Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach has posted a gracious message thanking fans and paying tribute to Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutiérrez: "Ariadna, you are an amazing woman and we are now bonded together forever by a unique experience."
"In the last 3 weeks we were together, I saw how strong and beautiful you are inside and out," Wurtzbach's message on the official Miss Universe Facebook page continued. "You represented your country with honor and I know how proud everyone must be of you. Fate has a plan for you, and I'm excited to see what's ahead."
She also called for an end to bickering over the gaffe heard around the world — when Steve Harvey mistakenly announced the wrong winner.
"To all the fans who are still fighting about this … Please let's all stop now," she wrote. "The Miss Universe Organization is about uniting empowered women from all over the world. Arguing and sending hateful messages to each other defeats the whole purpose."
Both queens have been gracious in the week after Harvey mistakenly announced the wrong winner.
"I was able to bring happiness to my country after becoming Miss Universe for only a couple of minutes," Gutiérrez posted. "I also want to congratulate the Philippines for their new Miss Universe. The happiness that you must be feeling must be incredible."
At least he can laugh at his mistake
And how is Steve Harvey doing? On Christmas, the comedian and Miss Universe host tweeted "Merry Easter, y'all." Harvey's mistake made for a few awkward minutes of TV, which went viral immediately. But at least one Miss Universe exec wants him back next year. "He was funny, he was informative, he's high energy, he's got a great following," Mark Shapiro, the chief content officer of the company that owns the Miss Universe Organization told the Jim Rome Show, a sports radio talk show. "I definitely want him back, and I would hate to see him not come back. He's going to want a shot to redeem himself."
Christmas charity: England's National Health Service Choir has beaten Justin Bieber to capture Britain's official Christmas No. 1 song — and he's OK with that. The Canadian pop star's "Love Yourself" was ahead early last week — but then Bieber tweeted that he wanted fans to "do the right thing" and boost the charity single to the coveted spot. The choir's mash-up "A Bridge Over You" on Friday finished nearly 31,000 copies ahead of Bieber in the singles competition.
