Steve Harvey Is Sorry for That Amazing Miss Universe Flub: 'I Feel Terrible'
Oops! Last night's Miss Universe pageant turned into a car crash you couldn't turn away from, courtesy of a major mistake from host Steve Harvey. He read the name of the wrong winner, giving the title of Miss Universe to Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutiérrez, instead of Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.
It was painful. It was embarrassing. And yet it was the first time we actually cared about a Miss Universe pageant. So instead of bragging, Donald Trump should be jealous.
It wasn't even a quick mistake! As you can see in the cringe-worthy video below, Miss Colombia had the crown and the sash and the cheers from her Colombian supporters for over a minute before Steve Harvey reappeared to say "OK, folks, I have to apologize..."
He did a lot of apologizing after the Sunday night show. Poor Miss Colombia looked mortified, but Miss Philippines was confused and then looked unsure of how to behave -- this is probably not how she pictured winning this pageant, as watched by millions around the world.
Here's how it played out:
And here are some of the reactions and memes that immediately followed the gaffe (yes, even Justin Bieber made fun of him):
I'm Done ????#MissUniverse2015#SteveHarveypic.twitter.com/uVIsYqdszI
— Dylan (@DylanTheMan37) December 21, 2015
We still love ya, #SteveHarvey! pic.twitter.com/ZEXAhH0Pv2
— Kyle & Rachel (@KyleAndRachel) December 21, 2015
Kanye West strikes again. #MissUniverse2015#MissColombia#KanyeWest#SteveHarvey@kanyewest@IAmSteveHarveypic.twitter.com/wqgIq4h6zU
— Joe Bovino (@joebovino) December 21, 2015
Steve Harvey quickly apologized, but his initial apology misspelled both Colombia and Philippines so he deleted that and apologized again in a series of tweets:
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
It sounds like it really was an honest mistake, but the upside is that many people who never cared about Miss Universe or knew it still existed DO care now, thanks to rubber-necking. And Steve Harvey has plenty of defenders online, pointing out that it was just a mistake and he shouldn't get so much hate. So the only one to really lose was poor Miss Colombia. Sorry, girl!
Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook.