SHORT TAKES : Outgoing Miss USA Hires Lawyer

Miss USA Carole Gist, nearing the end of her reign, has taken her predecessor’s advice and hired a lawyer.

Detroit attorney Gregory Reed said Tuesday that he will meet with pageant officials to discuss some of Miss USA’s complaints, which include getting more work and less than the $220,000 in cash and prizes she expected. He did not say how much money was in dispute.

Pageant officials did not respond to an inquiry Tuesday and did not answer their Los Angeles telephone Wednesday.

When Gretchen Polhemus ended her reign as Miss USA last year, she said that many aspects of her contract were unclear, and that she didn’t get $5,000 in prizes until she threatened to boycott the pageant in which Gist was selected.

Gist, 21, will hand over her tiara Feb. 27.