The 2024 Oscars ceremony took an unexpected turn when Jimmy Kimmel, the host of the show, playfully mocked Al Pacino's Best Picture flub.
The incident has ignited a debate among viewers, with some finding humor in Kimmel's remarks while others deem them disrespectful.
In a clip aired on "Live With Kelly and Mark," Kimmel jokingly criticized Pacino's presentation of the award, suggesting that AI Pacino had never watched an awards show before.
Kimmel shared his amusement with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, highlighting how everyone in America knows the rhythm and anticipation of the award announcement, but Pacino seemed to have missed the memo.
Unlike the previous presenters who announced each of the 10 nominees, the "Godfather" star directly revealed the victor without creating anticipation and suspense.
“This is the time for the last award of the evening, and it’s my honor to present it. Ten wonderful films were nominated, but only one will take the award for Best Picture,” Pacino read.
“And, uh, I have to go to the envelope for that, and I will. Here it comes. And my eyes see ‘Oppenheimer.’ Yes. Yes,” he directly revealed the name of the winning movie.
Pacino's sudden announcement surprised the whole audience when he skipped the nominated films and directly read the name of the winning film.
The incident caused regret among viewers and caused them to express their emotions on social media.
“I wish Pacino read all the nominees first. I'm looking forward to seeing exciting reels and a bit of tension instead of a live 'boom',” one person posted on X.
“This is the downside of older legends giving out the biggest awards,” said a second person.
“Didn't anyone tell him that he had to read the names of the nominated films before the winning ones?” a third user asked.
“Is he drunk?” Another user said.
Some viewers feel that his comments were lighthearted and in line with his comedic persona, while others argue that it was disrespectful to Pacino, an esteemed actor and Hollywood legend.
Critics on social media expressed their disappointment, suggesting that elderly presenters should be paired with younger stars or that the nominees should have been announced beforehand.
However, there were also voices of support for Pacino.
Some defended him by pointing out that the non-announcement of the nominees for Best Picture was consistent with the treatment of other categories, such as Best Song, where the songs were performed and the movies highlighted during the ceremony.
According to a source, Pacino's brief speech was actually a creative decision by the production team, despite Kimmel's teasing.
They argued that it is a common occurrence at the end of awards shows, particularly when older presenters are involved.
