Miss India Was Crowned Miss Universe, But People Cannot Stop Talking About Steve Harvey Asking Her To Do An Animal Impression

Steve Harvey has had a career that almost anyone would envy. Over the past several decades, he’s made a name for himself as a comedian, actor, author and TV personality. His success hasn’t come without a few slip-ups, though, especially when it comes to his duties as a pageant host. Harvey, along with daughter Lori, recently hosted the 70th Annual Miss Universe Pageant, and the two were dressed to the nines as they worked the show. But Steve’s attire wasn’t the topic of discussion (this time around), as people were more concerned with the fact that he asked Miss India, who ultimately earned the crown, to do an impression of an animal:

Yes, you heard that right. Steve Harvey threw viewers, and presumably contestant Harnaaz Sandhu for a loop, when he asked her to do her best animal impression during the Q&A portion. To Sandhu’s credit, she pulled off a seamless cat impersonation. The question was still surprising, though, as the host opted to ask other entrants about their accomplishments. Sarakshi Rai, Deputy Editor of Social Media for The Hill, was among those who expressed surprise across social media: 

Many viewers were ultimately happy to see the 21-year-old women’s empowerment advocate take home the crown. Yet many were still left scratching their heads as to why she’d be asked to mimic an animal. One user expressed disbelief that such a query would be uttered during such a major event:

As alluded to, this isn’t the first time Steve Harvey has come under fire for his actions during a high-profile hosting gig. Years ago, during the 2015 Miss Universe pageant, he infamously announced Miss Colombia as winner when it was actually the contestant from the Philippines who had won. Harvey was subsequently the target of various jokes and legitimate backlash. While this latest debacle arguably isn’t as severe as the previous one, some have still come to question how he continues to make such flubs:

Meanwhile, others expressed their disbelief that Harnaaz Sandhu still managed to earn the top spot, despite merely acting like a cat. One user specifically compared her actions to the sentiments of another contestant:

Others, however, have been defending the young woman, arguing that she simply did what was asked of her. Additionally, some on social media have made it a point to mention that she has plenty accomplishments under her belt as well. With that in mind, one person finds the cat question to be somewhat "dehumanizing":

So what does this all mean for Steve Harvey’s career as a pageant host, you may wonder? Well, after his blunder a few years back, the exec who oversees the broadcast expressed interest in having him return for more shows. And nearly six years later, you can see that his relationship with the event has flourished. 

I’d wager that the media personality will remain as host for years to come. One can only hope he manages to avoid any mistakes or awkward moments as he continues his work. It may behoove him to inject a bit more of the deadpan wit and mostly chill aura he gives off when handling his other hosting gigs.