Don't Blame Warren Beatty, Blame 2017

Although most (if not almost all of Hollywood's fans) would have assumed the craziest moment during the 2017 Academy Awards would have been some poignant anti-President Donald Trump moment, most (if not all of Hollywood's fans) would have been wrong. Warren Beatty accidentally named La La Land the winner of the coveted Best Picture award, when the Oscar rightfully belonged to Moonlight. However, we shouldn't blame Warren Beaty for reading the wrong Oscar card. Honestly, isn't that what 2017 is for, anyway?

Just when audience members and viewers thought the night would end in a normal (if not almost painfully obvious) way, drama struck. Warren Beatty, who was tasked with presenting the award for Best Picture, announced La La Land as the winner. While the cast and crew took what they thought to be their rightful place on the Oscar stage, some even beginning to give thoughtful and emotional acceptance speeches, something was obviously amiss. Individuals with headsets started to rush the stage, whispering with those in the background and away from the microphone. Slowly but surely, the truth was revealed: the wrong film was announced. It was Moonlight, not La La Land, that rightfully won the most coveted award of the evening and, well, there was some explaining to do.

Beatty went on to tell the crowd (and the countless viewers across the country) that he actually read the wrong card. He even explained the somewhat-long pause he gave, prior to announcing La La Land as the winner, because he was confused. He was handed a card for Best Actress, a card that was previously read and announced Emma Stone, for La La Land, as the winner. So, instead of questioning what was sure to be a very perplexing situation, Beatty simply announced the film that was on the card. Whoops.

As one could easily suspect (or, well, at least anyone who has ever used the internet for all of two seconds) viewers were a bit unkind to Beaty. Then again, many took to Twitter to defend the actor because, hey, how can someone be faulted for reading the card they were handed? Here are just a few of the tweets going to bat and defending Beatty and his now memorable, infamous mishap:

Sure, it would be pretty easy to poke fun at such a pubic faux pas, but think back to the last time you made a mind-numbingly painful mistake, dear reader. I mean, I can name 20 in the last week without breaking a sweat. At least when I mess up, I don't do it in front of millions of people. So, in the end, it's best to cut Beatty some slack. At least this Oscars was interesting, right?