Prejean was sacked recently, and as Anna N. posted yesterday, the reason may have been as simple as her complete lack of tact and her strange inability to read her own email. Prejean reportedly failed to show up for promotional events ("tens and tens and tens" of them, according to Miss California pageant head Keith Lewis), an allegation which Prejean staunchly denies. Lewis told the CBS Early Show, "[Carrie] was unavailable. She didn't want to make them. She was just really difficult to work with. She didn't want to make any appearances in Hollywood. It was a combative relationship."

During an appearance on the Sean Hannity Show on Fox News last night, Prejean also claimed that the real reason she was fired has more to do with her beliefs than any failure to honor her contract. She says she believes that she is no longer a Miss USA title holder because of her controversial and inarticulate answer to Perez Hilton's question about gay marriage. "All I know is from the moment I gave my answer onstage that night, I have had no support from Keith Lewis or Shanna Moakler or anyone in the miss California organization," Prejean said. "This is all happening right now, because of the stance that I took for traditional marriage."

Prejean's official statement further denies Lewis's allegations, and directly contradicts what was shown in the chain of emails released between Lewis and Prejean:

"I have met every scheduled appearance, and responsibility, as recently as May 31st"... "I have followed the proper protocol requested of me and haven't made any appearances or speaking engagements without the consent or approval from the Miss California USA or Miss Universe Organizations. I have not signed with any book publisher or taken on any business proposals. As of today, June 11, 2009, I have done everything possible to honor my contract."

Prejean also appeared on the Today show to tell her side of the story to Matt Lauer, who actually asked her some good questions, like: "if [her stance on gay marriage] were the reason, why a month ago at that press conference, did Donald Trump stand up... and support you. Why did he support you then? Why would those comments suddenly warrant your firing now?" Prejean has no real answer. She repeatedly tries to turn the interview around on Lauer, asking him the same questions he asks her ("what were those appearances, Matt?") and eventually she claims that the whole thing was a setup. Toward the end, she refuses to admit any blame, saying: "tolerance needs to be a two way street, and it's not... I am here today, dethroned as Miss California, because of [my beliefs]."

Prejean is also claiming that her refusal to do a Playboy photo shoot has something to do with her pink slip. Extra reports:

Fired Miss California Carrie Prejean claims she turned down an offer from Playboy — and that was one of the reasons she was canned!

The 22-year-old says she was offered $140,000 to pose of the mag, but don't believe it! Insiders tell "Extra" there was never an offer on the table.

Prejean has also lost her job schilling for Sledge USA, a clothing company that caters to "fashion-forward, young contemporary and junior women." The decision was based on "Miss Prejean's neglect to fulfill promotional requests," according to an official statement released yesterday by Sledge USA. Joining in on the Prejean hate-fest is Shanna Moakler, who twittered on Thursday: "Carrie and mother goose have always told the best (lies) tales, my favorite being.. 'once upon a time the wind blew my top off.'"

But Prejean isn't letting it get her down. She ended her statement from yesterday with this:

"I am excited and looking forward to where God leads me in the future. I know He has big plans for me. I am proud to be the strong woman God has molded me to be. I will always stand for the truth, respectfully, and never back down. Thank you and God bless."

We don't know what God has in store for Carrie, but we can only hope it involves her moving out of the spotlight. Maybe a move to Alaska is in order?

Ex Miss CA Not Offered Playboy [Extra]
Clothing Co. Kicks Prejean While She's Down [TMZ]
Carrie Prejean Stands By, Well, Carrie Prejean [E! Online]
Twitterverses: Yes, Shanna Moakler, We Know You Hate Carrie Prejean [E! Online]

Related: Carrie Prejean's Emails Reveal Poor Character, Spelling

[New York, May 12. Image via Getty]

Basically, the head of the organization admitted on television last week that, in some way, every single breast displayed for the perusal of the judges or the audience is augmented in some way the (as yet) average woman or bra could not achieve and would not regularly attempt. Keith Lewis told CBS's Maggie Rodriguez:

"You use chicken cutlets," he said. "You use tape. You use anything that you can to enhance the line. There's lots of tricks of the trade."

And, if that doesn't work, you apparently either beg the organization to buy you the implants or pressure your beauty queen into getting them!

One question that struck me was: where did the organizers get the money to buy Miss California's silicone? Well, not that their financials are exactly public, but it appears that each participant in the pageant system has to pay her own way — and it's expensive enough that, like in fashion magazines and pricey restaurants, they don't tell you the cost before you sign up. And since the California pageant isn't televised, the organization likely gets its money partly from the national, from corporate and personal sponsorships to the organization, and from corporate and personal sponsorships given to the individual contestants. That means, of course, that all the Miss California contestants and their sponsors and the corporate sponsors of this year's pageant paid for Carrie Prejean's new breasts. How many of those people do you think feel their money was well-spent? I mean, it's not even like there's a scholarship or anything.

I mean, for fuck's sake, there's not even a talent competition: it's who looks good in a dress, a bikini and can answer a question without sounding like a complete idiot. As Karry Howley at The XX Factor puts it:

I find both sides of this exchange deeply bizarre, perhaps because I lack the imaginative capacity to envision a swimsuit competition not premised on a certain conception of the female body. What are they going evaluate? Perkiness? Gait? The actual swimsuit?

It's certainly not got the veneer of evaluating one's baton-twirling.

Samhita at Feministing goes one step further.

