Just after the Golden Globes, we heard about some behind-the-scenes awards-show drama. Like, literally, drama about all of the awards shows and which celebrities would agree to be presenters. According to The Hollywood Reporter’s sources, Oscar producers had been telling A-list celebrities that they could only present at the Oscars, and if they agreed to present at the Globes or SAGs, they would not be asked to present at the Oscars. The drama was spilling over in the trade papers this year because, according to a source, “we used to be able to have Dick Clark Productions or NBC smooth things over” but not this year. This year, it sounds like Oscar producers are being savage AF. And now they’re playing hardball with celebrities about the SAG Awards:
A fight has broken out between SAG-AFTRA and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with the actors union charging that the Academy is exerting “extraordinary and unwarranted pressure” to keep the actors it is trying to book for appearances at the Oscars from appearing as presenters for the upcoming SAG Awards.
“We have received multiple reports of these activities and have experienced firsthand the Academy’s graceless pressure tactics and attempts to control the awards show talent pipeline. Awards season is a very special time when actors and actresses are being appropriately celebrated and recognized for the outstanding quality of their work. We would expect the Academy to honor these goals,” SAG-AFTRA said in a statement issued today.
The union, which will host its SAG Awards on Jan. 27 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, continued, “This self-serving intimidation of SAG-AFTRA members is meant to limit their opportunities to be seen and honor the work of their fellow artists throughout the season. Actors should be free to accept any offer to participate in industry celebrations. The apparent attempt by the Academy to keep our members from presenting on their own awards show is utterly outrageous and unacceptable. The SAG Awards supports their union’s operations and important charitable assistance programs that provide valuable support to performers.” It concluded, “We call on the Academy to cease this inappropriate action.”
It would be interesting to know if Oscar producers were strong-arming celebrities about the smaller awards shows, and the untelevised awards shows. Like, do Oscar producers care if a particular A-lister is a presenter at the Producers Guild Awards? The Directors Guild Awards? Probably not, because Oscar producers don’t want to draw the ire of the most powerful people in Hollywood for their own guild/union events. So it begs the question: why risk alienating people over presenting at the Screen Actors Guild Awards? That’s the actors’ union, and where actors go to celebrate their acting community. It’s just bad form from Oscar producers, and it honestly doesn’t bode well for this year’s Oscars. I have a very strong feeling that this year’s Oscar telecast is going to be shambolic and idiotic.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
I know when I’m hiring actors, my go to is “Who’s good at presenting Oscars?” What a ridiculous thing that should, indeed, be ridiculed.
(Sorry, wrong link. Mods please delete.)
Considering they are being forced to go without a host this year because no one wanted the job except Kevin Hart, it would seem to be a particularly foolish move to further alienate the people you want to present at a ceremony that is increasingly seen as being out of touch (and I say that as someone who watches every year).
The Oscars is still the grandaddy of all the awards shows, but that doesn’t mean they’re invincible. Their refusal to change or innovate is costing them viewers every year and soon they’re going to be relying on C-listers to do the hosting and presenting. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see the Kardashians on as hosts or presenters – and that will be the last time I ever watch this.
Maybe they can get Maroon 5.
The Academy looks more and more like a kindergarten
High School Bully.
THIS IS SO STUPID… Oscars are just mad because they are the big MUFFINS anymore. News flash to the rich and pretentious HOLLYWOOD. NO ONE IS WATCHING ANY AWARD SHOWS ANYMORE AND I DON’T BLAME THEM. Most of these celebrities ( directors, executive producers and a few pretentious actors) need to realize that we as people are not caring about their stupid awards and their shock and awe face anymore. Oscars, Grammys and all award shows (except Emmys) are all cancelled.
Seriously, I don’t give a shit about these overpaid, pretentious people and their circle jerk awards ceremonies. We already know who’s going to win before the show even starts. Plus, why sit thru a 4+ hour show when every recap will be all over the internet and news outlets the next day? The Academy lost it’s prestige years ago when people finally realized that Oscars are bought and paid for. They need to get over themselves.
@BengalCat. Exactly. You have said the words out of my mouth. However, I am still rooting for Glenn Close to finally win that Oscar or even Olivia Coleman. Not Lady Gaga
The attacks on the Academy have been unrelenting over the past few years. I’m not surprised that they’re trying to reclaim control of their biggest night.
