Carrie Prejean facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carrie Prejean
Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean
Born	Caroline Michelle Prejean 1987 (age 37–38) San Diego, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Title	Miss California USA 2009
Spouse(s)	Kyle Boller ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	2
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair color	Blonde
Eye color	Green
Major competition(s)	Miss USA 2009 (1st runner-up)

Caroline Michelle Prejean Boller (born 1987) is an American model. She was crowned Miss California USA in 2009. She also placed as the first runner-up in the Miss USA 2009 pageant. Later, Prejean's Miss California USA title was removed due to disagreements about her contract. She then wrote a book sharing her side of the story.

About Carrie Prejean's Early Life

Growing Up in California

Carrie Prejean was born in San Diego, California. Her mother is Italian American, and her father has French roots. She grew up in Vista, California, in a family that followed the evangelical Christian faith.

In 1996, her parents separated and later divorced. Carrie wrote in her book that this divorce was a very difficult time for her. She felt it greatly affected her life. The divorce process was long and challenging for her family. Carrie shared that she felt her parents were being "selfish" when they broke up the family. This experience made her want to create a stable home for her own children one day.

Education and Volunteering

Carrie graduated from Vista High School in 2005. She later attended San Diego Christian College, which is a private Christian school. She also goes to the Rock Church and volunteers there.

Carrie helps with different church programs, including one called JC's Girls. She also volunteers with Luv-em-Up Ministries. Here, she works with children who have developmental disabilities. Carrie studied to become a special education teacher.

Carrie Prejean's Modeling Career

Carrie Prejean has worked as a model for several well-known stores. These include Target, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, and Nordstrom.

She has also appeared in Bliss magazine. Carrie modeled for E! Entertainment Television. She was also part of a model search for the NBC game show Deal or No Deal. Since 2006, Carrie has been an ambassador for the San Diego Padres baseball team. She was part of their "Pad Squad."

Beauty Pageants and Miss USA

Competing in Miss California USA

In 2007, Carrie first competed in the Miss California USA pageant. She placed as the first runner-up. This means she came in second place.

The next year, she tried again and won the Miss California USA 2009 title. She then represented California in the national Miss USA pageant.

Miss USA 2009 Pageant

Carrie competed in the Miss USA 2009 pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada. This event was shown on TV across the country on April 19, 2009. She performed very well and finished as the first runner-up. This means she was the second-place winner.

During the pageant, Carrie was asked a question that caused a lot of discussion. Her answer became a big topic in the news.

The Controversial Question

During the Miss USA 2009 pageant, a judge named Perez Hilton asked Carrie a question. He asked about her opinion on marriage laws in the U.S. Carrie responded by saying:

Well, I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one way or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And, you know what, in my country, in my family, I think that, I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, no offense to anybody out there. But that's how I was raised and I believe that it should be between a man and a woman.

After this, Perez Hilton posted a video online where he criticized Carrie's answer. He said her answer "alienated so many people." He also suggested that her answer caused her to lose the crown. Carrie herself believes her answer cost her the Miss USA title.

Carrie later wrote about that moment. She felt she was being challenged to give an honest answer. She knew that if she told the truth, she might lose the crown and all the benefits that came with it. She also thought she was a favorite to win. But she chose to share her personal belief.

Support and Criticism

Donald Trump, who owned the Miss Universe Organization at the time, defended Carrie's answer. He said she did a "wonderful job" and that her answer was "simply her belief." He also noted that it was a difficult question to answer.

Some elected officials and experts also supported Carrie. They felt she was right to state her personal beliefs honestly. They pointed out that her views were shared by many people in the U.S.

After the Miss USA Pageant

After the pageant, Carrie Prejean gained a lot of public attention. The National Organization for Marriage used footage from the pageant in a TV ad. This ad suggested that some activists wanted to silence people who disagreed with them.

Carrie hired a public relations firm that focused on Christian values. She also presented an award at the Gospel Music Association's 2009 Dove Awards. She spoke at Liberty University in April 2009.

In May 2009, Carrie appeared on a TV show called On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren. She said she supported certain rights for all couples, like hospital visits. She also said she would meet with gay rights groups if the meeting was not political.

Carrie also appeared on The View and The Today Show in November 2009. She discussed a lawsuit she had with the Miss California USA pageant.

Writing a Book

In November 2009, Carrie Prejean released a book. It was called Still Standing: The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks. The book was published by Regnery Publishing, a conservative publisher.

In her book, Carrie wrote about what she felt were unfair attacks from the media. She described it as a "vindictive smear campaign" from Hollywood. The book also focused on her conservative values. While promoting her book, Carrie left an interview on Larry King Live. She felt the host was being "inappropriate" when he asked about her lawsuit settlement.

Personal Life

On July 2, 2010, Carrie Prejean married Kyle Boller. He is a former quarterback for the NFL. They got married in San Diego, California.

In November 2010, they announced they were expecting their first child. Their daughter was born in May 2011. In 2013, they welcomed their second child, a son named Brody.

Political Activity

In August 2021, Carrie Prejean spoke at a school board meeting in Encinitas, California. She announced her plan to campaign against some of the school board members. This was because she disagreed with the mandatory masking rules in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. She stated that she would not make her own children wear masks and believed the pandemic was over.

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