HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, the beauty pageant contestant who set off a wave of controversy with her same-sex marriage views, was fired Wednesday, officials revealed.
"This was a decision based solely on contract violations, including Ms. Prejean's unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the Miss California USA organization," said Keith Lewis, the California pageant's executive director, in a statement.
The announcement comes less than a month after pageant co-owner Donald Trump gave Prejean a vote of confidence. In May, the business mogul said the 22-year-old model would retain her title despite many claiming that she was using her post to campaign against same-sex marriages. Prejean also came under fire after nude photos of her taken as a teen surfaced shortly after the Miss USA pageant.
"I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the Miss California USA Organization and I gave her the opportunity to do so," Trump said Wednesday in a statement. "Unfortunately it just doesn't look like it is going to happen."
Prejean was thrust into the public spotlight at the Miss USA pageant in April when she was quizzed by celebrity blogger and gay-rights advocate Perez Hilton.
"Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage," said Hilton. "Do you think every state should follow suit, why or why not?"
"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage," responded Prejean, who finished as the first runner-up. "And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."
Prejean will be replaced by the Miss California pageant's first runner-up, Tami Farrell.
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