In “the pageant that refuses to go away” news, the reigning Miss Universe, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, took to social media to share her thoughts on the crowning mix-up and had nothing but gracious things to say about her fellow competitor Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutiérrez, who wore the crown for a few, brief seconds.
Pia shared a photo of herself in New York’s Rockefeller Center on her Instagram account on Friday, accompanied by a lengthy post addressing the headline-dominating pageant. As for Miss Colombia, the 26-year-old actress said, “To Ariadna, you are an amazing woman and we are now bonded together forever by a unique experience. In the last 3 weeks we were together, I saw how strong and beautiful you are inside and out. You represented your country with honor and I know how proud everyone must be of you. Fate has a plan for you, and I’m excited to see what’s ahead.” Pia went on to address the haters still up in arms about the (not really) controversial crowning, stating, “Please let’s all stop now. The Miss Universe Organization is about uniting empowered women from all over the world. Arguing and sending hateful messages to each other defeats the whole purpose. You believe in the message of Miss Universe and so do I.”
I don’t know why people think there’s any bad blood between these ladies. Both of them have been nothing but gracious and pageant queen-y during this whole situation. If the powers that be in the Miss Universe organization wanted us to care about this pageant, they have certainly earned their paychecks this year. So, let’s talk about the real winner in this whole situation. Next year, are we even going to remember who won? Nope. Are we always going to remember who messed up the announcement of the winner? Yep. And, fortunately, said host is a comedian and has the ability to laugh at himself.
You have to give it to Steve Harvey. The guy was the butt of internet jokes, tweets and memes for a week (as well as being subject to the scorn of Perez Hilton) and decided to go along with the joke, posting a photo on his Instagram account in front of his seasonally decorated yard with the caption “Merry Easter, y’all.” Steve was likely recreating a meme of himself which had already gone viral.
If the Family Feud host wants the gig in 2016, he could probably have it. Well, at least according to Chief Content Officer Mark Shapiro of WME IMG, the production company in charge of the pageant. When asked on The Jim Rome Show if Steve would be welcome back to the pageant, said:
Absolutely, absolutely. If anything, I’m sure FOX would support it, because as I said, he did a great job. He was funny, he was informative, he’s high energy, he’s got a great following. The man is wildly successful in all different walks of life, with books and radio and television and so. I definitely want him back, and I would hate to see him not come back. He’s going to want a shot to redeem himself,” Shapiro said. “Look, the world forgives, the world forgets. It could happen to the best of us. He was so well intended, and he’s such a good guy, and it was really such a mistake that I hope people don’t hold this over him other than for just a good laugh and let it pass.
Hey, let Steve host next year. I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t watch Family Feud or his talk show, but he won me over in the Kings of Comedy movie (if you like old school R&B, watch this clip and tell me he’s not on the money here.) He’s owning his goof and if nothing else, he’s got people talking about a beauty pageant – which I can’t even believe is still a “thing”!
Photo credit: WENN.com
photo credit: WENN.com
“uniting empowered women from all over the world”
Hmmm, okay.
Not that I’m imagining them cat-fighting but I do think realistically there’s going to be some bad blood between the two women. Neither one was responsible for what happened but apparently (God, why do I know this) Miss. Colombia was receiving some public scolding for still referring to herself as Miss. Universe after the scandal from others in the…field? Arena? Whatever.
Steve’s the winner for being the one to admit it was his fault, take
the blame, not respond to all the racist chatter and then post a goofy image on his social media showing no fcks are given.
Unfortunate that, charismatic as he is, he is still a shit.
Steve Harvey is an insanely ignorant religious fundamentalist and a misogynist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az0BJRQ1cqM
Thank you Kate. I didn’t want be the one to spew the Harvey Hate, but yuck. Just….yuck.
Thank you!!!! I was about to post that myself. It bothers me that almost no coverage has brought this up.
“If we evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?” What in the world???
Thank you and THIS. As a member of the press, I met him at his own event (the one time a year he should probably be congenial) and he both looked through me and pushed the photographer I was with. I’d never given him a second thought before, but now I question how anybody misses his dick vibes.
Yes. I watch Family Feud, because I’m 28 going on 80, and Steve is very charismatic and effective on the show. But if you read his books/interviews, he is an asshole. I sadly learned this truth about Criss Angel at age 20 and have been on guard for it ever since.
“Empowering women” apparently consists of having them parade before you in 80s gowns and stupid sashes so you can decide who’s prettiest. I am woman, hear me roar. Ugh.
IKR ?
I think all these “beauty contests” should disappear from planet earth.
