The PAINFUL Wrong Announcement at Miss Universe 2015
What a terrible way to win for the Philippines.
Being from this country, I know I should be rejoicing over our victory and I am. But there is a big part of me that just can’t fully get into it because it was at the expense of another girl.
Here’s what happened:
Right after host Steve Harvey announces that Columbia is the winner of Miss Universe 2015, he comes back and says he made a mistake. He shows the card with the winners on it and says, the Philippines is the rightful winner. Then he goes on to take responsibility for his horrible mistake. He tries to save the situation by saying ‘don’t take it against the girls’ but it was the wrong thing to say. No one is taking it against the girls at all. Most fans are taking it against him.
(I’ll be uploading our video of that moment with my hubby saying Oh my gulay in the background and me sobbing like a fool.)
I still like Steve Harvey anyway, because he bravely faced his mistake and accepted that it was his fault. I do hosting jobs too, and if I made that mistake, I think I would resign from be I could. This is precisely why, whenever I host pageants, I always ask for a co-host who can help me verify things. When I don’t have a co-host I look fifty times at the winning card to make sure I say things right. Maybe Steve Harvey was overconfident and didn’t bother to look carefully. So the whole snafu is on his shoulders.
But, this kind of mistake in pageants happens more often than we think, so there also should be failsafes set by the organizers so that hosts DON’T MAKE MISTAKES. It should be clearly printed on the card. With the winner’s name in HUGE BOLD PRINT.
So. Here is where the hurt went:
1. Miss Colombia, Paulina Vega and the rest of Colombia and her fans. All I can think of is this – what if it was Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines who was mis-announced? And then suddenly the crown went to another girl?!!! My heart would burst into a million pieces and I’d land in the ICU of Makati Med. How can I fully enjoy the victory when I know it has caused the embarrassment and pain of another beautiful and wonderful person? If Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines will forever be remembered positively for this, Colombia will forever be remembered as the girl who was wrongly crowned.
It. Is. Just. Horrible.
(But there are always constellation prizes in this universe. At least Colombia held the crown last year. They can hold on to that.)
2. Pia Wurtzbach. OMG. This girl worked so hard for this moment. She joined Bb. Pilipinas three times. Lost the first two times and then finally got the Miss Philippines Universe 2015 crown which gave her the right to compete in this year’s Miss Universe. This means she has been gunning for this moment for three years now. Three years of tiis-ganda, not eating cake, walking in those damn painful seven inch shoes, spending half her life in the gym and then the other half learning the art of answering questions. Then there is the mandatory beauty sleep. Does she even have a life? It is NO JOKE. Pia has made HUGE sacrifices for this moment and finally when it comes, it’s at the expense of another contestant AND THEN… her crowning moment… that moment when she feels the universe crown gently landing on her head… even the sliding of the hairpins in her tresses to hold the crown steady… and then the tears of joy while waving at the jubilant Filipino fans in the universe… that is all GONE.
Her. Crowning. Moment. WAS. STOLEN. FROM. HER.
Now, all we are going to talk about is the wrong announcement. Of course we are all happy. I am. But I can’t help these feelings because I know they are exactly what Pia Wurtzbach is feeling. Three years of hard work and all she got was a few minutes of looking shocked on stage. The thought makes me so angry so I will stop here because I am not about anger.
3) The Host Steve Harvey. Of course there is pain there. You could see how horrified he was at himself. He said the wrong thing though asking viewers not to take it against the girls. Why on earth would we? They did nothing wrong. HE DID! Too bad because he was quite good and highly entertaining.
Until. That. Moment.
People are saying – Steve Harvey will never get hired again. Well, maybe not by Miss Universe or any other pageant franchise. And I don’t think he is going to WANT to host any pageants in the near future. He did his best to save things but even that kind of failed.
I were in his shoes, I would just want to dig a hole into the earth and bury myself there forever. Out of embarrassment. I would just die. I know it was an honest slip on Steve’s part so I sympathize with him even if I am mad at him for making such a stupid mistake.
4) The viewers felt the pain too. It wasn’t easy watching this awkward moment. I was hurting in so many places I didn’t know I had that many places that had nerve endings! Poor audience. I think we all went into some slow-mo suspended animation as we tried to process what was happening. Cripes!
