'Miss USA': Miss Hawaii's Question Slammed, Judge Laura Brown Responds To Backlash [VIDEO]
The 2016 Miss USA competition featured a rather awkward moment involving Miss Hawaii that many people are still talking about.
Many memorable moments from Miss USA competitions over the years have come from the question and answer segment, and 2016 was no exception. Sunday night, Miss Hawaii Chelsea Hardin was asked which presidential candidate she would vote for this year, prompting loud boos from the audience.
"With Hillary Clinton expected to surpass the delegate count needed to win the Democratic party nomination, my question to you is: If the election were held tomorrow, would you vote Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump for president, and why would you chose one over the other?" judge Laura Brown asked her.
Hardin smiled knowingly and quipped, "I would get that, right?" before giving a fair response:
"It doesn't matter what gender. What we need in the United States is someone who represents those of us who don't feel like we have a voice, those of us who want our voices heard. We need a president to push for what is right, and push for what America really needs."
The audience applauded Hardin's answer; she would later be deemed runner-up of the competition.
After the negative response to this question on Twitter, Brown took to her own account to explain that it wasn't her question; rather, it was given to her by the Miss USA producers.
Hi guys. I asked the question I was given and Miss Hawaii answered beautifully. @MissUSA
— Laura Brown (@laurabrown99) June 6, 2016
Regardless, many Twitter users weren't happy with Brown saying she was "handed" the question.
For asking that dumb question @laurabrown99 & @MissUSA are getting so much crap and they should be. #notappropriate
— Kaitlin Eckrote (@ItsxKate) June 6, 2016
@laurabrown99 @MissUSA That Question should NEVER have been asked. If you were a Stronger Woman you would have Rejected it Immediately...
— Dave Jones (@davejon405) June 6, 2016
@laurabrown99 @MissUSA you should have been strong enough to refuse to ask that question because it was totally inappropriate.
— Danielle Ackerman (@daninyc21) June 6, 2016
@laurabrown99 @MissUSA still, so not okay that that was a question. Not your fault, but MUO owes Miss Hawaii an apology.
— April Renzella (@April_Renzella) June 6, 2016
@jcmhanel @laurabrown99 no forced her to ask the question. She's trying to pass the blame to .@MissUSA, yet equally responsible.
— Christopher Shea (@CKeefeShea) June 6, 2016
@laurabrown99 I would have refused to ask the question. It's extremely inappropriate. Secret ballot in USA, @MissUSA.
— Privileged (@alta247) June 6, 2016
But it wasn't all bad news for the Miss USA competition this year. Miss D.C. Deshauna Barber was crowned Miss USA 2016 at the end of the night, becoming the first military member in history to do so.
