The Miss Universe pageant has once again been embroiled in controversy. Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, recently engaged in a heated dispute with Thai businessman Nawat Itsaragrisil. This incident adds to a long list of high-profile scandals that have plagued the beauty competition.
Nawat, who holds executive positions within the Miss Universe Organization and Miss Universe Thailand, and is also president of Miss Grand International, publicly called Bosch a “dumb head.” This occurred during a sash presentation ceremony on November 3.
The verbal exchange immediately brought to mind other historic situations. These range from accusations made by Venezuela’s Alicia Machado against Donald Trump to Steve Harvey’s infamous error during a live crowning. Miss Universe has a history of dramatic and often unexpected moments.
In 2015, host Steve Harvey made a memorable mistake on stage. He mistakenly announced Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutiérrez, as the winner, leading to her being crowned. However, Harvey soon corrected himself, stating that Miss Philippines was the true victor. He uttered “My apologize,” creating a stunned silence.
The 1996 pageant saw then-owner Donald Trump face accusations from winner Alicia Machado. Machado publicly claimed Trump subjected her to verbal abuse, calling her names like “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housekeeping.”
Machado stated, “He imposed a lot on me, I was afraid of him. He yelled at me all the time: ‘You look ugly, you look fat.’ Sometimes he played with me saying ‘Hello Miss Piggy’ or ‘Hello Miss Housekeeping’.” Trump later defended himself, describing Machado as “a real problem” but adding that he “saved her job.”
In 2018, the competition generated significant discussion with the inclusion of Ángela Ponce, a transgender model representing Spain. Miss Colombia Valeria Morales publicly deemed the decision “intolerant.” Neither contestant advanced to the top 20.
Another recent incident involved Miss Panama 2024, Italy Mora. She was disqualified before the pageant began for violating contest rules, reportedly for unauthorized absences from her room. The Miss Universe Organization cited a disciplinary committee’s findings in her withdrawal.
The 2014 pageant also sparked cultural debate. Miss Dominican Republic Kimberly Castillo wore a national costume featuring the image of the Virgin of Altagracia. This attire was considered disrespectful by some Dominicans, who are devout followers of the saint.
Returning to the recent dispute, Fátima Bosch was seen confronting Nawat Itsaragrisil in viral videos. She told him, “We respect you, just as you should respect us. I am here representing my country, and it is not my fault that you have problems with my organization.”
Nawat reportedly replied, “No, you must listen to me and then discuss with me.” Bosch then left the room, joined by several other contestants, including the reigning Miss Universe Victoria Kjær.
Reports from the N+ portal suggest Nawat criticized Bosch for not posting about Thailand on social media. Despite Bosch clarifying it was a misunderstanding, Nawat reportedly said, “If you follow your national director’s orders, you are a dumb head.”
Miss Universe co-owner Raúl Rocha quickly issued a statement defending Bosch. He announced corporate and legal sanctions against Nawat Itsaragrisil. Rocha accused Nawat of “malicious acts” and denounced the “severe abuse of calling security to intimidate a defenseless woman.” He stated Nawat had “forgotten the true meaning of being a genuine host.”