MANILA, Philippines - Will everyone see more of Steve Harvey as pageant host next year?
Harvey, who made a mistake on Sunday's Miss Universe finals night by crowning the wrong winner is invited by Mark Shapiro, an executive for Miss Universe's owner WME|img to host the Miss Universe pageant next year.
In Shapiro's interview at Jim Rome’s CBS Sports Radio show, he mentioned that what Harvey did was an honest mistake and he felt terrible about it so he would gladly give Harvey another chance to prove himself.
"I definitely want him back, and I would hate to see him not come back. He's going to want a shot to redeem himself," Shapiro told Jim Rome.
The 58-year-old "Family Feud" host committed the biggest blunder in pageant history when he misread the envelope bearing the name of the winner. The mistake has been the talk of the town ever since, but Shapiro insisted that people should not judge him based on a single mistake he made.
"Look, the world forgives, the world forgets. It could happen to the best of us.He was so well-intended, and he's such a good guy, and it was really such a mistake that I hope people don't hold this over him other than for just a good laugh and let it pass," Shapiro said as he defends Harvey.
The executive even suggested that to avoid making the same misfortune in the future, the card should made simpler, featuring only the winner and first runner up.
Shapiro also brushed off the rumor that the blunder was staged for ratings.