Miss California: Pageant organizers tried to force me to apologize
posted at 11:36 am on April 27, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
The saga of the Miss USA pageant continues to get more and more ridiculous. After organizer Donald Trump inexplicably invited Perez Hilton to judge the beauty contest and the blogger wound up using it as a PR stunt with a politically loaded question, Carrie Prejean has garnered more attention for her runner-up status than the winner got. (Quick: without Googling, can you name her?) Now, after Miss California has become a media darling by speaking her own mind, she reveals that the Miss California pageant organizers wanted her to remember her proper place — by renouncing her religious beliefs and apologizing:
Miss California Carrie Prejean, who became the bombshell of the Miss USA pageant by saying gay couples should not be allowed to marry, said Sunday that her state sponsors urged her to apologize afterward but she rejected the advice.
Prejean, 21, said officials from the Miss California USA pageant were worried that her comments would cost their contest financial backing and tried to prepare her for a string of post-pageant media interviews by discouraging her from discussing her religious beliefs.
“`You need to apologize to the gay community. You need to not talk about your faith. This has everything to do with you representing California and saving the brand,’” Prejean recalled being told. “I was representing California. I was representing the majority of people in California.”
You need to not talk about your faith. For those who think of beauty pageants as anachronisms for young women in an era of liberation, doesn’t this speak volumes about the attitudes of the organizers? Just shut up and look pretty, even if people are attacking you.
Let’s remember why Prejean has to talk about this at all. The organizers of the national contest invited an outspoken gay-marriage advocate and allowed him to turn the pageant into a soapbox for his own purposes. After Prejean gave her honest answer, choosing to have the confidence in her own faith and intellect, Hilton then went on a media tear, calling Prejean a “b***h” and saying he wished he could call her an even more vulgar term demeaning towards women.
And the beauty pageant organizers want her to shut up, smile, and just take it — and apologize for having an opinion.
What a breakthrough for women!
Blowback
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Where are the “women’s rights” organizations?
[Crickets...]
newton on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
I think it’s probably been said here before, but I invite the reader to consider if the tables were turned and an evangelist minister were the judge and had criticized a pro-gay “marriage” answer from a contestent…
JohnTant on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Uh, from what i recall, Prop 8 passed by the majority of people in California that gave a flying crap and dragged their butts to the polls.
gatorboy on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
America is a great country where you may have any opinion. As long as it’s MINE!
faol on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Liberal tolerance in action.
OhioCoastie on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Ms. N. Carolina?
MarkTheGreat on April 27, 2009 at 11:41 AM
According to liberals, nobody has a right to be against the liberal agenda.
MarkTheGreat on April 27, 2009 at 11:41 AM
I wish she would have said, “I think that’s an appropriate question for someone running for political office and not for a Miss America contest.”
perroviejo on April 27, 2009 at 11:42 AM
How dare she talk about her faith. Whew! What if she was Muslim. Oh, wait she would have been killed.
faol on April 27, 2009 at 11:42 AM
JohnTant on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
I’m trying to. But it’s very difficult to think of an evangelist minister talking as dopey as Perez Hilton, or as hateful.
So, I can’t do it.
bridgetown on April 27, 2009 at 11:43 AM
uh oh…somebody call the WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBULANCE!
Seriously, we’re having this big collective societal conversation on gays…we should try ignoring them. When your kid asks why those 2 men are holding hands, say you don’t know. When they ask why those 2 women are kissing, say you have no idea. When they try and put votes up in states for gay marriage, vote and keep your mouth shut. We pay too much attention to them.
ernesto on April 27, 2009 at 11:43 AM
She’s speaking at Liberty University on Wed. I’m pretty sure she won’t be asked to apologize… :)
acleaver on April 27, 2009 at 11:43 AM
You’re forgetting Ed that NONE of the “media” is repeatind perez’s “dumb b—-” slur. Funny how lauer forgot it and none of the cable newsers did either save fox. Funny how ‘macaca’ can lose a senate race, ‘want him to fail’ gets the wrath of the white house, and palin’s ‘real America’ was on an endless msnbc loop.
I guess when your words come from a LIBERAL hero (heroine?) we kindly forget “just words”
battleoflepanto1571 on April 27, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Even more annoying is Perez Hilton gave Obama a pass on having the exact same position as Ms. California on gay marriage.
