There are few things more entertaining than a rowdy crowd of mannerless Mexicans -- especially Mexico City Mexicans -- and nothing brings out this innate national characteristic than a slap or a perceived slap from the "imperial" power to the north, gringolandia. Too bad for Rachel Smith, a 22-year-old journalism graduate from Tennessee and the reigning Miss USA. She found herself at the receiving end of a heavy dose of churlish Mexican ire during the increasingly ridiculous Miss Universe pageant in D.F. on Monday night. First, undoubtedly nervous to be representing the U.S. in hostile territory, she fell on her bottom -- love it when the press uses that word -- during the evening gown competition. Watch, and repeat (you know you want to):
Then, when the host country's contestant didn't make it into the top five, and the U.S. did (even after Smith's fall), the American beauty queen got booed. The boos got much worse and were joined by chants of "Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!" during the judge's question phase of the competition. Poor Rachel Smith, maintaining that fixed smile and feigned grace while vainly trying to talk about visiting South Africa with Oprah Winfrey:
Have they no class? the scandalized voices are screaming. Well, no, they do not. And that's the point. As Mexico sees it, when your northern neighbors are known to spit upon and spread hate on your fellow countrymen, who risk their lives to make their way to low-paying jobs, work hard, contribute to the economy, and do so with little rights or protections, and those neighbors still want to build a wall to keep you out, as if repulsed by the very sight of you, the only proper thing to do is revel in the tumbles and bumbles of an innocent American girl who is easy enough to make fun of on this side of the border to begin with.
"Buenass nochees, Mejikoh," Smith offered, to scattered applause from the tough-minded capital city crowd. "Mooches grassiahs! Mooches grassiahs!" It warms the heart.