Steve Harvey moment? Pageant expert wants explanation on Miss U Top 5 graphics mix-up

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 20) — A Filipino pageant expert on Monday said Miss Universe El Salvador, which hosted the 72nd edition of the beauty pageant, should explain its now deleted post of a graphic showing Philippine bet Michelle Dee in the Top 5 list.

The organization is currently in hot water after Miss Universe El Salvador on Sunday morning (Philippine time) posted on its Instagram account the list of Top 5 candidates which included Dee. The post was immediately taken down and replaced by a graphic showing Thailand’s Anntonia Porsild, who won first runner-up, in the Top 5.

“I would really love for them to really come out with an official statement, an apology, or some sort of an explanation to address this issue because it is really confusing everyone… Ano ‘to (What is this)? Steve Harvey moment again back in 2015?” pageant expert Adam Genato told CNN Philippines’ The Source.

He was referring to the controversial crowning moment in 2015 when Harvey mistakenly announced Colombia’s Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner instead of then-Philippine bet Pia Wurtzbach.

Genato is in El Salvador to follow the events that transpired from the beginning until the crowning of the new Miss Universe.

“Probably during the finals night their goal was to give real-time updates about how the pageant was unfolding, but unfortunately they probably made an honest mistake. To be fair with them, they took it down minutes after but it was kind of too late because it already went viral,” he pointed out.

To hopefully clear up the graphics mix-up, Genato said he personally reached out to the press team of the Miss Universe organization after the coronation, but he has yet to receive a response.

“For the meantime, I would assume that it was an honest mistake on their part,” he said.

The Miss Universe organization has yet to issue a statement regarding the issue.

Nicaragua’s Sheynnis Palacios was crowned Miss Universe 2023, making history as the first representative from her country to win the title.