Scandal, Controversy Make Beauty Pageants a Drama

While scandal and controversy have shaken up beauty pageant contestants for years, most of it was kept behind the scenes. Favoritism, rule violations and other scandals were kept quiet, out of the media and not publicized. That all changed with Vanessa Williams. Posing in Penthouse was not acceptable by the rules of the Miss America Beauty Pageant that Vanessa Williams won in 1983. She was forced to relinquish her Miss America crown and became famous as a result of her controversial behavior. Since that time, there is seldom a beauty pageant without a controversy.

Today, beauty pageant scandals are common from the local level to Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Universe. The most recent scandal involves Miss California Carrie Prejean. Miss California finished second in the Miss USA beauty pageant after opposing same sex marriage in her question and answer session and later on talk show interviews by saying "I think it's great Americans are able to choose one way or another. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. 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, and that's how I think it should be - between a man and a woman."

While reigning as Miss California Carrie Prejean became an outspoken advocate for traditional marriage and opposing same sex marriage, a controversial stand in the state of California. Officials felt that she was skipping official Miss California functions and obligations to speak out against gay marriage including an appearance at the Rock Church, an enormous evangelical church in San Diego. Rules require that appearances not scheduled by the Miss California beauty pageant officials be approved in advance.

Soon, the information regarding her breast implants became public. The breast implants were paid for by Miss California officials after she won to improve her chances at the Miss USA beauty pageant. While not illegal, this scandal kept the controversy alive and kept her name in the news. Then, semi nude photos surfaced some of which were taken when she was just 17 years old. Apparently her family values covered marriage between a man and a woman but did not include teenagers keeping their clothes on.

Donald Trump, owner of the Miss USA beauty pageant determined that the photos were not reason enough to force Miss California to give up her crown but one month later he fired Carrie Prejean for her refusal to attend required Miss California events and appearances. News stories abound with reports calling Carrie Prejean "difficult" and "problematic" and show her being released from other contracts as a result of being difficult to work with. A day after being released, the news stories now include the ex-Miss California's lawyer and it is clear that the scandal isn't over. With the Miss USA pageant owned by Donald Trump, this can only continue to be a drama.

Controversy and scandal make the American beauty pageant a dramatic soap opera rather than a traditional beauty pageant. Maybe the days of pageant queens waving and smiling have come and gone.