Conspiracy theorists suggest Miss Universe blunder was well-orchestrated publicity stunt

WHEN the wrong Miss Universe was crowned, everyone was in shock. Now the conspiracy theorists are circling.

WHEN the host of the world’s biggest beauty pageant crowned the wrong winner on Monday, millions of viewers put their hands to their mouths in shock. But was it all an elaborate publicity stunt? Conspiracy theorists certainly think so.

If you missed it, this is what happened: Live on air during the 2015 Miss Universe competition, host Steve Harvey initially announced to viewers around the world that Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez had won the title. The sparkling crown was placed atop her head where it would stay for less than five minutes.

As she soaked in the moment, Harvey stopped the celebrations. “Folks, I have to apologise,” he announced. “The first runner-up is Colombia.”

A shocked Miss Philippines 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. Picture: Ethan Miller

Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez was forced to hand over the crown. Picture: Ethan Miller

Harvey, at least according to the man himself, claimed he read the cue card wrong. He then announced Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach as the rightful winner. The pair stood awkwardly side-by-side on stage before the crown was placed on the rightful winner’s head.

“Listen folks, let me just take control of this. This is exactly what’s on the card. I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake, horrible mistake,” Harvey said. “Still a great night. Please don’t hold it against the ladies, we feel so badly.”

For her part, the eventual runner-up was gracious in defeat. Backstage she said she was happy for Miss Philippines.

“Everything happens for a reason. Thank you for voting for me,” she said, wiping away a tear.

A message from #MissUniverse Colombia, @gutierrezary. https://t.co/KBzZyyHJzy

— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 21, 2015

Harvey also took to Twitter. But his tweets were a series of apologies. “I’d like to apologise wholeheartedly to Miss Colombia & Miss Philippines for my huge mistake. I feel terrible,” he wrote.

“Secondly, I’d like to apologize to the viewers that I disappointed as well. Again it was an honest mistake.”

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

A day after the event, social media is alive with conspiracy theories about exactly what happened.

Raoul Martinez, a TV anchor in San Diego, wrote on Facebook: “You guys buying this? I’m no conspiracy theorist, but this smells fishy to me. Sounds like a big publicity stunt to get everyone talking about Miss Universe, when normally (let’s be honest, now!) no one would be talking about Miss Universe.”

Conspiracy Keanu on Miss Universe pic.twitter.com/0b1GSDBlL8

— Only Advice Animals (@animals_advice) December 21, 2015

The Independent reports Miss Universe’s official Snapchat account declared the teleprompter read “Miss Universe — Colombia”. But that theory was shot down on Tuesday morning by Miss Universe Australia Monika Radulovic who told Sunrise she was shocked when Harvey announced Colombia because “We saw on the teleprompter ‘Miss Philippines, please take your first walk’.”

Footage posted to the official fan page of Ms Gutierrez showed Harvey being handed a new card from a mystery woman in the front row of the audience.

Y ustedes que piensan?

Posted by Ariadna Gutierrez on Monday, December 21, 2015

Juan Manuel Bonilla wrote below the video: “Maybe we don’t have the title, but the world knows that the title (is Ariadna’s). There was fraud and that will be in the story, and the other candidate will have his crown but it won’t be remembered. I’m happy because for two consecutive years, we have the most beautiful women of the earth.”

Josue Rojas wrote: “I want to express my total outrage ... The mockery that you have done to miss Colombia.”

Online, many suggested the struggling competition needed a boost and a fake scandal made it relevant again.

I generally don't buy into conspiracy theories, but this is the most attention the Miss Universe pageant has gotten since, well, ever.

— Les East (@EastAdvocate) December 21, 2015

Steve Harvey's mistake was all a conspiracy created for two purposes: Make Miss Universe relevant again. Make Steve Harvey relevant again.

— Pierce Edman (@piercedmn) December 21, 2015

Ms Radulovic, the Australian contestant who made the top five, spoke about the “horrible” moment it all went wrong.

“The scandal has overridden everything,” she told Sunrise. “I can’t believe it happened. We saw on the teleprompter ‘Philippines, please talk your first walk’. It was horrible, my heart goes out to both girls.”

The Miss Universe Facebook page posted an explanation shortly after the broadcast was cut. Organisers blamed “the excitement of live TV”.

“Unfortunately, a live telecast means that human error can come into play. We witnessed that tonight when the wrong winner was initially announced. Our sincerest apologies to Miss Universe Colombia, Miss Universe Philippines, their families and fans.”

Fans aren’t buying it. Nor is the pageant’s previous head man, Donald Trump, who tweeted he was “sad” about what happened but made it clear it would not have happened in previous years.

“I sold (the competition) six months ago for a record price,” he tweeted. “This would never have happened.”

The Washington Post wrote that some journalists blamed Mr Trump for the scandal, noting they could not find financial record confirming the sale of the pageant rights.

The paper wrote that Colombians in particular were looking for somebody to blame and were searching for answers.

Steve Harvey holds up the card showing the names of the contestants and where they finished. Picture: John Locher/AP

“The entire country, and our family, was overcome with emotion,” Ms Gutierrez’ cousin Alvaro Arevalo told local radio in an interview on Monday. “The truth is we’re a little shocked.”

Even Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said something fishy was going on.

“I was watching Miss Universe with my family. We started a huge celebration when they said Colombia had won the Miss Universe title for the second straight year,” he told Radio Nacional.

“They put the crown on her head. The photos are there to prove it. To me, as a Colombian, she is still Miss Universe.”

On Twitter, the steady stream of conspiracy theories continues to grow. Others say human error is a completely plausible explanation.

Amazing the conspiracy theories about the Miss Universe foul up! Is it that hard to believe Steve Harvey can't read? We know he can't spell.

— John Trujillo (@John_JTrujillo) December 21, 2015

It’s not the first time live television has delivered a jaw-dropping moment.

Australia’s Next Top Model host Sarah Murdoch infamously read out the name of the wrong winner of the reality show’s $25,000 prize in 2010.

During the live finale at Sydney’s Luna Park in front of 2000 people, Murdoch said the winner was Sydney’s Kelsey Martinovich.

But after Martinovich, 19, had soaked up the applause and made her acceptance speech, Murdoch’s face fell as she listened to the producer’s voice in her ear piece.

“Oh my God, I don’t know what to say right now,” she said.

“It’s Amanda, I’m so sorry. It was fed to me wrong. Oh God. This is what happens when you have live TV, folks. This is insane. Insane, insane, insane.”

Ware, 18, was then awarded the top prize.