2015 12/23-12/29

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Bradford Adkins, 'SCENES In The City' is a widely read Filipino-American community column in San Francisco since 2008. Online, it is being globally read by more than 174 countries. The column features include: the issues and events, the individuals and organizations moving the community.

FRONT PAGE - MEDIA RELEASE

THE AGONY OF DEFEAT. Miss Colombia openly grieves for her dethronement (wait, she never really was the winner!) as Miss Philippines and eventual 64th Miss Universe winner, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach tries to console her by offering to return back the crown, to no avail. Photo credited to the owner

TAKE 2. 2014 Miss Universe Paulina Vega of Colombia finally crowns the rightful winner of this year's pageant, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines (making her our country's 3rd Miss Universe!) during last Sunday's most controversial episode when Host Steve Harvey got confused and announced the wrong winner - Ariadna Gutierrez of Colombia. Photo by MUO

“I DID NOT TAKE THE CROWN FROM HER,”

by 64^TH MISS UNIVERSE WINNER PIA WURTZBACH

by Bradford Adkins, MSCIS

(LAS VEGAS) – The winner takes it all! Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach bested 80 other girls last Sunday night, December 20, 2015 at The Axis Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas marred by several controversies – Host Steve Harvey erroneously announcing Miss Colombia as the winner (well, she’s actually the runner up), Miss Germany badmouthing the Filipina win, and equally headline-grabbing killing (and accident injuring 37) outside the venue just right after the event. ‘Scenes In The City’ was there inside the venue in Vegas when loud boos follow the Miss Colombia proclamation – mostly from disappointed Filipino pageant fans.

"To be a Miss Universe is both an honor and a responsibility I will use my voice to influence the youth and I will raise awareness to certain issues and causes like HIV awareness that's timely and relevant to my country which is the PH. I want to show the world or the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart," quipped a very nervous Wurtzbach to the final singular Top 3 question, ‘Why should you win as Miss Universe?”

I did NOT take the crown from her (Miss Colombia). Like the other candidates, I also want to win, “Wurtzbach answered Reporter Elton Lugay of Inquirer.net during the post-vent media press conference, on how she felt during the tense moments when she was erroneously declared runner up and immediately after that as the 64^th Miss Universe.

It was revealed in a podcast interview later by Judge Perez Hilton, that Wurtzbach was ranked Number 1 in all of the judges’ score cards! Meaning, she won unanimously. Meaning, Miss Colombia never had a chance to wear the crown last Sunday.

As this year’s Miss Universe TRUE winner, Wurtzbach will get an array of glamourous prizes only a pageant girl (and Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez) could dream of - a year-long salary as Miss Universe; luxury accommodations in a New York City apartment for the duration of her reign, including living expenses; a one-year scholarship from the New York Film Academy College of Visual Performing Arts; a one-year supply of haircare products and tools from CHI Haircare; a new custom diamond tiara and jewelry designed by D.I.C; a shoe wardrobe from Chinese Laundry Shoes; swimwear by Yamamay; a year's worth of skincare products from Image Skincare; personal services including membership to Gravity Fitness at Le Parker Meridien Hotel and hair services from John Barrett Salon; modeling portfolio by leading fashion photographer Fadil Berisha; dermatology and skincare services provided by Dr. Cheryl Thellman-Karcher; professional health and nutrition consultation by Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD and dental services by Dr. Jan Linhart, D.D.S.; professional representation by The Miss Universe Organization; extensive travel representing sponsors and charitable partners; access to various New York City events including casting opportunities, movie premieres, screenings, Broadway shows and launch parties; and personal appearance wardrobe and styling by the official Miss Universe Organization fashion stylist. Eat your heart out, Miss Colombia!

Thank you, Pia for the best Christmas gift ever to the Filipino nation – for bringing back home the Miss Universe crown (after Gloria Diaz and Margarita Moran wins in 1969 and 1972). After 42 very long years!

Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of The Philippines graced the post-event Miss Universe media conference in Planet Hollywood, together with MUO President Paula Shugart. Photo by Dion C. Trinidad

Newly-minted Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines tried in vain to console the crying First Runner-up Miss Colombia. Hah, that agony of defeat! Photo credit to the Owner

Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach waits for her Miss Universe crown and sash as last year's winner Paulina Vega gets them back from her fellow Colombian, Ariadna Gutierrez who was earlier erroneously proclaimed the winner. Definitely the most controversial Miss Universe pageant, ever!