If they really want to throw down they need to throw down. Move the ceremony to January. Have the nomination ballots due before the Golden Globes. Push awards season back a bit rather than a mass rush in December. There’s been talk about how A Star is Born “peaked too soon” in the 2018 awards season. Too soon?!? It came out just three months before the end of 2018!! That’s nuts.
They want to force a standoff, so then do it. Expose the scam of the Golden Globes and schedule your ceremony too early for the others to fit in.
God I love gossipy pettiness when it’s about something not important. Let’s get ready to rumble!! 😁
I totally agree, @Mia4s. Moving the ceremony to early January would kneecap the existing structure of “build up” to the Oscars. They won’t do that, though, because they benefit from the build-up as well due to off-setting all the reasons others have stated here about awards shows being such a snooze and celebrity display of obnoxiousness.
‘God I love gossipy pettiness when it’s about something not important. Let’s get ready to rumble!! 😁’
IKR? 😅
Is this about ratings??? Wanting to have the most A list presenters to make up for no host?
All of that really. Without a host they need people to be “excited” about their presenters….Oh boy.
I can see pushing back on the Golden Globes as while they may be a scam, they do get above average ratings. But like, eleven people, watch the Critics Choice and SAG Awards ceremonies. The viewership is tiny. And those viewers are going to be the ones into awards shows who will watch regardless. Pick your battles. 🙄
These seems ridiculous. The people who are going to watch, will watch and a matter what. No one is going to say, “oh I was going to watch the Oscars, but Charlize Theron presented at the SAG Awards so now I don’t have to”.
exactly. I don’t care who presented where before the Oscars. This is dumb intimidation.
This is serious?¡?¡?¡?¡?¡ So Allison Janey, Sam Rockwell and Gary Oldman are not going to present at the Oscars because they alredy did it at the GG. The Academy is getting ridiculous
No, apparently they are given a special exception as past winners (seriously, it seems like the Academy really has an “official” practice in place this year). The Academy is after people who are not nominees and not last year’s winners. People who will draw viewers (supposedly!). Think Marvel, DC, and Star Wars actors. Comedians. The new ingenues. That sort of thing. So while the Black Panther cast will still be asked despite presenting at the GGs because the movie had GG nominations, it will be interesting to see which presenters who weren’t nominees overlap…if any!
I hope you´re right, anyway is dumb
My favorite awards show of all is the Tonys. It is, of course, smaller than the Oscars, but it is always fabulous. Whether it’s the entire cast of Broadway shows performing songs, or two actors doing a dramatic scene, the show rewards the viewer. The Oscars in comparison are bloated and boring, and if they manage to anger stars into not being presenters they might as well have the guy from Price Waterhouse read out the entire list of winners. Of course the most exciting thing just about ever at the Oscars was when the accountant gave out the wrong envelopes for Best Picture. That was fun!
I don’t really get why they are being so controlling over this? They do realize viewership of their telecast has gone down year after year? I didn’t even bother tuning into the Golden Globes (the “fun” awards show) since I knew I could read recaps/watch clips on Youtube the next day. I like seeing the fashion coverage and I will admit it was kind of thrilling to see the mistake live when they announced LaLa Land as Best Picture instead of Moonlight. But I think that’s the last time I watched it. Live coverage of awards shows is very irrelevant nowadays.
its not like ratings are down because people are tired of seeing the same presenters. LOL. Theres lots of factors, but mainly I think the issue is that more and more people are getting rid of cable. Stream the damn awards.
For the first 20-some years of the awards, they weren’t broadcast and the results were given to newspapers afterwards. Perhaps they should go to a similar format: broadcast the arrivals, film the awards and release the highlights throughout the show, and have the results released to news outlets for broadcasts. No need to find “the right host”, no worry about ratings, no fake competition for presenters.
I enjoy watching the fashion-show red carpet, but I could care less about the host, the “funny” skits and “witty banter” between presenters. I may have it on in the background and tune in at various points, but I get most of the results from websites.
What’s up with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the organizers of the Oscars this year? Are they purposely *trying* to become irrelevant and alienate everyone they possibly can alienate?