Twitter is a winner, no envelope necessary, on gaffe at Oscars
Feb 27, 2017, 10:03 AM | Updated: 10:55 am
(Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
In a mistake heard ’round the world, the wrong winner for best picture was announced at the Oscars on Sunday night. Social media knows an opportunity when it sees one.
Presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were given the wrong envelope, and Dunaway proclaimed the popular “La La Land” winner at the Academy Awards. Until a few minutes later, when “Moonlight” was officially declared the winner of the final category of the night.
There was confusion, there was embarrassment, there was shock.
And there was Twitter.
"I'm gonna switch the envelopes at the end." #Oscars pic.twitter.com/i5tw0qeRgp
— Ryan Dickey (@rdickey249) February 27, 2017
.@PwC you had one job pic.twitter.com/VqXSirZAi7
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) February 27, 2017
A lot of the Twitterverse jumped on the gaffe likening it to comedian Steve Harvey’s naming the wrong contestant winner of the Miss Universe pageant in 2015.
Best Picture Award: #Oscars pic.twitter.com/nBBTb6wusk
— Rosie Gardel (@Rocio_Garcya) February 27, 2017
"Personally I blame Steve Harvey for this." ~ Jimmy Kimmel 😂 pic.twitter.com/d8DJeA75Wn
— $av 🇮🇳 (@_suave_savvy) February 27, 2017
Harvey himself joked about the similarities.
Call me Warren Beatty. I can help you get through this! #Oscars
— Steve Harvey (@IAmSteveHarvey) February 27, 2017
Steve Harvey watching the #Oscars tonight… pic.twitter.com/nJUsuXUZHU
— Andre Meadows (@BlackNerd) February 27, 2017
Other reactions
the oscars, directed by m night shyamalan
— Bob Vulfov (@bobvulfov) February 27, 2017
Well come on, Bonnie & Clyde – they ARE robbers.
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) February 27, 2017
Good morning everybody! Went to sleep early last night. So… what I miss? #Oscars
— Steve Harvey (@IAmSteveHarvey) February 27, 2017
*checks envelope from 1998* #Oscars
— Air Bud (@AIRBUD) February 27, 2017
Maybe I won an Emmy one of the 5 times I lost! Anything is possible. Congrats to #Moonlight. An amazing and deserving best picture winner!
— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) February 27, 2017
Make no mistake, we really do have the best pictures… #Oscars pic.twitter.com/tj3W8VfkPl
— Toledo Museum of Art (@ToledoMuseum) February 27, 2017
There was some politics:
LaLa Land should have at least shown up in Wisconsin or Michigan and why did LaLa Land think Pennsylvania was a lay-up? #Oscars
— Eric Bolling (@ericbolling) February 27, 2017
Someone brought up John Travolta’s butchering of singer-actress’ Idina Menzel’s name:
#Oscars And the Academy Award for Best Picture goes to: MoonLala…Moana…? Moonland? pic.twitter.com/sNUUZjCDtd
— ScreenJunkies (@screenjunkies) February 27, 2017
There was a nod to history:
#Oscars pic.twitter.com/wh3QonbdsY
— neontaster (@neontaster) February 27, 2017
And there was speculation about how much longer accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers would be in charge of the ballots.
Wow. Someone is enjoying their last day in show business. #Oscars #MoonlightMovie
— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) February 27, 2017
The longtime Academy ballot counters — 82 years! — tweeted out an apology:
— PwC LLP (@PwC_LLP) February 27, 2017
Which led to another round of jokes on the internet.
Dear PwC, I would like to apply for the newly vacant role of envelope giver at the #Oscars.I can read and am alive.I await the job!
— adam (@adamgrimsley) February 27, 2017
#Oscars This is how #WarrenBeatty received your apologies 😂😂😂 #DickTraceyStyle @VancityReynolds pic.twitter.com/K5n5Ryivxc
— StephanieSteinbrecht (@SSteinbrecht) February 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/liztylink/status/836133214972358657