Neo on April 27, 2009 at 11:45 AM
I think it’s probably been said here before, but I invite the reader to consider if the tables were turned and an evangelist minister were the judge and had criticized a pro-gay “marriage” answer from a contestent…
JohnTant on April 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Of course you are right. Cant you just hear Billy Graham calling her a stupid B**ch. Hardly.
faol on April 27, 2009 at 11:45 AM
There ya’ go folks, typical liberalism; they are afraid of an intelligent, beautiful woman and will do everything to suppress and vilify her when her beliefs conflict with theirs.
DL13 on April 27, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Shut up and look pretty…the new byline of the women’s movement.
right2bright on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Next time they can ask the contestants, “Did you agree or disagree with Bush’s policy of killing brown people?”
Bishop on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
This bikini contest participant’s worthless opinion notwithstanding, her opposition to gay marriage is actually helping the gay cause.
Dave Rywall on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
That is the very truth that seems to have been lost. She did represent her state well. The far MAJORITY did vote in favor of traditional marriage.
So Perez can go “boo-hoo” all he wants. Who the He|| cares!
jbh45 on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
But that is not what happened is it? It is just as valid to say that the evangelist minister would not have been stupid enough to ask such an obvious and loaded question. Regardless of which side you are on in the gay/marriage debate, it is clear that Perez Hilton set the pro side’s cause back significantly with his petulant, perverted preening.
DrDeano on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
She was competing for the Miss USA title, not running for Congress.
In any event, I’d remind the organizers that essentially she did represent the views of the majority of Californians. We voted for Prop 8, even if some of us voted for it for reasons that differ from Prejean’s.
Y-not on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Dave Rywall on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
How is that? By showing the world the likes of Perez and how disgusting a gay person can be?
bridgetown on April 27, 2009 at 11:47 AM
When will they demand that Priss Hilton apologize?
jgapinoy on April 27, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Coming Soon? Just shut-up and wear this Hiijab!
WashJeff on April 27, 2009 at 11:47 AM
ernesto,
Exactly. There are only 24 hours in every day and gay activists are demanding more and more of them. With Pakistan drifting into nuclear rogue state status, Iran doing the same, China stealing the F-35, and Russia creeping into Georgia, I actually have other things I’d like discussed in the public sphere.
Beagle on April 27, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Miss Cahlee-fornyah can apologize to the gay community…
as soon as Perez hilton and the gay community APOLOGIZE to Christians for continually harassing and degrading them b/c of their beliefs.
FREAKING HYPOCRITES!!!
LordMaximus on April 27, 2009 at 11:49 AM
I dunno, ernesto, it seems less like a conversation and more like a lecture.
Mr. D on April 27, 2009 at 11:49 AM
If Donald Trump obviously disrespects the pageant to the point of assigning a judge that is a hate mongering homosexual to be a judge, why should anyone on the face of the earth have respect for it. This should be the last pageant held. The precedent for trying to sabotage any redeeming qualities has been set, to go forward would be futile. The pageant will be a tool to destroy any values presented by its existence.
volsense on April 27, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Actually, they are all still unbder Bill Clinton’s desk.
And no, they’re not hiding down there. Doing something else.
Del Dolemonte on April 27, 2009 at 11:49 AM
I actually kinda like this idea.
Lehosh on April 27, 2009 at 11:50 AM
She needs to tell the Miss California pageant dolts to stick it in their collective ears or the orifice of their choice.
rplat on April 27, 2009 at 11:50 AM
This young lady chose the “narrow gate” and I applaud her for it. Had this question been posed to another contestant there would be no story, but He has ways of strengthening us.
thomasaur on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 AM
The GOP can learn a lot from this woman.
Daddy-O on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 AM
I strongly support gay marriage, but I would label the demand that Prejean apologize to be fascist. It’s even worse than what Perez Hilton did, because it makes Hilton’s intolerance official. And that is what fascism means in informal speech: the official intolerance of different viewpoints.
thuja on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Here come the lefty trolls to poo-poo all over her spouting off ridiculous opinions as if they are facts without a shred of evidence to back them up.
Of course, if she had said she was pro-gay marriage and blasted evil bigoted Americans, they would be applauding her for having the courage and conviction to stand up for her beliefs.
amkun on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 AM
This bikini contest participant’s worthless opinion notwithstanding, her opposition to gay marriage is actually helping the gay cause.
Dave Rywall on April 27, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Sure, because Prejean is a dopey blond with a worthless opinion; the gays can rally around that worthless opinion and….wait…is she insignificant or not?
Bishop on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Gotta love how she keeps heaping hot coals on their heads every time they try to bait her into lowering herself to their level.
Christien on April 27, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Trump got much more than he had hoped for when he invited Perez. For Trump this is even better than the controversy stirred up a couple years ago when Miss USA almost lost her crown from partying too much.
dedalus on April 27, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Sexuality is a private matter.
maverick muse on April 27, 2009 at 11:52 AM
So.. in other words..
