Finally, at last, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Our long national nightmare is over — kinda. Miss California USA can keep her crown.

I know you were all about as relieved and grateful to hear this as I was. It could have gone either way, but officials with Miss California USA and the director of the Miss USA Universe pageant, Donald Trump, said that, despite the appearance of — shall we say — mildly naughty photos that she took earlier in her life, Carrie Prejean can keep her Miss California USA title and, most importantly (I guess), her position as runner-up for Miss USA.

No, she didn’t win that pageant. Pop quiz: Can you tell me who did? No, I didn’t think so, and I had to research it myself to find out that Miss USA is Kristen Dalton of North Carolina.

But keeping her crown is only one part of the ongoing saga that is Carrie Prejean. For those of you who avoid tabloid news like the plague, let me give you a short version of what the hubbub is about.

At the Miss USA pageant sometime last month, pageant judge Perez Hilton (whose celebrity is about as questionable as his namesake, Paris Hilton) asked Prejean about her stance on same-sex marriage. She said, in so many words, that she was against it.

Perez Hilton, whose happens to be homosexual and in favor of same-sex marriages, posted a lot of negative things on his blog about Prejean. Political groups from both sides of issue raised a little Cain, and the media circus was off and running.

Now, because of the fanfare, Prejean has committed to supporting groups against same-sex marriage and using her “celebrity” to further those issues. What’s funny to me is that someone who dyed her hair and routinely wears several layers of makeup is being praised for being herself.

Whatever. At least this chapter of the drama is done, and if we can get through the “news” about her commercials and appearances against same-sex marriage, maybe more deserving news can find its way back.

What’s sad is that all this hype is taking the spotlight from someone who deserves it a little more, namely Miss USA herself, Kristen Dalton. Resin up your bow, Miss USA; you’re playing second fiddle.

David Snow is managing editor of the Demopolis Times.