Ariadna Gutierrez (left) and Pia Wurtzbach (Images: Instagram/@gutierrezary, @piawurtzbach)
Colombian beauty queen Ariadna Gutierrez stated that many had misunderstood her recent comment about Pia Wurtzbach, whom she likened to a ghost.
Gutierrez said people “don’t ever understand” the remark, which she made in an interview with Miss Colombia 2017 Laura Barjum and one Hector Cermeno.
Following the backlash Gutierrez received on social media, a fan explained in an Instagram comment that the Colombian beauty queen did not say anything wrong. The supporter (@aylindaflo) pointed out that Gutierrez simply did not see Wurtzbach often, which made her compare the latter to a ghost.
The fan also noted that “she was like a ghost” is a Colombian expression, as seen in a screenshot posted by the local pageant website Pageanthology 101 on Facebook.
She then stressed that Gutierrez underestimated Wurtzbach until the final night of the competition. Gutierrez replied to the fan, saying, “@aylindaflo bruh I know!!”
“[E]xactly what I said but [people] don’t ever understand what I said smh (shaking my head),” she added. “[T]hank you for saying it HOW IT IS.”
The beauty queen also said she felt sad for the kind Filipinos she has met, who are not like those who bashed her over the remark.
Gutierrez now seems to be taking the backlash in stride as she shared a quote by author Orrin Woodward on Oct. 8. The phrase said: “Learn to use the criticism as fuel and you will never run out of energy.”
Following the viral interview, Radost Todorova, who represented Bulgaria in Miss Universe 2015, criticized Gutierrez for her comment as well. However, she clarified that she did not mean to offend anyone and urged others to “embrace love and peace.”
Wurtzbach has not yet responded to Gutierrez’s remarks. /ra
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