Amy Polumbo barely had her crown on her head as the new Miss New Jersey when she got initiated into the world of celebrity blackmail.

Last week Polumbo, her family and officials in the Miss New Jersey Education Foundation received packages with captioned pictures of her and friends that she may have posted years ago on a social networking site, along with a demand that she resign by Friday.

At a press conference Friday, Polumbo’s lawyer, Anthony Caruso, said the beauty queen was more troubled by the “disgusting” captions that he said would make one look at the pictures “in an entirely different light” than the images themselves, The Associated Press reported.

Caruso told The Associated Press that the 22-year-old pageant star received a second package Saturday, with a threatening letter and what may be new photographs of Polumbo.

I just saw Ms. Polumbo interviewed on television a few minutes ago. She says the pictures are nothing more than her goofing around with some of her college friends. My first thought was ‘what’s the big deal then?’. Giving it a second thought, however, I thought she is wise to make the public. This way she is diluting whatever effect that these pictures have once they do become public.

The emphasis was placed on whatever caption was put on the photos which she and her lawyer say were disgusting and put an entirely different twist on what they referred to as innocent pictures.

Then again, her platform is internet security. If I wanted to be completely cynical I could mention that no one would have heard of Amy Polumbo without these yet unseen innocent photos. Also, she says they were taken off a social website on which she had posted them, giving her more of a platform from which to speak about the need of internet security.

But then, I’m not really that cynical.