Last week Miss California, Natasha Martinez, whose mother was born in Nicaragua and father is Mexican-American, told KCAL-TV in Los Angeles that Mr. Trump’s comments were “hurtful.” But other contestants, like Rashontae Wawrzyniak, representing Michigan, were quick to defend Mr. Trump.
“I support his right to free speech,” Ms. Wawrzyniak said.
Miss New Hampshire Samantha Poirier said the media firestorm and uncertainty has likely forged friendships uncommon to the pageant in the past. “We’re all going through the same thing,” she said. “This has bonded us all together, if nothing else.”
The contestants will certainly be the featured attraction this year. Two co-hosts, Cheryl Burke of “Dancing With The Stars” and Thomas Roberts of MSNBC, have pulled out of the pageant in protest of Mr. Trump’s remarks, as have musical performer Flo Rida and two judges — Jonathan Scott of HGTV and Emmitt Smith, the former Dallas Cowboys running back.
Meanwhile, Jay Dardenne, Louisiana’s lieutenant governor, has so far refused to pay the Miss Universe Organization $65,000 in tourism incentives from his office, saying that the lack of a network TV partner diminishes the event as an attraction, Jacques Berry, a spokesman for the office of the lieutenant governor, said no payments will be made until after the pageant is completed.
“There are still some concerns about there being a smaller audience and no major network signed on to promote the event,” Mr. Berry said. John Delgado, a member of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council, said he and other city officials are looking into whether the city could recoup a portion of the $200,000 it agreed to pay the Miss Universe Organization. And he’s encouraging the city’s tourism arm, Visit Baton Rouge, to withhold payment as well.
“The Miss USA pageant is in breach of its contract,” Mr. Delgado said in an interview. “This was supposed be a three-hour tourism video on a major network for Baton Rouge.”
Article Appeared @http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/03/business/media/miss-usa-pageant-finds-a-televised-venue.html