The fact that Carrie Prejean got breast implants is not newsworthy to me. The fact that the California Pageant Association paid for them, well that is. Not because it is scandalous, but because it shows that pageants aren't about highlighting women as they are or for their talents, but for their physical appearance and to make spectacle of a specific type of femininity.

Pageants only make sense because of binary gender roles that cater to mainstream understandings of femininity. They are a fetishized spectacle of femininity to the point where it is even OK if they are artificially constructed as long as they are pushing a normative ideal of what a "real woman" is.

This is, I think, a key point. You can go to Prejean's gallery and see pictures of her as Miss La Jolla and then Miss California and she is — white, heteronormative, slim, blonde, fake-tan standards aside — a fairly attractive woman. And yet she risked her life and her appearance for what can best be described as marginally larger breasts — ones that, in 10 years (when she's about my age), she'll have to go under the knife again to replace or remove. And it's a decision that the pageant organization not only endorsed but funded — unlike the organization sponsoring Miss Virginia, Tara Wheeler, who refused to allow her to shave her head for a children's cancer charity. Apparently, a bald and legitimately charitably-minded beauty queen is an anathema, but one with two bags of silicone shoved under her chest muscles at risk to her life, health and future nursing prospects is upholding the ideal of Californian womanhood. They ought to put that shit in those California tourism commercials.

The Beauty of Chicken Cutlets [New York Times]
Solutions for Flat-Chested Beauty Queens [The XX Factor]
Breast Implants, Heteronormativity and Why Miss California is a Feminist Nightmare [Feministing]

Related: Frequently Asked Questions [Miss California USA]
History [Miss California USA]
Carrie Prejean [Miss California USA]
Find Yourself Here [Visit California]

Earlier: Shanna Moakler Confirms Carrie Prejean's Breasts Were Paid For By Pageant
Miss Virginia Might Have To Wait To Shave For Charity
With A Crown, Some Duct Tape, A Wig And A Dream

• Shanna Moakler, Co-Executive Director of the Miss California Organization, has confirmed that the pageant paid for Miss California Carrie Prejean's breast implants.

Moakler also says Miss California is not speaking to her right now. But she doesn't want Miss California stripped of her crown: "I don't want to fire her! I think she's a great, young girl, and I got into pageants, because I want to help young girls. I want to guide young girls. I know what pageants [did] for me and I know what it can do for young women and also working within the community." Uh-huh. Sure. Moakler also says: "I don't want to fire Carrie. I want her to use her platform, because this is her platform, I didn't know she was this passionate about it… I'm glad I know now and I support and will help her, but…" [Access Hollywood]

