I could go on and on, but today I wanted to discuss five live moments that did not go as planned which were not funny, they were just plain awkward. Leaving many people, including the people there, wondering WTF they just saw! And these are from entertainment broadcasts, no news moments since those kind of stories aren’t funny right now.
Tonight Show w Jay Leno (Cheers Show)
Man was this a bad idea. Love or hate Jay Leno, you had to feel bad for him here. The night that Cheers went off the air, Jay Leno hosted a live show at the real Bull and Finch Bar in Boston. This was a BAR. Can you see the mess up here? Yeah everyone was drunk, I mean really drunk, which caused Leno to scramble. Some sketches had to be scrapped and it was basically a very strange hour. Leno would call the show a “mistake” and he made sure that didn’t happen again. I read that Ted Danson apologized the next day with flowers, but knowing Leno he just shrugged the whole thing off as one of those mistakes we make in life.
Academy Awards (Rob Lowe Opening, 1989)
There are a lot of Academy Awards awkwardness I could put here. From a naked man running behind David Niven to Michael Moore ranting about George Bush in his acceptance speech to David Letterman’s awful turn at hosting. But this one is flat out famous. Or is that infamous? I’m proud to say I did see this, and it’s as bad as everyone says. Ever wonder they don’t do big flashy opening numbers at the Academy Awards anymore? What happened in 1989 could be the reason. Ok, let me try to described this. First Snow White comes out to sing….wait. Snow White? When has Snow White ever been called a legend of Hollywood? But yeah she comes out and starts to sing to the audience…who mostly look embarrassed! What does Snow White have to do with Hollywood? The act continues with this campy over the top number including Merv Griffin. Merv Griffin?? Then Snow White is introduced to her date….Rob Lowe! Yes it gets worst, when Lowe sings (badly!) to Snow White and serenades her. It was awkward, it was uncomfortable, and it wouldn’t end! It went on for fifteen minutes!! By the way, it clearly the Disney version of Snow White and was used without permission. To say the least, Disney was pissed. And so were most of the people in the audience. This was just bad!
Emmy Awards (Opening, 2013)
Give the Rob Lowe thing a little credit, at least it was scripted and planned. It wasn’t five people standing on the stage like dopes. That’s what happened a few years ago when Tom Bergeron, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandell, Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest hosted the Emmy’s. Someone brilliant must have decided “hey, they’re “reality” stars why not let them be “real” on stage!” We can only hope that dimwit was fired. Because this was awful as the five just kind of stood there, looking uncomfortable and miserable.
Kanye West (need I say more?)
Seriously, what the hell is it with this guy? I am not fan of his music but, what is his problem? There was the telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims where he blurted out that President Bush hates black people. The look on poor Mike Myer’s face! Even worst was the 2009 MTV Music Awards. Taylor Swift won but before she could give her speech West stormed the stage, grabbed the mike and proclaims that Beyonce was amazing. The look on Swift’s shocked face told the story. He sort of did this again just recently at the Grammy’s. And I know everyone makes fun of this today, even West himself, but I still find that one of the craziest moments ever.
Saturday Night Live (Sinead O’Connor in 1992)
SNL is no stranger to odd things happening in the middle of the live show. There was the time Charles Rocket dropped the F bomb. Then there was the fiasco with Ashley Simpson, when she started to sing the wrong song and just walked off stage. The list of horrible hosts could go on all day from Steve Forbes to Steven Segal to even Chevy Chase. Milton Berle was utterly hated by the cast the one time he was on. I could do ten lists of the sketches which rubbed people the wrong way. Even the opening monologue is not safe, just ask Martin Lawrence who’s profane monologue can’t be heard anywhere anymore. But the biggest moment had to be in 1992. Sinead O’Connor was singing her son WAR and ripped a picture of a refugee kid at the end of her song during rehearsal. That isn’t quite what happened in the live show, when she ripped up a picture of the pope instead! While singing the word EVIL! And then said “Fight the real enemy”, as she threw the pieces on the floor. WTF? The studio went so quiet that it was, well, uncomfortable. And the switchboard was lit up. This was references the next week by Joe Pesci who said if that had been his show, he would have punched her. I love Joe Pesci.
Alright my friends, are there any awkward moments from live TV you’ve never forgotten? Comment and let me know.
Kanye West's antics could be the whole list. It's funny and sad at the same time.
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