Contestants make up after Miss USA mockery
MISS Universe hopefuls from the US, Cambodia and Vietnam have made up after the American contestant made a comment mocking her fellow contenders’ inability to speak English.
Yesterday, Miss Cambodia, Rern Sinat, posted a photo of herself hugging Miss USA, Sarah Rose Summers, on Instagram, and another photo showing Miss Vietnam kissing Summers on the cheek.
“My friendship and sisterhood in Miss Universe will forever be kept in my heart,” Sinat wrote.
“I speak the language of love, respect and understanding. I love you my sisters,” the 23-year-old added.
In a live Instagram video posted on Wednesday, Summers said that Miss Vietnam, H’hen Nie, is “so cute and she pretends to know so much English and then you ask her a question after having a whole conversation with her and she (nods and smiles)”.
Of Sinat, she said the Cambodian contestant “doesn’t speak any English and not a single other person speaks her language”.
“Can you imagine? Francesca (Miss Australia) said that would be so isolating and I said yes, and just confusing all the time,” the 24-year-old contestant said. “Poor Cambodia”.
Following a backlash on social media, with commentators calling her remarks “condescending” and “xenophobic,” Summers apologised on Thursday in an Instagram post.
“In a moment where I intended to admire the courage of a few of my sisters, I said something that I now realise can be perceived as not respectful, and I apologise,” she said.
The 67th Miss Universe 2018 is being held in Bangkok. The final round will be on Monday starting at 7am (Sunday GMT 0000). |