Carrie Prejean
Encyclopedia
Caroline Michelle "Carrie" Prejean Boller is an American
model
, author, former Miss California USA
2009 and Miss USA 2009
first runner-up. Prejean received national attention in 2009 when she told a pageant judge that marriage should be between a man and a woman; pageant judge and gossip blogger Perez Hilton
used his final question in the Miss USA pageant to ask Prejean about same-sex marriage
laws in the United States, and used his popular gossip blog to publicize her response. Hilton, who is gay, thought that her views were prejudiced. Later, Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA crown for alleged breaches of contract. Contentious litigation between Prejean and the Miss California organization was settled in November 2009. Later that month, Prejean released a book relating the story from her point of view.
Prejean has modeled for Target
, Saks Fifth Avenue
, Bloomingdale's
, and Nordstrom
. She has also appeared in Bliss
magazine, as a model for E! Entertainment Television
, at the 81st
Academy Awards, and in an interactive model search competition for the NBC
game show Deal or No Deal. Prejean has been an ambassador for the San Diego Padres
as a member of the Pad Squad since 2006.
, to Francine Coppola and Wilbert Prejean. Her mother is an Italian American
. She was raised in an evangelical Christian household in Vista, California
. Prejean's parents divorced in 1988.
Prejean graduated in 2005 from Vista High School. She studied at San Diego Christian College
, an evangelical private school located in El Cajon, California
, and attends The Rock Church
, where she volunteers with their outreach ministries. Prejean also volunteers with Luv-em-Up Ministries in El Cajon, where she works with children with developmental disabilities
. She is studying to become a special education
teacher.
On July 2, 2010, Prejean married Oakland Raiders
quarterback Kyle Boller
in San Diego, CA. On November 11, 2010, they announced that they were expecting a child in May 2011.The couple's first child arrived on May 11, a girl named Grace Christina.
Prejean returned the following year and won the Miss California USA 2009 title, succeeding Raquel Beezley
as California's representative to the Miss USA pageant. Prejean competed at the nationally televised Miss USA 2009 pageant in Las Vegas
, Nevada
on April 19, 2009, and placed first runner-up. Prejean's answer to her final question during the pageant became the subject of controversy.
during the 2009 Miss USA pageant. Prejean was asked by pageant judge Perez Hilton
, who is gay, whether she believed every U.S. state
should legalize
same-sex marriage. She responded,
The media attention intensified after Hilton added a video blog post to his website, and made comments there and elsewhere, disparaging Prejean and her answer to the question. Hilton called her a "dumb bitch" and stated: "She gave an awful, awful answer that alienated so many people." He also told ABC News
that she lost the crown because of how she answered the question. Prejean has also stated that she believes that her answer cost her the crown. Of that moment, Prejean has written,
Prejean stated that she was told by Miss California USA pageant officials that she "need[ed] to not talk about" her faith
and was pressured to apologize for her statement.
Donald Trump
, who owns most of the Miss Universe Organization
, defended Prejean's answer, saying that "Miss California has done a wonderful job" and that "It wasn't a bad answer, that was simply her belief." He then added that the question was "a bit unlucky" and that no matter which way she answered the question "she was going to get killed". Several elected officials, including Gavin Newsom
, mayor
of San Francisco and a prominent supporter of same-sex marriage, and political pundits criticized Hilton and defended Prejean for honestly stating her personal beliefs. The New York Times said her beliefs are representative of mainstream U.S. opinion on the issue, stating "while a majority of Americans believe that gay
couples should be able to enter into unions
with some of the legal protections of marriage," only "a minority believe that gays and lesbian
s should be permitted to 'marry,' per se.".
used footage from the pageant for a television advertisement that warned that same-sex marriage activists wanted to silence opposition. Prejean also hired a Christian public relations
firm. In late April, Prejean presented an award at the Gospel Music Association
's 2009 Dove Awards
in Nashville, Tennessee. Prejean also spoke at Liberty University
's final convocation
of the year on April 29, 2009.
