Cher’s Grammys Blunder Adds to Award Show Mistake Legacy

At the recent Grammy Awards, Cher, the iconic singer, made headlines for an unexpected blunder. The ceremony had largely gone smoothly, though a few minor technical issues crept up during the performances. However, Cher’s moment on stage became a focal point of discussion.

Cher’s Grammys Blunder

During her appearance, Cher, 79, humorously admitted to struggling with speaking in front of an audience. She initially left the stage only to return to present the award for Record of the Year. Unfortunately, her announcement went awry when she mistakenly identified the winning track and artist.

A Memorable Mistake

After receiving a lifetime achievement award, Cher addressed the audience but faced difficulty while announcing the nominees. When she opened the envelope, she proclaimed, “Oh, the Grammy goes to Luther Gandross!”—a mix-up that combined Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s song with the name of legendary singer Luther Vandross, who passed away in 2005.

Realizing her error, Cher corrected herself soon after. SZA later acknowledged the slip with kindness, suggesting that Cher might have been connecting with Vandross’s energy. The mishap contributed to the legacy of memorable award show errors.

Historic Award Show Errors

Cher’s blunder joins a long list of notable mistakes during award shows. For example, at the 2014 Academy Awards, John Travolta mispronounced Idina Menzel’s name, creating an infamous on-stage moment. The following year, Menzel playfully addressed Travolta with a joke referencing the incident.

• At the 2015 Miss Universe contest, host Steve Harvey mistakenly announced Miss Colombia as the winner.
• Al Pacino created confusion at the 2024 Oscars by omitting the announcement of the best picture nominees.
• The 2017 Oscars featured a monumental mix-up when “La La Land” was incorrectly named the best picture before the real winner, “Moonlight,” was revealed.

These instances highlight the unpredictable nature of live television, where mistakes can evoke both laughter and surprise. Following the Grammy Awards, Leon Thomas, an award-winning R&B artist, even praised Cher’s blunder as a favorite moment of the evening.

Cher’s Grammys blunder has certainly added another chapter to the history of award show mistakes. As audiences continue to enjoy the glitz and glamour of such events, these moments of human error remind us that even the biggest stars are not immune to occasional slip-ups.