Top 10 Most Unforgettable Award Show Moments

Here at Funktasy, we love a good “Top 10” list as much as the next person and this time we are talking about unforgettable award show moments. Award shows are known for their glitz, glamor, and golden statues—but every now and then, they serve up moments so shocking, hilarious, or downright bizarre that they leave an indelible mark on pop culture history. Here are our top ten unforgettable award show moments, in no particular order.

Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times

Will Smith and Chris Rock: The Slap Heard ‘Round the World

The 2022 Oscars will forever be etched in Hollywood history as the night when the drama didn’t just stay on screen—it took center stage. When Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith took matters—and Rock’s face—into his own hands with a slap heard around the world. The audience and viewers were left in stunned silence as what was meant to be a celebration of cinema turned into one of the most shocking and talked-about moments in award show history. Memes and reactions flooded the internet, transforming Hollywood’s biggest night into a global spectacle. Whether you see it as a defense of honor or a moment of madness, one thing’s for sure—the Oscars will never be the same.

Entertainment Tonight

Miley Cyrus 2013 VMAs Performance

Talk about an unforgettable moment. Miley Cyrus’s 2013 VMA performance was nothing short of a cultural earthquake, shaking up the pop landscape –and stage– with its unabashed provocativeness. Dressed in a skin-toned latex outfit and brandishing a foam finger, Cyrus’s twerk-filled performance with Robin Thicke became the most talked-about moment of the night. It was equal parts outrageous and unforgettable, igniting debates about the boundaries of artistic expression and the sexualization of young stars. The performance had a polarizing effect—some praised Cyrus for breaking free from her Disney image, while others criticized the act as overly raunchy. Regardless of the reaction, it cemented Cyrus’s place as a fearless, boundary-pushing artist and left a permanent mark on the VMAs and pop culture as a whole.

CNN

Crowning Chaos – Wrong Miss Universe 2015

In one of the most cringe-worthy moments in live television, host Steve Harvey mistakenly announced Miss Colombia as the winner, only to retract it moments later and crown Miss Philippines. The mix-up not only created an excruciatingly awkward moment on stage but also left everyone watching around the world with their jaws dropped. It led to an outpour of sympathy for the wrongly crowned Miss Colombia and sparked conversations about the pressures of live broadcasting. The incident quickly became a viral sensation, with memes and parodies flooding the internet, and it remains one of the most memorable—and unfortunate—moments in pageant history.

BuzzFeed

“Miley, what’s good?” 2015 VMAs

It seems Miley Cyrus and the VMAs have a history together. We mentioned her 2013 performance at the award show so why not mention another iconic (and unfortunate) moment for Cyrus? The 2015 VMAs gave us one of the most meme-worthy moments of the decade when Nicki Minaj, fresh off winning Best Hip-Hop Video, turned the spotlight on Cyrus with the now-iconic line, “Miley, what’s good?” –Thank you Nicki– The mic-drop moment was a bold callout in response to Cyrus’ earlier comments about Minaj in the press, and it instantly became a pop culture catchphrase and meme. We love a good mic drop moment as much as anyone else.

Mark Ralston via Vanity Fair

“La La Land” Falsely Awarded Best Picture

At the 89th Academy Awards in 2017, the ceremony took an unexpected turn when “La La Land” was mistakenly announced as Best Picture, only for the award to be swiftly corrected in favor of “Moonlight.” Presenters for the biggest award of the night, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, were mistakenly handed the envelope containing the winner for best actress – which had been awarded to Emma Stone for her performance in “La La Land.” Dunaway had mistakenly read the name of the movie on the card, and falsely awarded Best Picture to “La La Land.”

As producers for the film took to the stage and began their acceptance speeches, a producer from backstage came onto stage to rectify the mistake, bringing out the correct envelope, leading “La La Land” director Justin Horowitz to announce: “I’m sorry, there’s a mistake. ‘Moonlight,’ you guys won best picture,” and invited the cast and crew of “Moonlight” to the stage. It’s been seven years since the incident, but is still considered to be one of the most unforgettable and chaotic moments in Oscars history.

Courtesy of The Today Show

John Travolta Mispronounces Idina Menzel’s Name

The year is 2014, and people everywhere have been enraptured by Disney’s newest animated classic “Frozen.” One track from the film’s soundtrack stood out the most: “Let It Go.” Performed by one of the film’s protagonists Elsa – voiced by Broadway legend Idina Menzel – “Let It Go” was a phenomenon; so much so that it was nominated for and subsequently won Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards. Each year at the Oscars, the show will typically contain performances throughout the broadcast of all the Best Original Song nominees, and 2014 was no different. Actor John Travolta was brought out to introduce Menzel’s performance of the Disney power ballad.

