Miss California Carrie Prejean loses her crown

Photo: Hollywood Gossip

A long and ugly saga now appears to have come to an end—until Carrie Prejean publishes a best-selling tell-all about her six-week reign as Miss California, that is.

Despite Donald Trump’s decision last month that Prejean could keep her crown and wouldn’t be punished for her comments opposing gay marriage or her semi-nude modeling shots, Miss California was dethroned today for not appearing at scheduled events. There is no shortage of schadenfreude.

TMZ got on the phone with Prejean, and here’s what she had to say:

Prejean claims pageant honcho Keith Lewis actually asked her last month if she would take two gigs—appearing on “I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!” and Playboy. Prejean says Lewis told her Playboy offered $140,000 for her to pose semi-nude. She rejected both offers.

A few minutes ago we talked to Lewis who said he was not pushing her to take either gig—but merely passing the offers along. Lewis said Prejean had insisted they not turn anything down without running it by her.

Prejean—who told us she was “shocked” at the news she was fired and learned about it only after we broke the story—tells us she has been more than cooperative with pageant officials.

Prejean says, “What’s behind this I think is a political debate. 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.”

End scene.