Short of handing the Best Picture Oscar to the runner-up, the biggest mistake in entertainment might be Steve Harvey’s galactic fail Sunday night at the Miss Universe Pageant. He announced the wrong lady as winner.
Harvey, the comedian and TV-radio host, offered abject apologies after first saying Miss Colombia had won, then later Miss Philippines — to the world’s shock and amazement.
I’d like to apologize wholeheartedly to Miss Colombia & Miss Philippines for my huge mistake. I feel terrible.
— Steve Harvey (@IAmSteveHarvey) December 21, 2015
Secondly, I’d like to apologize to the viewers at that I disappointed as well. Again it was an honest mistake.
— Steve Harvey (@IAmSteveHarvey) December 21, 2015
I don’t want to take away from this amazing night and pageant. As well as the wonderful contestants. They were all amazing.
— Steve Harvey (@IAmSteveHarvey) December 21, 2015
Other contestants, notably Miss Germany, muddled the matter further.
“Sarah-Lorraine Riek really wasn’t happy when Steve Harvey presented Philippines’ Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach with the crown after initially saying Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo had won,” said one pageant-watcher.
“I really couldn’t believe it, I was so upset,” Riek said. “For me (she was robbed) as the real winner. I was very happy for Miss Colombia because she really deserved it. I’m really not happy with the result and so are the other girls, I’m sorry to say it.”
Riek said none of the contestants had voted for Miss Philippines.
But Harvey was flooded with reaction, some sympathetic.
When Jesus died on the cross, Satan thought he won. Three days later, Steve Harvey announced that Jesus was the real winner.
— Michael Schaffer (@mchaelschaffer) December 21, 2015
Steve Harvey’s media relations and publicity team deserve a raise, you can’t buy this kind of social currency and recognition otherwise
— Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) December 21, 2015
No one died, those are 2 beautiful women who BOTH won in my eyes & @IAmSteveHarvey is still a beauty. Mistakes happen, & that was great tv.
— Kaitlyn Bristowe (@kaitlynbristowe) December 21, 2015
Can we all agree that Steve Harvey should announce the winner of 2016 election?
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) December 21, 2015
I definitely would have never known the pageant even came on last night if not for Steve Harvey.
— AT EAZE (@AtEaze808) December 21, 2015
Don’t worry @IAmSteveHarvey, every Madden player knows how it feels when you press the wrong receiver button.
— EA SPORTS Madden NFL (@EAMaddenNFL) December 21, 2015
STEVE HARVEY JUST ANNOUNCED I’M PRESIDENT! WOOOHOOOO!!!!! … Hmmm? What’s that now?
— Jake Vig (@Jake_Vig) December 21, 2015
You HAVE to see @justinbieber‘s hilarious message for @IAmSteveHarvey after he crowned the wrong Miss Universe ? https://t.co/F90W23LaSN
— Seventeen (@seventeen) December 21, 2015