Trump Sues Univision For $500M, Mexico And Thomas Roberts Pull Out Of Pageant

For once Donald Trump has followed through with a lawsuit threat:

Donald Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, is suing Univision. The Spanish-language TV network dropped its coverage of Miss USA and Miss Universe — two beauty pageants that Trump co-owns — because of Trump's remarks about Mexican immigrants during his presidential campaign announcement on June 16. NBCUniversal also dropped the pageant programming. NPR's Andrew Limbong reports that Trump is seeking $500 million, and that in the suit, Trump claims Univision is attempting to suppress his freedom of speech. Here's an excerpt from The Trump Organization's statement: "Under the contract, Univision is required to broadcast the pageant live on television in Spanish. While Univision claims its decision came solely in response to comments by Mr. Trump during a June 16 campaign speech announcing his candidacy for President of the United States, the decision was, in reality, a politically motivated attempt to suppress Mr. Trump's freedom of speech under the First Amendment as he begins to campaign for the nation's presidency."

Mexico has pulled out of the pageant.

The Mexican media company Televisa said it will not have a representative in the next Miss Universe pageant. Trump is a partial owner of the Miss Universe Organization, which oversees both the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants. Televisa and former Miss Universe Lupita Jones help run Nuestra Belleza Mexico, a national pageant that determines the country's contestant for Miss Universe. Jones lashed out at Trump for his "racist comments." "As a Mexican I feel very offended and outraged, like everyone else - as Miss Universe I think Donald Trump is harming the organization," she wrote on Twitter.

Pageant host Thomas Roberts, who was heavily criticized for hosting the 2013 pageant when it was held in Russia, has also pulled out as has co-host Cheryl Burke. On Monday NBC announced it will not air either Miss Universe or Miss USA, which takes place in Baton Rouge on July 11th despite the lack of a broadcasting partner.

NBC To Donald Trump: You're Fired

Donald Trump just got fired by NBC.

NBC is ending its business relationship with Donald Trump following the presidential hopeful’s comments about immigrants during the announcement of his campaign. "At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values. Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump," NBC said in a statement. NBC said it would no longer air the annual "Miss USA" and "Miss Universe" pageants, which had been a joint venture with Trump. Trump has already indicated he will not be taking part in the television show "The Apprentice."

Univision To Trump: You're Fired

CNN reports:

Univision is canceling its telecast of the Miss USA pageant, an event partially owned by Donald Trump, to protest Trump's offensive remarks about Mexicans. Furthermore, Univision says it is severing all other business ties to Trump. Univision is the biggest Spanish-language broadcaster in the United States, so its decision is a blow to the Miss Universe Organization, a joint venture of Trump and Comcast's NBCUniversal division. Last week, in his speech announcing a run for president, Trump deplored immigrants from Mexico who "have lots of problems" and are "bringing those problems to us." "They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists," he said, adding, "and some, I assume, are good people."

John Oliver On The Miss America Pageant

Another hilarious rant. "Currently, the biggest scholarship program exclusively for women in America requires you to be unmarried, with a mint condition uterus, and also rewards working knowledge of butt adhesive technology."

Irish Beauty Queen Comes Out

The Rose Of Tralee is a competition in which Irish communities around the world send a beauty queen to the finals in Ireland's County Kerry. This year's winner is Philadelphia resident Maria Walsh, who just came out. That may prove to be a problem for New York City's St. Patrick's Day group. Via Irish Central:

Right on cue a host of apoplectically angry commentators reminded us why it’s still news when Ireland’s Rose of Tralee sweetheart announces she’s gay. Across the internet they posted strong biblical condemnations or outright bigoted profanities, carefully calculated to wound. It didn’t matter though. Walsh has already won, so they could only lose. Now Walsh’s brilliant win sets the stage for another major public relations battle. In New York, like every prior Rose, she will be feted and fawned over during the 2015 Saint Patrick’s Day season. The Rose of Tralee competition has already show us that Walsh has courage, heart and class, and so hopefully her example will inspire others to show her the same courtesy now. If New York’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is still discriminating against – rather than embracing – Irish gay people by 2015 (almost 100 years after the Rising that was fought in the name of freedom for all Irish people) they will look and sound like last century's men.

The world's largest and oldest St. Patrick's Day parade, New York City's group continues to ban the open participation of LGBT groups. It will be very interesting to see how they handle Maria Walsh, particularly if Catholic League blowhard Bill Donohue succeeds in his reported bid to lead the organization.

RELATED: Last week Miss Spain 2013 came out, becoming the world's first openly lesbian national beauty queen.

Venezuela Wins Miss Universe

The Washington Blade reports:

Participants in the Miss Universe 2013 pageant that took place in Moscow on Saturday did not discuss Russia’s LGBT rights record during the broadcast of the event. Gay MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, who co-hosted the pageant with singer Mel B, earlier on Saturday described Russia’s law banning gay propaganda to minors as a “discriminatory” statute that “condones the closet” during an interview with fellow MSNBC anchor Alex Witt from the Russian capital with Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo. Roberts further criticized the Kremlin’s LGBT rights record during an interview with Agence France-Presse after he and his husband, Patrick Abner, arrived in Moscow.

