Reelz comes to the rescue of homeless Miss USA pageant

Posted: 12:55 p.m. | Updated: 5:30 p.m.

The Miss USA pageant, left without a TV home following blowback against co-owner Donald Trump over his comments on Mexican immigrants, has been rescued by the Reelz channel.

In an interview, Reelz CEO Stan E. Hubbard said the cable and satellite channel acquired the rights because the pageant is "an iconic event."

"All those young women who have competed, and even those that didn't get there to be part of this event, deserve to have [a light] shined on them. It's a nonpolitical event," Hubbard added.

While Reelz, which reaches 70 million homes, said it considered the interests of Miss USA contestants, the host city of Baton Rouge, La., and viewers in making its decision, it made no mention of Trump or the hot water he's found himself in since he announced his presidential bid in June.

But Hubbard acknowledged the controversy.

"I don't kid myself to think that we're gonna have a heyday with advertisers," he said. "I know there is a lot of pressure on big companies not to advertise in this pageant. I get it."

A statement from the company did not include details on how Reelz acquired the rights to broadcast the pageant that is a joint venture between Trump and NBC, as is Miss Universe. NBC cited Trump's comments on immigrants in announcing it is cutting business ties with him.

Trump's presidential campaign announcement contained his assertion that some Mexican immigrants to the United States bring drugs and crime, and some are rapists.

Trump declined to comment on the Reelz acquisition.

This isn't the first time Reelz has gone its own way. When the History channel dropped "The Kennedys" miniseries that had been made for it, saying it didn't fit its brand, Reelz aired it in 2011 and was rewarded with record channel ratings and awards attention.

Reelz said the Miss USA pageant will be televised July 12, its originally scheduled date on NBC. The pageant will have to scramble after a mass exodus of performers, hosts and judges who cited opposition to Trump's views as the reason.

Rapper Flo Rida had been the highest profile performer scheduled for Miss USA, and his representative confirmed Wednesday that he wouldn't perform. Country singer Craig Wayne Boyd, winner of "The Voice" last year, and pop singer Natalie La Rose also dropped out. There were no more announced performers.

In a Miss USA news release last month, the judges were listed as HGTV star Jonathan Scott, country singer Jessie James Decker, E! News anchor Terrence Jenkins, TV host and former Miss Universe winner Zuleyka Rivera and Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith.

Of that quintet, only Decker's name was listed as a judge by Miss USA on its website Wednesday. That's the day Smith dropped out.

The pageant lost both of its co-hosts, Cheryl Burke of "Dancing With the Stars" and MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Jeannie Mai, who hosted a show on the Style Network, was listed as a show host.

Last week, the hosts of the now-abandoned Univision Spanish-language simulcast, Roselyn Sanchez and Cristian de la Fuente, said they wouldn't take part in it.

Trump's campaign comments struck many Latinos as insensitive, and Univision's decision last week to back out of televising Miss USA and break off its business ties with Trump led to a cascade of others following suit. Trump responded by suing Univision on Tuesday.

Aside from the pageant world, there has been growing fallout on other fronts for the GOP presidential hopeful and businessman.

On Wednesday, the Macy's department store chain, which carried a Donald Trump menswear line, said it was "distressed" by Trump's remarks and was ending its relationship with him.

Trump said in a statement that he had decided to end his relationship with Macy's because of pressure on them by outside sources.

"Both Macy's and NBC totally caved at the first sight of potential difficulty with special interest groups who are nothing more than professional agitators," Trump said.

Also on Wednesday, New York City officials said they were reviewing the city's contracts with Trump in light of his comments, and Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a statement calling them "disgusting and offensive," adding that "this hateful language has no place in our city."

The Trump Organization currently operates several city concessions, including a golf course, ice skating rink and carousel.

Representatives for Trump did not respond Wednesday to an email seeking comment on the city's review.

The PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, USGA and PGA of America also on Wednesday distanced themselves from Trump in a statement and said his remarks were "inconsistent with our strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game of golf."

Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico, the nation's only Latina governor and a rising star in the Republican party, added her voice Wednesday to criticism of the GOP presidential hopeful, denouncing his comments as "horrible."

MPR News reporter Riham Feshir contributed to this story.