EXCLUSIVE: Miss Chile Talks About Fan Reaction to ‘Sábado Gigante’ Costume at Miss Universe 2024
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 14: Miss Chile Emilia Dides participates in the The 73rd Miss Universe Competition - Preliminary Competition at Arena Ciudad de Mexico on November 14, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
One thing we’ll say about Miss Chile, Emilia Dides, is that she gave people something to remember her by. The Miss Universe 2024 hopeful showed up at the National Costume Competition, one of the preliminary events towards the Miss Universe crown in a costume that paid homage to Don Francisco’s famous show Sábado Gigante.
The National Costume Competition took place at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. The new Miss Universe will be crowned on Saturday, November 16. And one hundred and twenty seven countries are set to participate in the beauty pageant.
Dides’ homage had a reason. Sábado Gigante originated in Chile, and went on to air for 53 years on Univision (1962-2015). The outfit featured a roulette, like the one used for the contests in the show, with the “Sábado Gigante” clearly visible. The back of the roulette also featured golden trumpets, a reference to “El Chacal de la Trompeta,” a very famous character from the show.
It’s the second big reference to the show in popular culture in the last two months. In October, Marcello Hernández and SNL took on Sábado Gigante during a skit that had Don Francisco himself reacting.
As always, reaction on social media was mixed. Some fans really enjoyed the outfit, with reactions ranging from “Wow!! Miss Universe Chile’s traditional costume pays homage to Sábado Gigante” to just outward praise for the originality.
While others were hardcore judging.”Chile is so beautiful, with an incredible culture and they only came up with Sábado Gigante? How horrible,” one fan said.
As for what Miss Chile herself has to say about it, Remezcla asked Dides herself in Mexico City during a breakfast with the queens. When asked about the look, Dides told us, “Well my national costume was very iconic. And it’s controversial [because] a lot of people love it and a lot of people didn’t like it. But I don’t care because I did it with all the strength I have to be on the catwalk.”
Dides went on to add that, “Sábado Gigante was a program that saved lives, gave gifts, made people laugh. And it was a living homage to the great Don Francisco, who in my country has a super important role. There’s nothing better. So I’m really happy with my national costume. A lot of people liked it, a lot didn’t, but I’m happy.”
Whether most people liked it or hated it, one they’re all talking about it. And two, Emilia Dides is happy with it and how it connects to something important to her and her people in Chile.