HomoQuotable - Thomas Roberts

"It’s been an incredible experience so far. I certainly don’t want to be a commercial for Russia… [but] I haven’t run into any discrimination so far since I’ve been here. Just by showing up, just by being visible, just by the sheer presence of my husband being there with me, and just the interest that this might generate in what my personal back story is, I think that just sends a strong message that you can have a highly successful professional career and a successful personal life and they can be integrated. The LGBT community has the right to be outraged. But it’s not the time to shy away, it’s the time to show up. And it’s the time to make sure that you show up and that you’re visible, and that you’re respected, on an equal footing. There have been great people who have come out in support of this and they get what I mean by this role being too visible to pass up for an LGBT person, because [Miss Universe] is seen in over 190 countries by a billion people. It’s not about the money." - MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, speaking from Russia this morning. (Tipped by JMG reader Brooks)

HomoQuotable - Thomas Roberts

"I consulted with the [Human Rights Campaign] and with GLAAD. I wanted to find out their take on what they thought about this decision by me. They are two organizations that I have done a great deal of work with and that have not only had my personal support but professional support. So a lot of counsel, a lot of advice, went into this. Certainly great LGBT activists, who are mentors of mine — I reached out to them as well. So, I am a little dismayed at some of the reaction that people have had, that have wanted to try to attack my personal and professional belief for what I'm standing up for, but I respect their right to do that. But I wish they would have a little more faith in me." - MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, speaking to the Advocate about the reaction to the news that he will host Miss Universe in Moscow.

Read the full interview.

Trump To Roberts: Russia's Laws Are Bad, But I'm Still Against Your Marriage

HomoQuotable - Thomas Roberts

"Courage is contagious. I have felt that way since coming out publicly in 2006. I’ve never regretted it. This November, I will co-host Miss Universe in Moscow partly because it is a huge, visible opportunity for LGBT people. Everywhere. [snip] So people may wonder: 'Thomas, how can you accept this assignment? Shouldn’t you boycott Russia?' I am not going to boycott. Boycotting and vilifying from the outside is too easy. Rather, I choose to offer my support of the LGBT community in Russia by going to Moscow and hosting this event as a journalist, an anchor and a man who happens to be gay.

 "Let people see I am no different than anyone else. All kids—Russian, American or otherwise—need hope. I am a happy, healthy, gainfully employed, educated and married man. And yes, I am gay. These new Russian laws won’t stop Russians from being born LGBT and growing up to identify as such. Russia’s treatment of its LGBT citizens is unacceptable, unrealistic and only promotes homophobia and intolerance for a community that does and will continue to exist. [snip] We do them no favors by turning away now. We must be visible, we must show up, and, as Harvey Milk said, we must 'give them hope.' I go to prove there’s hope." - News anchor Thomas Roberts, writing for MSNBC.

RELATED: In August, Bravo host Andy Cohen announced that he would not be returning to host Miss Universe, saying that he "didn't feel right as a gay man stepping foot into Russia."

France Bans Honey Boo Boos

Citing the "hyper-sexualisation" of kids, the French Senate has voted to ban child beauty contests.

Judging children under the age of 16 on their physical appearance in so-called “beauty contests” is now a criminal offence in France, the French Senate ruled on Tuesday night. The new law forms part of the new “equality bill” presented to the French Senate on Monday by France’s Minister for Women’s Rights, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, which also included legislation to tackle unequal pay, domestic violence and to encourage fathers to take parental leave. One of the less publicized clauses in the bill however touched on beauty contests, which have a proud tradition in France but are not to everyone's liking, especially these involving young teenage girls, known as "mini miss" competitions. Tough sanctions will now be handed out to anyone flouting the law. Under the new law, organizers of pageants under the age of 16 may now face up to two years in prison if they fail to comply with the ban and a fine of up to €30,000 ($40,000)

The new legislation was spurred, in part, by a photo spread in the French issue of Vogue, which featured a heavily made-up ten year-old girl.

Miss Universe Pageant Responds To Petition For Relocation Of Moscow Event

The Miss Universe pageant has responded to a Change.org petition which demands that this year's event be moved from Moscow. Via press release:

The Miss Universe Organization believes in equality for all individuals and is deeply concerned by the laws recently enacted in Russia and currently in place in several other countries. Both the law, as well as the violence experienced by the LGBT community in Russia, are diametrically opposed to the core values of our company. Our organization has always embodied a spirit of inclusion and is a celebration of people from all countries and walks of life. The safety of our contestants, staff and crew is of the utmost importance and we are working with our Russian hosts to ensure the security and well-being of those traveling to Russia for the pageant.

So...nothing.

RELATED: Last week previous Miss Universe host Andy Cohen announced that he had turned down this year's gig because Russia's "discriminatory policies make it unsafe for the gays who live there and gays coming to work or visit."

