Miss France beats Haiti and Colombia to clinch Miss Universe title

By Marian Liu, CNN

(CNN) Miss France is the new Miss Universe.

Decked out in a gold-sequined gown, 24-year-old dental surgery student Iris Mittenaere beat 12 other finalists to take the crown. As Miss Universe, she will be campaigning for dental and oral care around the world.

“This sash is not only a sash,” said Mittenaere, who is from Northern France, in a Miss Universe interview after the pageant. “This is something to help people, to understand people.”

First and second runner-ups were Miss Haiti (Raquel Pelissier) and Miss Colombia (Andrea Tovar).

The top finalists hailed from Kenya, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Phillippines, Canada, Brazil, France, Haiti, Thailand and the U.S.

The pageant changed its format this year; it had 12 instead of 13 finalists, and counted online votes from the Miss Universe app and Twitter.

This was the first time Sierra Leone entered the competition and was represented by Hawa Kamara, 2013 Miss West Africa. Miss Canada, Siera Bearchell, also made headlines for taking on trolls who body-shamed her for her size.

The annual pageant was held on Monday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. Host Steve

Harvey joked on the show that he got the winner right this year, after last year’s snafu of getting it wrong. Rapper Flo Rida and R&B group Boys II Men provided entertainment.

For more on this story and images go to: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/30/entertainment/miss-universe-winner

 

Embarrassed Miss Universe gets sweet revenge on Steve Harvey

BY YVETTE TAN From Mashable

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

A year later to be exact, if former Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach’s antics are anything to go by.

On the Miss Universe stage in the Philippines on Monday, host Steve Harvey was about to announce this year’s winner when Wurtzbach interrupted him, gliding onstage. She then smoothly handed over a thick pair of reading glasses to Harvey.

“Thank you so much Pia,” Harvey sheepishly said to a laughing crowd. “A year late, but thank you.”

Harvey had caused outrage last year after he misread the winner card and incorrectly announced Miss Colombia as the winner, only to later pronounce Wurtzbach of the Philippines as the rightful queen.

The fiasco caused much anguish for both Miss Colombia-Universe 2015, Ariadna Gutierrez, who had to get stripped of the title while holding back tears.

Wurtzbach was also on the receiving end of a torrent of vitriol from angry Colombians, and reported that some of the other contestants had blamed her after for the upset.

Fortunately, she appears to be able to see the lighter side of things now.

“Steve I never got to thank you, but thank you for making me the most popular Miss Universe,” Wurtzbach said on Monday.

“That’s okay. I want to thank you for making me the most famous host of Miss Universe,” Harvey responded.

Harvey, who returned to host the pageant this year, joked that he got eye surgery so he would be able to read the card correctly.

After Miss Universe Miss France Iris Mittenaere was crowned, Harvey took to the stage with relief.

“I’m Steve Harvey and I got it right!”

Netizens online also reacted to Harvey’s antics.

“I’m Steve Harvey AND I GOT IT RIGHT!”

That’s how you stand up after a fall, ladies and gentlemen. Steve Harvey, THE REAL MISS UNIVERSE!

— Tin Gamboa (@suzy899) January 30, 2017

Double check that Steve. #MissUniverse #SteveHarvey #missuniverse pic.twitter.com/NDJcF5OHjP

— Salvatore Abbruzzese (@sal_phone) January 30, 2017

Steve Harvey’s cue card#MissUniverse #WearTheCrown pic.twitter.com/rOsz1nUH54

— Mia Magdalena (@mia_longid) January 30, 2017

CORRECTION: Jan. 31, 2017, 6:35 p.m. SGT This article mistakenly named Miss-Colombia Universe 2015 as Andrea Tovar. That is incorrect. Ariadna Gutierrez was the contestant in 2015.

IMAGE: DELA PENA/EPA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

For more on this story and video go to: http://mashable.com/2017/01/31/miss-universe-philippines-revenge/#JvCRWWHspSqH

EDITOR: Miss Cayman Islands is shown above