Miss Universe Judge Perez Hilton reveals that all four judges voted for Pia Wurtzbach as the Number 1 in their cards, unanimously and the deserving winner. Furthermore, he calls Miss Colombia a rude diva. So there! Red Carpet photo by Richard Lao, CPA, MSMOT

After the event, Host Steve Harvey personally apologizes to the true Miss Universe 2015 winner - Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines, after he erroneously announced First Runner Up, Miss Colombia as Miss Universe. Chaos ensued and continue to rage on online.

Surrounded by her new set of security detail, 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach walks the lobby of Planet Hollywood back to her hotel room after the pageant. Photo by Philadelphia-based Dion C. Trinidad

Canada-based Larry Elima, RN (front, center) of the most credible pageant website SashFactor.info brought his troop to Las Vegas, NV to watch Miss Universe pageant LIVE, which includes Christian Villegas (2nd right), among others. Also shown are: 2012 Miss Asian Las Vegas Teen, Alexandra Drechsler (rightmost) and Manila Mail Photo Journalist Richard Lao (leftmost)

Stacey Agor and son Keo (shown here with Dad, Anthony Agor) both celebrated their recent birthdays in Hawaii to be with her large family celebration. Belated Happy Birthdays to both of you - Stacey and Keo!

“I APOLOGIZE,”

by Host Steve Harvey

written by Bradford Adkins, MSCIS

SEEN IN THE CITY:

(LAS VEGAS) – Not lacking in hosting experience and credentials, Steve Harvey hosts the Family Feud (the game show), The Steve Harvey (the morning show), and Steve Harvey (the talk show). So what caused him to make an unforgiveable error (at least to the Colombians) of announcing the wrong winner in last Sunday’s edition of the 64^th Miss Universe pageant – televised by FOX? Was it over fatigue or tension? Or just plain confusion – he was seen in the broadcast squinting and seems to be having difficulty reading the teleprompter. Also, conspiracy theories indicate that it’s a publicity ploy to give the pageant a career boost.

Immediately after announcing Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner, Harvey nervously walked back front/center at The Axis Theater inside Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas and corrected the grave error – “The First Runner-Up is Miss Colombia. The Miss Universe is Miss Philippines,” he spoke the words very slowly, perhaps not wanting to be misunderstood, again.

“I apologize,” Harvey said repeatedly – once during the end of the broadcast, another one during the post-event media conference, one other time, this time personally to Wurtzbach when they met in the hallway. He also tweeted another apology, this time addressed to the Colombians and the Filipinos, but he deleted them almost immediately for wrong spellings of both countries – might be misconstrued as another grave insult and embarrassment.

"I feel horrible for the two countries. I feel horrible for the fans. It was a mistake," he said during the post-event media conference held at the Planet Hollywood Celebrity Ballroom # 4. He added, “That’s the right thing to do – to correct it right there. The dishonorable thing to do would be to just leave it like it was. It didn't deserve to happen that way, but it happened from an honest mistake."

Harvey also took to Twitter to apologize for the nth time, saying “I'd like to apologize to the viewers at that I disappointed as well. Again it was an honest mistake," he wrote. "I don't want to take away from this amazing night and pageant. As well as the wonderful contestants. They were all amazing."

Meanwhile, the new owners of the Miss Universe (Donald Trump sold his majority shares to the IMG / WME LA-based group) issued the following official statement:

"The excitement of live TV was evident tonight on The Miss Universe stage with over 10 million live fan votes tabulated. Unfortunately, a live telecast means that human error can come into play. We witnessed that tonight when the wrong winner was initially announced. Our sincerest apologies to Miss Universe Colombia 2015, Ariadna Gutierrez-Arévalo, Miss Universe Philippines 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, their families and fans."

This article also appears online at www.eManilaMail.com, www.BradfordAdkins.com, www.ScenesInTheCity.com, and http://sites.google.com/site/adkinsmmcevents/Home/ with readership in 174 countries now (& still counting!) according to the latest Google Analytics report.

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