Now there is a new conspiracy theory that Steve Harvey's Miss Universe screwup was deliberate
There is a even a Deep Throat video from an anonymous source claiming Harvey was in on the gaffe (video below).
Media Post columnist Tom Siebert lays out the - entirely circumstantial - evidence for the theory here. It relies on the question of why the show still fit into its allotted time even though Harvey's error should have made it over-run:
This live contest is tightly scripted to fit a time slot. It's got to be done by 11 p.m. ET For beauty pageants, producers leave you hanging until after the last commercial break, with roughly two minutes remaining. This year, the winner was announced with about six minutes remaining. Good thing there was a enough time to clear up their mistake!
... If you watch the YouTube video linked above, the congratulatory music sequence ends naturally and organically as Harvey returns to the stage. As if it was timed.
To be clear, it's not clear from that clip whether the show does magically fit into its timeslot, or whether the music has ended "naturally and organically" around Harvey's screwup.
But! Assume that is just what they want you to think!
Why would the Miss Universe franchise want to make a fool of itself like this? Well ... look at the ratings. Miss Universe lost audience this year compared to last year, even with the controversy. It was a 1.7, down from a 2 last year. Those numbers are so small TV network executives might question why they're bothering to pay for such an old-fashioned show.
"I think he knows exactly what he's doing. Harvey's going to walk away from this bigger than ever. Wait and watch. The Miss Universe pageant has already announced Harvey will return for the 2016 pageant. Of course he will! The ratings next year will double," Siebert says. Lo and behold, Harvey is the man they want for the 2016 show.
Business Insider contacted the Miss Universe organisation for comment, but we did not immediately hear back.
Here's the "insider" video: