On April 2, 1974, Opel apparently posed as a journalist to gain entry to the stage at the 46th Academy Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. He ran naked past David Niven flashing a peace sign while Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor.
After breaking into laughter momentarily, Niven regained his composure, turned to the audience and quipped, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was almost bound to happen... But isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?"

In 1973, Marlon Brando won Best Actor for The Godfather, but he famously sent activist and National Native American Affirmative Image Committee president Sacheen Littlefeather to decline the award on his behalf.

Parasite's Best Picture win was a huge deal: it marked the first time a non-English language film took home the top honor. When the cast and crew headed onstage to accept the award, which was one of six the movie won through the night, coproducer Kwak Sin-ae first took the mic and spoke for 45 seconds before turning things over to Miky Lee, the film's other producer.

But before Lee got to deliver her speech, the lights went down on the stage and cameras focused on Jane Fonda, who was slated to deliver the night's closing remarks. The audience was instantly outraged, and stars like Tom Hanks and Charlize Theron, who were sitting in the front row, started chanting "Up! Up!" to persuade the showrunners to turn the attention back to Parasite.

Luckily the cheers worked, and Lee was able to deliver her remarks.

The audience went along with it until they saw a very confused Thomas. The broadcast reportedly quickly cut to a commercial break and then Thomas gave her speech when the show returned. According to the LA Times, he was later arrested backstage.

In 2009, Taylor Swift won Best Female Video for "You Belong with Me" at the MTV Video Music Awards. While on stage accepting her award, Kanye West notably went on stage, took the microphone, and said, "You, Taylor, I'm really happy for you. I'mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time." Beyoncé was nominated in the same category for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." Ye left the stage and was reportedly removed from the venue. This moment kicked off a decades-spanning feud between Swift and Ye.

While he was singing, the camera notably panned the audience to some of the celebs he was mentioning, like Charlize Theron. Women both in the audience and at home were angered and "shocked."

In 1965, Julie Andrews won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical for her work in Mary Poppins. While accepting her award, Andrews shaded My Fair Lady producer Jack Warner by thanking him for making this possible. Despite her success playing the role of Eliza Doolittle on Broadway, Warner notably didn't cast Andrews in the film adaptation and instead went with Audrey Hepburn, citing that they needed "a name." Ultimately, Andrews and Hepburn were pitted against each other all awards season, with Andrews winning both the Globe and Oscar for Mary Poppins.

In 2022, Chris Rock was on stage at the Oscars to present Best Documentary Feature. He made a joke directed at Jada Pinkett Smith, who was sitting in the audience with Will Smith, comparing her shaved head to that of Demi Moore's character in G.I. Jane. Moments later, Smith got up on stage and slapped Rock. He then returned to his seat but continued yelling at Rock, saying, "Keep my wife's name out your mouth!" About 40 minutes later, Smith won his first Oscar for Best Actor for his work in King Richard.

The producers and cast got on stage before an Oscars crew member came on stage and explained there was a mixup. La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz notably stepped up to the mic and proclaimed that Moonlight had actually won the award and even flashed the envelope. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Beatty was handed the wrong envelope. It was the one that contained the name of the Best Actress winner, Emma Stone, for La La Land.

In 2004, Evanescence won Best New Artist at the Grammys, beating out 50 Cent, Fountains of Wayne, Heather Headley, and Sean Paul. While they were on stage accepting the award, 50 Cent got up on stage, too, and crossed behind the band. Lead singer Amy Lee shrugged it off and thanked him before jumping into an acceptance speech. While getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020, 50 Cent alluded to still being annoyed at this loss, saying, "You got the largest debut hip hop album [but] you don't got no Best New Artist trophy. The Best New Artist, they gave that s**t to Evanescence."

During the 2014 Emmys, Bruce Rosenblum, who was then president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, gave a speech about the state of the television industry. As a joke to get more viewers interested in the speech, Sofía Vergara stood on a rotating pedestal and showed off her curves as Rosenblum delivered his remarks. The joke instantly caused controversy, with some saying it promoted objectification. Despite the backlash, Vergara stood by the joke. When asked if she thought the stunt was sexist, Vergara said, "I think it's absolutely the opposite. It means that somebody can be hot and also be funny and make fun of herself."

In 2000, Jennifer Lopez notably attended the Grammy Awards wearing a green Versace silk chiffon dress that was cut very low. At the time, the dress was considered pretty scandalous, with Lopez's then-stylist reportedly trying to stop her from wearing it because other celebs had already worn it. "It caused, you know, quite a stir," Lopez recalled to Vogue. Lopez wearing the dress literally led to the invention of Google Images, with people wanting to SEE the look, not just read about it.

At the 71st Academy Awards in 1999, Roberto Benigni created one of the most chaotic and over-the-top moments in Oscar history. When Life Is Beautiful won Best Foreign Language Film, he climbed over chairs in an exaggerated display of excitement, flailing his arms as the audience reacted with a mix of laughter and surprise. His unrestrained antics continued on stage, where his speech—though heartfelt—felt more like a spectacle than a traditional acceptance. While some found his enthusiasm charming, others saw it as needlessly theatrical, making it one of the most divisive moments in Oscar history.

