SAN DIEGO -- The recently crowned Miss San Diego has been stripped of her title because she bared all in last month's Penthouse magazine.
George Bye, executive producer of the Miss San Diego Scholarship Beauty Pageant, disclosed Thursday that Rhoda Swanson, 22, has given up the title because of 'certain indiscretions.'
'Miss Swanson has been asked to relinquish her crown, and she has agreed to do so,' Bye said. 'It was brought to the attention of the association that she had committed certain indiscretions by appearing in a national magazine contrary to the ideals of the Miss America pageant.
'Miss Swanson appeared nude in several photos, under the name of Nina Lee. It is very unfortunate. Miss Swanson is extremely intelligent, and we all thought she had all the qualifications and an excellent chance of being crowned Miss California and perhaps Miss America.'
Miss Swanson will also give up her $2,500 worth of awards, including a fur coat and a health club scholarship.
Miss Swanson told Bye the Penthouse photos were taken a year ago and that she had been told they would eventually appear in a magazine.
'She knew they had appeared in the January issue when we had the contest finals, Feb. 11,' Bye said. 'But she did not let us know and it was not made known to us before the finals.'