• Sarah Jessica Parker is talking about the twins she is expecting (through a surrogate): "It's been a complicated past few weeks… My main concern is that my husband and son [James Wilkie, now 6 years old] have enough time. Hopefully, our son is feeling loved and taken care of." [Gatecrasher]
• Don't speak! No Doubt reunites tomorrow for its first live performance in five years… on the Today show. So rock and roll. [NY Daily News]
• Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo of Malawi will lead a panel in Madonna's appeal case; Madge wants to overturn the court's decision to reject her application to adopt 3-year-old Mercy. Her Madgesty is not required to attend the hearing on May 4. Think she'll make an appearance? [People]
• The Daily Fail spoke to Mercy's biological father, who has never MET Mercy, but says: "She is my daughter; she is my blood; she needs parental love. She is not an orphan. She lost one parent, yes, but I am still alive and so she is not an orphan. Madonna has millions of dollars but that doesn't make her a good mum. Parental love is more than money. Besides, I don't think Madonna is a model mum. I have seen her in movies of her songs. She doesn't portray good morals. How can a woman of 50 dance almost naked on stage? I wouldn't want my daughter to grow up like that! In Malawi women respect themselves. Cultured women do not go about half-naked." It goes on, but you get the point. [Daily Mail, NY Post]
• Meanwhile, Madonna is looking for a place in the Hamptons, but the peeps in the Hamptons seem to think she may be a pain in the ass. [Page Six]
• So remember the report that claimed Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's bodyguard was writing a tell-all book? He says: "No, no, no. I'm not writing a tell-all book. I don't know where this story came from. It's not true." Dammit! [MSNBC via Life & Style]
• Rihanna's father sounds absolutely overjoyed when he says: "[Rihanna is] a different person, back to herself. It's like Chris never existed. She seems reborn. She's realizing how precious life is." [MSNBC]
• Nadya Suleman, mother of octuplets, wants to sue sources from In Touch magazine who claim she was a stripper. "I've never even met a stripper in my life," she says. [MSNBC]
• Bottoms up: Justin Timberlake's new tequila, 901, is "actually a really nice product," says a "tequila geek" and bar owner. "It has a nice richness to it, a full-body mouth feel, a nice finish." That's what she said? [NY Daily News]
• In this article, entertainment professionals and insiders list nine things Lindsay Lohan should do to save her career. Examples: do some charity work, develop self-discipline, focus. [NY Daily News]
• Uh-oh: Paula Abdul was "totally fooled" by Bruno, the character Sacha Baron Cohen plays in his upcoming flick. [Page Six]
• Spotted: Ryan Gosling having dinner with a "mystery model." [Page Six]
• Heidi Klum says Susan Boyle could be a good Project Runway guest. "She could be a good challenge." Is that a compliment? [E!]
• Early reviews for Wolverine are not good; critics call it "noisy and impersonal" and "silly and typical" and "a keen disappointment." However. Everyone will see it anyway and it will surely win the box office and be a "hit." [Reuters]
• Hugh Hefner says he does not want Holly Madison to be his girlfriend again. "The notion that I would want her back as a girlfriend is bizarre. I am now in one of the best relationships in memory with Crystal Harris and the twins. I'm not going to screw it up with former girlfriends." [E!]
• Prison Break star Lane Garrison went from prison to Jessica Simpson's house. He says "I'm blessed to be alive." Garrison was incarcerated for 19 months for a DUI crash that killed one person; Jessica's father Joe was his youth minister in Texas, so he's close to the fam. [E!]
• Top Gun star Kelly McGillis has come out: She is a lesbian. She says her next partner would "definitely be a woman." And: "I'm done with the man thing. It's a part of being true to yourself. That's been a challenge for me personally." [This Is London]
• Usher is allowing the Boys and Girls Club of America to use a childhood photo of him in their ad campaign. He looks cute! [USA Today]
• Simon Cowell's first gig in showbiz was to polish the axe Jack Nicholson used in The Shining. Apropos? [The Sun]
• Unauthorized Diana Ross biography: In the works. Guess what? She's being painted as "ambitious." THE SCANDAL. [Variety]
• Do we like this picture of Chelsea Handler with a man between her legs? [E!]
• Tony Blair, Kate Winslet and other celebs have contributed to a book of butterfly pictures compiled in memory of a young woman who died from leukemia. [Telegraph]
• "Jailed Jack Tweed [widow of Jade Goody] turned tail and ran from the showers in prison - after THREE encounters with naked gay star Boy George." [The Sun]
• Redmond O'Neal — son of Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal — pleaded not guilty yesterday to the felony charge that he brought drugs to jail. [ET]
• A settlement has been reached in the defamation lawsuit filed against Dr. Phil by a witness in O.J. Simpson's robbery case. [AP]
• Blind item: "Which starlet's constant state of inebriation is causing problems in her marriage? Her hubby hates having to physically remove her from nightclubs." [Gatecrasher]
• "CSI will beat the hell out of him." — CEO of Viacom and CBS, Sumner Redstone, on Jay Leno having a show on at 10pm. [The Hollywood Reporter]
• "I don't think it's irrelevant because I am sure there are still people out there who are living it up… I think the show is taken for what it is — it's a piece of entertainment and that's the value and that's the worth." — Ed Westwick, on Gossip Girl. [Mirror]
• "The worst thing about Ricky as a director is that if something is funny at all and it was improvisational, he breaks and laughs and ruins your take. I would say, 'It's your movie. Just leave, go in another room. Let me just do it.' He's like, 'Just do it again.' I said, 'Ricky, it's not the same. You suck.' But he knew exactly what he wanted." — Jennifer Garner on working with Ricky Gervais in The Invention Of Lying. [The Star]
• "It's got to be the right story. You can't make The Dark Knight and then come out with something disappointing. The fact is I have to. Chris doesn't. So I'm in a fix if he says he doesn't want to." — Christian Bale, concerned that director Chris Nolan has yet to sign on for another Batman flick. (Bale is contractually obligated to star in a third movie.) [Daily Express]
• Q:You're featured on the gossip website Gawker all the time. Do websites like that annoy you? A: "No, I'm not somebody who reads about what I'm actually up to that week - which usually they get wrong. Maybe you can pass the word on to anybody who reads these sites or who sees their kids on them that most of the time these people are making stuff up. If people want to really know what's up with me then they can read one of my interviews." — Chuck Bass, ahem, Ed Westwick. [Guardian]
• "I've had my garbage stolen… I think tabloid journalism has become so pervasive is that it gives people the chance to feel better about themselves in a slightly sick way. A lot of it is 'Stars are just like us! They have cellulite and bad eating habits and drug problems!' There are a lot of celebrities that are more than happy to share every last detail about their lives until there's no mystery left whatsoever." — Ryan Reynolds. [USA Today]
• "I'm doing my part to save the planet. You know that new Aston Martin Vantage? I didn't buy it. You're welcome, Earth!" — Jon Hamm. [Gatecrasher]
• "It has truly never been my intention to be a performer, and I think it's probably best that I stop performing pretty soon and start writing. [Acting] is like a big red herring. I kind of want to stop it, really." — Tilda Swinton would rather be a poet. [The Daily Beast]
• "We look around. We see what we want. Don't you look around and see what you want to look like? I'm, like, look, Michelle Obama's guns. I could have those arms. I don't know about the legs." — Kirstie Alley, to Oprah. [People]

In the past week Perez and Prejean (with help from the 24-hour news networks) have refused to let the controversy die down. Each is taking advantage of the situation to further their respective careers, or as they would likely put it, to speak out on this important civil rights issue.

In the aptly titled MSNBC article, "OMG Perez Hilton! Won't You Please Shut Up?" Helen A.S. Popkin blames the internet for turning Perez Hilton (real name Mario Lavandeira), "the gossip blogger who built a career by drawing male genitalia and cartoon cocaine on celebrity photos" into the media's go-to spokesman on gay rights. She says that what everyone seems to be forgetting is that back in 2005, gay rights activists were actually at war with Hilton because he was using his increasingly popular celebrity blog to "out" celebrities he thought were gay but still in the closet.

Popkin references a 2006 Salon article, "Perez Hilton's Gay Witch Hunt," which explained how many believe his outing campaigns against Lance Bass and Neil Patrick Harris are what forced them to publicly admit that they are gay. Author Japhy Grant quoted Hilton as saying, "In my own way, subserviently, I am trying to make the world a better place."
Grant writes:

This raises the question: How does drawing cum stains on Clay Aiken's mouth, crudely scrawling the word "bottom" across a photo of Lance Bass or putting a call out to anyone who has "slept with Neil Patrick Harris" make the world a better place for gay or straight people? And what does it say about the mainstream press that it has adopted him?

