The controversial ex-Miss California

    10. Carrie Prejean

    Prejean shot to stardom late last year during the Miss USA pageant, when celebrity blogger and judge Perez Hilton asked the then-Miss California about her stance on gay marriage.

    Her response: "You know what, in my country, in my family, I think 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."

    Her reply, which likely cost her the Miss USA crown, set off a firestorm of criticism from the left and made her a poster girl for the right wing and its campaign for traditional family values.

Donald Trump, the owner of the Miss Universe Organization, gives Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean, her sash during a news conference announcing that Prejean would retain her title in New York in this May 12, 2009 file photo. Pageant officials fired Prejean June 10, 2009, citing "breach of contract issues." (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Trump says Carrie Prejean "should be ashamed"

   BEIJING, Nov. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Donald Trump, the head of the Miss USA Organization, has slated ex-beauty queen Carrie Prejean saying she "should be ashamed of herself" after topless pictures of her emerged recently. Trump also disputes the claim Prejean makes in her book, "Still Standing: The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks", that he divided up pageant contestants based on looks.

   "Certainly I would never do a thing like that, because it would be too hurtful. I don't stand the ones that are less attractive to one side, and the beautiful ones on the other side. It was total nonsense, it was fiction in her imagination... I don't even know how she came up with an idea like that." Full story

In this April 26, 2009 file photo, Miss California, Carrie Prejean, waves as she comes on stage at the Rock Church during services in San Diego. (Source: Chinadaily.com.cn/agencies) Photo Gallery>>>

Miss California stripped of crown

   LOS ANGELES, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Miss California USA Carrie Prejean was stripped of her crown on Wednesday for failing to fulfill contract obligations, pageant officials said.

   Prejean, who finished second in the Miss USA pageant, created an uproar last month after voicing opposition to same-sex marriage and having her risque photos released on the Internet. Full story

Miss California lands in trouble over same-sex marriage issue

    LOS ANGELES, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Is it wrong if someone says that marriage should only be between a man and a woman? At least one person got into trouble when she said so, that was Miss California.

    Carrie Prejean, 21, got involved in a politically charged issue when she was asked last month by celebrity judge Perez Hilton at the Miss USA contest about Vermont becoming the fourth state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage. Full story

Contestants take up a pose during the Miss USA Pageant at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada April 19, 2009. Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton was later crowned Miss USA. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Miss California keeps her crown

   BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Miss Universe pageant owner Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who ran into rough weather after her opposition to gay mariage and posing for topless photos, could keep her pageant.

   Trump told a press conference in New York's Trump Tower that Carrie Prejean "will remain Miss California." Full story

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