Miss Universe contestants barged out of a pre-pageant event as they protested an executive who called one contender a “dummy” and ordered her removal during a heated exchange caught on camera.
Nawat Itsaragrisil, an executive director of Miss Universe Organization, berated Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, in front of her fellow beauty queens after she didn’t participate in a social media shoot, claiming she had “no respect.”
Itsaragrisil, a Thai businessman tasked with overseeing the pageant in his home country, confronted the elegantly dressed participants during the annual sash ceremony on Tuesday, questioning why some didn’t take part in a sponsorship shoot.
Miss Universe Thailand live-streamed the pre-event conference on Facebook, capturing the shocking beratement.
Instead of welcoming the beauty queens and explaining the event, the angered businessman called out Bosch and accused the contestants of not following the rules.
Itsaragrisil then directly accused Bosch, asking her to stand and explain her absence.
“Mexico, where are you? He asked, prompting Bosch to out herself. “I heard you’re not going to support everything about Thailand, is that true?”
Itsaragrisil accused Bosch of listening to the Miss Mexico directors instead of his Miss Universe team in Thailand.
The tense exchange lasted for four minutes before Itsaragrisil called Bosch a “dummy,” sparking fury from the women.
“I still keep talking to everybody, why you still stand up to talk to me,” Itsaragrisil questioned Bosch
“Because I have a voice,” she said. “You are not respecting me as a woman.”
Itsaragrisil, unable to quiet his opposer, called for security to take him out of the room as the rest of the contestants bemoaned the decision.
“As women, you need to show respect for us. I’m here representing a country and it’s not my fault that you have problems with me organization,” Bosch exclaimed as she walked out of the room.
Over a dozen other participants — including the current Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig — stood up and walked out of the room in a show of solidarity with Bosch.
“Sit down. If anyone wants to continue the contest sit down,” Itsaragrisil said in a veiled threat.
Bosch later told reporters she was upset with Itsaragrisil because he called her “stupid” over his issues with the organization, according to the Miami Herald.
“I don’t think that’s fair. I’m here doing everything right — I don’t bother anyone, I try to be kind, I’m doing my best — and he told me to shut up,” she said.
Theilvig blasted the executive’s public reprimand of Bosch, calling for respect to all contestants.
“This is about women’s rights,’ she told reporters Tuesday. “I’m so sorry, we need to do something bigger. We have respect for everyone, but this is not how things can be handled.
Theilvig vowed not to return to the sash ceremony after the walk-out.
“To trash another girl – it’s beyond disrespectful and it’s nothing I’ve ever done. That’s why I’m taking my coat and I’m going,” she said.
“This is about women’s rights,” Theilvig said on Instagram. “I’m so sorry, we need to do something bigger. We have respect for everyone, but this is not how things can be handled. To trash another girl, it’s beyond disrespectful, and it’s nothing I’ve ever done. That’s why I’m taking my coat and I’m going.”
Miss Universe President Raúl Rocha Cantú admitted that Itsaragrisil “humiliated, insulted and he showed a lack of respect, in addition to the serious abuse of having called security to intimidate a defenseless woman, trying to silence and exclude her.”
Cantú announced that he was sending newly elected CEO Mario Búcaro to Thailand to oversee the remainder of the pageant events, limiting Itsaragrisil’s participation in the competition that will culminate with the crowning ceremony on Nov. 20.
Furious viewers called for Itsaragrisil to be booted from his position, after Bosch gets a public apology because she was “treated so unfairly.”
“NO MORE NAWAT. He needs to be OUT. You need to take action against him. This is moment to protect our traditional and loved pageant,” one Instagram comment read.
“Hold @nawat.tv accountable disrespecting contestants and telling them that if they walked out they were not going to be part of the contest is not ok,” another said.
Itsaragrisil spoke out on the controversy to his Instagram followers Wednesday morning.
“I invested and tried my best to make this event fair to everyone but it’s hard to control because the daily events of being posted makes it harder for him to reach the miss,” he wrote. “Sorry universe fans I can only do this because my patience has a limit. Sorry again if I make anyone uncomfortable watching.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source celebrity.land ’