Since then, Hilton has become more of a celebrity himself, which is why he was chosen as one of the judges for the Miss USA pageant in the first place. However, in interviews with most of the major news networks this week, Hilton eagerly took the opportunity to paint himself as a crusader for gay rights, commenting not only on the question he asked at the pageant, but advocating for gay marriage as a homosexual man. It's rarely noted in these interviews that the man who called Carrie Prejean a "bitch" and a "cunt" and continues to pepper his website with penis doodles hasn't been sanctioned by anyone as a spokesman for the gay community, or people who support same-sex marriage.

James Rainey points out in todays L.A. Times that Hilton originally seemed most upset that Prejean hadn't stuck to the pageant code and concealed her beliefs. He suggested she should have answered, "I should represent all Americans and I'm not here to talk about politics." But Prejean changed her tune as well once it became apparent that her answer was becoming much more than "a YouTube moment." She originally lamented to Fox News, "If I had any other question, I know I would have won." By Tuesday, she had realized, "I think that I was the one that was blessed enough to get this question ... I am so blessed that I was able to speak my mind, my thoughts, my convictions in front of millions of people."

Just imagine what would have happened if a contestant representing some other god-forsaken state had gotten the question! We just wish it would have gone to the 2003 Miss California, Nicole Lamarche, who is now a pastor. In one of the most eloquent commentaries on the issue, she explains that the section of the Bible that condemns gays contains many rules most Christians no longer follow. "The truth is that it is difficult to know for sure the intentions of the biblical authors, but we do know something about God," she writes. "Those of us who know God through Jesus of Nazareth know that he went to great lengths to express God's love to people who were labeled as outcasts."

Prejean has been embraced by Christian conservatives, despite the fact that she, like Hilton, has little qualification to represent an official stance on gay marriage. She's never said that she spent many hours considering the issue before forming her opinion, that's just "how her family raised her." Maybe before making Prejean the spokeswoman for their cause, those against gay marriage should check out radio host Jay Smooth's hilarious video blog below (via Feministing), in which he explains that Prejean's answer was so poorly phrased that it can actually be interpreted as a statement in favor of same-sex marriage.

OMG! Perez Hilton! Won't You Please Shut Up? [MSNBC]
Perez Hilton's Gay Witch Hunt [Salon]
When Opportunity Knocks, Beauty And The Blogger Take It [The L.A. Times]
The Truth About Perez Hilton & Miss California [Feministing]
Quotables: Nicole LaMarche [Evil Beet Gossip]

Earlier: Celebrity Missives About Miss California Make Us Wish For World Peace
War Of Words: Miss California Vs. Perez Hilton

• El oh el: It appears none of the celebrity weeklies have bought exclusive rights to pictures of Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt's wedding this weekend.

A source says they're not worried, because chances are, the pix will end up in all the mags: "They'd rather be on page 50 of Us, People, In Touch or Life & Style than be on the cover of a magazine like OK! that isn't going to sell. They need to make money, and so does the magazine. The formula is changing," spills a source. [MSNBC Scoop]

