If you turned off ABC-TV’s coverage of the Academy Awards just as the final “thank you” speech was gearing up, you missed the Oscar for “best drama in an otherwise boring awards show.”
In a slip-up for the ages, presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced — after some obvious confusion on Beatty’s part — that “La La Land” had snagged the Oscar for best picture. Actually, they had been handed the card for best actress (Emma Stone in “La La Land”), and the gaffe wasn’t exposed until a producer of “La La Land” interrupted the acceptance speeches to tell the producers of “Moonlight” they were the true winners.
“This isn’t a joke,” Jordan Horowitz told the stunned crowd, motioning for the “Moonlight” representatives to come onstage.
The confusion was reminiscent of the flubbed crowning in the Miss Universe pageant last year. PwC, the accounting firm that tabulates the balloting and handles the envelopes on awards night, apologized for the mistake.
SNAFU aside, did the best film finally prevail? Was “Moonlight” the right choice, or did “La La Land” deserve the top prize? Or “Manchester by the Sea?” Or another of the nominated films?
Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to elaborate in the comments section?
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