We tune in to see a room full of actors of all ages. We tune in to see if our favorite movies with the Best Picture award or if our favorite singer finally gets recognition. But nobody expected these things to happen. We’ve listed some of the wildest moments in awards show history and believe us, there is material there for a whole series.
1. “Moonlight” wins Best Picture (Oscars 2017)
In what can only be described as a “you had one job” moment, the wrong envelope was handed to presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway at the 89th Academy Awards. They mistakenly announced “La La Land” as the Best Picture winner, only to correct it later – the actual winner was “Moonlight.” Cue jaws dropping and a LOT of backstage and online chaos.
2. Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift (MTV VMAs 2009)
“Imma let you finish, but…” – who can forget those infamous words? Kanye West stormed the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video, saying how he believed that Beyoncé deserved the award. The memes that followed were insane!
3. Sacha Baron as Ali G (Oscars 2016)
Cohen managed to pull off one of the most unexpected stunts in Oscars history. After being asked over and over again to attend the show as himself, he managed to pull a fast one. “But luckily my wife put on the Ali G beard in the disabled toilets, and I managed to get away with it.” How? They locked themselves in the bathroom for 40 minutes, claiming he came down with food poisoning. Then he went on stage with Olivia Wilde and presented two best picture nominees, “Room” and “Brooklyn.”
4. Jennifer Lawrence’s fall (Oscars 2013)
America’s sweetheart, Jennifer Lawrence, had her Cinderella moment turn a bit clumsy at the 85th Academy Awards. After winning Best Actress for “Silver Linings Playbook,” she tripped on her huge Dior gown while climbing the stairs to the stage. However, that wasn’t the only public trip she had, with people eventually wondering why she falls so often.
5. Fiona Apple’s “This world is bullshit” speech (MTV VMAs 1997)
In a moment of unfiltered honesty, singer Fiona Apple took the stage to accept the award for Best New Artist. Instead of the usual thank-yous, she delivered a speech criticizing the music industry and urging fans to be true to themselves. It was a rare and raw moment, guys.
6. Lady Gaga’s meat dress (MTV VMAs 2010)
Lady Gaga is no stranger to avant-garde fashion, but her meat dress at the MTV Video Music Awards took things to a whole new level. The dress, made entirely of raw meat, sparked a wave of discussions about fashion, animal rights, and Gaga’s unique style.
7. Angelina Jolie’s leg (Oscars 2012)
Angelina Jolie turned heads at the 84th Academy Awards not just for her glamorous black dress but for the way she flaunted her right leg. The exaggerated pose led to an internet sensation, with waves and waves of memes and even a Twitter account dedicated to her leg.
8. Jack Palance does one-armed push-ups (Oscars 1992)
After winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “City Slickers,” the late Jack Palance decided to prove he still had the moves. At the sweet age of 73, he dropped to the stage and performed one-armed push-ups, leaving the audience in total shock. This is just one of the many weird Oscar facts you MUST know about! Another example of how age is just a number.
9. Rob Lowe’s “Snow White” duet (Oscars 1989)
In what is often considered one of the most bizarre moments in Oscar history, Rob Lowe performed a duet with an actress dressed as Snow White. The cringe-worthy performance became infamous, and Disney even sued for unauthorized use of the character. The whole ceremony was a total fail, with the producer Allan Carr deciding to go for a mix of performances with famous actors instead of having the regular Oscar host. It was a mess!
10. Kanye West Interrupts Beck (Grammys 2015)
Kanye’s love for interrupting award speeches strikes again, this time at the Grammys. After Beck won Album of the Year, Kanye jokingly approached the stage as if he was about to interrupt but then laughed it off. All while Beyonce and Jay-Z were absolutely and totally shocked.
11. CeeLo Green’s gold outfit (Grammys 2017)
CGreen attended the Grammys wearing a gold outfit that resembled something out of a sci-fi movie. Memes quickly spread comparing him to a Ferrero Rocher chocolate and even a Power Rangers villain. It was funny, we can only hope he got the reaction that he wanted.
12. Björk’s Swan Dress (Oscars 2001)
Icelandic singer Björk is known for her eccentric fashion choices, but her swan dress at the 73rd Academy Awards took things to a new level. The outfit, complete with a swan’s head draped around her neck, became an unforgettable moment in red carpet history.
13. Will Smith aka THE SLAP (2022 Oscars)
The 2022 Oscars were something special. Chris Rock was doing his hosting gig, cracking jokes left and right like he always does. Then he made this crack about Jada Pinkett Smith, Will’s wife, and her bald head. Now, most people would just laugh it off, right? But not Will. He was sitting there in the audience, and he was not having it. Next thing you know, Will marches right up to the stage, gets in Chris’s face, and BAM! He slaps him! The whole crowd went silent, jaws dropping everywhere, people were shocked and if you were watching at home you would have felt the same.
