14 DAY TRIAL // Carrie Prejean has been under heavy fire ever since the finals of the Miss USA beauty competition for having the courage to express her personal opinion on marriage, and how it should only be between a man and a woman. Tagged as a homophobe or, best case scenario, a hypocrite, Prejean is now also taking heat from the beauty pageant itself, with its most prominent members suggesting to the media that she might want to start considering giving up her crown.
As it’s already common knowledge, talks are currently underway to have Prejean replaced as Miss California USA because of a series of photos she took before running in the competition and which surfaced on the Internet the other week. That, combined with her determination of not apologizing for her comments on the Miss USA final, have prompted many to ask for her crown – and the anti-Prejean campaign is only beginning, from what one may infer from what state directors Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler are telling Fox News.
Lewis, for starters, is saying that Prejean is already ignoring her responsibilities as the reigning Miss California, having failed to show up for a complex video shoot called “I Believe… The Beauty of California,” in which countless other beauty queens will also appear. “We reached out; we tried to get her to be here. Unfortunately her schedule wasn’t permitting with her new outreach programs she was involved with today with some PR stuff she was doing. We miss her, we wish she was here. We would definitely like to get her home and get her working on the business at hand.” Lewis says of Carrie’s absence.
However, regarding the topic of taking the Miss California tiara from her, Lewis is more straight to the point. “We are a story in evolution and the conclusion just isn’t here yet. […] We are just trying to move forward in what is the best way for the organization, the women, the titleholder and the state. Carrie is still Miss California USA, but right now she is not acting in the capacity of Miss California USA. She is acting as Carrie Prejean and working on things that are important to Carrie Prejean.” the pageant state director says.
Shanna Moakler, former Miss USA, is equally delicate about speaking her mind on Prejean, but still straight to the point. “It’s a campaign trying to show the diversity of California and really spreading equality.” Moakler says of the video shoot Prejean did not attend. “The Miss California Organization’s slogan is ‘The Beauty of California’ and that represents everything. That’s what we try to celebrate in our organization. I’m really proud and excited about it. I think it’s really important that people understand that though Carrie Prejean is allowed to have her opinions, they don’t necessarily coincide with the Miss California Organization.” the former beauty queen adds.
As pageant officials try to save face in the media, speculation has it they’re all putting pressure on Carrie Prejean to give up her Miss USA crown willingly, so as to avoid further public embarrassment. Prejean, on the other hand, is believed to be talking with her attorneys and analyzing her options at this point.