• In this video of concert footage, Britney's extensions get ripped out of her head and left behind on a couch. [Perez Hilton]
• Kudos to TMZ for the headline, "Britney Weaves It All On Stage." [TMZ]
• Lily Allen celebrated the end of her tour by having a "massive ice cream fight" in her dressing room. But she paid the clean-up bill: "Cost me $2,000. End of tour, time to get mashed." [The Sun]
• In case you forgot that Madonna's boyfriend Jesus Luz has a job, he totally walked the runway in a Jeffrey Fashion Cares fashion show. How do we feel about those white trousers? [WWD]
• Even though Miley Cyrus is with Justin Gaston, is she still hung up on her ex, Nick Jonas? Were they making out recently? Are they MFEO (made for each other)? [Gatecrasher]
• Jay Leno, who hasn't missed work in years, checked himself into a hospital with a "mystery illness." [NY Daily News]
• Paris Hilton's "BFF," Brittany Flickinger, was in a car crash in Hollywood last night; she wasn't wearing a seat belt and slammed her head into the windshield. Luckily, she escaped with only a chipped bone in her leg. [TMZ]
• Behold: Video of Justin Timberlake, in foxy glasses, talking about his mancrush on LeBron James: "He just lights me up!" He also declares Caddy Shack as the best sports movie ever. [Rolling Stone]
• Ashton Kutcher's Twitter can now be considered a place to break new artists; he wrote about an unsigned singer/songwriter named Alex Highton and now the guy's MySpace is blowing up. [Telegraph]
• Guess who stars in one of Kanye West's next videos? Rihanna. Yeezy says, "She's an amazing talent…Collaborating with her is always a pleasure!" [Fashion Week Daily]
• Amy Winehouse's dad flew to St. Lucia yesterday to check on the singer. Will they go horseback riding together? [The Sun]
• Beyoncé wants to do Broadway in a couple of years, when she's settled down and had some rugrats with Jay-Z: "It's my ideal job," she explains. "I'll be able to go to the theater every day and drop my kids off and maybe make some food — maybe I'll know how to cook by then — and then go do what I love and have some normalcy and have a regular schedule." [Reuters]
• Kim Kardashian on Miss California, Carrie Prejean: "I don't agree with her narrow mindedness and neither do a lot of people… Everyone has the right to be happy and be treated equally and I think not allowing gay marriage just kind of puts us back." But KK also says: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. She stood up for what she believes in so she should be happy with that backlash." [People]
• Is Pam Anderson down and out? Or is Courtney Love high? Wait. Don't answer that. Courtney says: "Pam Anderson doesn't even have a credit card. And she lives in Paradise Cove — which is in Malibu, but it's a trailer park in Malibu." [Page Six]
• This piece about Russell Crowe begins: "He is a man's man - or, rather, he is the kind of man in whom shabby, ageing, overweight, altogether untidy and unresolved males can see their manly image. In other words, Russell Crowe seems more than happy taking very little care of himself, his appearance or his 'glamour.'" Why don't you tell us how you really feel? [Guardian]
• Jerry Seinfeld's grandparents arrived in this country via Ellis Island, and their story will be in the spotlight on May 19, when the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation bestows a "family heritage" award on Seinfeld. [NY Times]
• Parker Posey is no longer dating Keanu Reeves and has moved on to a graphic designer and sculptor named Scott Lenhardt. As seen in this picture, they're super happy and adorbs. [NY Mag]
• Aww, pictures of Slumdog Millionaire stars Dev Patel and Freida Pinto nuzzling up to each other over lunch in Israel — where Pinto is filming — will melt your cold, tiny heart. [Daily Mail]
• This report calls Kate Middleton Prince William's "bride in waiting," and notes that it's been discovered that she's related to Swallows And Amazons creator Arthur Ransome. [Daily Express]
• Blogger Julia Allison lives in the same apartment building as Rosie O'Donnell. Wednesday she posted a Twitter which read: "Holy shit. My neighbor Rosie O'Donnell has been having a knock down drag out screaming match with Kelli for the last hour. Sad. :( " Anywho, JA deleted the post, maybe because it's an invasion of privacy, but it's sorta too late. [Ed note: This will be the only mention of Ms. Allison on this blog for all of 2009.] [Gawker]
• Dane Cook was on Larry King Live, talking about his half-brother and former manager who embezzled millions from him: "It's a terrible betrayal. But hopefully justice will be served and I can move on with my life." [ET]
• Sniffle: Elton John, Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger have lost "huge chunks" of their personal fortunes due to the economic crisis. [Reuters]
• Stephen Dorff has joined the cast of the porn industry comedy Born To Be A Star, which is produced and co-written by Adam Sandler. [Variety]
• Blind item! "Which closeted - and married - actor almost had his cover blown when he hit on a straight man in a sauna? Word is the offended dude is now quite wealthy, thanks to a payoff." [Gatecrasher]
• "Although I'm her friend, [I don't want to defend her to her detractors] because that's their right as well. They feel really strongly about their opinion for pro-gay rights, and that's great." — Miss USA on Miss California. [Gatecrasher]
• "I realized I was spending hours and hours in the middle of the night signing autographs. Unless I had assistants forging letters and signatures I knew I couldn't continue. So I posted a message on the internet saying: 'If I can't do it honestly, I won't do it any more.'" — Viggo Mortensen, on answering fan mail. [Daily Mail]
• "He called me and said, 'You know let's do it right away.' It was really emotional. I think the only way he could have come back was right after because his family was all there to support his boys. Liam is heroic. He came back and finished. I think he's trying to absorb [what's happened] ... He's suddenly a single parent with absolutely no preparation for that. But he is surrounded by people that really love him. There is a lot of support." — Director Atom Egoyan, on Liam Neeson, who returned to the set of the film Chloe days after his wife Natasha Richardson died. [People]
• "We're just extremely careful with our shit. I keep a CD with me, I'm the only one who usually has a CD. Maybe me and Dre… Other than that, nobody has it." — Eminem, on how his new album avoided getting leaked. [Rolling Stone]
• "Watching it was horribly unhealthy for me. You think that would help keep me sober, you know seeing myself as this raving lunatic...It absolutely triggered these crazy urges to get loaded." — Steve-O on watching his upcoming documentary about his addiction and recovery. [E!]
• "For some reason people think like if you tell someone they're too thin that's OK. But if you tell someone they're too heavy that's insulting… It hurts either way. I'm the same weight I was before I was pregnant. I've been pregnant for two years in a row. I'm the same weight I was on 90210. I'm the same weight I was before I met Dean and we got married. It's the same." — Tori Spelling. [AP]
• "If you read some of his early-life autobiography, it's horrible... the amount of mental anguish he has to go through, just to have any kind of even vaguely sexual relationship. It's really depressing what he's going through in his head. Dali had a massive fear of penetration – penetrating someone or being penetrated… [As for the love scenes with a man,] I think girls almost really like watching something like that. From what I've read, people really get excited about that – it sounds really sexy!" — Robert Pattinson on playing Salvador Dali. [Independent]
• "Marijuana has always been that drug that united people. It's always been on the verge of being legal. It's hardly a drug really. When people look at marijuana, they look at it as an enjoyment of connecting." — Redman. [NY Daily News]
• "Most of the time, songs that I write end up being finished in 30 minutes or less. 'Love Story' I wrote on my bedroom floor in about 20 minutes. When I get on a roll with something, it's really hard for me to put it down unfinished. — From "10 Questions For Taylor Swift." [Time]
• "I don't even know what 'tweeting' means ... but it sounds dirty!" — Michelle Trachtenberg. [Gatecrasher]

Obviously, we care about gay marriage. It's just unfortunate that the latest installment in the pro/anti debate was spurred in the most ridiculous manner possible: a standoff between a celebrity blogger and a beauty queen. Now, even celebs who remained silent during discussions of state propositions that would have actually, like, changed something, are sharing their opinions on same-sex marriage. And of course, Carrie Prejean's inalienable right to give a prejudiced answer at a beauty pageant must be defended. Below, we break down the flurry of celebrity responses - whether for PR or for parity - to Miss California's answer. Even if this isn't the case for Hollywood C-listers, consider this the last we have to say on the subject.

