There’s a saying in media: There’s no such thing as bad publicity. That old adage was in full view on Sunday when Steve Harvey, hosting the Miss Universe pageant, incorrectly announced that the winner was Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo instead of Miss Philipppines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. After the flub, the former Miss Universe had to remove the crown from the now sobbing Miss Colombia’s head and put it on Miss Philippines, now Miss Universe.
The whole awkward affair led directly to Twitter, which promptly exploded.
AdWeek’s AdFreak asks the question: Was the flub staged?
While some people might feel better if it was, the answer is probably not. That said, it doesn’t mean that the giant misstep wasn’t actually good for the pageant, which wasn’t exactly on the tip of people’s tongues on Sunday. Well, until the end, that is.
Here are some Twitter reactions to Harvey’s gaffe:
I mean be honest—did you even know Miss Universe was on tonight? You get my point. Anyway, carry on.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) December 21, 2015
.@serial Please find out whether the Miss Universe thing was staged. And whether Don picked up a shift at LensCrafters tonight.
— Karen Howell (@karenehowell) December 21, 2015
SHOW ME MISS COLOMBIA! pic.twitter.com/3o7aw3u4t5
— Ryan Nanni (@celebrityhottub) December 21, 2015
#MissUniverse2015 #SteveHarvey Pretty much pic.twitter.com/7fQIr02KWJ
— Jingle Bellsmer (@MorganBesmer) December 21, 2015
Let’s be clear, like the gentleman he is and advocates being, Harvey promptly took responsibility for the error and apologized profusely.
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
And we can’t say it truly went viral if Donald Trump didn’t somehow get involved, make it about him and somehow turn it into another way for him to brag.
Very sad what happened last night at the Miss Universe Pageant. I sold it 6 months ago for a record price. This would never have happened!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2015
Brief Take: We’re sure Steve Harvey is mortified, but Miss Universe has never gotten such good publicity.
Read more at AdWeek, Los Angeles Times
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