On May 1, Prejean stated on On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren that she did not have an opinion on civil unions
for same-sex couples
, but that she supports certain rights of same-sex couples, such as hospital visitations. She has stated that she would be willing to meet with representatives from California's largest gay rights group "as long as it's not political".
. Prejean defended the shots as legitimate modeling, and Miss USA owner Donald Trump agreed, stating, "We are in the 21st century. We have determined the pictures taken are fine" and that "in some cases the pictures were lovely." Trump went on to compare Prejean's views on same sex-marriage as being in line with those of President Barack Obama
, and National Organization for Marriage president Maggie Gallagher
stated on May 5 that the release would not affect Prejean's role with her group.
Despite his initial support, Trump agreed to terminate Prejean's contract on June 10, 2009, citing "continued breach of contract issues." Prejean claimed that K2 Productions, producers of the Miss California USA pageant, wanted her to pose for Playboy
and appear on the reality television
show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!, though K2 Productions executive Keith Lewis claimed he was simply notifying Prejean of all offers for appearances. In August, 2009, Prejean sued Miss California USA officials on a variety of civil grounds, including libel, slander, religious discrimination and the unauthorized release of private medical records. K2 Productions and pageant officials filed counterclaims seeking the profits from Prejean's forthcoming book, which it claims was written in violation of the Miss California USA contract, and the return of $5,200 loaned to Prejean for breast implants. On November 3, 2009, Prejean and K2 announced a settlement with undisclosed terms, with both sides dropping their lawsuits. CNN
subsequently reported that Prejean's settlement with Miss California USA officials was driven by the discovery of a sexually oriented videotape featuring Prejean, who appeared alone.
. The book explores what Prejean believes were unfair attacks by those in the media that leaned left and what she characterized as a "a vindictive smear campaign" from Hollywood, while also focusing on her conservative values. In an incident that occurred while promoting the book, Prejean threatened to leave the set during an interview on Larry King Live
, after King asked her why she settled her lawsuit with the Miss California USA pageant, calling the host "inappropriate."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, author, former Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
2009 and Miss USA 2009
Miss USA 2009
Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009...
first runner-up. Prejean received national attention in 2009 when she told a pageant judge that marriage should be between a man and a woman; pageant judge and gossip blogger Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
used his final question in the Miss USA pageant to ask Prejean about same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in the United States
The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses...
laws in the United States, and used his popular gossip blog to publicize her response. Hilton, who is gay, thought that her views were prejudiced. Later, Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA crown for alleged breaches of contract. Contentious litigation between Prejean and the Miss California organization was settled in November 2009. Later that month, Prejean released a book relating the story from her point of view.
Prejean has modeled for Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Incorporated
Saks Incorporated , founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 1998, is headquartered in New York City, New York, and is a Fortune 1000 operator of high-end department stores in the United States under the nameplate Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks evolved from Proffitt's Inc. after Proffitt's changed its name in...
, Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
, and Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
. She has also appeared in Bliss
Bliss (magazine)
Bliss is a monthly British magazine aimed at teenage girls which currently retails at £2.75 and often comes with a gift such as make-up or a bag...
magazine, as a model for E! Entertainment Television
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
, at the 81st
81st Academy Awards
The 81st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2008 and took place February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST...
Academy Awards, and in an interactive model search competition for the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
game show Deal or No Deal. Prejean has been an ambassador for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
as a member of the Pad Squad since 2006.
Personal life
Prejean was born in San Diego, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, to Francine Coppola and Wilbert Prejean. Her mother is an Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
. She was raised in an evangelical Christian household in Vista, California
Vista, California
Vista is a city in north San Diego County, California. It was incorporated January 28, 1963 and became a charter city on June 13, 2007. Located just seven miles inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County, the City of Vista has a Mediterranean climate...
. Prejean's parents divorced in 1988.
Prejean graduated in 2005 from Vista High School. She studied at San Diego Christian College
San Diego Christian College
San Diego Christian College is a private, evangelical Christian college located in El Cajon, California, in suburban San Diego, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.-History:In January 1970, Tim F...
