Pageant choreographer quoted as saying Trump picks finalists

An interview with a choreographer for the Miss Universe pageant spurred controversy Wednesday over alleged claims that Donald Trump personally selects some of the finalists. The Q&A with Michael Schwandt, which appeared on Guanabee.com, quotes him as saying that “it’s just kind of common knowledge that [Trump] picks six of the top 15 single-handedly.” “And, his reason for doing so, as he told me and he’s told the girls before, is that he left it all up to preliminary judging in the past, and some of the most beautiful women, in his opinion, were not in the top 15, and he was kind of upset about that,” the story quotes Schwandt as saying. “And he decided that he would pick a certain number and let the judges pick a certain number.” Via e-mail, Schwandt said that he “was speaking in hypothetical jest” when he said Trump picks some of the finalists and said the mogul has never spoken to either him, or any of his team, about the selection process.

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Miss California USA Prejean dethroned

Carrie Prejean has been dethroned as Miss California USA for "contract violations," including missing scheduled pageant events, according to a state pageant official. Prejean, 22, retained her title last month despite a controversy over topless photos, missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage

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Donald Trump: Be bold and buy real estate now

Donald Trump visited "Larry King Live" on Wednesday night to tout his new book, "Think Like a Champion." In a wide-ranging interview, Trump shared his thoughts on how to prosper in this economy, Bernie Madoff, how President Obama is doing, taxes and his daughter’s love life. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity: Larry King: Why this book Donald Trump: A lot of people wanted me to do a book right now about these troubled times that we’re all in

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Climate protesters blame Donald Trump for airport expansion

Climate protesters demonstrating against Donald Trump’s plans for a sports resort broke into a Scottish airport Tuesday, setting up a small golf course and scaling the roof of a terminal building. Flights at Aberdeen airport were returning to normal by midday after the activists breached the security fence overnight, the airport authority said

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