It turns out that Miss Utah Marissa Powell fumbled her answer on income inequality between men and women Sunday night because, well, “the question was a little bit confusing.”
Powell confessed that she was befuddled by the question on NBC’s “TODAY” show Tuesday morning, however she did manage to follow up her statement with a far more articulate response to the panel’s question.
“This is not OK,’’ Powell told “TODAY” show host Matt Lauer. “It needs to be equal pay for equal work. It’s hard enough already to earn a living, and it shouldn’t be harder just because you’re a woman.”
The 21-year-old added that her nerves got the better of her Sunday night.
“I was so excited, and I was so nervous, and I got up to this top-five question,’’ she said. “I was the first one. I got up, and the question was a little bit confusing to me, and I just started speaking without really processing.’’
The show also interviewed Miss USA winner Erin Brady, a 25-year-old from Connecticut, who sympathized with Powell over her answer.
“You’re nervous for her because you know that in a matter of seconds, that can be you,’’ Brady said. “You’re going to have a similar question. You are in front of millions of people.”
Watch Powell’s do-over on the “TODAY” show below.
