Miss Cali: Keep the Crown, I Want Cash!

Posted Apr 10th 2008 6:28PM by TMZ Staff

Don't mess with a pissed-off beauty queen! The former, er, never was Miss California, Christina Silva, has filed suit against the pageant claiming a litany of damages.

In the suit, filed today in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Silva is seeking $500,000 in damages for "public humiliation, mental anguish and distress, lost opportunities, lost prizes and lost monies."

Silva was crowned Miss California on November 25, 2007. Three days later, she says, she was called for a meeting at the pageant director's home when they dropped a bomb -- there had been a mistake, she was not the winner, and they yanked her crown! Silva, who is of Ecuadoran and Mexican descent, claims that the pageant director never liked her and was looking for an "'all-American girl' to win, and not looking to crown another person of color." For the record, the f*** up has been blamed on human error.

The reigning Miss California, Raquel Beezley, is one-quarter Filipino. She's in Vegas now gearing up to compete for the title of Miss USA. The pageant airs on NBC tomorrow night.

Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Denied!

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(Page 1 of 3) | 1 | 2 | 3 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

1. Psh, lmfao.

Posted at 6:51PM on Apr 10th 2008 by CHUY_FROM_CHELSEA_LATELY

2.
Who's on ...

Posted at 6:51PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Dan

3. SORE LOSER!!!!!

Posted at 6:57PM on Apr 10th 2008 by DI

4. and........what color is this sore loser?

Posted at 7:03PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Booyah Boy

5. It took 3 days to realize that she wasn't the winner?

WTF?

YAY, you're the winner...... Oh, uh.. sorry you're not...

That's just plain dumb.

Posted at 7:06PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Suzy

6. Yeah what # 3 DI said.

Posted at 7:09PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Sultry

7. that is just wrong, judges were probably too drunk to realize who the real winner was!!

Posted at 7:12PM on Apr 10th 2008 by cflx

8. To everyone saying she's s sore loser....what if you were told you won a multi-million dollar jackpot, were handed a 'big check' at a televised press conference and made life plans for yourself and your family/friends, and possibly even quit your job, only to be told it was all a mistake....days later!?!? I think she has every right to sue those bastards!

Posted at 7:12PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Spreeville

9. It's been wondered and thought for years the pagents are rigged. Now we know. If you crown someone, show them on TV to the whole world....and then reneg? She should sue them, in an event that big the judges should be on their toes, paying attention, thats alot of money and fame you're slinging about. If you give it to someone....it sticks!
Who cares what color? This is America, we are all from different backgrounds. I hope to see a real alien win someday...green skin and all!!!

Posted at 7:20PM on Apr 10th 2008 by NShado

10. I think its messed up what happened. I think its even more messed up that they threatned her career. She should sue for an even million.

Posted at 7:21PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Gary

11. Im mexican. . .Im not pulling the "race-card". . .She needs to get over it! Has NOTHING to do with her race. What an IDIOT!

Posted at 7:23PM on Apr 10th 2008 by girl

12. I have to agree... it wasn't HER fault she was told she won. She didn't make the mistake, They not only made a mistake, but did it publically, humiliating her. It was wrong and cruel to take back the crown because they have unevolved morons counting the votes.

I'd sue too if I were in her shoes.

And technically she's not a loser - she was crowned, her name was called - even if they made a mistake, she still was named the winner and that's how it should have stayed.

I rarely agree on things like this - but this was so bad I think she should sue for 1million in damages.

Posted at 7:25PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Mayu

13. How absolutley stupid that this woman would use the race card to say that is why she is not wanted for the title fo Miss California, especially since the reigning Miss California is of Philipino decent. Getting turned down becaseu of an ethnic background is not the case here. However, it would be sad to be told you are the winner and then to be told you are not the winner at all. I dont blame her for being upset over that. But playing the race card over this is simply assinine, There have been other black Miss Californias. Im sick of hearing blacks and others whine over their race.

Posted at 7:35PM on Apr 10th 2008 by vicki

14. Public humiliation? Does anyone still watch these pageants? She was, and always be invisible, crown or no crown.

Posted at 7:48PM on Apr 10th 2008 by Jez

15. To be told you are a pageant winner and to have that title yanked away three days later would make anyone feel horrible, I think this was very poor manners on the part of the judges, However, for this lady to use her race as the reason this happened to her is stupid-assed. Ther have been many beauty pageant winners over the years from this state of many different nationalities.

Posted at 7:51PM on Apr 10th 2008 by joe

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