Anti-Carrie Prejean, Pro-Gay Marriage

• E! News anchor Giuliana Rancic Twittered on Tuesday that "I know i'm a journalist, and i should be objective ... but she is an ignorant disgrace and she makes me sick to my stomach." [Fox News]
• Perez Hilton's fellow judge and former Miss Nevada, journalist Alicia Jacobs blogged: "I can tell you that it GREATLY affected me & the final score I gave Carrie Prejean. ...Personally, I was STUNNED on several levels. First, how could this young woman NOT know her audience and judges? Let's not forget that the person asking the question is an openly gay man, at least 2 people on the judges panel are openly gay. Another judge has a sister in a gay marriage. Her very own state pageant director, KEITH LEWIS is an openly gay man who has been a very generous benefactor of hers...in many ways. Did I mention I was STUNNED? I was also personally insulted & hurt. [Alicia Jacob's Stage 3 Blog]

Pro-Carrie Prejean, Pro-Gay Marriage

• Though California pageant co-chair Keith Lewis initially criticized Prejean, he now says, "I support Carrie's right to express her personal beliefs, even if they do not coincide with my own." [Fox News]
• Miss Kansas Emily Deaver was asked the same marriage equality question once in a pageant. She says beauty pageant questions are hard, but, "I answered that I believe people should have the choice on who they marry." [Kansas CW]
• Kristen Dalton, the newly crowned Miss USA says, "I'm proud of [Miss California] for speaking from her heart, and she's passionate and what she believes in, and she's proud of herself," but "I think that all couples should be able to be recognized legally, and they should be able to enter into a union. Whether or not it should be defined as marriage, I don't know, I'll leave that up to the politicians." [Perez Hilton]
• Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler wrote on her MySpace blog that she doesn't hate Miss California, but, "She lost the crown because she wasn't able to convey compassion for ALL the people that as MISS USA she would be representing. and if YOU like it or not, gays and lesbians make up this country as well. THIS is why we have judges so they can find the RIGHT woman who obtains these qualities." [Shanna Moakler's MySpace]

No Comment On Carrie Prejean, Pro-Gay Marriage

• Perez Hilton's fellow pageant judge Holly Madison twittered in reponse to Moakler "[Y]ou did a great job tonight mama! where is the party now, cause I am so upset." [Fox News]
• In response to Perez Hilton asking what she thought of gay marriage via Twitter, Britney Spears tweeted: "Love is love! People should be able to do whatever makes them happy!" [@BritneySpears]
• Heidi Montag responded to Perez Hilton, tweeting: "God says in the bible that we should love our neighbor and he created us all as equals. I know in my heart that gays and lesbians should have the same government rights that Spencer and I will when we get married. So, yes, this blonde Christian believes in gay marriage and I hope to one day go to YOUR wedding, Perez!!!" [Perez Hilton]
• Miley Cyrus reponded with the following tweets: "i second that!!! wow heidi is smart!!! shes amazing." Then, "Jesus loves you AND your partner and wants you to know how much he cares! thats like a daddy not loving his lil boy cuz hes gay and that is WRONG and very sad! like i said everyone deserves to be happy." And finally: "i am a christian and i love you [Perez] - gay or not. BECAUSE you are no different that anyone else! we are all gods children! i am not saying this so would be nice on your site (though that would be nice jk;) but because the LORD has spoken 'love cuz god loves'." [Perez Hilton]
• Jewel, in response to Perez Hilton: "I believe in liberty and freedom for all I believe in gay marriage and the right to bare arms and tabacco! Each free to choose" [@jeweljk]
• Joel Madden tweets: "P! I believe everyone on this planet deserves Equal rights to their own pursuit of happiness." [@JoelMadden]
• DJ AM tweets: "I am 100% FOR gay marriage. It should just be called "marriage" I don't even understand why it has EVER been a question."[@DJ_AM]
• Miss Vermont Brooke Werner: "Everyone has the right to their own actions, but I totally disagree with Carrie. I have a very different perspective on gay marriage and I would never have said what she said." [Fox News]

Pro-Carrie Prejean, Anti-Gay Marriage

• Former Miss Delaware and president of The National Black Pro-Life Union, Day Gardner, says that "The judge should have applauded the fact that Carrie spoke her honest opinion rather than lie about her views." [Christian News Wire]
• Bill O'Reilly supports and agrees with Carrie Prejean. Shocking. [Perez]
• Alabama state representative Jay Love, plus every member of the Alabama House Republican Caucus and some Democrats: Drafted and/or signed a resolution priaising Carrie Prejean for standing by her beliefs. [Montgomery Advertiser]

Earlier: Miss California Doesn't "Believe" In Gay Marriage ("No Offense")
War Of Words: Miss California Vs. Perez Hilton

For those who've been living under a daytime TV rock the past few days, here's the story: the 21-year-old Prejean, a contestant from Califronia, was asked by Hilton during the pageant,

"Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?"

Prejean answered,

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. 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."

A stupid answer, to be sure, as the large majority of Americans actually cannot choose between "opposite" or same sex marriage, and because she basically inarticulately advocates for a federal Constitutional amendment to prevent it ("in my country") despite the fact that the question specifically referred to state legalization.

