The fact that the Grammy ceremony is a very different show from the Oscars doesn’t mean that the producers and the dressing room behind it thought they were immune to the kind of thing that happened to Will Smith on Sunday. So says Jack Susman, head of the CBS Task Force, preparing for the 64th Grammy Awards this week in Las Vegas.
“I think you go to all the live shows in the sense that anything can and can happen,” said Saman, who said she still had PTSD from the infamous Super Bowl XXXVIII while working on the show with Janet Jackson. “If you’re surrounded by really talented people behind the scenes, you have a chance to deal with it, because you know it might not be a perfect outcome, but at least when it comes to creating television, it will be a good outcome.”
The Grammys have had their share of surprises on camera, for example when Michael Portnoy suddenly took the stage in 1998 with the phrase “I’m a bombshell” painted on Bob Dylan on his chest. (No, it wasn’t planned, but Dylan played like a pro.) That same year, Ol’ Dirty Bastard took the stage while Sean Colvin won Grammy’s song of the year. Strange things, but nothing compares to Smith’s punching of Chris Rock at the Oscars on Sunday.
“So, believe me, we talk about these things all the time,” Susman said. “So what do we do [so and so happens]”
Speaking of unexpected prospects, Kanye West may still be attending the Las Vegas show despite withdrawing from a scheduled live performance for “online behavior.” Vest, who racially abused Trevor Noah on the grounds that his ex-wife Kim Kardashian defended him on social media, will receive five Grammy Awards.
“If he chooses to come, it’s fine,” Susman said of West. “No one is stopping you from coming.”
The pandemic has forced the recording academy and CBS to postpone the Grammy ceremony, which meant looking elsewhere as the Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) was booked. According to Susman, the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Sin City is ideal because “the size of the stage is exactly the same as Staples.” CBS also hosted the country music academy there.
CBS and the Recording Academy have added more artists to their awards this weekend, including Maria Besera, John Legend, Silk Sonic and Carrie Underwood, as well as J. Balvin. Maverick City Music, Aymée Nuviola and Billy Strings will also feature in specials featuring Las Vegas and highlighting genres historically underrepresented at the Grammy Awards.
Previously announced artists include John Batiste, Osborne Brothers, BTS, Brandy Carlisle, Billy Elish, Cynthia Erivo, HER, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, Leslie Odom Jr., Nass, Ben Platt, Olivia Rodrigo, Chris Stapleton and Reich . Trevor Noah is hosting the show, which will be broadcast live from 8 am to 11:30 pm.
64th Annual Grammy Awards Produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Sound Recording Academy. Raj Kapoor is the showrunner and executive producer, Ben Winston and Jesse Collins are executive producers, and Jeanne Ruzan-Clay is executive producing. Hamish Hamilton Returns as Director, Eric Cook Returns as Executive Producer Tabitha D’Umo, Patrick Menton, Fatima Robinson and David Wilde as producers.
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Source: Deadline
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
