Poor Ariana DeBose is the center of another unfortunate awards show moment
Ariana DeBose became an awards season punchline for the second year running from Bella Ramsey's Critics Choice quip
Aux News Ariana DeBose
If you’re a certain type of awards show junkie, “Angela Bassett did the thing” is still a beloved part of your vocabulary. But though Ariana DeBose’s bizarre BAFTAs rap has now been embraced as iconic, let’s not forget the frenzy around it initially drove DeBose off social media in early 2023. The moment transformed DeBose from an Oscar winner into a meme, and made her an easy target. Presumably, that’s how she ended up the butt of another awards season joke at the Critics Choice Awards, which carried over into a headline at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
The quip (which The A.V. Club deemed one of the worst moments of the night) was delivered by The Last Of Us star Bella Ramsey, who while presenting highlighted “the actors who think that they’re singers”: Jack Black, Ryan Gosling, and DeBose. Perhaps the joke was meant to be ironic, given all three have genuine music careers (Black in Tenacious D, Gosling in Dead Man’s Bones). DeBose, of course, won her Oscar for West Side Story and was nominated for a Tony for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and was part of the original Broadway cast of Hamilton—as Ramsey’s co-presenter Anthony Ramos would well know. Whatever the case, the humor didn’t land, as was immediately obvious by the less-than-pleased expression on DeBose’s face when the camera cut her way.
“No I didn’t find it funny. Lol,” she posted on her Instagram Story after the ceremony. Social media largely sided with the Wish star, as friends and fans alike decried the joke as disrespectful. “If you think Ariana DeBose is an “actor who thinks she’s a singer,” you are so wrong it’s embarrassing,” writer Cinco Paul posted, sharing a clip from their musical comedy show Schmigadoon! Jamie Lee Curtis—who previously defended the BAFTAs rap as “joyous, celebratory, sisterly, hot, spicy”—also condemned the joke in a since-deleted Instagram post, writing, ““ARE YOU F-ING KIDDING ME! @arianadebose IS A QUEEN! #backthefuckoff #shutthefuckup.”
A spokesperson for the Critics Choice Awards confirmed to NBC News that the joke was scripted for Ramsey, who was merely reading lines off a teleprompter. Nevertheless, being the face of the joke, they bore the brunt of the backlash. It seems that Ramsey had a chance to apologize, however, because a photo of the pair embracing at the Emmys went viral after Monday night’s ceremony, which took place the day after the infamous Critics Choice moment.
All’s well that ends well—except that DeBose has now been an awards season punchline two years running. Here’s hoping that the trend ends with 2024.
61 Comments
Ah that’s shitty. Whoever wrote that joke needs to apologize.
Why, exactly? It’s a joke – a shitty, hacky, desperately lame joke that wouldn’t have been funny even if the premise was accurate, which it isn’t – but it’s *just a joke.* It wasn’t racist or misogynistic (the joke named two white men before her) or particularly insensitive (such as it might have been if DeBose had some kind of embarrassing failed musical career), it’s just a lame joke. DeBose is a successful actress with an Oscar to her name for a musical role, and whoever wrote that joke is a hacky anonymous tv writer. This is not “punching down” – DeBose is clearly the victor in this battle. Why is an apology necessary? This and the Taylor Swift joke from the Globes are the most basic, anodyne stuff and the current culture’s demand for apology for even the smallest offense is embarrassing.
Why do you think being a jerk is a virtue?You know what I do if I tell a too-mean joke when razzing my friends? I don’t say “fuck you it’s just a joke”. I apologize, because I’m not a sociopath.ym, apparently, mv
“You know what I do if I tell a too-mean joke when razzing my friends?”
OK, so what does this have to do with a 100% harmless fucking joke?
Good for you, that’s nice that you would apologize if you felt bad. I’m struggling to see how this joke is “too mean.” It is the lamest of jokes that isn’t even accurate in its premise. Had the joke been racist, misogynistic, insensitive, broadly offensive, then sure, I would have said that would be grounds for apology. Only the thinnest of skins would take offense at this.
