Miss USA apologises to Miss Vietnam for racist comments
It all started when Miss USA mocked her fellow constant's English speaking skills
PHOTO: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
The 2018 Miss Universe competition is just days away and Sarah Rose Summers, who's taking part in the pageant as Miss USA, has landed herself under the radar - for not the right reasons though.
A video of Summers mocking fellow contestants - Miss Cambodia Rern Sinat and Miss Vietnam H'Hen Nie, went viral on Wednesday night. The clip seems to be from Miss Colombia Valeria Morales' Instagram Live video which also features Francesca Hung - Miss Australia.
In the clip, Summers asks her fellow contestants, "What do you think of Miss Vietnam (Nie)? She's 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 just nods and smiles." She then started laughing and called Nie "adorable". Morales then asked her "how" and Miss USA started imitating Nie again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrUCOkHHWNT/?utm_source=ig_embed
Later, Summers also brought Sinat into the conversation. She continued, "Miss Cambodia doesn't speak any English and not a single other person speaks her language. Can you imagine? Poor Cambodia."
Miss USA's comments sparked outrage all over social media. One critic said, "You are in a competition called Miss Universe and not in an English class my dear! I think this is not a good example of being a queen." Others questioned her eligibility to compete as another user added, "I seriously don't want to see the next Miss Universe saying stuff like this."
However, Summers has now apologised for her comments. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "Miss Universe is an opportunity for women from around the world to learn about each other’s cultures, life experiences and views. We all come from different backgrounds and can grow alongside one another. 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 continued, "My life, friendships and career revolve around me being a compassionate and empathetic woman. I would never intend to hurt another. I am grateful for opportunities to speak with Nat, Miss Cambodia, and H’Hen, Miss Vietnam, directly about this experience. These are the moments that matter most to me."
Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.
A video of Summers mocking fellow contestants - Miss Cambodia Rern Sinat and Miss Vietnam H'Hen Nie, went viral on Wednesday night. The clip seems to be from Miss Colombia Valeria Morales' Instagram Live video which also features Francesca Hung - Miss Australia.
In the clip, Summers asks her fellow contestants, "What do you think of Miss Vietnam (Nie)? She's 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 just nods and smiles." She then started laughing and called Nie "adorable". Morales then asked her "how" and Miss USA started imitating Nie again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrUCOkHHWNT/?utm_source=ig_embed
Later, Summers also brought Sinat into the conversation. She continued, "Miss Cambodia doesn't speak any English and not a single other person speaks her language. Can you imagine? Poor Cambodia."
Miss USA's comments sparked outrage all over social media. One critic said, "You are in a competition called Miss Universe and not in an English class my dear! I think this is not a good example of being a queen." Others questioned her eligibility to compete as another user added, "I seriously don't want to see the next Miss Universe saying stuff like this."
However, Summers has now apologised for her comments. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "Miss Universe is an opportunity for women from around the world to learn about each other’s cultures, life experiences and views. We all come from different backgrounds and can grow alongside one another. 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 continued, "My life, friendships and career revolve around me being a compassionate and empathetic woman. I would never intend to hurt another. I am grateful for opportunities to speak with Nat, Miss Cambodia, and H’Hen, Miss Vietnam, directly about this experience. These are the moments that matter most to me."
Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.