, an evangelical private school located in El Cajon, California
El Cajon, California
-History:El Cajon is located on the Rancho El Cajon Mexican land grant made in 1845 to María Antonia Estudillo, wife of Miguel Pedrorena. In 1876 Amaziah Lord Knox , a New Englander who had recently moved to California, established a hotel there to serve the growing number of people traveling...
, and attends The Rock Church
The Rock Church
The Rock Church is a protestant, evangelical megachurch located in San Diego, California, USA. Miles McPherson, a former NFL player, has served as senior pastor since he founded the church in 2000. With an average weekly attendance of nearly 12,000, the Rock is currently the 19th largest and the...
, where she volunteers with their outreach ministries. Prejean also volunteers with Luv-em-Up Ministries in El Cajon, where she works with children with developmental disabilities
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
. She is studying to become a special education
Special Education in the United States
Special education programs in the United States were made mandatory in 1975 when the United States Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in response to discriminatory treatment by public educational agencies against students with disabilities...
teacher.
On July 2, 2010, Prejean married Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Kyle Boller
Kyle Boller
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at The University of California.Boller has also played for the St...
in San Diego, CA. On November 11, 2010, they announced that they were expecting a child in May 2011.The couple's first child arrived on May 11, a girl named Grace Christina.
Pageants
In 2007, she competed in the Miss California USA 2008 pageant and initially placed third runner-up; later a judging error was discovered and she was promoted to first runner-up.Prejean returned the following year and won the Miss California USA 2009 title, succeeding Raquel Beezley
Raquel Beezley
Raquel Roxanne Beezley is a beauty queen from Barstow, California who has competed in the Miss USA 2008 pageant.Beezley competed in the Miss California USA 2008 pageant on November 23, 2007 and initially placed second runner-up to Cristina Silva...
as California's representative to the Miss USA pageant. Prejean competed at the nationally televised Miss USA 2009 pageant in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
on April 19, 2009, and placed first runner-up. Prejean's answer to her final question during the pageant became the subject of controversy.
Miss USA 2009 controversy
Prejean received nationwide attention over her response to a question about same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage in the United States
The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses...
during the 2009 Miss USA pageant. Prejean was asked by pageant judge Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
, who is gay, whether she believed every U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
should legalize
Same-sex marriage legislation in the United States
In response to court action in a number of states, the United States federal government and a number of state legislatures passed or attempted to pass legislation either prohibiting or allowing same-sex marriage or other types of same-sex unions.-Federal level:...
same-sex marriage. She responded,
The media attention intensified after Hilton added a video blog post to his website, and made comments there and elsewhere, disparaging Prejean and her answer to the question. Hilton called her a "dumb bitch" and stated: "She gave an awful, awful answer that alienated so many people." He also told ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
that she lost the crown because of how she answered the question. Prejean has also stated that she believes that her answer cost her the crown. Of that moment, Prejean has written,
Prejean stated that she was told by Miss California USA pageant officials that she "need[ed] to not talk about" her faith
Faith in Christianity
Faith, in Christianity, has been most commonly defined by the biblical formulation in the Letter to the Hebrews as "'the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". Most of the definitions in the history of Christian theology have followed this biblical formulation...
and was pressured to apologize for her statement.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, who owns most of the Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
, defended Prejean's answer, saying that "Miss California has done a wonderful job" and that "It wasn't a bad answer, that was simply her belief." He then added that the question was "a bit unlucky" and that no matter which way she answered the question "she was going to get killed". Several elected officials, including Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
, mayor
Mayor of San Francisco
The Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco is the head of the executive branch of San Francisco's city and county government. The mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the legislative branch....
of San Francisco and a prominent supporter of same-sex marriage, and political pundits criticized Hilton and defended Prejean for honestly stating her personal beliefs. The New York Times said her beliefs are representative of mainstream U.S. opinion on the issue, stating "while a majority of Americans believe that gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
couples should be able to enter into unions
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
with some of the legal protections of marriage," only "a minority believe that gays and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
s should be permitted to 'marry,' per se.".