Only the biggest of assholes tells someone whose feelings are hurt “fuck you, it’s a joke”I’d rather be falsely accused of having thin skin, than be an asshole.Btw, how does your reaction not count as having thin skin? You’re upset (to the point of making multiple comments), because you’re offended that people should apologize.
“Only the biggest of assholes tells someone whose feelings are hurt “fuck you, it’s a joke””
Only the most self-centred person takes an off-hand joke personally and broadcasts it.
Why are you projecting this hostility onto me? I do not have a direct line of communication to Ariana DeBose, so I am not “telling her” anything, and even if I did I would certainly not be prefixing it with “fuck you.” That’s entirely your addition to what I’m saying, which is “maybe this is not an offense to warrant an apology, maybe in life we just let some things go.” DeBose did not say her feelings were hurt, she said she didn’t find it funny. She didn’t call for an apology, so why would others on her behalf?I’m not offended, just baffled. I’m not even offended by you calling me an asshole and a sociopath on very little evidence, which I would posit is not a thing that nice people do.
“I apologize, because I’m not a sociopath.”We live in a post-internet age, sir. How dare you!
Funny how often people who apparently pride themselves on their politically correct virtue-signalling are still glad to use the language of mental illness to insult someone else. People suffering from mental illness need our love and support, not to be used as a term of scorn. This makes you an ableist and you are the worst person on the Internet for the next fifteen minutes.
its a joke. get over it. they said she was a singer and is not. they didn’t say she kills babies or hates homeless people.
You’re such a good, moral person. Congrats. Your life definitely has meaning.
I don’t know, man… If I said something publicly that was wildly inaccurate and unfunny in addition to being rude, I’d want to apologize.
Which would be entirely your choice, and if you wanted to, then more power to you. You sound like a nice polite person. What I’m rolling my eyes at is other people saying “they *need* to apologize” as though this was some deeply offensive remark instead of a bland awards show joke.
Because it’s both mean and not true.“but it’s *just a joke.*”Yes, the popular refrain of mean people everywhere. Thanks for identifying yourself.“This and the Taylor Swift joke from the Globes are the most basic, anodyne stuff and the current culture’s demand for apology for even the smallest offense is embarrassing.”My comment said literally nothing about Taylor Swift so I don’t know why you’re equating the two.
“Yes, the popular refrain of mean people everywhere.”
Eat shit, then get cancer.
See THAT’S mean. The Emmys joke was *literally* nothing.
Apologies for the cancer joke, though.
I’m equating them because they are both anodyne, useless jokes that the subjects of which are far, far above responding to beyond an eyeroll. So calls from the public to apologize for some grave injustice seem ludicrous. I’m not a mean person nor do I think that *actually harmful* jokes should be given a pass – really not a fan of the latest material from Gervais or Chappelle, for example – but this? This is wet bread.
“I’m equating them because they are both anodyne, useless jokes that the subjects of which are far, far above responding to beyond an eyeroll.”Okay but did I say Jo Koy needed to apologize to Taylor Swift? What does any of that have to do with what I said? Who are you talking to?“So calls from the public to apologize for some grave injustice seem ludicrous.”1) I am not “the public.” 2) I didn’t call it a “grave injustice.” 3) Saying this writer needs to apologize is not made ludicrous by the fact that someone else said Jo Koy needs to apologize.“I’m not a mean person nor do I think that *actually harmful* jokes should be given a pass”Right, and it’s only harmful, I guess, if it’s “racist,” “misogynistic,” or “particularly insensitive,” I guess? It’s not mean if it’s just, for absolutely no reason at all, telling someone that their profession is just a little hobby and implying furthermore that they aren’t that good at it. Especially someone who is relatively young and who is still actually, despite having won an Oscar, pretty early in her film career.* It has to cause Actual Harm (TM Oodlegruber, definition unclear, likely narrowly tailored and movable to avoid ever having to apologize) to warrant an apology.*And for the record, I think the strays at Gosling and Black were equally confusing and unnecessary, even though they are more established.
