Carrie Prejean, formerly titled Miss California, is fired. The beauty pageant winner
made headlines last month for taking a stand against gay marriage while professing to be a Christian. Shortly after several semi-nude photos from her young modeling days surfaced on the Internet – remaining Web buzz for days. Even talk show host and political commentator Keith Olbermann stepped in the Miss California free speech fray. Now, Miss Malibu, Tami Farrell -- who incidently is renown within the pageant circles for her congeniality -- is the new Miss California.
UPDATE: Carrie Prejean, Former Miss California Fired Video (CNN)
Vocal friends and enemies has she, the fact that the former Miss California is fired is likely to reignite a few digital flames. The AP reports today that Carrie Prejean has been terminated in her role as Miss California.
“It's official: Controversial Miss California Carrie Prejean has heard the words "you're fired" from pageant boss Donald Trump.
Trump issued a statement Wednesday saying he sacked Prejean for failing to honor her commitments as Miss California USA.”
Donald Trump on why Miss California Carrie Prejean was fired:
"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 in the statement. "Unfortunately it just doesn't look like it is going to happen and I offered Keith my full support in making this decision. Carrie is a beautiful young woman and I wish her well as she pursues her other interests." -- ABC News

Photo: Tami Farrell, Miss California
Now Tami Farrell, the first runner-up to Miss Prejean in the Miss California USA competition, will take the crown.
Since when did the country take such an interest in beauty pageant winners? Not since the controversy surrounding singer, actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams in 1984, it seems, when the actress too found herself in a nude photo scandal. Conversely, Williams is also well-known for her outspoken support of gay rights, having won the "Ally for Equality" award in 2008. Except for Ms. Williams perhaps, who received racist hate mail after receiving the Miss America crown, that beauty pageant scandal pales in comparison to that of Carrie Prejean.
Miss California has the viral nature of the Internet, gay rights supporters and
anti-Christian (or anti-hypocrisy) movements against her. No contest.
So Carrie Prejean does not pass ‘GO,’ does not remain Miss California, but is sure to collect a few hundred-something thousand dollars over this controversy and the semi-nude photo scandal. May we all fare as well as a Miss California when fired.
Photo: Miss Malibu Tami Farrell listens during a press conference where Donald Trump announces that Carrie Prejean failed to live up to her responsibilities as Miss California. Farrell assumes crown, June 10, 2009
(Photos: Carrie Prejean (top right), Tami Ferrell, (bottom right) by AP)