Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2022 April 17

= April 17 =

Why didn't Zelenskyy speak at the Oscars?
Why exactly didn't Zelenskyy speak at the Oscars? I was unable to find a sufficient explanation so far.--Hildeoc (talk) 00:21, 17 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Why exactly would he? HiLo48 (talk) 01:22, 17 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Well, he is an actor. —Tamfang (talk) 02:06, 17 April 2022 (UTC)


 * Maybe he had other things to do. --←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 02:35, 17 April 2022 (UTC)


 * Apparently the idea was pitched by co-host Schumer but not taken up. Although the linked article states it was "rejected" by the Academy, it is not clear it was even considered. Given the somewhat frivolous nature of the occasion, it is not obvious that Zelenskyy would have accepted an invitation, if any. --Lambiam 05:56, 17 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Sean Penn thought he should. Zelensky did speak by pre-recorded message at the Grammy Awards  so it seems unlikely that he would have declined an invitation to do the same at the Oscars, had it been offered.  Alansplodge (talk) 08:38, 17 April 2022 (UTC)
 * According to this NYT article, "Mr. Zelensky’s aides sought a last-minute slot at the Oscar ceremony" but allegedly the organisers said that "they don’t want to overly politicize the show". Alansplodge (talk) 08:47, 17 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Organisers felt they needed stuff to increase interest in the Oscars. They were thinking a post ceremony video of Sean Penn melting his Oscar would help with that but they ended up getting more than they ever wanted with Will Smith. Nil Einne (talk) 19:42, 18 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Heaven forbid the Oscars being political! --2603:6081:1C00:1187:E1C8:EB4B:B72C:861C (talk) 19:29, 22 April 2022 (UTC)