Popsquire

First came the lawsuit.  Next came the sex tape.  Then, came the settlement.  It’s just too perfect.

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Carrie Prejean claims to be “biblically correct,” but now the question is whether she is legally correct.

After threatening to file a lawsuit last month, Prejean went for it today, alleging that she is the victim of religious discrimination, defamation, public disclosure of private facts, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress at the hands of Shanna Moakler, Keith Lewis, and the Miss California USA Organization.

This must mean that the defendants were not willing to offer enough money to settle the case before it hit the court system.  Given the high profile nature of this case, the parties likely were too wed (pun intended) to their respective positions to enter any kind of compromise.

Popsquire will keep you posted!

Related Stories:

Carrie Prejean Threatens To Sue

Carrie Prejean Says She Was Fired For Her Beliefs

Donald Trump To Prejean: “You’re Fired”

Technorati Tags: carrie prejean lawsuit, carrie prejean religious discrimination, entertainment litigation, keith lewis, lawsuit, miss california carrie prejean, pop culture law, shanna moakler

Just like Popsquire predicted, Carrie Prejean is lawyering up!

In a letter fired off by Prejean’s counsel yesterday, she accuses pageant officials of defamation, fraud, and retaliation.  Among other things, Prejean claims that she did not: (1) refuse to participate in over 50 events; (2) make unauthorized appearances; (3) behave in an uncooperative manner; or (4) publish a book in violation of her contract.

She also accuses Keith Lewis of plotting to fire her and releasing her unauthorized medical information (i.e., her boob job paid for by the pageant).  Read the letter.  It’s worth it.

Lewis released this statement in response:

“Mr. Limandri obviously has never watched “THE APPRENTICE” if he believes that Mr Trump could be so easily fooled. Facts are facts and we stand by them. No matter what strong wind the General Council of NOM will blow, Our vest of truth will stay on.”

Lewis better have more evidence of Trump’s decision making abilities than episodes of The Apprentice.  He makes quick decisions on that show, often for dramatic effect.  Let’s hope he examined all the evidence here and determined that Prejean did, in fact, breach the contract.  If not, this could become a legal nightmare for Trump, Lewis, and the pageant.

Former Miss California says tolerance “should be a two-way street.”  Um, except for gay marriage, right?

Click here to read about whether she should sue.

Technorati Tags: carrie prejean, fired, gay marriage, keith lewis, miss california, pop culture law, tolerance

Popsquire smells another lawsuit today, and it wreaks of Carrie Prejean.

Prejean told Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush that she ultimately was fired because of her opinion on gay marriage:

“It’s just because of my answer, I think…None of this would be happening right now if I just said, Yeah, gays should get married. You’re right, Perez Hilton.”

If she can prove this, Prejean may have a legal case.  It’s against California law to terminate employees for their political opinions.  For example, California Labor Code section 1102 states:

“No employer shall coerce or influence or attempt to coerce or influence his employees through or by means of threat of discharge or loss of employment to adopt or follow or refrain from adopting or following any particular course or line of political action or political activity.”

On the other hand, if Prejean failed to honor her contract, the Miss California USA organization might have a solid defense.

Popsquire will keep you posted!

Technorati Tags: california law, carrie prejean, contract termination, employees and political opinions, legal expert, miss california, popsquire, russell wetanson

For some celebrities, it’s all about the Benjamins.  For Miss California, it’s all about the contracts!

Donald Trump has approved a decision to fire Carrie Prejean from her controversial position as Miss California, because she allegedly has not fulfilled her contractual duties.  Keith Lewis, executive director of the California Miss USA pageant stated in writing:

“This was a business decision, based solely on contract violations…After our press conference in New York we had hoped we would be able to forge a better working relationship. However, since that time it has become abundantly clear that Carrie has no desire to fulfill her obligations under our contract and work together.”

Trump wrote:

“I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the Miss California Organization and I gave her the opportunity to do so…Unfortunately it just doesn’t look like it is going to happen and I offered Keith my full support in making this decision.”

PS: NBC should call Carrie and get her to the I’m A Celebrity jungle immediately.  If you think Spencer Pratt is drama, think again!

P-Diddy may be all about the Benjamins, but Shanna Moakler says she’s all about the contracts.

