New Miss Universe wants to be more than a beauty queen

Miss Universe, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, was interviewed by Good Morning America's Lara Spencer, left.

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach

APPARENTLY, there's more to Miss 
Universe than simply looking beautiful and smiling for the cameras. Well, smiling, looking good and remaining perfectly poised is part of the job description and she had to do lots of that during a flurry of television appearances Monday morning.

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, who represented the Philippines, wants to use her celebrity status as the newly crowned Miss Universe to promote HIV prevention, improving donations for disaster relief and anti-bullying work.

Michael Strahan and Kelly Ripa welcomed
Pia Wurtzbach to their show.

In her first official act as Miss Universe, Wurtzbach was interviewed on Good Morning, America this morning (Monday, Jan. 4) on U.S. television. It was a busy morning for Wurtzbach as she made the rounds of the morning shows including Live with Kelly & Michael, Access Hollywood and Extra TV.

As one of the two semi-finalists for the Miss Universe crown two weeks ago ago, Wurzbach  was stunned as everyone else watching the show in one of the most controversial pageants in recent memory, when emcee Steve Harvey announced Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo, as the new Miss Universe and Miss Philippines as First Runner-up. Seconds later, Harvey apologized for his error and named Wurtzbach as Miss Universe. 

In an extremely awkward moment, the sparkling silver crown was taken off Miss Colombia and transferred to Miss Philippines. Supporters of Miss Colombia, including high-ranking officials in the Colombian government, began expressing their displeasure at the pageant on social media where the hashtag #RespectTheCrown trended. "They put the crown on her head," Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday. "The photos are there to prove it. To me, as a Colombian, she is still Miss Universe."

RELATED: A gaff by emcee Steve Harvey stuns audience around the world

The poised Wurtzbach expertly danced around the controversy when asked by GMA's Lara Spencer if she would be willing to share the crown, as suggested by some of Arevalo's supporters. "I think it would be a little bit difficult for two girls to share a crown," Wurtzbach answered, smiling, "but I have high hopes that this will this give great opportunities for me and Miss Colombia."

Wurtzbach is the first Asian winner since 2007 when Riyo Mori won the Miss Universe crown representing Japan. The last Miss Philippines to win the title was Margie Moran in 1973.

For more news about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, go to AsAm News.

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Miss Universe 2015 is ... uh ... Miss Colombia! Uh, no it's Miss Philippines!

It dawns on Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, on what just happened!

OH, NO! Somehow, this beauty pageant was able to find a way onto Views From The Edge, which normally refrains from writing about events that use women for all the wrong reasons.

Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, won the coveted Miss Universe crown but for two minutes, the world - actually, the entire universe - thought the winner was Miss Colombia, Ariadna Guiterrez because of huge gaff by emcee Steve Harvey.

With the two finalists holding hands, waiting with baited breath as Harvey opened the enveloped, Harvey misread the final results and announced Miss Colombia, as the new Miss Universe. Huge applause, Guiterrez was in tears as Miss Universe 2014, Paulina Vega, crowned who she thought was her successor. Gutierrez walked down the catwalk amid cheers, waving her hand to the adoring crowd in Las Vegas.

As she returned to center stage, Harvey announced, "I apologize ..." and corrected his error. Both Wurtzbach and Guiterrez looked stunned. Neither knew exactly what was happening.

RELATED: 5 things to know about Miss Universe 2015 

Harvey was sincerely apologetic and took full blame for the error. But for the two finalists, the moment that was supposed to be magical, was spoiled. Gutierrez put on a brave smile as the crown was transferred to Wurtzbach.

When the cameras turned off. Tears flowed again.

When the cameras turned off, contestants consoled Miss Colombia, Ariadne Guiterrez.

Also making the Final Ten was Miss Japan, Ariana Minamoto. She has a Japanese mother and an African/American father who was born and raised in Japan. She revealed in her televised segment that when she was a child her friends wouldn't hold her hand because they feared the color of her skin would rub off on them. 

Miyamoto said she was inspired to compete for the pageant after a fellow biracial Japanese friend committed suicide after years of being bullied.

The final three contestants, which included Miss USA Olivia Jordan, were asked why they should be crowned the new Miss Universe.

RELATED: Is Miss Universe dating the Philippines' president?

Wurtzbach said she wanted to use her voice to inspire young people.

"I will use my voice to influence the youth, to use my voice to raise HIV awareness," she said.

"I want to show the world, the universe rather, that I am confidently beautiful with a heart."

Wurtzbach called the crowning gaff "very 2015" in a video released by the pageant.

"It's a very ... non-traditional crowning moment," she said, struggling to find the right words and still trying to make sense of what just transpired.

Even if Wurtzbach and Guiterrez were beauty contest participants, they are still human beings and you can't help but feel sympathy for the two women. Now their names forever will be linked together in Miss Universe history, (well, maybe not "forever" but at least for another week) for all the wrong reasons.

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