I felt so sorry for both of them i.e. Miss Philippines as well as Miss Colombia. Obviously, Miss Colombia because what she went through must have been heart breaking and just traumatizing! To have that crown on your head, representing all your hard work, dreams and struggles and then to have someone just take it away!! Aaaah!
And Miss Philippines because everyone is sympathizing with Miss Colombia and it’s as if her special moment in the sun has been dimmed. A lot of people are doubting her position as the winner (though I don’t know why – these conspiracy theorists aye) And her crowning was so very awkward as well (she’s now a meme on 9gag).
They both represent an out of date, sexist, idiotic ideal. The very idea of “crowning” the “Queen” of beauty is repulsive. I feel sorry for them because they are too unenlightened to care that they are participating in a ceremony that pits women against each other and declares one better than the other based on their physical appearance. The whole thing is stupid, and in my opinion, so are they. “Traumatizing?” Please.
I don’t fault them. This is a great opportunity for girls who are lucky enough to be pretty to make something out of themselves, because I’m sure some of them come from not so stellar conditions. Besides, aren’t beauty peagents the biggest provider of scolarships in America? Or so they say atleast, I think I saw a John Oliver segment which denied that.
I fault the organizations and corporations that profit from such antiquated practises, and the media who give them so much attention. The girls? They are taking the opportunities they are given. No fault in that.
How exactly does this humiliating exercise allow them to “make something of themselves?” Besides sex objects?
They get money, they get sponsorships, they get fame and depending on the country, opportunities to become models or tv hosts or something like that.
Look, I agree that these peagents are horrible, but I don’t think the women are to fault here.
I’m not the biggest fan of beauty pageants either. But for the women participating, it’s a huge deal. So maybe you don’t like them up on stage parading around in a bikini but you can respect their choice to be up there. No one is forcing them. And you mightn’t realize this but this can give them a lot of opportunities later in life, opportunities that they might not have gotten otherwise.
Best example I can think of at the moment is Priyanka Chopra. She won Miss World, went on to do Bollywood movies, sang a few English songs as well and is now in US TV show, Quantico. The opportunity to be the lead of a US based show originated from her win in a beauty pageant. Pretty big for a woman of color.
As for the traumatizing bit, I think of it like this – how about if I won a scholarship to a post-graduate program to a institute of my choice? I’d be ecstatic! And then if later that scholarship got revoked and the sponsors said another student got it instead – I’d be traumatized. I’d be in tears and sure as hell wouldn’t have been able to put up the brave face Miss Colombia did.
GNAT, when I read your posts here I sometimes feel like you live in this bubble where the world seems fair and just.
@Bae
That’s probably a fair criticism. I have had a lot of heartache in my life, but overall I have been very fortunate. I have never had to compromise my principles for money. Well, that’s not quite true – I have been sexually harassed and said nothing in order to keep the peace at my job, but I wouldn’t have ever been forced to cross certain lines because I had parents and siblings who would have taken care of me financially if I needed it. I’m white. I’m educated. So yes, I think in many ways I DO have trouble understanding how someone can degrade themselves “just” for money because money is not something I’ve ever had to do without.
I still think beauty pageants demean us as women and the only way to stop that is for women to stop participating in them. But you all made me stop and think about how easy it is for me to say that, and I will try to be more compassionate about the women who participate in them and their reasons for doing that. So thank you for that.
As for the world being fair and just, if we don’t believe that it should be, how will it ever improve? I don’t know.
How are beauty pagents different from ANTM or Ford/Elite modeling competitions? They’re the same thing. Pageants seem archaic because winners act princessy with matching crown and sash. At least with pageants there is a Q and A portion and if iirc, Perez Hilton said Miss Philippines won over the taller, much more stunning Sofia Vergara lookalike because she nailed the Q & A.
“I’d be traumatized. I’d be in tears and sure as hell wouldn’t have been able to put up the brave face Miss Colombia did.”
Thing is Miss Colombia did not put up a brave face, she was very ungracious to the new winner and refused to give the crown up. The former Miss Universe had to physically remove the crown from her head and give it to Miss P. Who was the true model of grace and pose. She offered to share the crown.
These ladies would have more opportunities if their governments would stop the corruption to focus on education and bettering their country instead of their own deep pockets.
