MANILA, Philippines – Miss Universe clarified that Miss Universe Gazini Ganados' eagle-inspired ensemble won the national costume award.
While Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi has been crowned as Miss Universe 2019, there seems to be a brewing drama behind the special award for the best national costume.
SEE ALSO: Gazini shares message after Miss Universe stint: "I did my best"
During the announcement of the national costume award, Steve Harvey announced Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados as the winner, with a matching photo of Gazini flashing on TV, only to be corrected by Miss Malaysia who was the one on stage for the award.
"It's not Philippines, it's Malaysia," Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon told Harvey.
The Miss Universe host was clearly flustered with yet again another blunder and he said, "Let me explain something to you. I just read that in the teleprompter. Ya'll got to quit doing this to me. I can read. … Now, they are trying to fix it now. See? This is what they did to me back in 2015 – played me short like that. That's crazy."
Even Miss Universe Malaysia's official Instagram account already expressed their appreciation with the award. They wrote, "Miss Universe 2019 National Costume Award is Malaysia."
Harvey had often jokes about making the same mistake he did in Miss Universe 2015 when he called Miss Colombia as the winner when it was supposedly Miss Philippines.
The netizens were abuzz with the mistake repeated again. This time, Miss Universe tweeted the clarification that their host was indeed correct that Miss Philippines won the special award.
They tweeted, ".@IAmSteveHarvey had it right: Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados is the winner of the #MissUniverse2019 National Costume competition! Congratulations, Gazini."
In an official statement, Miss Universe clarified that Miss Malaysia was only invited on stage to be "featured."
They said, “Mr. Harvey made a joke out of it, but no mistakes regarding the national costume winner were made by him, the prompter, or production."
"As part of the broadcast, we also featured Miss Universe Malaysia Shweta Sekhon’s national costume. Miss Sekhon wasn’t aware we’d be announcing the Philippines first, so she jumped the gun when Mr. Harvey started with that news,” the pageant organizer said.
Meanwhile, Gazini already heard the news and was extremely happy for her costume's designer Cary Santiago.
“Thank you so much! Oh my gosh, I’m so proud of Mommy Cary (Santiago),” she said.
— Sally, The Summit Express
While Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi has been crowned as Miss Universe 2019, there seems to be a brewing drama behind the special award for the best national costume.
SEE ALSO: Gazini shares message after Miss Universe stint: "I did my best"
During the announcement of the national costume award, Steve Harvey announced Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados as the winner, with a matching photo of Gazini flashing on TV, only to be corrected by Miss Malaysia who was the one on stage for the award.
"It's not Philippines, it's Malaysia," Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon told Harvey.
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| Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon during the Miss Universe 2019 coronation night. |
Even Miss Universe Malaysia's official Instagram account already expressed their appreciation with the award. They wrote, "Miss Universe 2019 National Costume Award is Malaysia."
Harvey had often jokes about making the same mistake he did in Miss Universe 2015 when he called Miss Colombia as the winner when it was supposedly Miss Philippines.
The netizens were abuzz with the mistake repeated again. This time, Miss Universe tweeted the clarification that their host was indeed correct that Miss Philippines won the special award.
.@IAmSteveHarvey had it right: Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados is the winner of the #MissUniverse2019 National Costume competition! Congratulations, Gazini. 🎉 pic.twitter.com/L8DpAyNL9I— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 9, 2019
They tweeted, ".@IAmSteveHarvey had it right: Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados is the winner of the #MissUniverse2019 National Costume competition! Congratulations, Gazini."
In an official statement, Miss Universe clarified that Miss Malaysia was only invited on stage to be "featured."
They said, “Mr. Harvey made a joke out of it, but no mistakes regarding the national costume winner were made by him, the prompter, or production."
"As part of the broadcast, we also featured Miss Universe Malaysia Shweta Sekhon’s national costume. Miss Sekhon wasn’t aware we’d be announcing the Philippines first, so she jumped the gun when Mr. Harvey started with that news,” the pageant organizer said.
Meanwhile, Gazini already heard the news and was extremely happy for her costume's designer Cary Santiago.
“Thank you so much! Oh my gosh, I’m so proud of Mommy Cary (Santiago),” she said.
— Sally, The Summit Express
