Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) Michelle Dee and 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach reacted to the circulating rumors involving the recently concluded competition.
One of them involved a graphic that Miss Universe El Salvador posted showing the Top 5 finalists of the 2023 Miss Universe pageant on Instagram. This graphic was later shared by some pageant pages on social media.
RELATED: Pageant fans unconvinced as Miss Universe El Salvador clarifies IG mix-up post on Top 5
An alleged scoresheet of the Miss Universe pageants also made rounds online. Here, it showed the supposed scoring of the Top 10 candidates during the evening gown round.
Final scoresheet of #MissUniverse2023 @michellemdee tied with Thailand for Top 5 but Thailand was the one included. Kaloka trewww pic.twitter.com/aWoZK77JMH
— Miss Nicaragua Sheynes Palashoes (@momshiedivine) November 21, 2023
On the Top 5 finalists confusion
Miss Universe El Salvador’s graphic in question listed Michelle instead of Thailand’s Anntonia Porsild, who would later place as the prestigious pageant’s first runner-up.
The post, however, was quickly deleted after. It then stirred up speculations and allegations involving the organizer and the candidates.
Through her Instagram broadcast channel, Michelle, who finished as a Top 10 finalist, expressed her two cents on the matter.
Here, she requested Filipinos to be respectful and kind to both the delegates and their supporters on social media, saying that “everything happens for a reason.”
“There should be no room for error, but the reality is that we live in an imperfect world. My request is not just to be respectful to the delegates but to the supporters that are so passionate about this platform as well,” Michelle said.
“But again, everything happens for a reason and it’s just a matter of seeing it as a lesson or a blessing. So, always act with love, kindness and respect. All love,” she added.
On the viral scoresheet
Pia, who has also served as a Miss Universe judge in 2017, addressed the alleged score matrix of judges through her IG broadcast channel.
Here, she dismissed this as fake, saying that the nationalities of the judges were not indicated before.
“I don’t think that’s the real scoresheet based on my experience as a judge years ago. Kasi una…bakit may nationalities ng judges?” Pia said.
Pia also recalled that they only scored the delegates between 8 and 9.9 back then.
“Second…when I judged in 2017, we all agreed to score between 8 [and] 9.9. Walang 10 (I don’t think may 10 rin sa keypad namin noon but I don’t know [what] it looks like now),” Pia explained.
“The reason for this is so we don’t tip the average to one side too much. So, [we all] agreed between 8 [and] 9.9 only. So, some girls could get an 8.7, 9.5, 9.1…ganon. Close fight talaga,” she added.
Pia also pointed out that the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) will not risk its credibility by leaking such sensitive information to the public.
“Also, I don’t think MUO or even their tabulators would put their credibility on the line by leaking this kind of information lalo na they’re all about data privacy, especially in the [United States],” she said.
To make light of the situation, Pia quipped about calling former MUO president Paula Shugart.
“Teka, tawagan ko na nga si Paula para sure na,” she said.
Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua was crowned as this year’s Miss Universe, thus succeeding R’Bonney Gabriel who won last year.
Michelle finished the pageant as a Top 10 finalist.