At Miss Universe Organization burned for contest winners chosen over the weekend. But the org responded with as much force as the social media critics unleashed!!!
ICYMI, Miss USA champion and Texas native R’Bonney Gabriel was crowned Miss Universe 2022 Friday evening at the organization’s much-anticipated pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana. Venezuela’s Amanda Dudamel and the Dominican Republic Andrea Martinez took second and third place, respectively. But almost immediately after Gabriel’s win, fans started grumbling that something was wrong!
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For one, many fans on social media showed how the new owner of Miss Universe, JKN Global Group the owner Anne Jakrajuta tipthat also owner of the Miss USA pageant. Thus, fans say, the arrangement represents a conflict of interest for the two organizations, and Gabriel’s win is unfair.
Other fans in the Twitter noted how 28-year-old Gabriel passed the allotted time while answering questions from the finalists during the show. Online critics slammed R’Bonney for skipping the bell time while speaking during the show. And when he won it all, fans started to wonder if it was a steal for him despite the timing error!
If you missed Saturday night, you can watch that final question flub (below):
The conspiracy was flying all over social media after that!!
In fact Card B comment on the contest! He first tweeted this (below) on Saturday night when the finalists were announced:
Miss Dominican Republic ….GOD PLEASE !!!!!???????????????
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) January 15, 2023
Then, less than an hour later, R’Bonney was crowned champion.
Cardi followed her with a clear disbelief at the Miss Universe Texas crown:
how do you do? pic.twitter.com/G2JIQ17DxS
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) January 15, 2023
And he’s not the only one!! One day on Sunday, fans called for Gabriel to win the coveted Miss Universe. In fact, it has become such a controversy on Twitter that the Miss Universe Organization now feels the need to weigh in!
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In a statement released to Sun Saturday afternoon, the spokesperson of Miss Universe slammed the fans who chose to criticize the show Saturday night results. Referring to the owner of the contest Jakrajutatip — who is a transgender woman — the organization made a strong statement about the results:
“This Saturday’s competition was the first time a trans woman went to fans as the owner of Miss Universe. It was also the first time that a Filipina American took the crown. The allegations of false fraud are absurd and disrupt the incredible milestone that the organization and its delegates achieved this weekend.
The statement continues from there:
“Instead of focusing on baseless statements, we will continue to shine a light on global women’s empowerment, inclusivity, diversity, and transformational leadership.”
So there it is (part one)!
And not only that. The chief executive of the Miss Universe organization now also directly spoke about the results.
CEO Amy Emmerichwho opened the contest under the leadership of Jakrajutatip, he said TMZ on Monday afternoon. In his statement, Emmerich categorically denied any rigging of the competition. However, she said, a third-party accounting firm handled the results independently of the Miss Universe staff:
“One of the top four accounting firms in the United States handles the results and verifies the process.”
Emmerich continued from there, adding another disclaimer about the murky relationship between Miss USA and Miss Universe:
“Allegations re: Miss Universe rigging are false. Those who say they ‘suspect’ that JKN Global Group owns Miss Universe and Miss USA do not understand the history of the organization.
So there it is (part two)!!
The crazy thing here is that this isn’t the first pageant controversy involving Gabriel! As Perezcious readers will recall, back in October, R’Bonney was accused of rigging the Miss USA competition. The show got her into the Miss Universe field in the first place. So the history here is juicy!
In the October controversy, another Miss USA contestant spoke out about alleged favoritism against R’Bonney. Ms. Montana Heather Lee O’Keefe claimed on social media that “most of the Miss USA contestants strongly feel that there is favoritism towards Miss Texas USA and we have the receipts to prove it.” But R’Bonney and Miss USA denied the allegations — and are now denying the new allegations!
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Either way, Gabriel is now the first American woman to win Miss Universe since 2011, when olivia culpo bring home the crown. That’s a great achievement!
Do you think the victory was fair and just, Perezcious readers??
Sound OFF with your opinion on the controversy in the comments (below)!!!
[Image via Miss Universe/YouTube]