Selma director Ava DuVernay told the New York Times, "It was a catalyst for a conversation about what had really been a decades-long absence of diversity and inclusion."

April said, "It could’ve been a bunch of different things — there were no women in the directors category, there were no visibly disabled people nominated — so #OscarsSoWhite has never just been about race. It’s about the underrepresentation of all marginalized groups."

Though initially embarrassed, Jennifer Lawrence quickly laughed it off and began thanking everyone: "Thank you so much," she said. "This is crazy. You’re only standing because I fell and you feel bad. That was embarrassing." She also thanked her co-stars, crew, and team, before wishing Amour star Emmanuelle Riva a happy 86th birthday.

However, most of the night is remembered for the vulgar language used by both comedians, but mostly Rivers. Not only was the duo an odd pairing from the start, but Rivers shocked the audience by delivering several offensive jokes. There was notably one about "a Black, a Jew, two women, and a cripple," that many deemed extremely inappropriate.

Twenty years ago today, one of the most iconic performances in MTV Video Music Awards history graced our television screens—and went on to cause a worldwide stir. Three of pop music’s top acts, Madonna, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera, hit the main stage together to perform a rendition of Madonna’s songs “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood.” Madonna was dressed in black, as the “groom,” while Britney and Christina were her bridal babes, with white veils and all. The campy show came to a dramatic finish when the trio shared a steamy three-way kiss, prompting international headlines, a bit of hysteria, and a whole lot of controversy.

At the time, Heigl said, "I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination, and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention." After this statement, Grey's producers and writers were reportedly "angered" by this and considered it a "slap in the face" to their hard work. Heigl had won an Emmy the previous year for her work in Season 3.

t the 2003 Academy Awards, Halle Berry presented Adrien Brody with Best Actor. Onstage, he kissed her suddenly and unexpected, and she just went with it.

Most award show hosts get months to prep material, but comedian Jo Koy was at a disadvantage with less than three weeks’ notice. His widely panned opening monologue saw him likening Barry Keoghan's private parts in Saltburn to Bradley Cooper's prosthetic nose in Maestro and reducing Barbie to a film about a "plastic doll with big chest" - which had the crowd recoiling in their seats, to say the least. Realizing he was bombing, Koy quickly threw his writers under the bus - "a rookie move" considering the previous year's writers' strike. But his crash-and-burn performance ended up doing the Globes a favor, clearing the way for roast MVP Nikki Glaser to host the following year.

When host Will Rogers announced the Best Director winner at the 1934 Academy Awards, he called out, "Come up and get it, Frank!" So, Lady for a Day director Frank Capra began making his way to the stage — but Will had actually meant Cavalcade director Frank Lloyd. The walk back to his seat was "the longest, saddest, most shattering walk in [his] life."

Miley Cyrus performance was more about her provocative outfit and gestures than her infamous tongue. She started in a bear-appliqué leotard, then stripped to a nude bikini for her duet with Thicke, mimicking the women in the "Blurred Lines" video.

Some fans and critics were disappointed by the drastic shift in Miley Cyrus image, feeling that her performance was crass and attention-seeking. Parents, in particular, expressed concern about her influence on young audiences.

Later in the night, as they were being photographed ahead of the Vanity Fair afterparty, Angelina and James briefly kissed. It was actually their second red carpet kiss, following a moment from the Golden Globes a few months earlier.

Jimmy Kimmel and Will Arnett presented the award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series. Arnett pulled Kimmel on stage, joking that he'd had too many skinny margaritas after losing his category. While Arnett presented the award, Kimmel stayed on the floor. When Quinta was announced as the winner, Kimmel remained lying down during her acceptance speech. The internet quickly called out Jimmy Kimmel, criticizing his actions as disrespectful and pointing out how it reflected white men overshadowing Black women.

Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's sizzling on-screen chemistry in A Star Is Born had everyone speculating about a real-life romance, especially after their steamy Shallow performance at the 2019 Oscars. Their breakups only fueled the rumors — Lady Gaga ended her engagement to Christian Carino, while Cooper split from Irina Shayk.

In 1990, after winning Best New Artist at the Grammys, Milli Vanilli — who was comprised of Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan — were forced to give back their Best New Artist award after it was revealed that they didn't actually perform any of the songs on their album Girl You Know It's True, but rather lip-synched to the songs. Nine months after the ceremony, the Recording Academy revoked their award. Apparently, it was a poorly kept secret that the duo didn't actually sing on the album and they even suggested the Best New Artist award be given to the album's actual singers.

In the days and weeks that followed, Travolta was the subject of jokes online and everyone was discussing the misstep. Looking back on the incident 10 years later with Vanity Fair, Menzel recalled standing on stage thinking, "What the hell did he just say? Oh no. Why did he just say that? This was my big opportunity." Travolta later revealed he was looking at the phonetic spelling of Menzel's name and it tripped him up.

