Koneck Resigns as Pageant Exec—Happy Now, Radar Online?

LOS ANGELES—Following an execrable outing by Radar Online, Ernest Koneck resigned Tuesday as Executive Director of the Southern California Scholarship Association (SCSA), which produces the Miss Hollywood pageant, a feeder event for the Miss America pageant. Koneck was targeted by Radar Online because of his years-long relationship with a financial sponsor of SCSA, Ric Alonso, who also runs a few porn sites and performs as Jake Cruise. In a statement to FOX411’s Pop Tarts, Koneck said Alonso, his partner of 21 years, had no direct affiliation with the pageant other than to give it money, and he clarified his own role with Alonso’s businesses. “Ric has been involved in the pageant only financially. He’s not involved in the running of the pageant in any way,” he said. “Likewise, my involvement in Ric’s business is strictly administrative and financial. I am CFO and handle accounting, finance, human resources, etc. Also, the Southern California Scholarship Association is not a nonprofit corporation, nor has it ever been presented as such. It is an unincorporated association that does not make a profit or remunerate anyone involved in the pageant in any way. All funds raised are used for pageant scholarships, pageant production expenses and expenses related to preparing our titleholders for state competition. “Effective today,” he added, “I have resigned from the Miss California Organization and the Southern California Scholarship Association.” Happy now, Radar Online? As gossip-mongers, you admittedly own the cultural high ground, but who knew how willing you were to go out of your way to destroy people who don’t live up to your moral code. Are you hoping for more “scoops” of this sort? Who’s next on your hit list, you hypocritical ghouls? Of course, Radar is far from the only media outlet looking to make life impossible for people who have worked in porn. Fox News, to name but one other contender for a witch hunt award, also went out of its way to investigate Massachussets teacher Kevin Hogan for his brief dabbling in adult entertainment.  Sad, bad business, that's for sure. Photo: Former SCSA Executive Director Ernie Koneck, Miss Southland 2010 Coreena Coleman, Miss Hollywood 2010 Lindsay Nault and Associate Executive Director Susan Grossman.