GNAT What a close minded judgemental opinion from someone who sounds like they live in a bubble and never really had to struggle in their life. If walking on stage in a bikini in ordee to pay for a scholarship they may not otherwise afford, likely to colleges that belie your idea that appatemtly they’re too stupid and simpleminded to realize they’re making the wrong decision and that they’re being objectified than is one of the most demeaning things you can think of you’ve lived a charmed life. Every post I’ve seen you comment on has been you railing on other women’s choices-like the Serena Williams post where you completely robbed a woman who has been attacked for her ‘masculinity’ and strength of her agency because she wasn’t wrapped up in a shroud and gave us her definition of strong black female empowerment that happened to include a touch of sexiness as a good thing gasp-and then hiding it as some crusade for women. In reality most of your posts regarding women have been utterly condescending and prone to taking away agency when they don’t fall in line with what you deem proper which sounds awfully right wing to me. The fact that your even arrogant enough to somehow feel sorry for these women for being too stupid to realize that being upset about losing scholarship money or money for their families is obnoxious in ways that I can’t fully described especially when it’s targeting women of color in somewhat poorer countries and screams nothing but white privilege feminism to me where you have all the answers to all the other women that are not like you and the superiority and upturning of your nose about being whitw and educated and therefore just not getting it says it all.
@Miss Grace whatever
I think you are the worst kind of debater there is. You are deliberately twisting my words to suit yourself and claiming I said things and meant things I never said or meant. I don’t know if you are simply not smart enough to understand that I was agreeing that I have had a privileged life in many ways, or you are just ignoring that fact for your own purposes. And frankly, I don’t care. Go bore someone else with your lies and lack of understanding. I’m not interested.
Yeah yeah GNAT a bunch of whining from someone being called out on their white feminist crap keep the condescending your not smart enough for someone who can’t see your transparancy.
Just to throw a small spanner in the works, it occurs to me that people whose grammar, spelling, and punctuation are atrocious, should really not be casting aspersions at others who are only expressing an opinion from their own personal perspective. Which, at the end of the day, is all one can do, we don’t all have to agree, that is what makes the world, and the Celebitches in it so interesting. We are all entitled to our own opinions, there is nothing to be gained or lost by expressing them. THIS, is not a competition, fortunately.
I’d also like to add on here that not all the women taking part in these beauty pageants are impoverished or struggling through life. Many of them are well educated and financially secure. I know that some of the participants are doctors, lawyers etc. (Miss Jamaica Universe is a doctor and Miss NZ World is a doctor as well, there may be others as well). These are not unenlightened and uneducated women, demeaning themselves to get ahead in life.
Rereading my previous comments, I made it sound like only women with a lack of finances or opportunities participate in these beauty pageants. I regret that.
Other commenters above have made it sound like only the uneducated take on these pageants. And that’s not true. A lot of these women are well educated in their various fields of choice.
I feel like that dismissing these women as stupid/poor/unenlightened would be arrogance at its worst. Again, just because it’s not our personal cup of tea or doesn’t fit in with our live choices, doesn’t give us the right to have “superiority” over them.
Wow Miss Grace, I was giving you too much credit when I implied that you were stupid. You’re also illiterate. You misunderstood everything I said, but you’re not even smart enough to grasp that. Good luck finding your way home tonight, idiot.
Sheesh, this got classy!
Miss Universe looks a lot like Shanina Shaik.
The Merry Easter thing is funny, but Harvey is a bigot so it would have been nice for his career to take a hit.
This whole thing was a publicity stunt. This is how you get noticed in the Twitter era.
+1,000,000 Really how is it that everyone does not see this charade for what it is????
No idea.
It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
And we’re all eating up their BS.
Philippines is way better looking than Colombia who looks like Sofia Vergara. Makes sense she won. But then again this is a scholarship thing so who knows.
I’m sure Harvey was never in danger of losing this gig as (I’ve heard) he is part owner of Miss Universe now (small percentage, like 1-3%).
talk about a man who has revamped himself…
Harvey was a washed up tv actor on a so so kinda lame show, 3rd funniest king of comedy, with a long-time marriage to an around the way girl….. only to cheat his way out, close off the money to his old wife, marry the second coming of vanessa williams (look wise), become a charismatic host to a show he helped BOOM in rating thanks to hilarity on social media memes and clips, who’s flub on Miss UNiverse help bring rating…. so they are playing this redemption card…. and he is laughing to the bank
touche Steve Harvey, TOUCHE
Miss Philippines reminds me of our former Miss Hawaii/ Universe, Brook Lee. Pia’s gameface was strong and I haven’t seen anyone that fierce looking since Riyo Mori, the former Miss U who made her final walk in tuxedo pantsuit. If Trump was still owner of MU, this girl, Pia wouldn’t be crowned winner. I like that this year had the most diverse finalists with a Muslim girl and Miss Mexico making it to the top 15. Take that, Trump.( Yes, I watch pageants. I’m gay and it’s our Superbowl.)
Miss Colombia is way prettier.
