Miss Universe 2024 Faces Backlash Over Viral Video Featuring Racial Slur

Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, the first Danish winner of Miss Universe, is under scrutiny after lip-syncing a Jay-Z lyric containing the N-word in a TikTok video.

Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, crowned Miss Universe 2024 on November 16, is facing criticism for a TikTok video filmed atop the Empire State Building where she lip-synced Jay-Z’s 'Empire State of Mind,' including a racial slur.
The video quickly went viral, with social media users expressing outrage and debating whether Theilvig actually mouthed the word or merely smiled through the lyric.
Supporters argue the backlash is unwarranted, citing cultural differences or claiming she did not intentionally say the word, while critics demand an apology or even her removal as Miss Universe.
Theilvig's win was celebrated by conservative figures as a return to traditional pageant values, with some linking her victory to the absence of transgender contestants this year.
Neither Theilvig nor the Miss Universe Organization has publicly addressed the controversy, fueling speculation about whether the incident will be formally acknowledged.