After lots of idle threats, she’s gone and done it.  Dethroned Miss California Carrie Prejean has filed suit against the pageant claiming that Shanna Moakler and others forced her out based on her religious convictions.

According to pageant officials, the reasons cited for Prejean’s termination had to do with her constant refusal to do any of the required work.  She would be asked to attend appearances, events, openings and would decline.

Prejean just filed the suit in L.A. County Superior Court, accusing Moakler and pageant honcho Keith Lewis of religious discrimination, defamation, public disclosure of private facts, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Prejean was dethroned/fired from her post as Miss California USA back on June 10, nearly two months after she spoke out against gay marriage at the April 19th Miss USA competition. 

Prejean claims the Miss Cali people “conspired to get rid of her” beginning on April 21st — when she said on the “Today” show that she would rather be “biblically correct than politically correct.”

Reps for Miss California USA have previously explained that Carrie was fired for missing appearances she was supposed to make for the organization and for not getting clearance to do extracurricular activities. 

Donald Trump — who owns the Miss Universe Organization — is NOT named in the suit. 

But in her suit, Carrie says the Miss Cali USA people “fabricated a fraudulent list of some 50 public appearances allegedly missed by Prejean which they released to the media in order to justify her termination as Miss California USA.”

In the suit, Carrie claims officials also tried to “set up Prejean to have her dismissed as Miss California USA by asking her to do a Playboy photo shoot for $120,000.”

Geez, guys.  I just really want to apologize.  I thought we were done talking about Carrie until her to-be-expected appearance on some Grade C reality show.  I guess not.

“It’s completely false, I’ve never had it done.  But I would never judge those who have.  If it’s the best thing for them, then I don’t see a problem.  It’s a way to combat your neurosis. The scalpel won’t make you happy.  That said, the day when I start crying when I look at myself in the mirror might be the day when I’m less adamant about not having it done.  For the moment I prefer to be a beautiful woman of my age than try desperately to look thirty.”

Demi Moore, denying accusations that she’s undergone plastic surgery.  Sadly, shortly after she gave this interview, she was struck dead by a lethal bolt of lightning. (Picture 1 taken in 2009, Picture 2 taken in 1992.)

I tried to report some positive stuff today — we need levity!  Any day that Naomi Campbell hasn’t tried to impale someone with her Blackberry is a day worth celebrating.  Unfortunately, she feels that black models are getting the shaft in these tough economic times.

“This year, we have gone back all the way that we had advanced.  I don’t see any black woman, or of any other race, in big advertising campaigns.  People, in the panic of the recession, don’t dare to put a girl of colour in their campaign, full stop. Nor of any other race. It’s a shame. It’s very sad.”

Even dress designer Bruce Oldfield agrees.  ”It’s absolutely true that black models will be not as popular for advertising companies and magazine covers as white girls.  In a recession, it’s probably doubly difficult for black girls to get a booking.  In this climate, things are worse, but it is compounding a problem that already exists.  Cover editors are going to choose white over black. Naomi is not far off the mark.”

You know, I haven’t noticed this, but that’s probably because I’m not black.  Now that I think of it, I can’t think of too many high-profile, visible African American models (I’m excluding black singers and actresses that have landed cosmetic contracts).  I do remember when Tyra Banks was the first African-American model to appear solo on the cover of Sports Illustrated — it was a big deal. That was when I first learned that magazine sales generally don’t perform as well with a person of color on the cover.  I’ve never known the reasons behind the whole “black doesn’t sell” phenomenon.  Racism?  

Barack Obama holds the top office in the land — can’t our society can get past this old-fashioned and narrow mindset?

Presidential (or presidential hopeful) daughters moonlighting as morning talk-show hosts are totally the new Chihuahuas.  On the heels of Meghan McCain being announced as the fill-in host over on The View, Jenna Bush has accepted a part-time position as a Today show correspondent.  Bush, who also works as a teacher in Baltimore, will be covering human interest stories and will be based out of Washington D.C.

I know we have lots of smart and opinionated young Republicans out there and I’d love to hear your thoughts.  What do you think?  Do we even know enough about Jenna Bush, beyond her affinity for underage drinking, to form an opinion?

Chris Brown continues to be a study in eloquence in a Larry King interview that is scheduled to air this Wednesday.  This is a just a 34-second preview and quite frankly, at a “like wow” rate of one per every 11 seconds rate, I’ve heard enough.

Let me just deliver the news straight up:  Audrina Patridge is leaving The Hills.  She wants to focus on her movie career.  I really thought Audrina already left the show.  And I really thought The Hills was already over.  I was wrong on both counts; it must have just been a fantasy.

“I’m almost done with The Hills. We’re in the middle of finishing these episodes, and I’ll be leaving then,” she revealed at a junket for her new thriller Sorority Row Sunday in Los Angeles.

“It feels like I’m graduating,” she added. “I’m taking the next step and growing up and maturing and moving on in my life.”

The 24-year-old Patridge — who is developing her own reality show with Survivor producer Mark Burnett – said she would like to pursue acting.

“I moved to Los Angeles to be an actress, and before I got onto The Hills, I was going to auditions and castings and working full-time at [film studios] Quixote Studios and Smashbox,” she told reporters.

She credited The Hills with helping her be “comfortable in front of the cameras.”

Added Patridge, “I feel like it’s helped me a lot going to auditions and sitting in front of the camera… blocking the camera out and just getting into character.”

The good news is that we’ll all be able to observe Audrina’s “movie career” when her new movie Sorority Row premieres on September 11th. Proff that that date really is destined to be assigned to catastrophic disasters in history.

There’s something that really bothers me about Joe Jackson.  Every time he opens his mouth to say mumble something, I think he’s lying.  It troubles me that he never offers any insight as to who his son was as a person.  Joe obviously thinks Michael was the best performer in the world, but he doesn’t speak of him as a son, father, friend.

The Today Show aired a JJ interview this morning that was recorded over the weekend, on the day that would have been Michael Jackson’s 51st birthday.  If you don’t have speakers on your computer or you’re at work and can’t really take a listen, let me offer you a brief, paraphrased summary:

Interviewer:  Joe, how are you holding up?

JJ:  Me?  Oh, I’m fine!  Uh, oh, I mean, I’m still grieving the loss of Michael.

Interviewer:  Are you angry about Michael’s death?

JJ:  No.  I’m not angry.  I’m mad but I’m not angry.

Interviewer:  What do you want people to know about your son?

JJ:  He was the best performer in the world.

Interviewer:  Did you know that Michael was using these drugs?

JJ:  No.  I knew nothing about anything.  This is foul play!

Interviewer:  Do you want justice done?  Do you want to see people go to jail for the death of your son?

JJ:  Yes, I want justice.  I don’t know if I want anyone going to jail.  But they will pay.

Interviewer:  Do you want these doctors to be held responsible for administering these medications to Michael?

JJ:  No.  I never said anything about any doctors.

Interviewer:  Do you see your grandchildren?  And if so, how often?

JJ:  I do see them.  Uhhhhh … I see them.  Often enough.  Let’s end this interview now.