On stage at the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas on Sunday night, the two finalists clutched hands, waiting for the host to read out the name of the winner.
Announced as the winner, Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutiérrez Arévalo, stepped forward to deafening cheers from the crowd. Ensconced in the majesty of it all, the beauty queen smiled and waved a little Colombian flag.
For one shining moment, Miss Colombia was crowned Miss Universe. Until the pageant’s host, Steve Harvey, realized he had misread the cue card.
“I have to apologize,” he said, as the crowd continued to whistle and cheer. Gutiérrez laughed, blissfully unaware of her impending misfortune.
“The first runner-up is Colombia,” Harvey announced, in a moment that will surely live in pageant infamy. Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Philippines, looked around in disbelief as Miss USA, Olivia Jordan, grasped her arm as if to convince her that what was happening was real.
“Miss Universe 2015 is Philippines,” the usually unflappable host declared. With the music pulsing again, a still-astonished Wurtzbach awkwardly made her way to the front of the stage.
Harvey, a comedian and television host, apologized effusively for the blunder and showed the card to the cameras. “Horrible mistake, but the right thing,” he said. “I can show it to you right here. The first runner-up is Colombia.”
Wurtzbach swiftly took her place at the front next to Gutiérrez, who was still wearing the crown and Miss Universe sash. Miss Colombia then dipped slightly to allow last year’s winner, Paulina Vega, also from Colombia, to remove the crown and place it on the true winner’s head.
After the event, Gutiérrez graciously thanked her fans for their support.
“Everything happens for a reason, so I’m happy,” Gutiérrez said, wiping away tears. “I’m happy for all what I did for [realizing] this dream.”
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