Former Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees asked for a second chance today, after being stripped of her title due to raunchy photos of her that surfaced on the Internet.
"This photographs were from an isolated incident during my teenage years," Rees said during a press conference Saturday. "This incident does not reflect who I am, or who I plan to be. I have no intention of further disgracing the state of Nevada, the Miss Universe organization, or Mr. Donald Trump."
Rees said she had contacted Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe organization, and is awaiting a response.
The former beauty queen also offered some advice to other young girls.
"Please don't let your guard down when it comes to being photographed. As you can see, just one mistake can have a great consequence," she said.
Rees was stripped of her crown by the Miss Universe Organization after the racy pictures sparked a controversy. The pictures showed Rees in various graphic poses, including exposing one of her breasts, passionately kissing and touching other women, and pulling down her pants to show her thong underwear at a party in Tampa, Fla.
Her attorney, Mario Torres of Tampa, Florida, asked that Trump grant Rees the same opportunity he gave Miss USA Tara Conner, who was allowed to keep her tiara despite tearfully admitting drinking as a minor at New York nightclubs. The Miss Universe Organization owns the Miss USA pageant and others.
"He always believes in second chances," Torres said of Trump. "We are asking for that and plead that he answer our call, allow us to meet with him and allow us to defend ourselves."
Trump has not yet commented publicly on Rees' appeal.
A Miss Universe spokeswoman has said Paula M. Shugart, president of the organization, made the decision to strip Rees of her title and Trump supported it.
Torres said he had reached out to Trump and others in Miss Universe but had not heard back.
First runner-up Helen Salas will assume the title and compete at the 2007 Miss USA pageant on March 23 in Los Angeles.
The Web site Canada.com, which posted the pics, reported that pageant officials were investigating Rees' behavior. The 22-year-old was crowned Miss Nevada in Las Vegas last October, and was to represent the state in the Miss USA pageant next spring.
"This photographs were from an isolated incident during my teenage years," Rees said during a press conference Saturday. "This incident does not reflect who I am, or who I plan to be. I have no intention of further disgracing the state of Nevada, the Miss Universe organization, or Mr. Donald Trump."
Rees said she had contacted Donald Trump, co-owner of the Miss Universe organization, and is awaiting a response.
The former beauty queen also offered some advice to other young girls.
"Please don't let your guard down when it comes to being photographed. As you can see, just one mistake can have a great consequence," she said.
Rees was stripped of her crown by the Miss Universe Organization after the racy pictures sparked a controversy. The pictures showed Rees in various graphic poses, including exposing one of her breasts, passionately kissing and touching other women, and pulling down her pants to show her thong underwear at a party in Tampa, Fla.
Her attorney, Mario Torres of Tampa, Florida, asked that Trump grant Rees the same opportunity he gave Miss USA Tara Conner, who was allowed to keep her tiara despite tearfully admitting drinking as a minor at New York nightclubs. The Miss Universe Organization owns the Miss USA pageant and others.
"He always believes in second chances," Torres said of Trump. "We are asking for that and plead that he answer our call, allow us to meet with him and allow us to defend ourselves."
Trump has not yet commented publicly on Rees' appeal.
A Miss Universe spokeswoman has said Paula M. Shugart, president of the organization, made the decision to strip Rees of her title and Trump supported it.
Torres said he had reached out to Trump and others in Miss Universe but had not heard back.
First runner-up Helen Salas will assume the title and compete at the 2007 Miss USA pageant on March 23 in Los Angeles.
The Web site Canada.com, which posted the pics, reported that pageant officials were investigating Rees' behavior. The 22-year-old was crowned Miss Nevada in Las Vegas last October, and was to represent the state in the Miss USA pageant next spring.
No comments:
Post a Comment