Miss Universe 2013: Shamcey Supsup Defends Miss Philippines Ariella Arida Over Latina Comments
Another former Miss Universe runner-up came to the defence of Miss Philippines 2013 Ariella Arida over her remarks on the inability of Latina beauties to speak straight English.
Miss Philippines 2011 Shamcey Supsup, the 3rd runner-up in that year's Miss Universe pageant, said that listening to the context of Ariella's response to ANC anchor Karen Davila's question on her having a hard time speaking English, Shamcey said Arida did not mean to look down on the contestants from Latin America.
Arida's response became controversial after U.S.-based Filipino radio talk show host DJ Mo Twister chided the beauty queen for her response, which in turn sparked an Instagram war between DJ Mo and Arida's suitor, basketballer and actor Ervic Vijandre.
"I think what Ara meant is not about how fluent you are. It's their idea, the idea behind your answer," Pep.ph quoted Shamcey.
"And most of the beauty queens from the Latin countries choose to speak or choose to answer in their native tongue," she added.
Supsup, a licensed architect and about to get married in 2014 to her Filipino-Chinese boyfriend, recalled the Miss Universe 2011 pageant when Miss Brazil spoke fluent English and even translated for them in Portuguese, the official language in Brazil where the contest was held.
YouTube/thechenesful
"She's the one translating from Portuguese to English, English to Portuguese, coz she can speak them. But during the pageant, she answered in her native language and she had an interpreter," Shamcey said.
She stressed, ""What I want to emphasize is that it's not the language that you speak, it's how you present your idea, and if they understand what you said and your idea is right."
Shamcey declined to comment on DJ's Mo's remarks since she had not read it and said he was entitled to air his opinion anyway.
The issue appears to have gone viral only in the Philippines since Ariella continued to impress judges and the photographer of the glam night, resulting in Arida winning the Ice Princess title last week.
YouTube/Brielle Milton