Prop 8 was passed by the people that MATTER in California.
if you didn’t vote for or against Prop 8.. TS.. Tough situation.
DaveC on April 27, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Palin-Prejean, 2012
ToddonCapeCod on April 27, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Having spent a lot of time in Europe and seen at least some of the side effects of the legalization of gay marriage, here is an good quote that sums things up pretty well:
DrDeano on April 27, 2009 at 11:53 AM
That would be nice if the public school system didn’t that it was their obligation to indoctrinate our children in the glory of homosexuality.
thomasaur on April 27, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Ahhh, the thought Police arrive…
The fastest way to get a fight out of an American is to tell them they HAVE to think, or Speak, or ACT, in a certain way.
I can be persuaded, but not co-erced…. but your type are trying to FORCE the issue, instead of persuade.
Romeo13 on April 27, 2009 at 11:54 AM
She just went up another 10 points in my book. And she was already well over 100.
Carl in Jerusalem on April 27, 2009 at 11:54 AM
I wish she could admit she could have answered the question better… and I doubt they would have made her recant her position… they would have had per put out a boilerplate statement… but that would have probably been bad from her perspective anyway…
ninjapirate on April 27, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Its a shame she’s not a black woman. She wouldn’t be getting all this heat.
Star20 on April 27, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Donald Trump wants ratings and sponsors. While I have doubts whether this was orchestrated, I am sure he is happy this controversy is happening due to the attention it brings to Miss USA. Can he make the attention show up on the bottom line, don’t know.
WashJeff on April 27, 2009 at 11:55 AM
IMO, this stunt by Perez made the cause of gay marriage less likely and did more damage to the chances than any good that he may have been shooting for.
carbon_footprint on April 27, 2009 at 11:55 AM
The ultimate irony is this? If the current Ms. America lost her crown for something just like that..
some homemade video appears and she has to give up her crown.. IYKWIMAITYD.
DaveC on April 27, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Why should Miss Calofornia apologize? The organizers of the pageant should be the one to apologize for trashing a pageant that some have watched for many years. The organizers are a disgrace for their attacks on the contestants and the viewers. The epitome of ignorance by Perez is on a level that an apology from human trash such as he would not be worth the air necessary to utter the lie of apology.
volsense on April 27, 2009 at 11:55 AM
In mine as well.
Stick to principles.
carbon_footprint on April 27, 2009 at 11:56 AM
No it’s not private . . . not when it accrues significant public monetary outlay and directly impacts on a nation’s value system. Go chant that tired mantra someplace else.
rplat on April 27, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Which is why I advocate homeschooling (as a HS science teacher) bcs it is the only way on being able to minimize the psychological damage to your child that public school brings.
The socialization argument is BS.
Luckily my little rural community is largely untouched by PC insanity- though it has begun to insinuate itself into our lives here by Fed mandates bcs we get our govt whore $$ called “Title I” etc.
Honestly, people need to take back their public schools & one way to do this is start refusing govt handout $$.
This $$ costs school districts far more than they receive by forcing them into stupid one size fits all rules.
Badger40 on April 27, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Yup! Like sticking to your guns when the bullets fly.
katy on April 27, 2009 at 11:58 AM
Of course, that’s not what she said.
LibTired on April 27, 2009 at 11:58 AM
So basically we should bury our heads in the sand and pretend our society is not falling to pieces before our eyes?
Well sir, my eyes are wide open. And my vote and my mouth speak for traditional marriage.
petunia on April 27, 2009 at 11:58 AM
She won’t be old enough to run, I believe. That said, I say make her White House press secretary. That’d drive Hilton nuts.
BuckeyeSam on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Oh make no mistake it was orchestrated, but by someone with a lot more power than Trump.
thomasaur on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
acleaver, where did you see that she was speaking at liberty??
ousoonerfan15 on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
I think the so called gay community needs to apologize to me for perez hilton.
I’ll be waiting.
Mojack420 on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Because clearly the people of California are neither religious nor opponents of gay marriage.
amerpundit on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
The futile attempt of the organizers and Perez Hilton to lower Miss California down to the gutters where they reside reflects evil does not always win.
volsense on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
I think she should have said, “THAT’S ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.”
stenwin77 on April 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Unless you want to consider how homosexual antics increase health insurance costs for the rest of us.
(Visit an inner-city emergency room & ask about what unspeakable, dangerous things they do to each other.
Find an honest, non-PC & candid public health expert to tell you about how AIDS was spread.)
