Something spectacular happened last night. Something spectacularly cringe-worthy, that is.
During the Miss Universe final (and, yes, this vapid and superficial excuse for an awards ceremony still exists) US TV personality Steve Harvey announced the wrong winner, letting the poor runner-up take the headgear, flowers and lastly the wild adulation of the crowd…
… FOR TWO MINUTES.
Upon realising his error, Harvey then slunk back into shot while Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez was busy waving to her fans, waiting a moment before dropping the bombshell: "I have to apologize - the first runner-up is Colombia”. Cue bemusement all around as the camera pans behind to the real winner, Miss Philippines.
Hand-over-mouth in awkward disbelief, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach then walked to the front of the stage alongside the woman who had mistakenly been handed her prize. With the pair now standing side by side, their confused eyes belying those permanent grins, Miss Colombia then suffered the further indignation of having to crouch down - still smiling of course - so that another host could take the tiara from her head and place it on the new winner.
While this debacle unfolded, Harvey - who clearly doesn't know how to spell Colombia - held his card aloft, saying “This is exactly what’s on the card. I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake. It was on the card - please don’t hold it against the ladies."
Don’t worry, Steve, somehow we don’t think anyone else will ever be blamed for this gargantuan cockup other than yourself.
Still, if any good was to come of this, at least X Factor host Olly Murs will feel a bit better about himself now.