[Bob Charlotte / PR Photos]

Click here to listen to this morning’s emotional radio interview with Ryan Seacrest.  Among other things, Shanna says Donald Trump promised to fire Carrie Prejean if she continues to breach her contract!

PS: Do you believe that it’s all about the contract?  Given Moakler’s outspoken support for gay marriage, Donald’s contract interpretation can’t possibly be the only reason.

Technorati Tags: carrie prejean, contract, donald trump, miss california, pageant contract, pop culture law, ryan seacrest interview, shanna moakler

TheDirty.com’s Nik Richie tells Popsquire that racier “video and imagery” of Miss California exist, so Popsquire shared the news on HLN’s Prime News yesterday.  Watch!

Technorati Tags: alicia jacobs, carrie prejean, contract, donald trump, katie rees, marvette brito, miss california, miss nevada, nik richie, pageant, pop culture law, russell wetanson, shanna moakler, the dirty

Former Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees must be taking law classes because she wants to talk about precedent.

[PRN / PR Photos]

In 2006, Rees was stripped of her title as Miss Nevada USA after racey photos made the rounds.  Now, she’s wondering why Carrie Prejean gets to keep her crown under what she believes are similar circumstances.  She tells Extra TV:

“No matter what the stipulations are with the pictures, if you’re semi-nude, you’re semi-nude and it says so in the contract…Prejean broke the contact… she should’ve had her crown taken away just like mine… for her crown not to be taken away is absolutely outrageous.”

“The fact is Carrie purposely posed nude for these pictures… I did not. I was a teenager who accidentally was out having a good time with her girlfriends and was unguarded. Tara Conner broke her contract for drug use… these girls get to keep their crown and I’m the one who’s exploited. I just wonder if Mr. Trump knows what he put me through — what I’ve gone through these past two years.”

Matt Lauer asks Donald Trump if Carrie Prejean broke any rules of her contract.  Trump says she did not because he has the ultimate decision making authority.  That’s non-responsive.

PS: Trump should change the contract for next year.  Topless photos are not a big deal, so just take the clause about them out of the contract instead of making exceptions for Prejean.

Technorati Tags: carrie prejean, donald trump, matt lauer, miss california, pop culture law, today show, topless photos

If you missed yesterday’s Prime News on HLN, Popsquire’s Russell Wetanson broke the news that more controversial photos of Miss California may be released soon.  Watch!

Technorati Tags: carrie prejean, donald trump, miss california, photos, pop culture law, topless

Today’s guest law lecturer is Keith Olbermann…

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During an emotional speech this morning, Carrie Prejean said she forgives “Judge Number 8,” aka Perez Hilton.  By the tone of her speech, however, it seemed like she had a different “F” word in mind.

PS: If you agree to disagree *and* you respect other people’s rights, then you should support gay marriage.

Technorati Tags: agree to disagree, carrie prejean, Civil Rights, forgives, gay marriage, miss california, Perez Hilton, pop culture law, trump's decision

Instead of having Joan Rivers fire Carrie Prejean (which would have made great tv), Donald Trump announced this morning that she will keep her Miss California USA crown.

He commended Prejean for giving a “very, very, very honest answer” to a “fair question,” forgave her for not disclosing the existence of controversial photos, and said that “miscommunication” between Prejean and pageant officials has been resolved.  Trump then reminded everyone that President Obama shares Prejean’s opinion on gay marriage and said several times that, “if her beauty wasn’t so great, nobody would have cared.”

Ridiculous.  Either Trump is being humble, or he is just blinded by beauty.  Miss USA is a televised, popular platform.  If Prejean had posted a random video on YouTube, then “nobody would have cared.”  People cared because, among other reasons, Perez Hilton has a huge following, gay marriage is a controversial social and legal issue, and Carrie Prejean went on a media tour.

One thing is clear: the boardroom isn’t the only place where Trump knows how to spin drama!

Another topless photo surfaced today, and Donald Trump is set to announce his decision about Carrie Prejean’s fate.  While we wait for the press conference, below is a collection of her post-pageant interviews.

Technorati Tags: breach of contract, carrie prejean, donald trump, gay marriage, gay right, media tour, miss california, national organization marriage, pop culture law, video