by Marina Borshch · December 21, 2015
Steve Harvey is the host of Family Feud. In case you’ve never seen it, a combined synopsis and alternate title of the show is essentially: “We’ve asked 100 people that are likely illiterate what they think and these are their answers.” Steve Harvey often makes mistakes reading off the questions on said show. Unsurprisingly, last night, he announced the first runner up of Miss Universe as the winner. We’re just waiting for him to submit an official apology with an attached dyslexia diagnosis from his podiatrist now.
Miss Universe
The Miss Universe pageant’s slogan is to showcase women who are confidently beautiful. Miss Universe is a woman who provides women with the tools to be their very best. Although Steve Harvey made what we think ought to be a career ending mistake by announcing the wrong winner, we also think that he created an opportunity for Miss Philippines to step up and show that she deserves to be Miss Universe. We think she failed miserably. Here’s why:
All the Miss Universe contestants have spent the last three weeks living together in Vegas. Each contestant’s every move is monitored. They’ve spent the last three weeks at countless breakfasts, lunches, and dinners together. They’ve gone to museums, shows, race tracks, etc., participating in bonding activities. That’s more time than we’ve spent with our parents all year. A normal person would form an unshakable bond with the people they’re with after an experience like that.
Following the misnaming, Miss Philippines should have shown empathy. She should have shown good character and leadership. A leader should always be able to follow.
Miss Philippines showed a massive character flaw by allowing the crown to be transferred on stage and then smiling, like a narcissistic sociopath with beautiful veneers. Miss Philippines should have allowed Miss Colombia to wear the crown for the remainder of the show. That would have been significantly more graceful and not brought shame to the competition. A woman whose first instinct to do that is a real Miss Universe.
Just like all the contestants, Miss Philippines is fully aware that she would have days of photo shoots following the crowning, and that she would have her 15 minutes, as she so clearly demonstrated is the only thing she’s after. She could have waited. A real winner would have waited not just for someone they’ve spent the last three weeks getting to know, but for any stranger. The real Miss Universe knows that her role is to create unity and empower others, not just be a pretty face.