If you had no clue a new Miss Universe was being crowned on Sunday night, you do now. A video of one of the most awkward, live television broadcast endings (EVER) has been on rewind/play since it all went down, up, and back down again.
Even I, could not WAIT to talk to my Colombian friend at work on Monday. I was certain she had seen it. I know pageantry is serious business to most Colombians and as expected, she had. I’m grateful that someone in my life could offer me the chance to hear the frustration/outrage straight from the horse’s mouth. I get it — I really do.
My personal perspective however, is quite different. I competed in the Miss Universe Organization at the USA/State level in 2001, and several years that followed. That year, I would, to my own surprise, make the top 12. The 4 years I competed afterwards, I never came close to surpassing my rookie stats. And for the record…I put even more blood/sweat/tears/and let’s not forget/CASH into it as the years went on. I WANTED to win. At times, I’d argue, I even wanted to win MORE than the announced winner. Yet, I can not say the same for my desire in 2001. If I’m being 100% honest, I could have cared less — yet I made the top 12.
…my point? …pageantry in and of itself, is a far cry from most forms of competition. The results really don’t say much about the winner and absolutely nothing about the numerous girls standing behind — said winner. I have witnessed ladies crowned who fall on various places within the spectrum: from deserving to how on EARTH did that happen?!!! There’s nothing additional to be said about the person that ends up with a tiara vs those who do not, other than that the opportunity is meant to be a chapter in her story, and no one else’s. It does NOT mean the lady with the crown wanted it more, worked harder for it, or is more deserving in any way than everyone in her shadow. A different night, could easily have presented VERY different results.
Those few minutes on Sunday night, as hard as they were to watch, are for the first time ever, a part of 3 people’s story (they will all ultimately benefit). If you’ve been racking your brain to articulate the fiasco surrounding Steve, Ariadna, and Pia, I hate to break it to you, but it’s really that simple. Nothing should be deduced about anyone’s character for crying out loud. Whatever type of person either of them are underneath it all, will inevitably reveal itself.
It seems like we’ve all moved on…but just incase we haven’t…Merry Christmas!
Own and On 