Miss California USA Carrie Prejean has been fired for not upholding her contractual duties, pageant officials and Miss Universe owner Donald Trump announced in a statement Wednesday.
The left-field announcement comes just one month after Trump appeared with Prejean in a press conference and said the 22-year-old beauty queen could keep her crown amid a strong wave of criticism from gay marriage supporters.
Prejean made headlines after the Miss USA pageant in April, when she famously said she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman in response to a question asked by the gay celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton.
On Wednesday, however, executive director of Miss California USA Keith Lewis said in the statement that the decision to fire Prejean was strictly based on her failure to fulfil obligations outlined in her contract and not based on her views on gay marriage.
"This was a decision based solely on contract violations including Ms Prejean's unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the Miss California USA organisation," said Lewis.
"After our press conference in New York we had hoped we would be able to forge a better working relationship ," he stated. "However, since that time it has become abundantly clear that Carrie is unwilling to fulfil her obligations under our contract and work together."
Trump, who had earlier commended Prejean for giving an "honourable answer" in response to the gay marriage question and defended racy photos that surfaced on the internet, gave the nod for the termination of her contract on Wednesday.
"I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honour her contract with the Miss California USA Organisation 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," said the real estate mogul. "Carrie is a beautiful young woman and I wish her well as she pursues her other interests."
Shortly after the announcements, Prejean, who was first runner-up in the Miss USA competition, said was "shocked" by the news. According to celebrity gossip website TMZ.com, Prejean said she felt she has been more than cooperative with pageant officials.
"What's behind this I think is a political debate," Prejean told TMZ.com over the phone. "They don't agree with the stance that I took [on Prop 8]. Shanna [Moakler] is trying to bash me. They don't like me. From day one they wanted me out and they got what they wanted."
The National Organisation for Marriage, which had run a pro-traditional marriage ad featuring a clip of Prejean's answer, was also skeptical that Prejean's firing was unrelated to her gay marriage answer.
"Hollywood hates Carrie ... and now they are doing what they wanted to do from day one: Get rid of Carrie," Brian Brown, executive director for NOM, stated.
"This cover story about a contract dispute doesn’t pass the smell test," he continued. "Americans aren’t fooled that easily. God knows, and we know, the truth about Carrie: She’s a young woman of great beauty who chose truth over the glittering tiara that Hollywood offers.