> Yes, the popular refrain of mean people everywhere. Thanks for identifying yourself.Is this your feeble attempt to gang up on and bully anyone who sticks up for the people you don’t like? Pretty poor look.
? One person cannot, by definition, constitute a “gang.” A guy who’s always right would know that, but then again he’d also know when and when not to use the word “whose,” so, idk.
Your apology accepted. Spoken like a gentleman.I need to get back to work.
Good idea.
and all jokes are need to be true? she needs to get over herself and move on. you are allowed to not like a joke or not think its funny. but to say someone needs to apologize is crazy. the more you overreact the more you prove them right about actors being over sensitive.
Maybe you should grow up and stop giving a fuck about jokes at awards ceremonies. Or jokes in general. You seem to think that acting like a perpetually offended 14 year old is some kind of virtue.
“Because it’s both mean and not true.”
It’s not mean, and it’s 100% true.
But go cry for your girlfriend, loser.
I think that, given that DeBose is a renowned singer, a joke saying she “thinks” she is a singer is another way of saying she sucks at what she does. It seems calculated to humiliate.
Okay but she plainly doesn’t suck, neither do Black or Gosling. They are all very competent singers. So the joke is toothless.
Whether a cheap shot hits or not has no bearing on whether it was a cheap shot.
Do you think it rises to the level of the writer of the joke needing to issue an apology? Or is it just something to roll your eyes at and move on with your day?
What the joke writer does or does not do (or may already have done or decided to not do for all I know), whether it accords with my preferences or not, has no bearing on me moving on with my day.
“given that DeBose is a renowned singer”
She’s not.
“Whoever wrote that joke needs to apologize.”
No. They fucking don’t.
If Jo Koy wrote it you would have laughed.
Weird assumption but okay.
What a brave stance on your part.
No, it wasn’t and no they don’t.
I haven’t seen a single person blame Ramsey for it. Which is pretty nice.
Why would anyone blame the person who was hired to read a teleprompter?
You don’t fuck with Lady Mormont.
For sure, I don’t think anyone blames her. She was probably just as embarrassed.
Clearly, she didn’t write the joke but it sucks that they made her deliver it.
She is also not throwing the joke writers under the bus.
Jack Black should be just as mad as DeBose. My man has a Grammy for best metal performance and two additional nominations.
Luckily for him, it wasn’t a real joke…it was only a tribute.
well played
Jack has also proven, more than once, that he has a legitimate singing voice.
Exactly. Black is a big goofy guy that sings about genitals so people kind of assume he actually can’t sing but the guy actually has a very good singing voice. Weird Al get knocked similarly. They both are accomplished musicians whos medium just happens to be comedy.
It’s like the ending of High Fidelity never happened!! He bloody tore it up on ‘Let’s Get It On’!
If he was really mad, he would use karate to kick some ass. He sang a song about it and everything
Skidoosh.
Jack Black can also take a joke.
Self-important asshole can’t take a joke.
More at 11.
Good god don’t they understand that overreacting to a joke is part of the cycle that will perpetuate more news stories about them. Look at Ryan Gosling laughing off the joke even though he worked really hard to actually play jazz piano for LaLa Land. You know there’s gonna be a camera in your face after the joke to get a reaction shot, just smile and shake your head and get the fuck over it.
“Good god don’t they understand that overreacting to a joke is part of the cycle that will perpetuate more news stories about them”Maybe they don’t care? It’s not as if the news stories are critical of them.
She didn’t overreact she just didn’t laugh.
And all’s well that ends ok.
So I’ll end this shit with a “Fck you, but have a nice day”
It’s a little funny to claim that Ryan Gosling’s one off novelty Halloween record from 15 years ago counts as a music career.
For performers the real message should be never to let them feed you crap to say over the Teleprompter without reviewing it first. Because if they give you something stupid to say, you’re going to be the one who gets the blame.
I’m going to make myself look like an old fuddy-duddy for saying this, but when are they going to pay that poor girl enough to afford a whole blouse?
Not only did they say she couldn’t sing …someone stole her shirt!
Is that a complaint?!