Ex-Miss Nevada Wants A Second Chance

Katie Rees Apologizes For Raunchy Photos, Claims It Was An Isolated Incident

(AP)  The former Miss Nevada USA, dethroned over raunchy photos posted online, apologized Saturday as her attorney pleaded for the pageant queen to be given a second chance.

Katie Rees, who appeared in photos revealing a breast, exposing her thong underwear and kissing other young women at a party in Tampa, said her behavior was an "isolated incident."

"I am so sorry this happened," she said at a news conference in Clearwater, reading a prepared statement. "So many of us don't realize how our actions, even one night of poor judgment, can affect the rest of our lives."

Her attorney, Mario Torres of Tampa, asked that Miss Universe Organization co-owner Donald Trump grant Rees the same opportunity he gave Miss USA Tara Conner, who was allowed to keep her tiara after she tearfully admitted 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."

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Photos: Tara Conner
Photos: Sexy 'Secret'
Photos: Swimsuits In Sin City

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A Miss Universe spokeswoman has said organization president Paula Shugart made the decision to strip Rees of her title and Trump supported it. An e-mail sent to a secretary for Trump was not immediately answered Saturday.

Shugart has said first runner-up Helen Salas will assume the Miss Nevada title and compete at the next Miss USA pageant on March 23 in Los Angeles.

The person who posted the pictures of Rees should "in some way be held accountable," said Torres, adding that could involve legal action.

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Video: Miss Nevada Photos, WCBS-TV reports
Photos: Miami Spice

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The photographer, a friend of Rees, was not identified.

Torres had previously said the photos of his client were taken when she was 17, but said Saturday they were taken three years ago, when she was 19.

"These images were from an isolated incident during my teenage years, long before my consideration to compete in the Miss USA program," Rees said. "While I take full responsibility for the photographs, I just want everyone to know the truth: This incident does not represent who I am."

Rees and Conner are not the only pageant queens whose behavior has been questioned lately. On Wednesday, Mothers Against Drunk Driving announced it was severing ties with Miss Teen USA Katie Blair over news reports that the 18-year-old from Billings, Mont., had been spotted partying with Miss USA in New York clubs.

[urkidn]

Who said that these girls were ever going to be rocket scientists or doctors or even leaders of this country?
Blonde and dumb! Doesn't get any better than this for a beauty pageant.
Go Donald.

[urkidn]

Who said that these girls were ever going to be rocket scientists or doctors or even leaders of this country?
Blonde and dumb! Doesn't get any better than this for a beauty pageant.

[dsimolin]

As the mother of 2 young girls I have to say that this girl did not represent herself in a way that I want my girls to look at as a role model. I too liked to have fun when I was her age, but I did it without doing drugs or degrading myself!!

[grumpas]

I am sick to death of the so called moral's in this country! If a man did this nothing at all would be said! When a sports figure get's into trouble (rape, murder, drinking and etc)nothing ever happens to him! But, because this poor girl showed a nipple and her thong underwear when she was young, she is made to pay the price! How hypocritical can one country get????Talk about a double standard! Most of you should be ashamed of yourselves! We have all done stupid things we live to regret later! I would bet money there isn't a one of you that hasn't either!

[kailumego1]

Alexmi61, you tell them, you are absolutely correct, this is definitely a "double-standard", and they both should be stripped of their crowns. Vanessa Williams was forced to step down over pictures she had taken before the pageant, unlike these two contestants, whom pulled their stunt afterwards. Both have set a very poor example for upcoming contestants, and have totally disregarded the moral principles of the pageant.

[mygramma]

alexmi61, neither one of these girls should have been stripped of their title. This is not the 1950s. The kind of behavior Katie Rees engaged in as a teenage girl is not only common, it's part of the teen culture, and actions by idiots like Trump and Shugart won't effect that one iota.

Trump and Shugart are the offensive ones here. Katie Rees arguably has a constitutional property interest in her title which should be restored for arbitrary and capricious treatment. Read my post below.

[hermit22]

Was Katie Rees acting nasty and she wasn't even drunk? (not that thats an excuse)

Just because people think they look good, doesn't mean they have any good sence.

What's that writing somehting like...."a beautiful woman without discretion is like putting a gold ring in a pig's snout."?

[SethX]

This is absolute ***. A contest that objectifies women, parading them around in bikini bathing suits, takes issue with a couple of shots of a nipple making it onto the internet?! It's hard to believe that these antiquated pageants are still treated as though they were at all relevant.

[mygramma]

I've said it before... the action taken against this young lady is so farging stupid and unfair. She didn't break any laws. She did a mild Madonna imitation, exposed a breast and her thong and kissed a couple of girls. She didn't break any laws and was still a teenager.

Tara Conner engageed in serial *** and underage drinking in bars... recently, but retained her crown, in spite of breaking the law. So the double standard is clear... there is no standard, the decisions are based on the whims of the blue nose deciders. I know, I know... some see a racist motive with one runner up being white, the other black.

I'm not completely convinced of the racist argument, I just think the pageant doesn't have it's act together, not even close. Had Conner been stripped of her crown, she probably would have had no recourse. But now with the two incidents arriving at arbitrary and contadictory conclusions, we have a well deserved law suit waiting to happen against the pageant, sleezeball Trump, Shugart, and all their ancestors. I hope it happens.

[alexmi61]

When Vanessa Williams was crowned Miss America some years ago, she was later stripped of her title because of some questionable pictures that appeared in Playboy magazine before she was Miss America. This Miss Nevada/Universe should be done the same way. Afterall she is supposed to represent moral attitudes and behaviour to our young ladies. Miss USA should be stripped of her title also. As the old saying goes "what is good for the goose is good for the gander" and both should be brought to task.
Thank you.