Hilton suggests that Prejean should have given a more wishy-washy answer — a decent, if annoyingly political one:

"Hm. Perez, that's a great question. That's a very hot topic in our country right now. And I think that is a question each state should decide for themselves because that's how our forefathers designed our government, you know. The states rule themselves and then there are some laws that are federal."

Kind of a stupid answer, when put in those terms — but it's about as responsive as most pageant answers, which the Today show's Matt Lauer characterizes as "questions that allow the contestants to pray for world peace and tell how much they love puppies and kittens."

Prejean, naturally, is hurt that Hilton is calling her names but is sticking by her answer as a matter of faith. However, Hilton, who initially apologized, decided not only to stick by his assertion that she's a "dumb bitch" but proceeded to all but call her a "dumb cunt" on MSNBC.

In other words, the woman who lost a pageant because she doesn't believe in equality for LGBT Americans is coming out smelling like roses for sticking by her beliefs, while those of us who despised her answer may be lumped in with someone who apparently believes that the best way to change the hearts and minds of those against same sex marriage is to insult them with misogynistic characterizations, like "dumb bitch". Thanks, asshole. Whose side are you on again?

Did Miss California's Answer Really Cost Her the Crown? [Fox News]
Everyone Is Entitled To Their Own Opinion, But… [Perez Hilton]
Miss California: I Stand By Gay Marriage Remark [MSNBC]
Exclusive: Carrie Prejean Says 'God Was Testing My Faith' With Gay Marriage Question [Fox News]
Miss Congeniality Mishap [MSNBC]

Seriously, it's almost like this is a skit from SNL or something, it's so perfect. Prejean and Miss Hawaii (Aureana Tseu) obviously don't like a certain other pageant contestant but they mask this by feigning concern over her eating habits, explaining that Miss USA should be "healthy." However, then Prejean and Tseu decide that really, the problem with this other contestant is her lack of manners, insisting that she was rude because she didn't want to eat the food provided for her, and asked the waiter to bring her something more specific. Prejean — who has reportedly been dating Michael Phelps on-and-off for the last year — says, "You need to be adaptable. Even if you don't like seafood, eat the seafood." (According to them, this has something to do with cultural sensitivity. The irony is overwhelming.)

Miss California USA and Miss Hawaii USA [Miss USA]
Miss California: My Sister Is A Gay Rights Activist [Access Hollywood]

First of all, Prejean's answer is simply not true: we do not live in a land where its citizens can choose either/or. (Also, I love the idea of "opposite marriage." I imagine Paula Abdul exchanging vows with MC Skat Kat.)

The thing about Prejean's response to Perez is that she didn't really provide an answer. He asked the 21-year-old why or why not other states should follow Vermont in legalizing gay marriage. Instead of saying something diplomatic, like how each state has different laws determined by voters, she simply proffered her opinion on the matter, saying, "I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman," because that's how she "was raised." So basically, she's saying that our government should reflect the attitudes of pageant moms and dads.

Really?

Perez took to YouTube last night with his response to her response.

• A match made...somewhere. Miss USA contestants will be sporting barely-there bikinis from the Jessica Simpson collection. [NYDN]
• The nebbish-weight cage match between Woody and Dov continues, as Allen decries the jersey-meister's "rep-tarnish" tactics. [NYP]

• Moschino pulls new marketing director. [WWD]
• Quoth Amber Valletta: "As much as I love fashion and as much as it has supported me, I see how extreme and extravagant it is." Her line will, presumably, be both cautious and frugal? [Fashionista]
• "We have so much in common," says Charlotte Ronson of bff-collaborator Shoshonna Lonstein Gruss. Well...you're both super-rich and make girly clothes...[WWD]
• Eileen Fisher's cracking down on department store's deep discounting by renting out her own space on their floors. Your mom will pay full price for that linen sack and like it! [WSJ]
• Speaking of protecting one's neck: Seven jeans is suing Oleg Cassini and InDesign Apparel for trademark and copyright infringement due to overly similar ass embellishment. [CityFile]
• A new, Catherine Deneuve-endorsed handbag line is made by, and benefits, female Lebanese prisoners. The bags are embroidered with inspirational Arabic phrases. [BBC]
• Word is, Kimora is getting into maternity. The evidence? "A black T-shirt bearing the Baby Phat logo with an arrow pointing to her bump." All we're saying is, you then waive the right to get pissed if random strangers touch your belly.[WWD]
• When Models Tweet: "IN London Shooting a MAJOR SURPRISE COVER!!!!Its top secret can't give it away!!" [Fashionologie]
• Aww! Groovy purple-lovin' cool chick Anna Sui is receiving this year's CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award. Stevie Nicks is, allegedly, stoked.[WWD]
• We like Ike! (Mizrahi.) "I am really a slob. It takes a lot of effort for me to look this put together. If I had my way, I would sit on the couch all day and eat ice cream and go to pieces with my dogs because that is the ultimate luxury to sit and watch TV with one's dogs." [Factio via New York]
• Jay-Z's Rocawear pop-shop 18-wheeler (subtle!) is hitting New York. And, presumably, causing gridlock. [Racked]
• We can't vouch for Nanette Lepore's literary tastes, but if they're anything like her tastes in suits? Give her pick - Idanna Pucci's new book Brazza in Congo: A Life and Legacy - a spin. [The Daily Beast]
• Struggling M&S brings back professional eccentric and designer Zandra Rhodes. [Daily Mail]
• What would Jason Wu tell Michelle Obama? "Thank you for changing my life. But more than me, they've really brought optimism to the country, which is really great." [USA Today]
• Want to see an appalling bathing suit? [VogueUK]

