SPOILER ALERT: The winner of Miss Universe 2015 is revealed in this post!
Everyone who watched Miss Universe 2015 (or has an Internet connection) knows by now that the host, Steve Harvey, announced the wrong name as the winner of the crown. Yep, much to everyone’s embarrassment, Steve declared that Miss Colombia was the new Miss Universe. Only AFTER she was done with the crowning and obligatory walking/crying/waving did he came back to apologise and announce that the actual winner was Miss Philippines. Not only was this the most exciting thing to happen to Priyam (from Team MM) who was LIVE tweeting the show at 5.30 am, but it also instantly shot Miss Universe to the top of the day’s trends on social media.
Such blunders are so unbelievable – and dominate the news cycle so completely – that many people are wondering if the faux pas was done on purpose. Think about it: the incident has been trending worldwide for hours. Everyone is only talking about how awkward the fuck up was, and of course, the Internet cannot stop making jokes! Even Steve’s apology tweet spelt Colombia wrong (“Columbia”). This obviously has added to the conjecture around the crowning.
I mean be honest — did you even know Miss Universe was on tonight? You get my point. Anyway, carry on.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) December 21, 2015
I think this whole #MissUniverse2015 controversy was created so that people watch the reruns tonight. Otherwise no one cares a fuck nowadays
— Atul Khatri (@one_by_two) December 21, 2015
Does anyone else but me think this Miss Universe screw up was staged? When was the last time Miss Universe got this much publicity?
— Marcos (@TheCoster) December 21, 2015
No way this miss universe thing is real. Total publicity hoax.
— Halee Harrell (@halee_harrell) December 21, 2015
This whole @MissUniverse contest is a hoax by @FOXTV and is simply to increase viewership and cause drama for the otherwise dismal event.
— Dustin (@dustinprice837) December 21, 2015
Know what I mean? But there are also Harvey sympathizers who truly believe it was an honest mistake.
An honest mistake, and i love Steve Harvey for his humor and principles. We have to forgive him, he is human just like us.
— Claudia (@cldttbrgt) December 21, 2015
I Respect and Salute, Steve Harvey! ?? @IAmSteveHarvey pic.twitter.com/9Dt2h5wTYa
— Rinoa Nina G. Asis (@imasisnina) December 21, 2015
Steve Harvey did the right thing.He can run off the crowd after the mistake but still he faced the crowd & corrected it. My respect is urs ?
— ❥V (@vernahknows_) December 21, 2015
Hold your head up @iamSteveHarvey! We all make mistakes. And everyone who’s in the Miss Universe pageant is already a winner.
— Dennis Rodman (@dennisrodman) December 21, 2015
Publications like the Washington Post and Ad Week have also written about how this mishap sounds more like a publicity stunt than a genuine error. Here’s what Washinton Post had to say about this incident –
Steve Harvey mixing up the winner of the 2015 Miss Universe pageant on Sunday had all the ingredients of an epic viral moment: A beauty pageant. An embarrassing gaffe. The agonizing scene when Harvey admitted he made a mistake. The look on Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez’s face when her crown was taken off her crown and given to the real winner, Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach.
It was so perfect. Maybe…a little too perfect.
And here’s what Adweek had to say –
The whole scenario, frankly, felt like a twist from WWE’s WrestleMania rather than from a hyperproduced global pageant.
What do you think? Honest error or strategic plot twist?