, in my family, I think that I 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 insulted Prejean and said he believed her answer was the worst in pageant history. Hilton stated: "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. Prejean has also stated that she believes that her answer cost her the crown. Of that moment, Prejean has written,

I was being dared — in front of the entire world — to give a candid answer to a serious question. I knew if I told the truth, I would lose all that I was competing for: the crown, the luxury apartment in New York City, the large salary — everything that went with the Miss USA title. I also knew, or suspected, that I was the frontrunner, and if I gritted my teeth and gave the politically correct answer, I could be Miss USA.

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. The New York Times reports her beliefs are representative of mainstream U.S. opinion on the issue, stating "while a majority of Americans believe that gay couples should be able to enter into unions with some of the legal protections of marriage," only "a minority believe that gays and lesbians should be permitted to 'marry,' per se.".

Post-Miss USA Pageant

Later, the National Organization for Marriage used footage from the pageant for a television advertisement that warned that same-sex marriage activists wanted to silence opposition. Prejean 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".

Contract termination

Pageant organizers investigated Prejean for violating the terms of her contract after a photograph of Prejean partially nude with her back turned to the camera appeared on a celebrity gossip blog. Prejean defended the shots as legitimate modeling, and Miss USA owner Donald Trump agreed, stating, "We are in the 21st century. We have determined the pictures taken are fine" and that "in some cases the pictures were lovely." Trump went on to compare Prejean's views on same sex-marriage as being in line with those of President Barack Obama, and National Organization for Marriage president Maggie Gallagher stated on May 5 that the release would not affect Prejean's role with her group.

Despite his initial support, Trump agreed to terminate Prejean's contract on June 10, 2009, citing "continued breach of contract issues." Prejean claimed that K2 Productions, producers of the Miss California USA pageant, wanted her to pose for Playboy and appear on the reality television show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!, though K2 Productions executive Keith Lewis claimed he was simply notifying Prejean of all offers for appearances. In August, 2009, Prejean sued Miss California USA officials on a variety of civil grounds, including libel and the unauthorized release of private medical records. K2 Productions and pageant officials filed counterclaims seeking the profits from Prejean's forthcoming book, which it claims was written in violation of the Miss California USA contract, and the return of $5200 loaned to Prejean for breast implants. On November 3, 2009, Prejean and K2 announced a settlement with undisclosed terms, with both sides dropping their lawsuits. CNN subsequently reported that Prejean's settlement with Miss California USA officials was driven by the discovery of a sexually-oriented videotape featuring Prejean, who appeared alone on the tape.

Still Standing

In November 2009, Prejean released a memoir titled Still Standing: The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks through Regnery Publishing. The book explores what Prejean believes were unfair attacks by "the liberal media" and "a vindictive smear campaign" from Hollywood, while also focusing on her conservative values. In a widely discussed incident that occurred while promoting the book, Prejean almost walked out of an interview on Larry King Live when King pressed her for details on the settlement of her lawsuit with the Miss California USA pageant, calling the host "inappropriate" and threatened to leave the set. The book, which contains a foreword by Fox News commentator Sean Hannity, was also recommended by media personalities Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh.

References

  1. Date of birth found on the California Birth Index 1905-1995, under PREJEAN, CAROLINE MICHELLE, on May 13, 1987 in San Diego County.
  2. ^ McKay, Hollie (June 10, 2009). "Exclusive: Miss California Carrie Prejean to Lose Her Crown". FOX News. Retrieved June 10, 2009.
  3. ^ Alan Duke (November 4, 2009). "Source: Carrie Prejean 'sex tape' spurred pageant settlement". CNN.com. Retrieved November 11, 2009. Cite error: The named reference "sextape" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ Prejean, Carrie (2009). Still Standing: The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks. USA: Regnery Publishing. ISBN 1596986026. Retrieved March 18, 2010. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. Gaslamp Ball (May 16, 2008). "Gaslamp Ball Interview: Pad Squad Carrie". GaslampBall.com. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
  6. ^ "Miss California USA: Official Website: Celebrating the Beauty of California".
  7. 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.
  8. "Christian college student is Miss USA first-runner up" Christian Examiner. May 2009
  9. Babbit, Jed. "Carrie Prejean Says Gays Intolerant" Human Events. November, 11, 2009.
  10. "Carrie Prejean & NFL Star Engaged". Retrieved 02-08-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  11. http://misscaliforniausa.com/2008.html
  12. ^ "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)
  13. "Timeline of the Carrie Prejean Controversy". Fox News. May 11, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
  14. "Here she is, Miss Marriage Martyr USA". Salon.com. April 21, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
  15. Christopher Goodwin in Los Angeles (April 25, 2009). "California beauty queen Carrie Prejean becomes Republican hero". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
  16. Mail Foreign Service (April 21, 2009). "'God was testing my faith,' says Miss California after Perez Hilton calls her a 'dumb bitch' in gay marriage row". Mail Online (UK). Retrieved March 17, 2009.
  17. LUCHINA FISHER (April 20, 2009). "Perez Hilton 'Floored' by Miss California". ABC News. Retrieved May 29, 2009. Hilton called Prejean "a dumb b----."
  18. "Gay marriage row at Miss USA show". BBC News. April 20, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  19. "Carrie Prejean Says Answer to Gay Marriage Question Cost Her Miss USA Crown". FoxNews.com. April 20, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  20. "Miss California sparks outrage over gay marriage remarks". Christian Science Monitor. April 20, 2009. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
  21. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33797211/ns/today-today_books/
  22. "Exclusive: Donald Trump Breaks Silence on Miss California's Gay Marriage Comments". FoxNews.com. April 24, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  23. U.S. News & World Report - "Miss California, Carrie Prejean, Signs With Top Christian Publicity Firm"
  24. "Political Grapevine" segment of Special Report with Bret Baier, Fox News, August 24, 2009 (Miss California Continues to Grab Headlines)
  25. Newsom Defends Miss California. NBC News. Published April 23, 2009.
  26. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/weekinreview/15bruni.html
  27. New ad warns same-sex marriage activists want to silence opposition
  28. U.S. News & World Report - "Miss California, Carrie Prejean, Signs With Top Christian Publicity Firm"
  29. "A Carrie Prejean moment at Liberty University". Liberty University. May 9, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2009. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  30. Miss USA 1st Runner-up Carrie Prejean Goes 'On the Record' On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren. Published May 1, 2009.
  31. ^ 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)
  32. 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)
  33. http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/entertainment/celebrity_news/090512_Carrie_Prejean_Racy_Photos_from_TMZ
  34. Franklin, Marcus (5/12/2009). "Trump says Miss California USA can retain crown". Associated Press. Retrieved May 12, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. "Former Miss California USA sues pageant officials". CNN.com. August 31, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  36. Alan Duke (October 20, 2009). "Miss California USA sued over breast implant money". CNN.com. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  37. Alan Duke (November 3, 2009). "Prejean settles lawsuits with Miss California USA pageant". CNN.com. Retrieved November 9, 2009.
  38. "Book Details - Still Standing". Regnery Publishing. Regnery Publishing. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  39. Lapowsky, Issie (November 12, 2009), "Carrie Prejean throws temper tantrum on 'Larry King Live'; calls host 'inappropriate'", New York Daily News
  40. Lila Shapiro (12 November 2009). "Carrie Prejean Threatens To Walk Off "Larry King" (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  41. "Still Standing: The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks (Hardcover)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 18 March 2010.

External links

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Honorary titles
Preceded byRaquel Beezley Miss California USA
2009 		Succeeded byTami Farrell
Categories: