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American Morning

Interview With Rebekah Revels, Misty Clymer

Aired September 10, 2002 - 07:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, they are both queens, at least for another day anyway. At the moment, two women -- Misty Clymer and Rebekah Revels -- representing one state, North Carolina, in the Miss America Pageant.
The 24-year-old Revels was crowned Miss North Carolina back in June. She says shortly after that, though, she was forced to resign over nude photographs. Revels is now suing to regain her title and a federal judge could rule as early as today.

Meanwhile, Revels and Clymer, the first runner-up, are in Atlantic City for events leading up to the Miss America Pageant a bit later this month in September. Both are with us today.

Ladies, good morning. You folks are in some kind of pickle here.

Hey, Rebekah, why do you think -- you have gone to court. Why do you think this title is still rightfully yours?

REBEKAH REVELS, MISS NORTH CAROLINA: I feel that I became Miss North Carolina, and justifiably that I should stand up for my rights and seek justice in this situation.

HEMMER: Yes, but all -- let me get some facts straight. Your former boyfriend, right?

REVELS: OK. Yes.

HEMMER: Former boyfriend e-mailed the directors of the pageant, and he said he's got some nude photographs of you, right? But you never posed, you never received any money. Is that accurate?

REVELS: Oh, yes, sir. That's accurate.

HEMMER: All right. Have you ever talked to this guy again?

REVELS: I have not spoken with him in two years.

HEMMER: Tell me this, Rebekah: After all of this, you had the crown, you had to resign, it's been all over the papers in North Carolina, why do you still want it?

REVELS: I earned it. I worked very hard to be Miss North Carolina. It's a life-long dream to be here at the Miss America Pageant, and I just think, and my family as well think, that it is worth the case and going through the litigation of the case.

HEMMER: Yes, what do you say to Misty about that, though?

REVELS: I think that Misty is here, because she -- as she stated before, it's doing her duties. She signed a contract that said if I was not able to fulfill my duties that she would step up. And she is doing the best thing that she can do. She is doing what she thinks is right.

HEMMER: What do you think, Misty?

MISTY CLYMER, MISS NORTH CAROLINA: Exactly what Rebekah said. We are both doing what we feel is right. When I signed that contract saying that I would participate in the Miss North Carolina pageant, it said that if for any reason that Miss Carolina could not fulfill her duties, the first runner-up would step up, and that's exactly what I have done.

HEMMER: You seem like you're rather cordial with one another. Would you say you're friends? How would you describe your relationship?

CLYMER: Well, I wouldn't say we're friends. We don't really know each other. Rebekah and I competed this summer, and that's the first time we really even had any interaction. We were in two separate groups, so it's kind of hard to really get to know people at a pageant that big. We've had a chance to kind of talk and kind of laugh at the whole situation, since we've been here in Atlantic (AUDIO GAP) that tension.

HEMMER: All right. Misty, what happens though...

REVELS: I absolutely agree.

HEMMER: What happens, though, today, ladies? If the court case comes back and Rebekah wins, Misty do you go to court then and try and get back the crown that you feel that is now possibly rightfully yours?

CLYMER: I'm going to wait and take things as they are right now. I have told people this many times, I'm living the moment that I'm in right now, and I can't really think about what happened to me yesterday, or what's going to happen an hour from now. That's all about the Miss America program. It's just being able to think on your feet at that very minute, and that's -- I can't think about what will happen in the future right now.

HEMMER: If you have to think on your feet later today, and if this crown is taken away from you, what are you going to do?

CLYMER: I'm not sure. I'm really not sure. And I think that I'll have to let my emotions take over and let that decide what my next plan would be. I really don't know right now.

HEMMER: You know, Rebekah, Misty feels a bit conflicted, I think. We can hear that in her voice.

REVELS: Right. HEMMER: What if, indeed, it goes back to you? That's going to leave you feeling what?

REVELS: I would feel -- honestly, I would feel very happy, but in return (ph), I've tried my best to put myself in Misty's shoes. And I know that she is in a situation she did not ask to be in, and I would feel conflicted as well, as she does. We both feel that way.

Of course, I will be happy and ecstatic, but then I would also have feelings of sadness for her, because she is not here because she asked to be here.

HEMMER: And I know you're not an attorney, Rebekah, but give us your best legal argument right now, if you were before that judge. Go ahead.

REVELS: I feel that I was wrongly mistreated, that I did not deserve to be terminated, because I can fulfill the duties of Miss North Carolina.

HEMMER: All right, but you agree to that, right?

REVELS: And did so.

HEMMER: Back in July, you agreed that you would go ahead and surrender the crown, right?

REVELS: Well, they terminated me, and said if I wasn't -- did not resign, then I would be terminated, and my family thought it was a better way to explain to my community the resignation.

HEMMER: What are they saying back in North Carolina about all of this, Rebekah?

REVELS: Well, you have people on either side of that, who love Misty, thinks she would be a wonderful representative, and she has, and that love me. And I think that North Carolina wants it to be laid to rest, as well as we do, and they are both -- supportive of both of us.

HEMMER: Well, listen, best of luck later today, and certainly down the road when all of this is past. You guys are sweet for talking to us.

Misty Clymer in Atlantic City, Rebekah Revels with her as well. Thanks, ladies.

REVELS: Thank you.

CLYMER: Thank you.

HEMMER: All right.

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