On principle alone, I shouldn’t be writing about this Miss California business. The media has been fueling the fire over this bimbo and her anti-gay remarks for way too long, and as a trusted journalist, I don’t find it ethical to be a part of this circus.
Here comes the proverbial but — or boob, in the case of Miss California Carrie Prejean. I feel it’s important to write about how Shanna Moakler, the former co-director of the Miss California USA Pageant, finally stood up and refused to partake in this insanity.
It’s encouraging that there’s a positive angle to report about in the Miss “Prejeanality” Contest.
Moakler, the 1995 Miss USA, resigned from her position on Wednesday, telling msnbc.com that she no longer believes in the organization because of pageant owner Donald Trump’s decision to let the state’s controversial titleholder keep her crown.
“I cannot with a clear conscience move forward supporting and promoting the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth,” Moakler said.
Now I’m sure that people in Prejean’s “God camp” will criticize Moakler for being a hypocrite because she posed nude for Playboy in 2001. There are a couple of very distinct differences between these battling beauties though.
First off, Moakler was an adult when she was photographed for Playboy. Prejean was barely more than a preteen when the nearly-nude pictures of her were taken.
Another major distinction between the two is that Moakler never made any anti-gay remarks, nor has she ever been affiliated with anti-gay organizations. “Prequeen,” however, flaked on her Miss California responsibilities to speak gay hate for her San Diego church and the National Organization for Marriage.
According to msnbc.com, Keith Lewis, the state pageant’s co-executive director, said Prejean also began missing Miss California events she was contractually obligated to attend.
I used to work for Lewis when he owned a model and talent agency some years back, and one thing’s for sure — he will go after this bimbo full speed ahead if she thinks she’s gonna get away with bailing on her commitments to the Miss California USA Pageant.
And no, Lewis never had me sign a contract requiring me to model Speedos. I got coffee for the office and restocked headshots. Sorry ladies.
Getting back to the point, I believe the biggest villain in this situation is Donald “Lady Lump” Trump. Moakler would still have the job and Miss California would not if Trump wasn’t such a publicity whore!
If Prejean is Darth Vader, then Trump is the Emperor.
It seems strange that Moakler is the voice of reason since she has had her share of negative publicity in the past. She had a very ugly and public divorce with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, and she beat the shit out of Paris Hilton when some pictures surfaced showing Barker and Hilton making out.
Yet I have to give Moakler some credit here. She seems to have realized that being a part of the tabloid machine is an ugly way to get your name out there.
Prejean should take a tip or two from Moakler on how a true beauty queen should conduct herself — minus the catfights with Hollywood socialites, of course.
Grady Dunne is a senior journalism major and assistant editor for the Daily Forty-Niner.
Bizarre article.
Prejean never posed fully nude and from what we know, never slept with anyone, unlike Moakler, yet Prejean gets called a bimbo several times, while Moakler is held up to model of virtue.
The article also used age as to set high standard, except that Prejean by being younger and in her teens when she had her photos is held to a higher standard then Moakler who did hers when she was adult.
That aside from the shrill attacks on Prejean’s alleged bigotry, with the term used loosely. Of course, one can argue if one opposed marriage between consenting adults in other cases like polygamy, incest, etc., one is bigot against those folks. Heck, one can argue that against the author of the article if she opposes those kind of marriages, and it would be equally invalid as the emotional pleading that the author resorts against a young beauty contestant.
Finally, we have a case of amnesia where Moakler’s lies and own breachings of the contract are ignored (such as appearing in her own commercial, while attacking Prejean for doing the same, her smears against Prejean for weeks starting with end of the pageant which shows abuse of power for her position, outing Prejean on implants which violate privacy, bragging about Prejean losing because she did not like her answer, only to change her story now).
What’s next? Elaborations on bimbo/supermodel portfolio return fluctuations when 600K-700K ordinary Americans are losing their jobs and health insurance every month? Who’s standing up on principle against the flagrant billion-dollar hypocrisies and corruption of bedfellows in Washington and Wall Street — actions which only reward mega-corporate graft and greed versus an honest day’s work by the average American just trying to get by? Indeed, someone besides Miss Nobody Beauty (not) Queen should “bare all” before the cameras. If this country has any modicum of self-respect left (and an I.Q. higher than the grovel tank that is Miss Prejean’s), then those “centerfolds” should find themselves caught between a guillotine and a pitchfork. Journalists need to spend their time elsewhere than on tabloid trash. On the stuff that really matters.
The invitations to “normal” Miss California events will dry up. When Trump stops making money, his backing of Prejean will end. If he can’t get money or sex from Carrie, her usefulness is over. Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
Did anyone think that there was any legitimacy to the pageant system before this happened? Honestly I think it’s sad that bimbo is being shot down because she has an opinion that the mainstream media doesn’t agree with. In the same words as our “great” new president, “we won” would be the answer you’d get from prop 8 supporters. It’s the reason that Bush won convincingly for his 2nd term as well. Lot’s of American still aren’t confortable with gay marriage. Allow them to have their opinion. It’s what this country is based on. For the record, it doesn’t bother me if gay people want to marry each other but if a large majority of the population is still against it then you just have to accept it and keep trying to get them to change their minds. Nobody should be forced to accept anything in this country. It’s called choice. Oh and I don’t think anyone would’ve cared if Moakler hadn’t quit. Would it have even made the news had she still been involved?
Prejean will only be Miss California USA for a few more months. I imagine Prejean is more pleased with the media attention she is getting then the media attention Lewis could setup for her. Maybe Prejean will stoop down and cut a ribbon for Lewis for some store’s grand opening or whatever it might be that Miss California USA does since (and I am a newhound) I have never heard of anything any Miss California USA has done, been to, or said until now. I did check out Moakler nude photos and they are far better then Prejean’s though but that is besides the point.