If you watch the footage again, you’ll see that even the camera crew handling the Miss Universe was careful not to show Miss Colombia after the correction was made. That was the right move. Spare her what you can. One friend of mine who was watching in Vegas says that Colombia didn’t right away give up the crown and sash. She was just as shocked as we all were… maybe all the more so.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
I am sure that all the nega feelings I mentioned above will pass. Well, maybe Colombia will hang on to it longer. A looot longer. But for us, the fans and followers of Pia Wurtzbach, we will surely move on and laugh at this moment. I can already see myself fondly remembering how shocked we all were, specially Pia on stage and how for weeks we could not stop talking about it! This will surely go down in history as one of the most embarrassing and awkward moments in pageantry. But the fans of Pia Wurtzbach will surely forget all the bad feelings cause if you really think about it, who cares about the crowning moment?
We got the crown.
AND. THAT’S. WHAT. MATTERS.
Hello po, Ms. Joyce! Happy new year! baka naman po pwd kayo bumalik sa blogging ngayong ang MU season ay andito na sa Pinas! Aabangan talaga namin ang mga blogs ninyo!
“Hi miss Joyce! Greetings from Cebu! I have always been a lover of your blog! not to mention your articles with in-depth articles about the current news on pageants, I could say that your thoughts are scholarly. Thank you so much for making the time in writing articles as good as this one! For me, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonso Wurtzbach will be remembered in history as the “Most Popular Miss Universe” and not just that, she could also be considered as the “Most Hardworking Miss Universe” in fact, it was no less than Miss U Organization that gave high praises to Pia for working so hard as Miss Universe as accorded by Paula Shugart (MUO President). ❤ ❤ ❤
People, I guess, have already moved on and has long accepted that Pia is the rightful and undisputable winner. The Universe indeed, has conspired to make her our Queen Pia—our Pride. Thanks to Pia we got our 3rd Miss U crown—it could be a bittersweet sojourn Yes! but it one that's worth the wait.
You are right miss Joyce. The year 2014 has humbled Pia and has prepared her for this victory and what is even admirable and noteworthy is that, she remained elegant with class and more importantly humble when she marched forward onstage to claim the crown from Miss U Colombia, Ariadna. On top of that, she even attempted to approach Ariadna to comfort her but it just not the perfect timing which prompted other candidates (special mention to miss Angola) who told Pia to stay away from miss Colombia. She is just one admirable beauty queen! Our salutations to her!
Now, the Steve Harvey Show having invited Pia and Ariadna in two separate interview is one good gesture to somehow end the issue which Steve Harvey himself had caused. It was a good thing to note also that eventually Miss U Colombia has moved on and accepted her defeat (though it was not easy).
As of press time, Pia has been making waves abroad as the reigning miss Universe —she resembles that of a woman who is invincible and can show to the world that she can do a lot of things and even more accomplish things the best way she can. Nakakaproud naman talaga! and of course, the Filipino fans worldwide including other fans are supporting her all the way.
Pia Alonso Wurtzbach is worthy of emulation, praises and honor.
Thank you Miss Universe 2015!!!! Mabuhay ang gandang Pilipina. Mabuhay ang Pilipina! Mabuhay tayong lahat! 🙂
P.S.
Looking forward for your upcoming articles miss Joyce! All the best to you! ❤ ❤ ❤
Lovelots!
Alvin from I.T. Park Cebu
Thanks for this Joyce. Just reliving the moment as well six whole months after this storied win of Pia’s and snagging our 3rd crown (could have been our 4th if Venus did not stammer at the Q&A). The pageant fell on a Monday (darn it!) and a work day once again so my partner and I skipped our day jobs to remain home – actually nag half-day ako, pumasok pa rin ako after the pageant, and who wouldn’t?! Imagine the talk value it spawned in all coffee shops? Even the straight guys were talking about it non-stop haha! The entire LGBT community were absent that day for sure so imagine all the quiet, boring offices in the land, right? Anyways, when Colombia was announced the winner I felt anger. Complete and unadulterated anger. Pia aced everything in that show, down to the very last Q&A! Just like Janine did. So why in tarnation did she not win? After it was rightfully transferred on Pia’s head — at that point we could not care less about Ariadna, sorry girl but you are not the winner and the sooner you face the fact the better for everyone — and the live broadcast went to commercials, I felt our victory was short-lived. That it was taken away from us. Colombia had over 4 minutes with the crown on her head, why couldn’t they spare even just a couple more on Pia?!
