Filipina Beauty Pageant Contestant Blatantly Plagiarizes BTS’s RM… And Wins
A beauty pageant winner is going viral for a response to a question.
This wouldn’t be the first time that a contestant at a beauty pageant went viral for her answer during the questions portion. Previously, Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2007, Caitlin Upton, garnered attention with her infamous response to the question, “Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can’t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?”
I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, um, some people out there in our nation don’t have maps and, uh, I believe that our, uh, education like such as, uh, South Africa and, uh, the Iraq and everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, uh, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., uh, should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future.
— Caitlin Upton
Unexpected responses such as these have inspired comedic moments in film and television throughout the years. In the comedy film Miss Congeniality, a go-to response among beauty pageant contestants is “world peace,” which was clearly inspired by real events.
Now, a new beauty pageant winner’s response is garnering attention due to its similarities to a famous speech made by BTS‘s leader RM.
On January 27, 2024, the 2024 Rodeo King & Queen pageant was held in San Pablo, Isabela, Philippines. It is part of the Baka Festival, which promotes the cattle industry in the province of Isabela.
Crowd favorite, candidate 17, Lala Cheena Mae Bautista, representing Barangay Poblacion, was the last contestant in the question and answer round of the female category. She selected a random question, which the host read, “If you were a genie in a bottle, who would you like to serve as your master?”
Initially, candidate 17 chose her mother as the person she wanted to serve as her master. Yet, her response’s reasoning was unexpected but familiar.
Lala Cheena Mae Bautista continued her response, but it sounded unrelated to the original question and her initial response. She claimed, “All I can say about this question is whatever who you are, where you are from, your skin color, your gender identity, just speak yourself, find your voice, find your name by speaking yourself.”
Good evening everyone… If I was a genie in a bottle, I would like to serve my mother as my master… Because all I can say about this question is whatever who you are, where you are from, your skin color, your gender identity, just speak yourself, find your voice, find your name by speaking yourself, thank you.
— Lala Cheena Mae Bautista
However, ARMYs, fans of BTS, would recognize her words. This is a portion of RM’s historic speech on behalf of UNICEF in an address to the United Nations in 2018. Then, BTS became the first boy band to address the UN.
Tell me your story. I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction. No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, gender identity: speak yourself.
— RM
The beauty pageant contestant went viral with 578K views on Instagram and 273K on X (formerly Twitter), respectively, due to her response. ARMYs pointed out the similarities to RM’s speech and joked that she had really wanted to choose him as her answer.
When you are asked to talk but only that one speech is on ur mind#BTSRM #방탄소년단RMpic.twitter.com/KubSY59rub
— RM INDIA OFFICIAL 🐨💙🇮🇳 (@RMIndiaOfficial) January 27, 2024
Despite Lala Cheena Mae Bautista’s answer not being 100% original, she actually won first place in The 2024 Rodeo King & Queen pageant. She had received several awards, including Best in Swimsuit, Creative Rodeo Attire, and Best in the Evening Gown category.
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