Miss USA Slammed for Mocking Asian Miss Universe Contestants For Not Speaking English
Miss USA, Sarah Rose Summers, is facing controversy after a video surfaced of her making what seems to be negative comments about two non-English speaking contestants taking part in the 2018 Miss Universe pageant being held in Thailand.
According to People, the video (which you can watch here) was part of an Instagram Live posted by Miss Colombia Valeria Morales, who appears alongside Summers and Miss Australia Francesca Hung.
“She’s so cute and she pretends to know so much English,” Summers said of Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie. “And then you ask her a question after having a whole conversation with her and she goes — .” She then makes a blank, smiling expression that seems to mock H’Hen before laughing and adding, “She’s adorable.” Morales asks her to repeat the look and Summers obliges.
The trio then discusses Miss Cambodia Rern Sinat, who had earlier posted an Instagram photo of herself with Summers. “Miss Cambodia is here and doesn’t speak any English,” Summers said. “And not a single person here speaks her language. Can you imagine? Francesca said that it would be very isolating and I think yes, and just confusing all the time.”
Summers has since apologized in an Instagram post, although—as you’ll see below—social media reactions are coming fast and furious.
Obviously, social media users wasted no time in letting their criticisms of Summers’ comments be known.
“Do you speak any language except English?” one Instagram commenter asked. “Absolutely enraged that Miss USA, Miss Australia and Miss Colombia made fun of Miss Cambodia and Miss Vietnam for not being able to speak fluent English, TRASH,” wrote another user on Twitter. Another said, “@MissUniverse i wonder if you will still allow Miss USA, Columbia, and Australia to continue in the competition after their racist/ bigoted remarks toward fellow contestant Miss Cambodia. I can’t believe these ladies will be repersenting [sic] their countries!”
https://twitter.com/Il_Malandrino/status/1073059513308205063
The Miss Universe pageant will air live Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET on FOX.