When introducing her, he mispronounced her name, which the internet had heard, and dubbed her “Adele Dazeem.” Travolta’s mispronunciation of Menzel’s name went viral online, becoming a staple within the internet vernacular and continues to be memed even to this day. Menzel embraced the botched intro and the memes that followed. The two would present an award together at the Oscars the following year, and fully leaned into the jokes and – as the song would suggest – just let it go.

Getty Images

Britney Spears is Accused of Animal Cruelty

Britney Spears’ performance of “Slave 4 U” at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards is still to this day one of the most talked-about moments in pop culture history. She took to the stage in a now-iconic serpentine ensemble, and if the snake motifs weren’t enough, she brought out the real thing. The performance featured her dancing with a live python draped over her shoulders. While the performance was widely praised for how bold it was, it also sparked controversy in a couple of ways. The two main reasons were because of the provocative nature of the performance and the ongoing conversation about the sexualization of young female pop stars.

Critics of her performance questioned the appropriateness of the show’s content, given Spears’ age at the time (though she was a legal adult at 20 years old), while others defended it as a groundbreaking moment in pop performance. It also sparked controversy among animal rights activists, namely PETA, for the supposed mistreatment of the snake and its use for live performance art. Regardless of the controversy, Spears’ performance is considered to be one of the most iconic performances in the show’s history.

Startraks/REX

Lady Gaga Stuns in… a Meat Dress?

Now, there have been some questionable fashion choices at award shows over the years, and no one is immune to a fashion faux pas, but what if the fashion choice in question is… raw meat? This is exactly what we saw at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Lady Gaga – at the time still a very new face in the pop music industry and fresh off the release of her debut album – definitely turned some heads when she appeared on the red carpet in a dress made entirely of raw meat. The outfit (unsurprisingly) sparked controversy, with critics of the ensemble debating its artistic merit and questioning the ethics of using animal products in such a way. However, some hailed Gaga’s bold fashion choice as a powerful commentary on the commodification of the human body and the nature of celebrity culture.

Gaga did later clarify the meaning behind the meat dress, saying in an interview on Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show that the meat dress was part of a protest against the United States military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy – a policy that placed government restrictions on gay soldiers. She clarified that she meant no offense with her meaty ensemble, and regardless of any and all debate, Gaga’s meat dress became one of the most memorable and talked-about fashion moments in VMA history and a defining moment in her career.

Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Kanye West Interrupts Taylor Swift’s “Thank You” Speech at the VMAs

It was the moment that – in Kanye’s words – made Taylor famous, and perhaps the most infamous night in VMAs and pop culture history. At the 2009 VMAs, 19-year-old Taylor Swift took to the stage to accept the Best Female Video Award for “You Belong With Me.” As Swift began her speech, West stormed the stage and grabbed the microphone (with a promise that he was going to “let her finish,” of course) to proclaim that Beyoncé “had one of the best videos of all time.” The incident sparked immediate outrage and controversy, igniting debates about race, sexism, and the nature of celebrity entitlement.

Swift reflected on this moment in her 2020 Netflix documentary “Miss Americana,” saying that in the moment when the crowd was booing West for the interruption, it felt as though they were booing her for her win, and she remarks it as a pivotal moment in her career. Some viewed West’s actions as a cringe-worthy example of egotism, though others saw it more as a reflection of the competitive nature of the music industry. The fallout from this moment drastically influenced the public’s perception of both artists and would be the catalyst for some of their work (and later involvement in each other’s careers).

Rich Polk/Getty Images

Jo Koy Takes Jabs (Unsuccessfully) at Taylor Swift at the Golden Globes

Now that we have taken a trip down memory lane, why not talk about the most recent unforgettable award show moment that left everyone uncomfortable? Comedian Jo Koy’s attempt to roast Taylor Swift at the Golden Globes was a textbook case of “read the room.” As Koy’s jokes landed with a thud, the camera caught Taylor’s unimpressed reaction, and the room filled with an awkward silence. The joke in question: “The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.” The moment sparked immediate reactions online, with Swifties rallying to her defense and critics questioning the appropriateness of targeting one of the industry’s biggest stars.

Award Shows Are About Much More Than Just The Winners and Losers.

They’re a stage for the unexpected, where anything can—and often does—happen. These unforgettable moments have left us talking, tweeting, and tuning in, proving that live TV is still the ultimate source of entertainment. Whether they shocked us, made us laugh, or left us cringing in our seats, these moments have cemented their place in pop culture history.

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