Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe Sunday night after showing the world her Black Girl Magic through rounds of swimsuit and evening gown contests, and answering a question on social issues.
“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair — was never considered to be beautiful,” she said in her response to why she was the right pick. “I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine.”
The two runners-up for the crown were Miss Mexico and Miss Puerto Rico. “If you do not use your beauty for your life’s mission, it’s just an empty ornament,” Sofía Aragón, representing Mexico, said earlier in the competition.
Anderson, who represented Puerto Rico said, “Being on the Miss Universe stage is not just a dream. I believe that I found my mission. It’s a representation of dedication, resilience and perseverance. I do believe my mission is to show the world that magic happens when we refuse to give up because the universe always listens to a stubborn heart.”
On the other hand, it seems like a Miss Universe ghost is haunted the host, Steve Harvey, because he’s being accused of making yet another mistake again.
The 62-year-old comedian who infamously named the wrong Miss Universe in 2015, said the wrong name for the costume contest but it turns out it was the teleprompters fault.
“Earlier this week, all the contestants competed in a National Costume contest. Here’s the look at the winner, Miss Philippines,” he said during this year’s contest filmed at Tyler Perry Studios.
“It’s not Philippines. It’s Malaysia,” Miss Universe Malaysia Shweta Sekhon said firmly while standing behind Harvey. The host was visibly flustered and began pointing the finger. “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,” he said. “Now, they are trying to fix it now. See? This is what they did to me back in 2015 — played me short like that.”
A representative for the contest supported Harvey’s claims. “Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados is the winner of the Miss Universe 2019 National Costume competition. 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 Philippines first, so she jumped the gun when Mr. Harvey started with that news. Mr. Harvey made a joke of it so as not to embarrass her, but no mistakes regarding the national costume winner were made by him, the prompter or production.”
