RHOADES LESS TRAVELED:

Allow me to put on my ombudsman’s hat after we ran two stories on the host of the Miss Newport Beach pageant — a star on “Real Housewives of Orange County” — getting yanked after a slew of complaints to pageant organizer Caren Lancona.

Lancona said more than 100 people objected to the choice of Gretchen Rossi as emcee of the April 24 event because the TV program shows Rossi drinking, dancing and shopping while her fiance, who subsequently died, battles cancer.

Our first story, in which Rossi was unavailable for comment, ran front and center on A1 with the headline “Beauty pageant turns ugly.” Our second story, featuring Rossi firing back at Lancona, ran on the lower half of A1 with the headline “Star gives her side.”

Some readers took umbrage. Here’s one e-mail I received:

“Hello, am I reading the Daily Pilot or the National Enquirer? Who cares about Gretchen Rossi and the beauty pageant? Are you kidding me this is on the front page of the Daily Pilot? I have nothing against the woman; however, her claim to fame is appearing on a reality television show ... drinking tequila ... the Daily Pilot should not be her forum to voice her frustrations against the pageant and I am curious to see how this is newsworthy.”

I should add that on our online poll, which asked, “Whose side are you on in the Newport Beach beauty pageant dust-up?” and 81% of those responding chose the category, “I couldn’t care less.”

So maybe we blew it.

But let me explain our reasoning.

First, it’s clearly an issue that people care about. The mere fact that more than 100 people complained about Rossi is evidence of that.

Secondly, it involves a public figure. Now, we could be accused of celebrity chasing but in pop culture Americana-style, readers (and Web and TV viewers) care about the goings-on of celebrities, even a C-level one such as Rossi. That may be hard to swallow, but it’s even more difficult to refute.

Moreover, Rossi didn’t get her say in the first story so running the second story featuring her point of view was the fair thing to do, in my book.

Lastly, it’s the kind of story that gives readers relief from the never-ending parade of serious and somber news, a guilty pleasure, so to speak, like Lincoln telling risque jokes in the middle of a civil war.

The beauty pageant dust-up isn’t exactly risque and we’re not roiling in civil war, but you get the point.

Managing Editor BRADY RHOADES may be reached at [email protected] or at (714) 966-4607.