Miss USA contest in gay marriage controversy

The prestigious Miss USA contest turned ugly after a gay marriage question by celebrity blogger Perez Hilton sparked outrage from the audience and "ugly" fights outside.

Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton took out the crown, beating 50 other beauties in the pageant which was televised live from Las Vegas earlier today.

But runner-up Miss California Carrie Prejean garnered most of the attention after her answer to a question about legalising same sex marriage.

Gossip guru Hilton asked Ms Prejean: "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalise same-sex marriage … do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?" She replied: "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 offence to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Some of the audience cheered while others booed.

Others argued in the lobby, the Daily Telegraph reports.

"It's ugly," gay man Scott Ihrig was quoted as saying.

"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."

Charmaine Koonce, the mother of Miss New Mexico USA Bianca Carla, disagreed, saying: "In the Bible it says marriage is between Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve."

It is the second time this month that the pageant has been hit with controversy after Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza posted a blog entry about a trip to Guantanamo Bay.

Ms Mendoza described the trip to the infamous prison as "aloooot of fun".

The blog entry was later pulled from the Miss USA website.

Get free website for your blog

Miss USA pageant: Gay marriage scandal over Miss California's comments

THE crowning of Miss USA has been hit with controversy after the runner up was booed for her answer to a question about legalising same-sex marriage.

Miss North Carolina USA Kristen Dalton was crowned Miss USA 2009 on Sunday, beating out 50 other beauty queens in the live pageant televised from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

But her runner up, Miss California Carrie Prejean, of San Diego, shocked the audience when she answered a question about legalising same-sex marriage. The tall blonde stumbled some before giving an answer that appeared to please the pageant audience.

Here her response here, which shocked onlookers.

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage," Prejean said. "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 offence to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Some in the audience cheered, others booed. The answer sparked a shouting match in the lobby after the show.

"It's ugly," said Scott Ihrig, a gay man, who attended the pageant with his partner. "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."

Charmaine Koonce, the mother of Miss New Mexico USA Bianca Carla, argued back.

"In the Bible it says marriage is between Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve!"

The pageant had enjoyed a scandal-free year until earlier this month, when Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza was skewered for a blog posting from a trip to Guantanamo Bay. The entry described having "aloooot of fun" at a base that houses the notorious military prison; it was later deleted from the pageant's Web site.

The contest, which is owned by NBC and reality TV mogul Donald Trump, was hosted by "Access Hollywood" co-anchor Billy Bush and Nadine Velazquez of the NBC sitcom "My Name is Earl." This year's judges included "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kenan Thompson, "Dancing with the Stars" winner Kelly Monaco and gossip blogger Perez Hilton.

Miss Wyoming USA Cynthia Pate, of Casper, Wyo., was voted Miss Congeniality by her fellow contestants. Jessi Pierson, of Milton, W.Va., was voted Miss Photogenic through an online contest on the Miss Universe Web site.

Get free website for your blog

Bulgarian Beauty Claims Fourth Prize in Miss USA Pageant

Bulgarian beauty Laura Chukanov has claimed fourth position in the Miss USA 2009 competition held late Sunday in Las Vegas.

During what was one of the most watched live TV events in the US this year a star-studded panel of judges chose Miss North Carolina USA, Kristen Dalton, as Miss USA 2009. This year the Miss USA pageant took place in the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Las Vegas.

Throughout the two-hour event, the contestants competed in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. During these competitions, the "Top Five" finalists were selected before the crowning in front of an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 250 million.

Chukanov, who is Miss Utah USA 2009 represented the Beehive state in the prestigious pageant, she impressed the judges and reacted happily at being announced fourth.

Chukanov went to Salt Lake City, US from Sofia, Bulgaria, when she was a 4-year-old girl. Her father is a scientist who was invited to California for research purposes. His work then brought him and his family to Utah in the early 1990s.

"My parents used to say that they want me and my brother to have better opportunities. They never stop telling me how beautiful Bulgaria is and my mother is often sad because all her relatives are there. Still I have better chances to do something with my life here, in the United States. I would have never been able to be Miss Utah if I had stayed in Bulgaria," Laura explained in a recent interview for Darik Radio.

Asked whether she would like to return to Bulgaria one day, Laura said she definitely would want to do that even though she doesn't know for how long.

"My heart is in Bulgaria. I really want to go back to Bulgaria, but I am not sure whether I will decide to live there."

Get free website for your blog

Miss USA 2009 is Kristen Dalton of North Carolina

Kristen Dalton, Miss North Carolina 2009, took home the Miss USA crown Sunday evening in Las Vegas, edging past Miss California Carrie Prejean and Miss Arizona, Alicia-Monique Blanco. Dalton is part of a North Carolina pageant dynasty (we were surprised as you to learn that such a thing exists): Her mother was Miss North Carolina USA 1982 and her sister was Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2008.

Dalton, a blue-eyed blonde who studied psychology and Spanish at East Carolina University, hails from Wilmington and, according to the press release from the Miss USA organization, is a talented singer and dancer, though you wouldn't know it from the pageant, which, unlike Miss America, does not have a talent competition (although parading across a stage in a bikini designed by none other than esteemed tastemaker Jessica Simpson and gold high heels does require an abundance of balance, poise and at least two other things.

Get free website for your blog