The beauty of Miss Universe on display

The beauty and wits of 86 competitors had the whole world watching their TV on Jan. 29. Miss Universe was hosted in Manila, Philippines and not only received a warm welcome from its citizens, but also worldwide.

Steve Harvey returned to host Miss Universe 2017 after his 2015 incident of incorrectly announcing Colombia as the winner, immediately taking back the crown and handing it to Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzback. The host cracked jokes about his mistake throughout the show, viewing it as a harmless blunder rather than a shameful deal.

Boyz II Men performed at the show as the last three contestants graced the stage. The group is known for their hits “I’ll Make Love To You” and “On Bended Knee.” The final competition was between Miss France and Miss Haiti, as Miss Colombia received the second runner-up honor. Viewers could easily see the women filled with uncertainty over who would obtain the crown.

As Harvey held the envelope holding the name of the winner of Miss Universe, Wurtzback comedically brought out a pair of glasses to bring light to the previous misreading. Taking home the crown was Miss France, Iris Mittenaere, crowned by her successor, Wurtzback. When the winner was announced, Raquel Pelissier, Miss Haiti, wrapped her arms around her in support as Mittenaere shed a tear of joy.

Although it was a tough competition, the real deciding factor came down to the questions and answers portion of the show. The finalists were asked to name something in their life that they did not succeed at, but did learned something from. Mittenaere informed the interviewer on the instances when she failed castings, but eventually saw herself in a book and learned to keep going on. Miss Colombia answered the same question saying that she believes everyone should be accepted no matter their sexual preference or race, leaving the question unanswered. Even in a beauty pageant, it appears beauty does not amount to knowledge.