MANILA, Philippines — American physician and YouTuber Mikhail Varshavski, popularly known as “Doctor Mike,” revealed that he previously dated Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.
The unexpected revelation came during a recent episode of his podcast, “The Checkup with Doctor Mike,” where he spoke with Fil-Canadian comedian and social media content creator Nurse John about Filipino culture, particularly the strong sense of community among Filipinos and the pressure placed on those who represent the country.
The conversation eventually turned to pageantry when Nurse John brought up Miss Universe as an example of how Filipinos rally behind their representatives.
When asked if he was familiar with the pageant, Doctor Mike admitted that he was.
“Unfortunately, I’m very well versed. You probably don’t know, but I should share some of my history. I dated Pia Wurtzbach at the peak of her career,” Doctor Mike said.
Nurse John was caught off guard by the revelation.
“Pia Wurtzbach? Are you kidding me right now?” he reacted.
Doctor Mike confirmed that he was serious, prompting Nurse John to remark on the unexpected connection.
“Yeah. You’re part Filipino, basically,” Doctor Mike said.
“See, if you date a Filipino, you get absorbed into the culture. You become Filipino,” he added.
Public scrutiny
The conversation then shifted to the intense scrutiny that comes with representing the Philippines in an international pageant.
Doctor Mike said Wurtzbach, like other beauty queens, faced close public scrutiny throughout her pageant journey.
“In Miss Universe, they would scrutinize every single stage that she’s in for that pageantry. Very toxic,” he said.
He went on to criticize the pressure placed on public figures to meet the expectations of their supporters, saying the criticism can become excessive even when someone is doing their best to represent the country.
“Very, very toxic. And it’s almost like you are canceling this person who’s trying her best to represent our country, because she’s not doing what you think or expect her to do, which to me is crazy,” Doctor Mike said.
Nurse John then asked whether the same pressure extends beyond pageantry and affects other Filipinos in the public eye, including nurses, musicians and social media personalities.
“I think so,” Doctor Mike responded.
Defining gratitude
Earlier in the discussion, Nurse John talked about the Filipino trait of finding happiness despite difficulties and the gratitude many overseas Filipino workers feel when they are able to provide for their families back home.
Doctor Mike agreed, recalling his experiences working alongside Filipino nurses.
“Every time that I would work a night shift and there was a Filipino nurse, [there would be a large] amount of laughter and happiness even though you would think medicine is sad because people are sick,” he said.
“And yet it was smiles all around. There’s this infectious happiness that comes from working with a fellow Filipino,” he added.
Nurse John attributed the attitude to the hardships Filipinos have experienced, saying, “The only thing you can be is happy and you have to look for the positive in everything in your life every single day.”
He also noted how working abroad can bring a sense of gratitude because many Filipinos are able to support their families in the Philippines through their jobs overseas.
Wurtzbach won the Miss Universe crown in 2015, becoming the third Filipina to win the title after Gloria Diaz in 1969, and Margie Moran in 1973. Catriona Gray brought home the fourth Miss Universe title in 2018.
Wirtzbach is now married to Scottish entrepreneur Jeremy Jauncey. The couple confirmed their relationship in 2020 and married in an intimate ceremony in the Seychelles in 2023.
Doctor Mike is a board-certified family medicine physician and media personality known for his medical and health-related content on YouTube and other social media platforms. He was once named "The Sexiest Doctor Alive" by People magazine in 2015.