And consider how gay marriage will ultimately lead to polygamy, incestuous marriage, & inter-species marriage.
jgapinoy on April 27, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Sexuality is a private matter but marriage is a societal one.
petunia on April 27, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Or a better response to MS. Perez Hilton; Gay marriage, what is that?
stenwin77 on April 27, 2009 at 12:01 PM
I still want to know why she is so horrible for holding the same sentiments of President Obama and V.P. Biden.
Cindy Munford on April 27, 2009 at 12:02 PM
LordMaximus on April 27, 2009 at 11:49 AM
that seems to be the way to fight this social librals. turn the tables. I was in a discussion with a latino friend this weekend. And after he said something so racist i was at a lost for a second I respond why did he hate white people? And what made him become such a racist. It shut him up and made him think. I will use the same point with my black friends also when they start talkign about the white man controlling everything and how it’s their turn now. Racists are racists no matter theskin tone. and bigots are bigots no matter if they are straight or gay or brown or white or blue. And I think conservatives have to call these people on there racist bigoted comments.
unseen on April 27, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Hell, pageants have always been popularity contests that reward a girl for being what she’s told to be.
Miss CA is the object for abusers to excoriate because she is who she is, and has the good manners to allow others the same rights to their choice as she maintains as her own Constitutional Right.
I join the chorus applauding Ms. Prejean’s beautiful amalgam of body, spirit and personal strength.
So the pageant remains a bitch to womanhood. It never was kind to the late bloomers or ugly ducklings. Now it blatantly mocks the Constitution, ruining the Miss USA brand on its own.
maverick muse on April 27, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Indeed. I think her answer was too PC.
jgapinoy on April 27, 2009 at 12:03 PM
This remark is unkind and uncalled for. She didn’t invite this situation; Hilton thrust it on her. She merely answered consistent with her beliefs.
Hilton has put an extraordinarily ugly face to the gay lifestyle.
BuckeyeSam on April 27, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Pretty much… If you abstain from political involvement (i.e. voting), then your political opinion literally does not matter.
Lehosh on April 27, 2009 at 12:04 PM
I still want to know why she is so horrible for holding the same sentiments of President Obama and V.P. Biden.
Cindy Munford on April 27, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Because Obama and biden only hold those views because its is the majority view thus safe politicially. Ms. CA has the gumption to actually truely believe those views. I gues that makes a difference to the gays. If I were gay I would be more pissed off at Obama and biden for leaving me stranded on the issue for political expedency/
unseen on April 27, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Follow me here:
California votes to ban Gay Marriage.
The head of the Miss California organization is gay.
The Miss USA organization invites a despicable, vulgar, radical gay marriage activist to judge women?
Miss California becomes a finalist.
For some reason, Perez Hilton is chosen to be the judge who asks Miss California’s question.
Perez Hilton asks Miss California a loaded question in which there is only one satisfactory answer for the radical gay activist community and Miss USA organization officials.
To me, there are way too many coincidences here. In my opinion, Miss California was set up for the purpose of using her to promote gay marriage in California, but she didn’t play along with the gay activists in the Miss USA organization and they threw a collective hissy fit.
They sandbagged her…or more appropriately, the gay activists in the Miss USA organization “teabagged” her.
OxyCon on April 27, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Yes this is why this is a RELIGOUS ISSUE first and foremost. The government is declaring age old religious doctrine–hate. Calling good, evil and evil, good. You would think it was the last days or something…
petunia on April 27, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Where is Perexz Hiltons hate speech protected? I suspect trump will have to make a move or his pool of applicants next year will suffer.
seven on April 27, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Much as I enjoy someone telling me to lie to my children (As if society does not do it enough) I beg to differ. I will not be silent about a behavior that is bizarre and sick. When homosexuals march for ever more intrusion in the lives or everyone else I will not “be quiet”. My son had the perfect comment in response to being told the facts about homosexuality: “Eeeeuuuuu! Gross!”
Ya son, me too.
GunRunner on April 27, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Where’s Gloria Steinheim?
Jim-Rose on April 27, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Liberals have a wonderful vision for the world, as long as it’s THEIR vision. They don’t respect individual outlooks. Conservatives want to help others live our their own dreams, their own visions. That’s a big difference.
Paul-Cincy on April 27, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Maybe if Miss California was an unwed mother, the women’s organizations would come to her defense.
Miss California is a victim, just not the right kind of victim for the liberals. She is actually standing up for herself and not following the playbook.
