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Steve Harvey responds to Oscars Best Picture debacle

Photo credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Photo credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

From Digital Spy

The Best Picture Oscar debacle was certainly one for the history books, and it's a feeling that Steve Harvey knows all too well.

The bizarre moment at last night's (February 26) ceremony saw La La Land mistakenly named Best Picture by presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, when the award should actually have gone to Moonlight.

The La La Land producers were halfway through their speeches when a flurry of activity happened on stage, leading to the announcement that Moonlight had in fact won.

Of course, the internet went mad with memes, the first port of call for many being Harvey's infamous Miss Universe blunder in 2015, when he wrongly announced that Colombia had won over the Philippines.

The presenter has now responded to #envelopegate, joking on Twitter: "Good morning everybody! Went to sleep early last night. So... what I miss?"

He added: "Call me Warren Beatty. I can help you get through this!"

Speaking on his radio show The Steve Harvey Morning Programme, the presenter elaborated (via BuzzFeed): "He needs security because of this. Warren! I know your pain.

"I know all about this. I know more than anyone else about this in this world. I am the creator of these moments.

"Me and Warren handled it great. At least the producers of the Oscars, on that show, walked out and stood with him... they looked irritated and they corrected the mistake that night, unlike my situation."

It has since emerged that Beatty was given the envelope for Emma Stone's Best Actress win, rather than the Best Picture one.

Harvey compared it to his own gaffe, saying: "Somebody handed him a card with wrong information, just like that day. I remember it like it happened yesterday.

"Warren, I know your pain. I can help Warren Beatty get through this. I am going to show him how to handle it, with dignity and grace. Thank god for producers that stay strong with their talent. I can get Warren Beatty through this. Call me, Warren baby!"

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

PricewaterhouseCoopers, which oversees the Academy's ballot-counting process, has since apologised for the Best Picture debacle and promised a full investigation.

"We sincerely apologise to Moonlight, La La Land, Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway and Oscar viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture," they said in a statement.

"The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.

"We appreciate the grace with which the nominees, the Academy, ABC and Jimmy Kimmel handled the situation."


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