Why the Oscars' Envelope Snafu Didn't Hurt Its Chances With Emmy Voters

AWARDS BEAT

A version of this story first appeared in the Down to the Wire issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.

When it comes to giving out awards to people for giving out awards to other people, the Emmys have always loved the Oscars. Not only have the Academy Awards won more Emmys than any other awards show over the years, but the Motion Picture Academy’s shindig back in February landed six more nominations this year, plus another one for Oscar.com’s “All Access” experience.

Meanwhile — and we know that this might be beside the point, but we’ll mention it anyway — the “And the Winner is … ” episode of “Feud: Bette and Joan,” set entirely on Oscar night, 1963, got another three nominations.

Plus, the two documentaries that won Oscars this year, the feature “O.J.: Made in America” and the short “The White Helmets,” are both up for Emmys. And there’s a little extra kick to their nominations, because the ESPN miniseries “O.J.” prompted a backlash that ended with multi-part docs being banned from Oscar consideration, while “The White Helmets” became the first Netflix film to win an Academy Award.

Also Read: New Oscars Rules Knock Out Multi-Part Documentaries Like 'OJ: Made in America'

So yes, Emmy loves Oscar. And this year, that meant looking past that mess with the envelopes.

You remember it, right? An absent-minded accountant gave Warren Beatty the wrong envelope, and “La La Land” was initially announced as Best Picture instead of the rightful winner, “Moonlight.” The fiasco got a couple of PwC accountants tossed off the Oscar gig and caused abundant stress in the halls of the Academy, but it scarcely bothered producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd when they talked to TheWrap about their nominations a couple months later.

“It’s live TV, so we never thought the envelope mix-up would restrict anybody’s appreciation of the show,” De Luca said. “If there was an awards show for accounting firms, I guess it would have impacted that.”

In fact, added Todd, the wild ending might actually have helped the Oscars. “The research and feedback we got said that the envelope was a very positive aspect of people’s watching experience,” she said. “The audience really liked that moment — as much as it was a surprise to us, it was a positive. They now know that anything can happen, which might actually help us with next year’s show.”

Also Read: Oscars Stage Manager Details PwC Accountants' Incompetence: 'They Froze' (Exclusive)

De Luca and Todd will be back to produce the show in 2018, and so will this year’s Oscar host, Jimmy Kimmel.

“This next show is the 90th anniversary, so we’re thinking about it with an eye to how special that is,” said De Luca. “But I think right at the top of our wish list is anything that gets us a slightly shorter show.”

Whatever the length, they can rest assured that Emmy voters will love them.

Read more from the Down to the Wire issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.

21 Best and Worst Oscars Moments of 2017, From Viola Davis to Warren Beatty (Photos)

This year's Academy Awards featured an insanely cute kid, some uncomfortable name-shaming -- and one of the biggest flubs in the nearly 100-year history of the ceremony
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WORST: People Magazine editor and red carpet host Jess Cagle revived this year's Golden Globes faux pas, mentioning "Hidden Fences" as one of 2016's extraordinary films.
ABC
BEST: Jimmy Kimmel honors Meryl Streep with a standing ovation and a tongue-in-cheek homage to an actress who "has stood the test of time for her many uninspiring and overrated performances"
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BEST: "Moonlight" star Mahershala Ali gives a touching speech honoring his grandmother and four-day-old child after winning the Oscar for Best Actor
Getty Images
WORST: Critically panned superhero flick "Suicide Squad" wins an Oscar for makeup, giving the film as many Academy Awards as "Citizen Kane"
Warner Bros.
BEST: The cast of "Hidden Figures" brings out one of the film's true-life inspirations, NASA scientist Katharine Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson in the movie)
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BEST: The rich get richer: Jimmy Kimmel floated bags of sweets to the crowd with a massive balloon drop
ABC
WORST/BEST: "Moana" star Auli'i Cravalho got hit in the head with a flag while performing the song "How Far I'll Go" from the Disney film, but the 16-year-old wasn't flustered and brought down the house with her singing
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BEST: "Fences'" Viola Davis gives an emotional speech honoring her family and August Wilson after accepting her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress
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BEST: After Iran's "The Salesman" won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, director Asghar Farhadi (who boycotted the ceremony) explained his reasons in a heartfelt and pointed statement read by an Iranian-American engineer and astronaut
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BEST: Jimmy Kimmel brings a bus full of Hollywood tourists to the front row of the Academy Awards -- and Denzel Washington unofficially marries an engaged couple
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WORST: Jimmy Kimmel makes fun of one of the tourists' name, while saying "now that's a name" to her husband, named Patrick
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WORST: Seth Rogen (poorly) sings "Hamilton" songs while presenting the Academy Award for Best Film Editing alongside Michael J. Fox
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BEST/WORST: Kimmel conducts a brief interview with "Lion" star Sunny Pawar, but an homage to Disney's "Lion King" comes off a little awkward
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BEST: Kimmel tries to engage the President on his preferred medium: Twitter
Twitter
BEST: The host unveils an Oscar-themed version of one of his late-night show's signature bits, Mean Tweets
ABC
BEST: Kimmel introduces presenters Ben Affleck and erstwhile rival Matt Damon as "Ben Affleck and guest," and has Damon played off by the orchestra during his announcement of the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay
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WORST: Halle Berry incorrectly pronounces "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle's name as "Shazeel" when announcing his win for Best Director
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BEST: "Manchester by the Sea" director Kenneth Lonergan wins his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and says his film is "about people trying to take care of each other in terrible diversity" in a heartfelt speech
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WORST: Emma Stone wins the Oscar for Best Actress for musical "La La Land," despite her lack of top-end singing skills -- and a field including Isabelle Huppert, Meryl Streep and Natalie Portman
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WORST: Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway had one job -- correctly announce the Best Picture winner -- and screwed that up, mistakenly naming "La La Land" instead of the actual victor, "Moonlight." Oscars accounting firm PwC later apologized, saying the wrong envelope had made its way into their hands.
Getty Images

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