The Miss Universe Pageant Is a Hot Mess and That's Good for Business.

The article focuses on the controversies surrounding the 2023 Miss Universe pageant held in Thailand, highlighting incidents such as a candidate walkout over alleged insults by a local producer, judge resignations, social media backlash with accusations of rigging, and a serious injury to Miss Jamaica. Despite these issues, Fátima Bosch of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe amid ongoing rumors and legal scandals involving pageant executives, including fraud and trafficking investigations, all of which have been denied by those implicated. The piece also discusses the pageant’s declining presence on mainstream U.S. television contrasted with its sustained popularity on social media and in regions like Latin America, Asia, and Africa, noting the evolving inclusivity with transgender contestants and the proliferation of related beauty contests globally. The article concludes that while the Miss Universe Organization faces significant challenges, the pageant’s social media-driven ecosystem likely ensures its continuation.