I am not sure where I stand on these pageant issues and thanks to you guys I will think some more about it. And I am not being sarcastic.I read this site because the comments are good. However I have read about Miss Venezuala -the position not the person- being groomed and even having plastic surgery paid for to help them win. Crazy? Maybe. But winning contestants have gone on to huge success including top political posts in their country so in some countries this is an opportunity for many things greater than what we may envision comes after.
Nope. A parade of body parts judged by men is NOT empowering to women.
I don’t care your circumstances.
It’s societal indoctrination that brainwashes women to accept these indignitites.
Why is there no equivalent Mr Handsome Man or Mr Universe complete with budgie smuggler underwear? And i’m not talking about those weight lifting contests.
There isn’t because men aren’t this indoctrinated into believing crap like this.
And if it were a true competition of beauty, they’d include all sizes and shapes not the nearest barbie doll standard as agreed by antiquated standards.
And why do they parade in bikinis/tiny swimsuits? Will viewing their near naked bodies sway the judges as to their beauty? Adele is a beauty. I don’t need to see her near naked body to judge that.
I can’t believe women fall for that old chestnut of education and scholarship and opportunities. If that were true, every single beauty queen would be doing well, not just the tiny % that happen to do well….a statisc that bears out with the rest of the world’s population. A tiny % do very well with thier lives no matter their circumstances of their birth and majority never do well or they plod along. For the example given of Priyanka Chopra, what Bullocks!!! Perhaps she was destined for great things. To say that she would never attain those things without a beauty Pagent is ridiculous. Whatever happened to the other 99% Miss Universes (or whatever her Pagent was?) why aren’t they doing as well as she is considering the same ‘opportunity’? If pagents were such a surefire way of doing great things with your life, all those beauty contestants, especially the winners, would be doing great things with their lives. Given the amount of effort and money these girls have to put into a possible win, they probably would have gone as far as that dangled education without having to parade their near naked bodies or being judged for their ‘beauty’. And who sets the standard of beauty anyway? Whatever happened to beauty is in the eye of the beholder?
A spade is still a spade even if it’s been bedazzled.
Why do women accept this degradation?
There is such a thing for men. Mister Universe or somethig like that. And they also parade in speedos. But like male modelling, it’s not as covered by the media.
And we hear of some of them because beauty peagents are not valued the same in different parts of the world. Like, nobody cares about it in my country anymore. I don’t think it was televised for the last few years. So someone from my country winning it would bring a few modelling jobs but nothing more. But in India? Or Venezuela? They are huge. And winning one of them opens doors for people that would never open othervise.
So I don’t fault these women for using their beauty to ensure better lives for themselves and their families. It’s hard to have principles when you’re poor. They are usually a luxury for the better-off.
You don’t know too much about Bollywood. It’s usually family run. Meaning there are certain families there that have a lot of sway over the industry and it’s usually kids from these families who become the next generation of stars/actors (regardless of looks and talents)
So in order to get into the industry as an outsider, beauty pageants are a fantastic way in. Aishwariya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Laura Dutta, Priyanka Chopra, Diya Mirza, Jacqueline Fernandez…..these are all actors who got into the Indian acting industry AFTER winning a pageant. There’s more, I can’t recall them all.
Yes, who’s to say Priyanka Chopra wouldn’t have had a good life filled with awesome opportunities, even without winning a pageant. But you’d have to have your head stuck under the sand somewhere if you don’t think winning Miss World didn’t give her a big head start in Bollywood.
Also, YOU might not be hearing of these women who’ve won beauty pageants but you don’t know what’s going on in their individual countries. Maybe they’re famous on a national level (see above women I’ve mentioned)
Lastly, if these women aren’t ashamed of their beauty pageant background and participation, I don’t see why you should go around shaming them for their life choices. You don’t want to take part, that’s great. No one’s forcing you to watch either. But don’t go around putting these women down because the only one who’s demeaning them would be you.
I love when everyone shares their opinions and an army of ppl don’t try to fit in or attack someone. Longtime lurker missing the old commenters!! It never seemed so clique like before🤔
But why is countering someone’s opinion attackig them? Seriously, there are a few commenters on this site that are so revered you can’t have an opinion opposite of them without being acussed of clicque behaviour and attcking.
Amen. Someone called them the ‘sacred cows’ on a previous thread and it made me laugh but it’s true.
The most shallow things on Earth- beauty pageants and the Kardashian Jenner clan.
i havent watched a beauty pageant in years. but at the end when they announced the $ they won, it was rarely if ever enough to compensate them for the $ and time they spent on it.
it seems more like buying a lottery ticket