Now that my emotions have died down and I am basking in Pia’s win and seeing her globe-trotting and talking about her advocacy, I can look back and rationally dismiss the whole affair as “live TV” and all its excitement. BUT, I have this nagging feeling that if Trump had not sold the pageant and was still on top, that mistake would have never been corrected. Hearing Trump’s rhetorics and his general attitude, he would have just said “never mind the mistake, deal with that later, don’t move that crown on her head!” There’s a political reason for this too. His remark about Mexicans and immigrants in general. The crown safely installed on Colombia’s head would have been his make up effort for the dislike he earned from the Latin-American people that followed.
Yes well, Trump is Trump and he puts his own interests above all others. I wouldn’t be surprised if what you said in your last paragraph would’ve happened. But the crown is ours. God made sure that this time around, we would not be cheated of it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this! WArm hugs from MANILA!
Hi Joyce. I was reading this thread, just for fun, and out of curiosity. 🙂
I still think Steve Harvey did a marvelous job as host, and I think he should be called back to host it again. You know the saying: if at first you don’t succeed…. Besides, falling flat on your face doesn’t cancel the fact that you ran the race…
I think Pia’s farewell walk as Miss Universe should be with her crown on her head. (I noticed that previous winners have their farewell walks without it.) It is but a fitting tribute to her, for having her crowning moment denied her last year. And as Steve announces the winner, he should call PIA to come over to him with her crown, and allow her to look at the card, too! That would be such a hilarious yet glorious moment for both! And the circle will be closed, as the new Miss Universe enjoys her crowning moment and takes her first walk as Miss Universe 2016.
But then again, this is all the fantasy in my head.
Nice blog.
Yes he is hosting again this year at MU because I agree with you, he is talented and quite a fun host. ANd he did the right thing and corrected himself on stage. For me it gave the show more DRAMA, lol! ANd I so agree with you , they should let her give her farewell walk/speech with her crown on. Thanks for dropping by!
” (Miss) Colombia didn’t right away give up the crown and sash. She was just as shocked as we all were… maybe all the more so.” It was the right thing to do for her. She waited for Paulina Vega or anybody to take the crown off her head. Otherwise, if she put it right away on Pia’s head, it would seem like she was the former Miss U.
That is a good perspective, actually. I am glad though that it seems everyone has moved on and Steve Harvey is more popular than ever. I think he is the biggest winner in the whole controversy…
it was the organization, miss universe germany, and the other miss germany corporation miss joyce. pero sya, mukhang hindi.
If Miss G is really a brat then the Miss Germany group crowned the wrong girl. Maybe they now wish they had crowned Anja.
korek ka jan miss joyce
im optimistic for our chances in miss tourism queen of the year international, but im wondering what happened to miss tourism international. same owner lng naman.
see.. I’ve been rooting for her since she won 1st runner up 3 years ago.. I’m glad she didn’t give up her dream… her chances of winning this year has been too high. it’s like all the stars has aligned for this : who would’ve thought that these will happen one after the other? : a lot of changes in the Miss Universe judging rules, specially that they had to answer the same question just like they did in the 1990’s….. and the change in the ownership of miss universe fanchise ( Donald Trump no longer the owner ) .. and I think she benefited greatly when MJ lost last year, the public outcry that resulted due to the gown dispute.. it made it possible for her to wear a Filipino Designer’s gown this year…
While, almost everybody is still talking about the Miss Universe fiasco, I would like to hear any comments from you about the results of Miss World 2015. I dont really understand that pageant. This year 2015 they crowned a very terrible and plain winner Miss Spain, just because she won the top model award? Miss Russia World is far more deserving than her in terms of beauty, aura and overall package. OMG Indonesia, a runner-up just because of her BWAP? A very big disaster! This pageant is not anymore a beauty pageant, this is a CHARITY PAGEANT. Plus they removed the swimwear round just to please muslim contestants? That’s so ridiculous!
