5 Most WTF-Worthy Oscar Musical Moments

Every year the hype surrounding the Academy Awards tricks us into thinking we’re about to catch something exciting on TV, but inevitably the telecast is one big, much-too-long snoozefest. (I mean, how many people can a person really thank for best sound-mixing?) In honor of the instances that have actually succeeded in making it interesting over the years, we’ve rounded up five of the most WTF-worthy moments, starting with the undisputed queen of them all: Björk and her swan dress.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnEJUio2DiE

You remember it well: In 2001, Björk inspired a worldwide WHA?! moment when she came on stage to sing “I’ve Seen It All” from the impossibly gloomy film Dancer In The Dark. If that wasn’t enough, it was her bizarre onstage antics (i.e. the squawking and bobbing around like a swan with its’ head cut off) that really pushed the WTF-o-meter into the red. In short, she was a fine-feathered hot mess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ0XGi_LVOU

This bizarre 1989 Oscar musical outing featured dancing stars, actress Eileen Bowman playing a squeaky live-action Snow White, a showtune-belting Merv Griffin and Rob Lowe, who at the time was in boiling water over his sex, lies and videotapes. Yes, I know, I am confused myself. Messy lyrics, sloppy production and an excruciatingly long twelve-minute running time make up this WTF Oscar train wreck. You’ve gotta love the ’80s.

Hey y’all! Remember when Gwyneth Paltrow was in her cowgirl phase, taking the Oscar stage in 2010 to perform “Coming Home” from Country Strong? It was the worst impression of Madonna’s “Don’t Tell Me” video ever. It’s no wonder the two ex-besties don’t talk anymore. 

Nothing makes sense about Kathleen Bird York’s 2005 performance of Oscar-nominated song “In The Deep,” from the Best Picture-winning film Crash. Zombie-like actors circling a car engulfed in flames, the guy kneeling in front like he doesn’t even recognize its there, the dad clutching his daughter, running in slow-motion across the stage? Weird, weird, weird. Sorry I just made you watch that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIuTSrBtYF4

Don’t panic, no one put LSD in your coffee. What you’re seeing is a Paula Abdul choreo-jacked performance of 1990’s Oscar-nominated tunes “Kiss the Girl” and “Under the Sea” from the Little Mermaid. This bonafide Oscar disaster should have been left under the sea forever. Oh, and clever touch having Mermaids star Daryl Hannah introducing the number.