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Steve Harvey's Miss Universe mix-up: Conspiracy theories begin!

Steve Harvey, as the universe now knows, mixed up the names of the winner and runner-up of the 2015 Miss Universe pageant on Sunday night. He announced a winner - Ariadna Gutiérrez, Miss Colombia - then realized with horror that the real winner was Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Philippines.

Former Miss Universe Paulina Vega (center), takes the flowers and sash from a tearful Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez.
Former Miss Universe Paulina Vega (center), takes the flowers and sash from a tearful Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez.Read moreJohn Locher / AP

Steve Harvey, as the universe now knows, mixed up the names of the winner and runner-up of the 2015 Miss Universe pageant on Sunday night. He announced a winner - Ariadna Gutiérrez, Miss Colombia - then realized with horror that the real winner was Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Philippines.

It had all the ingredients of an epic viral moment. A beauty pageant. An embarrassing gaffe. The agonizing scene when Harvey admitted he'd made a mistake. The look on the face of Gutiérrez when her crown was taken off and given to Wurtzbach. The way Harvey kept it rolling, tweeting an apology in which he - ouch! ooch! - misspelled both Colombia and Philippines.

It was so perfect. Maybe a little too perfect.

Immediately after Harvey announced Miss Colombia as the winner (she was actually the first runner-up), the video made its way around the world and #MissUniverse2015 was the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter.

But social media lit up with the Internet's second-favorite thing: Cries of a conspiracy theory.

Sample comment on Facebook from Raoul Martinez, a TV anchor in San Diego: "You guys buying this? I'm no conspiracy theorist, but this smells fishy to me. Sounds like a big PUBLICITY STUNT to get everyone talking about Miss Universe, when normally (let's be honest, now!) NO ONE would be talking about Miss Universe."

Then there were screenshots of the card Harvey was holding on TV, which he held up to prove he read the wrong name. People were dubious he could have really mixed up the two names.

Here are some other reasons a few people think it was planned all along.

1. No one believes the teleprompter said, "Miss Colombia."

Harvey took full responsibility for the mix-up on stage, apologizing to the audience. But according to the Miss Universe's Snapchat, as Harvey left the stage, he said the teleprompter read "Miss Universe - Colombia." That snap is now nowhere to be found, but several (including USA Today) have screen grabs.

Later in the Snapchat story, however, Harvey is seen talking to the media, and he takes the blame again: He says he should have said "runner-up" instead of "winner" when making the announcement.

2. The limping Miss Universe pageant wants to get attention.

The Miss Universe pageant is hardly a ratings magnet. Last year, it garnered about 7.6 million viewers, not good, but its highest ratings in a decade, and the event is fairly under the radar in the United States. Plus, a Sunday night in December (five days before Christmas, no less) is hardly an ideal time to air any program aside from football. The pageant, airing on Fox for the first time, had to make a splash. And it did. A big one.

3. Or maybe it's a ploy to get attention for Steve Harvey.

Hmmm, what do you think Harvey will discuss on his syndicated talk show? And do you think that talk show might also remind people that he hosts Family Feud, too?

4. . . . something involving Donald Trump.

It's no secret the Miss Universe franchise has faced drama this year, when GOP presidential contender Donald Trump sold the pageant to WME/IMG. The pageant's former home, NBC, cut all ties with Trump after his incendiary comments about immigrants, which also resulted in Univision's dropping the pageant.

But some were convinced Trump (even if he no longer owns the pageant) was still involved, somehow.

5. They just wanted to ensure a place in Miss Universe history.

Remember in 1993, when Marisa Tomei, a newbie, beat more deserving Vanessa Redgrave to win the best supporting actress Oscar (for My Cousin Vinny)? Know how people still say maybe presenter Jack Palance just read the wrong name off the teleprompter? Still? Miss Universe just had its Marisa Tomei moment.