• Sam Ronson has "practically moved in" with Lindsay Lohan and "spends every night at Lindsay's" in an effort to "keep her out of trouble"? LOL! Lezbe friends — breast friends! [Page Six]
  
• Liz Taylor: Rushed to the hospital after mixing booze and pills. [Perez Hilton]
  
• Rob Lowe's nanny is claiming that he "exposed himself" to her. He also allegedly put his hand in her pants several times and grabbed her buttocks without her consent. Tsk, tsk. [People]
  
• Britney may release her video diaries, which contain rants about her family and friends as well as intimate info about Justin Timberlake and Kevin Federline and details on her feud with Christina Aguilera. It's tough to admit this but they sound kind of awesome. [Mirror]
  
• Sure, the audience booed Heather Mills at the Miss USA pageant — but producers hated her too. [Page Six]
  
• Bill Cosby is releasing a rap album. Repeat: Bill Cosby is releasing a rap album. [USA Today]

• Ashlee Simpson recap: Us and OK! are reporting that she is pregnant; Pete Wentz, who is sleeping with her, swears she is not. [Page Six]
• Oh, a source says Ashlee is due in October. [Rush & Molloy]
• We're not saying he has um, shortcomings, but everyone laughs at Patrick Dempsey when he wears his Spandex bike shorts, he says. [Page Six]
• Beyoncé's next album may be her last! [Rush & Molloy]
• Donald Trump is grumpy because he wanted Miss Oklahoma, Lindsey Jo Harrington, to win Miss USA — instead of Miss Texas, Crystle Stewart. [Gatecrasher]
• Blind item! "Which now-washed up '90s TV star is exasperating his agent by putting all his sexual conquests in touch with the ten-percenter? He talks girls into bed by promising the agent will meet with them." [Gatecrasher]
• Some officers from the Laguna Beach Police Department don't think Richie Sambora endangered his 10-year-old daughter when he was busted for DUI on March 26, since there was no smell of alcohol on his breath and no dangerous or erratic driving. [TMZ]
• Then again, he might be charged with DUI and child endangerment, both as misdemeanors. [People]
• Click here to see a picture from Ivana Trump's wedding. The bride is wearing a pale pink beaded gown and maybe a tiara (?) and the groom is wearing white. [People]
• American Idol contestant David Cook will have his brother Adam, who has brain cancer, in the audience tonight. [People]
• Heidi Montag had a fashion show for her Anchor Blue line, Heidiwood. How did she choose her models? "The ones who looked the most like me won!" she says. Plastic surge FTW. [ET]
• Kate Moss's boyfriend Jamie Hince filmed a video in his hotel room and things got so raucous the police were called. Rock. Star. [Mirror]
• Sienna Miller's top slipped down while she was frolicking in the surf in Malibu. View the nip slip! [The Sun]
• As you may know, the Jolie-Pitt kids love junk food. "If Zahara wants ice cream for breakfast, she'll get it," a source says. Plus neither Angie nor Brad can cook. [MSNBC]
• JK Rowling says the Harry Potter characters she created are like her children. She also says the books saved her: "Not just in the very obvious material sense, although they did do that. I would have to say that there was a time when they saved my sanity." [CNN]
• Kate Hudson wants another baby. "I can't wait to have more. I'm at that place when I'm ready to have another one and Chris and I are not together. I'm like, 'Oh no! Uh-oh! I'm ready.'" [People]
• The tax evasion trial of Girls Gone Wild founded Joe Francis has been moved from Reno to Los Angeles. [USA Today]
• John Cusack's stalker will stand trial. Cusack has accused the woman of throwing a bag of love letters, rocks and screwdrivers over his home's fence. Um, screwdrivers? [Reuters]
• Janet Jackson's diet might be ruining her chances to conceive a fetus, says a random source. [Times Of India]
• Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has tentatively settled a lawsuit against Rockstar energy drinks for using his picture to promote the product without his consent. [USA Today]
• Richard Gere has a cafe and bakery in the wealthy New York suburb of Bedford. The town has a rule that fences can be no higher than 4 feet; Gere's fence is 5 feet tall. Uh-oh. [Yahoo News]
• "Our civilization has become extremely dumbed down, with shorter attention spans. All they want are sound bites. The tabloid magazines are the same every week. People has the same cover as InTouch as OK! as Us Weekly as Star magazine. They're exactly the same! It must be 100 to 120 people you read about all the time. They are appealing to a young audience, or a rather dumb audience.They go after those girls who exhibit more outrageous behavior. And, believe me, those girls love it. They call in items themselves — that they were at Nobu, some nightclub in SoHo. I can't think of anything more horrible than that. Publicity can be a drug." — Joan Collins. [Page Six]

At this point, we hope that Ms. Conner and Ms. Begue both learn a thing or two from those most notorious of shamed pageant queens and "memoirists": Vanessa Williams and James Frey. Because not only can losing a pageant title can be the ticket to a successful career in pop music and television, making shit up in a non-fiction memoir will get you an even bigger book deal the next time around!

Miss France Keeps Title Despite Photos [Yahoo]

Tara Conner To Write Memoir Of Her Rehab Experience [People]

Related: Fuck The Bullshit: It's Time To Throw James Frey Down

Earlier: Miss New Jersey's Raunchy Photos Revealed At Last