Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez is speaking out after the Miss Universe 2015 pageant, which made headlines for its unconventional ending.
Speaking with Colombia's W radio on Wednesday, Dec. 31, the beauty queen explained why she has been mostly silent about the incident, saying that she was "disconnected" from everyone after the pageant.
"I haven't received phone calls from almost anyone. Very few people have communicated with me," said Gutierrez.
In the pageant, which was broadcasted live all over the world last month, host Steve Harvey announced that Gutierrez was the winner of the pageant. The 22-year-old had the crown on her head for approximately two minutes before Harvey went back to the stage to announce that he made a mistake.
Harvey then went on to say that Miss Colombia was really the first runner-up and that Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is Miss Universe 2015. Former winner Paulina Vega, who is also from Colombia, went onstage and took the crown from Gutierrez and placed it on Wurtzbach's head before the broadcast went off the air.
Gutierrez told the radio station (via Latin Times) that she thought that Harvey was playing a joke on everyone.
"It was very humiliating for me, but also for the whole country and for all the people not only from Colombia but the other Latinos that were in the auditorium," she said.
Gutierrez also gave her take on the rumors and speculation that the organization wanted to achieve high ratings and publicity, saying, "If that was the goal, they succeeded."
Following the incident, former Miss Universe Pageant owner Donald Trump went on the "Today" show and said that both Miss Colombia and Miss Philippines should be declared as co-winners. Gutierrez commented on Trump's statements and said, "For the first time, I agree with him."
The 22-year-old then said that the pageant could have done things differently and that they should have announced the mistake at another event.
"They could have done it, I don't know, the next day in a press conference or a press release," she said.