While, almost everybody is still talking about the Miss Universe’s success, I would like to hear any comments from you about the results of Miss World 2015. I dont really understand that pageant. This year 2015 they crowned a very terrible and plain winner Miss Spain, just because she won the top model award? Miss Russia World is far more deserving than her in terms of beauty, aura and overall package. OMG Indonesia, a runner-up just because of her BWAP? A very big disaster! This pageant is not anymore a beauty pageant, this is a CHARITY PAGEANT. Plus they removed the swimwear round just to please muslim contestants? That’s so ridiculous!
Madame you are resurrected! Not even the (controversial) back-to-back win of the Philippines in Miss Earth could make you post a message. Welcome back to the Universe Miss Philippines Universe 1985!
I was in Thailand teaching when our bach-to-bach win in Me happened, I was over the moon! I do hope to be a little more active in the coming year. Let see how things go…
I was in Thailand teaching when our bach-to-bach win in Me happened, I was over the moon! I do hope to be a little more active in the coming year. Let see how things go…
yehey! you’re back! And Miss Venezuela and most of the Latinas showed their ugly side when Pia tried to reach out to Colombia…Everything is shown in that trending video
By the way, if only Ariadna herself removed the crown from her head and placed it on Pia’s head. it would have redeemed her and made her a class act. Oh well, everything happened so fast that you just cant’t think about this
Both girls were victims but they also became overnight global sensations. You know what, I was watching FOX News last night and during a certain talk show where they discussed the blunder, one of the hosts speculated that perhaps it was a staged publicity stunt but if I were Steve, I wouldn’t want to be at the receiving end of the aftermath
Miss you Ms Joyce!
I miss you too! Gosh I just had to write something about this whole thing. I wish I could write as often as before but I think this year I’ll be slightly more active. Specially now that we will be stalking Pia all over the universe as she enjoys her reign!
Too bad Ariadna could not rise above herself. Can you imagine? If she had done what you suggested, she would have gotten the heroic headlines!!! People would have loved her! But… She failed to see the opportunity and let herself be swallowed by humiliation. Sayang. Nevertheless, my heart goes out to her. I’m still shaken by her pain.
And yes I agree. Not a conspiracy. DT lost MU because he earned the ire of the Latino nations. The current owner wouldn’t want to make the same mistake. And to embarrass your current winner who is also Columbian is like shooting yourself in the foot. If this franchise was sensitive enough to give the stricken Slovenia stage time then they would be sensitive enough not to cook up some stupid PR stunt that would embarrass the very same girls they just honored. Some people talaga are quick to believe the worst. It shows me more about who they really are.
Thanks for dropping by!
Your blog adequately describes the proper weight and shape of what I am feeling. I mean, after 42 years, a stellar performance by Pia, and we, the fans, are awarded a bittersweet coronation? Kawawa rin talaga ang Miss Colombia, her fans, and her country. I, myself, wanted to savor our country’s third Miss Universe coronation, and this is not how I would choose to have it. I know Pia will be driven to make her year memorable and to leave no doubt to her naysayers that she rightfully deserves her crown.
Actually you nailed it there. We need to be driven to show our best side. Not just Pia but also all who support her. How she handles her year will show her true character. And I believe she will work harder than ever Tobe the best Miss Universe ever.
miss joyce:) talagang kinumpleto natin ang big 4 in just a matter of 3 yrs. 5 major crowns! int, world, earth, earth, & just recently universe! wats ur reaction about ms. u germany?
As Angelia Ong, Miss Earth 2015 said.. We will because we CAN!
While, almost everybody is still talking about the Miss Universe’s success, I would like to hear any comments from you about the results of Miss World 2015. I dont really understand that pageant. This year 2015 they crowned a very terrible and plain winner Miss Spain, just because she won the top model award? Miss Russia World is far more deserving than her in terms of beauty, aura and overall package. OMG Indonesia, a runner-up just because of her BWAP? A very big disaster! This pageant is not anymore a beauty pageant, this is a CHARITY PAGEANT. Plus they removed the swimwear round just to please muslim contestants? That’s so ridiculous!
Miss Germany, from what I heard, bullied Anja Vanessa Peters daw during the course of Miss Universe Germany pageant….now, here comes the girl showing sense of discontent about the pageant…she said none of the girls voted for Philippines and Colombia is more deserving to be the winner…
Did Miss Germany apologize na? Parang I read somewhere that she did…