Post-Miss USA Pageant
Later, the National Organization for MarriageNational Organization for Marriage
The National Organization for Marriage is a nonprofit political association established in 2007 to work against legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States, specifically to pass California Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage in California...
used footage from the pageant for a television advertisement that warned that same-sex marriage activists wanted to silence opposition. Prejean also hired a Christian public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
firm. In late April, Prejean presented an award at the Gospel Music Association
Gospel Music Association
The Gospel Music Association was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. There are currently about 4,000 members worldwide...
's 2009 Dove Awards
Dove Awards of 2009
The 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 23, 2009 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 2008. The show was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by Rebecca St...
in Nashville, Tennessee. Prejean also spoke at Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
's final convocation
Convocation
A Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.- University use :....
of the year on April 29, 2009.
On May 1, Prejean stated on On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren that she did not have an opinion on civil unions
Civil union in the United States
A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to marriage. Many people are critical of civil unions because they say they represent separate status unequal to marriage...
for same-sex couples
Same-sex relationship
A same-sex relationship is a relationship between two persons of the same sex and can take many forms, from romantic and sexual, to non-romantic close relationships. The term is mainly associated with gay and lesbian people...
, but that she supports certain rights of same-sex couples, such as hospital visitations. She has stated that she would be willing to meet with representatives from California's largest gay rights group "as long as it's not political".
Contract termination
Pageant organizers investigated Prejean for violating the terms of her contract after a photograph of Prejean partially nude with her back turned to the camera appeared on a celebrity gossip blogBlog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. Prejean defended the shots as legitimate modeling, and Miss USA owner Donald Trump agreed, stating, "We are in the 21st century. We have determined the pictures taken are fine" and that "in some cases the pictures were lovely." Trump went on to compare Prejean's views on same sex-marriage as being in line with those of President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, and National Organization for Marriage president Maggie Gallagher
Maggie Gallagher
Margaret Gallagher Srivastav , better known by her working name Maggie Gallagher, is an American writer, commentator, and opponent of same-sex marriage. She has written a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate since 1995, and has published five books...
stated on May 5 that the release would not affect Prejean's role with her group.
Despite his initial support, Trump agreed to terminate Prejean's contract on June 10, 2009, citing "continued breach of contract issues." Prejean claimed that K2 Productions, producers of the Miss California USA pageant, wanted her to pose for Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and appear on the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!, though K2 Productions executive Keith Lewis claimed he was simply notifying Prejean of all offers for appearances. In August, 2009, Prejean sued Miss California USA officials on a variety of civil grounds, including libel, slander, religious discrimination and the unauthorized release of private medical records. K2 Productions and pageant officials filed counterclaims seeking the profits from Prejean's forthcoming book, which it claims was written in violation of the Miss California USA contract, and the return of $5,200 loaned to Prejean for breast implants. On November 3, 2009, Prejean and K2 announced a settlement with undisclosed terms, with both sides dropping their lawsuits. CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
subsequently reported that Prejean's settlement with Miss California USA officials was driven by the discovery of a sexually oriented videotape featuring Prejean, who appeared alone.
Still Standing
In November 2009, Prejean released a memoir titled Still Standing: The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks through Regnery PublishingRegnery Publishing
Regnery Publishing in Washington, D.C., is a publisher which specializes in conservative books characterized on their website as "contrary to those of 'mainstream' publishers in New York." Since 1993, Regnery Publishing has been a division of Eagle Publishing, which also owns the weekly magazine...
. The book explores what Prejean believes were unfair attacks by those in the media that leaned left and what she characterized as a "a vindictive smear campaign" from Hollywood, while also focusing on her conservative values. In an incident that occurred while promoting the book, Prejean threatened to leave the set during an interview on Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
, after King asked her why she settled her lawsuit with the Miss California USA pageant, calling the host "inappropriate."
External links
- Still Standing at Regnery Publishing