Of all the set-up questions designed to solicit the desired answer… this one is making headlines:

The Miss USA contest aired live on Sunday night, apparently. I didn’t catch the show (didn’t really know it was on), but I couldn’t miss the news reports afterwards. Miss North Carolina was crowned Miss USA, but runner-up Miss California continues to attract attention.

During the Q&A portion of the contest, judge Perez Hilton (self-proclaimed “gossip queen”–and no, he’s not female) asked her if all states should follow Vermont’s example of legalizing same-sex marriage. After stumbling at first, Carrie Prejean affirmed Americans’ right to choose but declared that, in the America and family in which she was raised, marriage should be between a man and a woman.

The audience booed her. After the contest, Hilton cursed her on his celebrity gossip blog (surprise?). He told ABCNews.com on Monday, “I was floored. I haven’t said this before, but to her credit, I applaud her for her honesty. However, she is not a politician, she’s a hopeful Miss USA. Miss USA should represent everyone. Her answer alienated millions of gay and lesbian Americans, their families and their supporters.”

WHAT??? She was supposed to give an answer that went against her beliefs because that’s what he, the homosexual judge, expected her to say? Because she might offend a lot of people otherwise? What about the majority of Americans who do NOT favor same-sex marriage — should she have risked offending them? Whatever happened to just giving your honest opinion?

Miss California responded to the situation in an interview. “I stated an opinion that was true to myself and that’s all I can do. It is a very touchy subject and he [Perez] is a homosexual and I see where he was coming from and I see the audience would’ve wanted me to be more politically correct. But I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything.”

You go, girl!