Did Perez Purposely Set Miss California Up with Gay Question?

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Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA, while competing for the Miss USA crown, answered a question honestly. By doing that, royally ticked off the Miss California USA Directors and many others and might have thrown the contest. Did Perez Hilton, asking this stupid question, purposely cost her the Miss USA title?

Pageant judge and blogger, Perez Hilton, posed the following question to her: “Vermont recently became the 4th state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit. Why or why not?”

Prejean answered, “Well, I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what, 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 and that’s how I think it should be between a man and a woman. Thank you very much.”

Gay advocates in the crowd made sure people knew they were offended. A Miss California director Keith Lewis is quoted in a statement as saying, "As co-director of the Miss California USA, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman." "I believe all religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit. I do not believe our government should be able to discriminate against anyone and religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family." His felllow co-director, Shanna Moakler, agreed.

Excuse me? If the Pageant organizers don't want politics or religion in the pageant, they shouldn't have allowed such a politically charged question. It's not Prejean's fault The question was asked. It's the pageant's fault for having allowed the question. I applaud her for an honest answer.

Then there was Scott Ihrig, a gay man who attended the pageant with his partner and was shouting in the lobby afterwards. "It's ugly," he said. "I think it's ridiculous that she got first runner-up. That is not the value of 95 percent of the people in this audience. Look around this audience and tell me how many gay men there are."

Wake up, Scott. Miss California represents California, not the pageant audience. Most of the people in California do not support gay marriage. That's why gay marriage lost at the polls, remember? If the pageant organizers don't want honest answers, they shouldn't ask questions. In my mind, Miss California should have won due to her courage and conviction.

But Scott's statement begs additional questions. What qualified a gay blogger to judge the Miss USA contest? And why WERE lots of gays attending the event? I guess many of us don't pay as much attention to pageants as others do. There are many more important things to do - and more important issues to pay attention to. Economy, Iraq, world hunger...to name a few.

But if you can't win at the California polls...cause controversy at televised events in order to give the appearance of populous angst.

You don't think so? What kinds of questions did the other contestant get? Were their questions equally politically charged? If not, was it a fair contest? Why was Miss California targeted with this particular question? Did Hilton know her background and how she would answer?

Be on the look out for this type of gimmick to happen again and again.
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