Mallard T. Drake on April 27, 2009 at 12:09 PM
At times I certainly would.
thomasaur on April 27, 2009 at 12:10 PM
unless the fix was in to get Carrie Prejean into the top 5 and have the random question by the judges..
just a coincidence that it was Prejean picked Perez’s question. a one in five shot, really.
DaveC on April 27, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Someone should call for a boycott. Soon the only ones running will be cross dressing gays. “Miss USA”
petunia on April 27, 2009 at 12:11 PM
What did the polls say Prejean should do, anyway? It would indeed by nice for politicians to take positions based on their beliefs (or better yet, write and wrong as proscribed by the Constitution).
hawksruleva on April 27, 2009 at 12:12 PM
She would have been stoned to death for wearing that bikini in the swimsuit contest if she were, that’s for sure.
flutejpl on April 27, 2009 at 12:13 PM
This gorgeous girl is going places – good, wholesome, all American places. Cavuto was right; FOX should hire her NOW before she is scooped up elsewhere. WHAT A DOLL!!
Ris4victory on April 27, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Why does the idiot media and others treat her as if SHE was the one pushing an agenda and proselytizing?
She didn’t ask the damn question! She just answered it honestly. She should never ever apologize for that.
I pray that she has the support she need to get through this without compromise.
connertown on April 27, 2009 at 12:14 PM
And Ed…
Any more posts about Carrie Prejean needs to be accompanied with a photo or a video of her..
No matter how unrelated they are to the subject of the posting.
:)
DaveC on April 27, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Trump is the master at perception over reality.
Perception: Smart, successful rich guy who earned it.
Reality: Rich kid who’s daddy got him into West Point and then Wharton, of which he left “quietly” without a degree, due to daddy’s $150M hand out to start his real estate business.
Has filed bankruptcy 4 times now (first time in 1987 – when all $150M went bust)- recently thrown off the Trump casino board AGAIN (3rd time) and sells “how
to get rich” programs to saps for $10k a pop.
His ratings and perception go up everytime there is a scandal to deflect his horrid business acumen. O’Donnell, “partying Connor” and now this…
He is the perfect American “dream”…
Odie1941 on April 27, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Ed,
If you’re not already on it, please try to get her to come on TEMS, preferrably in person!
Christien on April 27, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Exactly – hatred and screaming and blacklisting and using words like ‘b*tch’ and ‘c*nt’ to describe someone who ‘incorrectly’ answered a question has always won over the American electorate. The more pro-gay marriage agitators speak up the less likely Americans are to feel sympathetic.
gwelf on April 27, 2009 at 12:15 PM
OxyCon on April 27, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Actually, they are pissed because they want to be contestants. Just wait.It’s coming.
faol on April 27, 2009 at 12:17 PM
I think it’s time to start a contest as to how much longer she remains Miss California. Based on the reprimands she’s gotten and the fact that she’s gone public against them, I can’t imagine that the people in charge are going to let her reign much longer. I’m thinking 48 hours for their lawyers to come up with the statement wording such that it makes it the most difficult for the pageant to get sued in doing so.
Having said that comment, I support Ms. Prejean 100%. You go, girl; keep speaking that mind of yours!
flutejpl on April 27, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Do liberals realize that both Obama and Hillary are against gay marriage? Just wondering
Bevan on April 27, 2009 at 12:18 PM
I believe that the judge who asks you a question is chosen at random out of a bowl by the contestant herself. But that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t have been organized by Perez and the other two or three judges who have been said to be pro gay-marriage that they were going to ask Carrie that question, no matter who was doing the asking.
Sir Corky on April 27, 2009 at 12:20 PM
I agree that it was no coincidence that Perez Hilton was a judge. Seriously, why would they choose a gay man to judge women. I don’t think that they knew which contestant would get the question, but I do think they expected a totally different answer.
Think about it, who is the most interested in these pageants? The midwest and the south. How potent a propaganda tool would it have been to have had Ms. USA saying that she believes that gays have the right to marry? They aren’t angry that she believes what she believes, they are angry that they didn’t get the soundbite they wanted.
Jvette on April 27, 2009 at 12:20 PM
She’s only 21 and she’s smarter than Congress combined!
Cinday Blackburn on April 27, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Where are the feminists?
The faux feminists are nothing more than burkha-less mouthpieces for the left who are told when to speak and what to say. They are so efficiently programmed they cannot even see the hypocrisy of their role as handmaidens in todays “progressive” culture.
The fact that they tolerate such vile and aggresive attacks on women only tells me that they are competely without the ability to think for themselves and that is a terrible statement about education, or women in general. Bleh!
There must be so many dissapointed mothers out there.
caygeon on April 27, 2009 at 12:22 PM
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