Celebrity News December 20, 2015
Steve Harvey Crowns Wrong Miss Universe
Host Steve Harvey, citing human error involving a cue card, crowned the wrong Miss Universe Sunday night.
At the end of the FOX telecast, Harvey announced that Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez had won, and was this year's Miss Universe. For two minutes, she (and the universe) believed she had won. Watch!
Then, a sheepish Harvey returned to the stage to say he had made an error, and that Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach was the rightful winner.
Y'all acting like this couldn't possibly be arranged better? What is this font size nonsense??? LOL STOP PLAYIN. pic.twitter.com/4ylD2xGecs
@offbeatorbit
"Uh, I have to apologize," Harvey told the stunned contestants. "The first runner-up is Colombia. Miss Universe 2015 is Miss Philippines."
Harvey later tweeted: "I want to apologize emphatically to Miss Philippians and Miss Columbia. This was a terribly honest human mistake and I am so regretful.” The tweet was later deleted, maybe because — adding insult to injury — he misspelled both countries' names.
Harvey then tweeted this series of apologies:
I'd like to apologize wholeheartedly to Miss Colombia & Miss Philippines for my huge mistake. I feel terrible.
@IAmSteveHarvey
Secondly, I'd like to apologize to the viewers at that I disappointed as well. Again it was an honest mistake.
@IAmSteveHarvey
I don't want to take away from this amazing night and pageant. As well as the wonderful contestants. They were all amazing.
@IAmSteveHarvey
Donald Trump, who sold his interest in the pageant, had graciously encouraged his Twitter followers to support its new owner, Ari Emanuel of IMG. After the snafu, Trump retweeted a somewhat less encouraging sentiment:
"@drdoucette: #MissUniverse DonaldTrump must be overjoyed that as soon as he sells the pageant it goes off the rails. We need you Mr Trump
@realDonaldTrump
The road to the #MissUniverse crown is never easy. A message from Miss Universe 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. https://t.co/GO7VBf45MW
@MissUniverse
A message from #MissUniverse Colombia, @gutierrezary. https://t.co/KBzZyyHJzy
@MissUniverse