Petition Of The Day

Details.

Miss Utah Sings Her Pageant Response

She's a good sport. Exactly the way to handle it.

(Via Towleroad)

Some People Don't Have Maps, Part II

At last night's Miss USA pageant, Miss Utah came close to rivaling the answer famously given by Miss Teen South Carolina a few years ago.

Trans Beauty To Compete In Miss CA

Transwoman Kylan Arianna Wenzel, 26, will compete in this weekend's Miss California pageant. Karen Ocamb reports at Frontiers:

In April, following international fallout when pageant officials disqualified 23-year-old Miss Canada Jenna Talackova after learning she was a transgender woman, Donald Trump and his Miss Universe Organization announced a significant rule change to allow trans women to compete for any of their pageant titles. Because of that rule change, 26-year-old Kylan Arianna Wenzel of Century City left her job as a shift manager at Jamba Juice, moved her sex reassignment surgery up six months and decided to pursue her life-long dream of confidently entering the Miss California beauty pageant. “The first time I watched a beauty pageant was when I was 11, in 1997, when Miss USA won Miss Universe. And ever since then, it’s kind of been implanted in my brain,” Wenzel told Frontiers during a Jan. 3 phone interview. “I wasn’t sure how it would happen for me, but it was something I put out there.

Saturday's preliminaries will feature 229 contestants. Only 20 will go on to compete in the televised finals on Sunday night.

Anti-Trans Beauty Queen Ordered To Pay Pageant $5M For Defamation

Back in July, Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin abruptly quit the Miss USA pageant, declaring that the parent organization was "fraudulent, lacking in morals, inconsistent, and in many ways trashy" because they had allowed a "natural born male" to compete in Canada. Both would have represented their respective nations at Miss Universe had they won. Monnin went on to claim that Miss USA had been rigged and that another contestant had seen the names of the five finalists in advance of the show. That's when the Trump-owned pageant filed suit for defamation. Today we learn this:

A beauty queen who claimed this year's Miss USA contest was fixed has been ordered to pay the pageant organization $5 million for defamation. In a decision signed last week, an arbitrator found that the comments from Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin were false, harmful and malicious. Monnin had alleged that the five finalists had been selected in advance of the pageant's live telecast. The arbitrator, Theodore Katz, said Monnin had two motives: "She was a disgruntled contestant who failed to make it past the preliminary competition" and she objected to the pageant's decision to allow transgender contestants. He wrote that the way the contest is judged "precludes any reasonable possibility that the judging was rigged." Monnin, of Cranberry, Pa., resigned her state title after the pageant. Her allegations on Facebook and NBC's "Today" show cost the pageant a $5 million fee from a potential 2013 sponsor, Katz said.

Monnin will doubtlessly appeal, but you may now snicker in satisfaction. (Tipped by JMG reader Lindoro)

RELATED: The transgender Miss Canada contestant, Jenna Talackova, finished in the top twelve.  The winner of Miss USA, Miss Rhode Island, announced her support for trans beauty queens shortly before her crowning. Last night she was crowned Miss Universe.

Trump Sues Pageant Loser

Donald Trump's Miss Universe pageant has filed suit against crybaby loser Sheena Monnin for her claims that the entire contest was rigged. Last week Miss Pennsylvania USA denounced the "immoral" pageant for allowing trans contestants and claimed that another contestant saw the list of finalists before the judging took place.

A statement from the organization said it was seeking compensation for her "ongoing defamatory statements," but Balber wouldn’t say how much money the Miss Universe Organization was seeking. The pageant also released a statement from Miss Florida USA - the contestant Sheena Monnin claims saw the list - in which she disputes Miss Pennsylvania’s version of the events that prompted her to step down. Pageant officials maintain the judging was done fairly and under the watchful eye of auditor Ernst & Young. "(The) tabulation of the judges’ votes which determined the final five contestants did not occur until after the evening gown competition had been completed," Ernst & Young said in a statement released Friday evening.

(Via Zack Ford)

Quote Of The Day - Miss Loser USA

"Effective immediately I have voluntarily, completely, and utterly removed myself from the Miss Universe Organization. In good conscience I can no longer be affiliated in any way with an organization I consider to be fraudulent, lacking in morals, inconsistent, and in many ways trashy. I refuse to be part of a pageant system that has so far and so completely removed itself from its foundational principles as to allow and support natural born males to compete in it. This goes against every moral fiber of my being.”" - Sheena Monnin, Miss Pennsylvania Loser USA. (Tipped by JMG reader Andi)

Rhode Island Wins Miss USA Pageant After Expressing Support For Trans Contestants

Moments after expressing support for transgender beauty pageant contestants, Miss Rhode Island was crowned Miss USA last night. GLAAD reports:

When asked "Would it be fair if a transgender woman won the Miss USA title," Culpo responded, "I do think it would be fair..." because "there are so many people who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it's a free country." The crowd erupted with cheers.