Mrs. Sri Lanka Had Her Crown Snatched By The Reigning Mrs. World

I don’t think we’ll ever see a beauty queen crown snatching to rival The Snatch Heard Round the World from the 2009 Miss Brazil Gay pageant. It was perfect in every way. The execution — flawless. The reaction — high camp. The aftermath — chaotic. Nevertheless, an attempt was made. People reports that what was described as a “tense situation” went down after Pushpika De Silva was crowned Mrs. Sri Lanka 2020. After carefully placing and pinning in Pushpika’s crown, the pageant’s previous winner, Mrs. Sri Lanka 2019 (and reigning Mrs. World) Caroline Jurie, had a sudden change of heart, grabbed a mic, and announced that Pushnika was ineligible because she is *GASP* divorced! Caroline then took it upon herself to remove Pushpika’s crown and place it on the head of the first runner-up. Sadly, no wigs were disturbed during the de-crowning, but at least Pushpika later claimed on Facebook to have sustained “injuries to [her] skull” and threatened legal action. So overall, I give it a 6.8/10.

Here’s the video. I’ve deducted points for the gentleness with which the crown was removed but added points for Mrs. World’s unnamed hype-woman who marched up there ready for battle wearing gold body armor and wielding her index finger like a poison-tipped rapier.

If Miss Gay Brazil’s crown snatcher was a viper striking with deadly efficiency, Mrs. World was an anaconda removing that crown with all the speed and urgency of a reptile that takes 5 months to digest its prey. But still, crown snatching of any caliber is a cherished tradition we see far too infrequently, so respect is due. And as for the snatchee, Pushpika’s subsequent Facebook post about the situation only adds to the overall drama of it all. According to People:

In a Facebook post shared on Monday, De Silva said she suffered “injuries to my skull” when Jurie “snatched” her crown.

“As I write this, I responsibly say that I am not a divorced woman,” she wrote in a statement translated from Sinhala. “If I am divorced, I challenge them to submit my divorce papers.”

“So, even though that symbolic crown has been snatched from my head, I would like to inform you that I have already taken the necessary legal action for the injustice and insult that has taken place,” De Silva continued, adding that “a real queen is not a woman who snatches another woman’s crown, but a woman who secretly sets the other woman’s crown!!”

Pushpika even went to the hospital for her injuries and in her FB post she added “the pain of my skull when my crown was snatched from my head by the world married beauty queen, the pain I felt when I lost the crown is more than both “.. Mother’s head is injured right..? Does it hurt mom?” I can’t bear the pain I feel when my son listens.” Well played. Hopefully, a salve made of schadenfreude and revenge will help her hair grow back. She may be a separated single mom, but she’s still the rightful winner. According to the BBC:

The national director of Mrs Sri Lanka World, Chandimal Jayasinghe, told the BBC that the crown would be returned to Mrs De Silva on Tuesday.

“We are disappointed,” he said, adding: “It was a disgrace how Caroline Jurie behaved on the stage and the Mrs World organisation has already begun an investigation on the matter.”

Police have questioned Mrs Jurie, who is the current holder of the “Mrs World” title, as well as Mr Jayasinghe, about the incident.

I mean, the subsequent drama makes me want to award additional points but the lackluster nature of the actual snatch tells me they haven’t been earned. Then again, the way Pushpika stormed off stage was great, but there was no backstage brawl amongst the men folk involving a wayward stiletto. If the Miss Brazil Gay snatch was a 10/10, and I do believe that it is, then I cannot in good conscience award the Mrs. Sri Lanka 2020 snatch more than a 7/10. Not even when I take into account Mrs. World and her homegirl’s triumphant salute. Not when this remains the gold standard.

Pic: YouTube