Mary Pickford's first adult role as Norma Besant in Coquette was poorly received, as was the film itself. So, she invited the five Board of Judges members (who chose Oscar winners at the time) to have tea at her legendary Beverly Hills estate, Pickford. In exchange, they named her Best Actress at the 1928–29 Academy Awards.
Her obvious bribery resulted in protests. So, as a result, the Academy changed the rules so that all members can vote for who wins.

In 1969, Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn tied for Best Actress at the Oscars. Streisand won for Funny Girl, while Hepburn won for The Lion in Winter. Notably, Hepburn did not attend the ceremony, so Anthony Harvey accepted the award on her behalf. This marked Hepburn's third Oscar for Best Actress and Streisand's first. This is the first and only time the Best Actress race has ended in a tie.

The 1989 Oscars were considered a year of many firsts: the ceremony was the first time the red carpet as we know and love it was hosted, it was the first time the infamous "And the Oscar goes to..." was said before each award, and it marked the first time the show didn't have a host.

Instead of the traditional monologue, audiences were forced to sit through one of the strangest opening numbers of all-time: Rob Lowe and Snow White performing an 11-minute version of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary," with the lyrics tweaked to fit the show's theme.

Not only was the performance incredibly cringeworthy, it was also illegal. Disney promptly filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the Academy for using Snow White's image without permission. To make matters worse, a group of 17 Hollywood heavyweights joined together to write a scathing letter to the Academy, calling the show an embarrassment to the actors and artists who were nominated.

Years after the fact, Rob Lowe admitted he knew the performance wasn't a good move after he saw director Barry Levinson, who was nominated that night for Rain Man, mouth "What the f**k" during the number. Apparently after the performance, a dejected Lowe sat next to Lucille Ball in the greenroom, where the pair contemplated if his career was over.

Organizers had drafted in Anne Hathaway and James Franco to host the ceremony in a bid to modernize it and appeal to a younger audience.
But this star power did not translate on screen, with the hosts being widely panned for their mismatched energy on the night. While Anne was peppy and enthusiastic, James appeared to be completely nonchalant — with some viewers even questioning if he was “high” on the night.

The two also appeared to be at odds with one another, which led to a ton of awkward moments.

After Marisa Tomei won Best Supporting Actress for My Cousin Vinny, a rumor spread that presenter Jack Palance had read the wrong name and that she hadn’t actually won. The Academy has repeatedly denied this, but the theory persists.

Fans were disappointed when Taylor Swift appeared to overlook Celine Dion while accepting her Album of the Year award at the 66th Grammy Awards. Fans pointed out that Swift didn't acknowledge Celine Dion and didn't make eye contact, quickly looking back to celebrate the moment with her collaborators instead. Taylor Swift received backlash for being disrespectful by ignoring Celine Dion.

In 1982, Pia Zadora was named New Star of the Year at the Golden Globes. Zadora's win was a shock, considering she was a totally unknown actor and it was for the film The Butterfly, which was about father-daughter incest. Many believed the film's billionaire backer, Meshulam Riklis — who was also Zadora's husband — bought the award. He notably held screenings for voters in Vegas and at his home. There was also an extensive media campaign that saw Zadora in Playboy and on billboards in Hollywood.

The gig was interrupted by an artist named Michael Portnoy who, in the middle of the song, ripped off his shirt showing the words "Soy Bomb" (I am bomb) written in his chest, and started dancing beside Bob and his band although they continued playing as if it were nothing.

A few days after nominations were announced, a bunch of offensive tweets from Gascón began to resurface online. The online posts expressed anti-Islamic sentiment and targeted diversity at the Oscars, the Black Lives Matter movement, and more. She released a lengthy Instagram statement declaring that she's "not racist" and that she would "not apologize for something" that she is not. These resurfaced tweets led Netflix, who produced Emilia Pérez, to distance themselves from Gascón in an attempt to save the film's Oscars chances.

Prior to the VMAs, Miley Cyrus, who was slated to host the show, and Nicki seemed to be on good terms. They even teamed up to present Madonna with an award at that year's Grammys. Both singers had been in the headlines for their recent performances: Just two years earlier, Miley had come under fire for her twerking at the 2013 VMAs, only to rebound with a win for Video of the Year at the 2014 awards show, while Nicki was hurt that the video for her hit "Anaconda" had been snubbed when the nominations for Video of the Year were unveiled.

Jim Carrey won Best Villain for The Mask and turned the moment into a bit of performance art. When Alicia Silverstone, then 20, presented the award, Carrey surprised her with a kiss. She seemed to brush it off, though a hint of shock was visible. While Silverstone never commented on the kiss, some reports claimed she was embarrassed, and Jim Carrey reportedly apologized backstage. His playful antics didn’t stop there - he later tried to kiss Will Smith while Smith was accepting the Best Kiss award.

While accepting the Album of the Year award, Harry Styles remarked, "This doesn’t happen to people like me very often" igniting a major backlash and sparking a debate on white privilege, especially considering that white cis men, like him, have historically dominated the category.