Oscars 2023: The most embarrassing moments of the night

One of the greatest draws of the Oscars ceremony is its manifold, cringe-worthy moments, as reliable as its tear-filled, statuette-clutching dedications to parents and producers or the Best Picture winner epitomising innocuous populism. We back our horses to the hilt (read: Top Gun: Maverick, Steven Spielberg, Tár, the cast of The Banshees of Inisherin, Paul Mescal), but even when none of them come up trumps, at least there's a feast of nourishing schadenfreude.

Last night was relatively harmless, all told, without a Slapgate or a La La Land-nay-Moonlight in sight; if there was a defining narrative it was that of the feel-good comeback, from the culmination of the Brendanaissance to Michelle Yeoh's historic victory as only the second woman of colour to take home Best Actress. Indeed even the Everything, Everywhere All at Once sceptics of the world can appreciate what such a platter of awards means for Asian-American representation in Hollywood, as last year's saccharine easy-watcher CODA marked a bellwether moment for deaf visibility on screen. None of that's to say, however, that the Oscars 2023 didn't boast its share of cringe.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 12: Jimmy Kimmel delivers his opening monologue at the 95th Academy Awards in the Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Myung J. Chun/Getty Images

What is it with American comics and tired Irish stereotypes? Following SNL's weird, straight-out-of-the-'80s pre-Oscars sketch in which Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson were portrayed as unintelligible drunkards ("they haven't even started drinking yet," jibed one of the hosts), ceremony compère Jimmy Kimmel pulled out another anti-gaelic stinker in his opening monologue. 

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The big Irish betrayal of Oscars 2023

Cheap jokes and snubs for The Banshees of Inisherin meant Colin Farrell, Paul Mescal – and frankly, Ireland – didn't get the night it deserved

In a call back to Will Smith's infamous slap of Chris Rock twelve months ago, Kimmel referred to Irish talent making up twenty-five per cent of this year's nominee slate — in less than flattering terms, alas. “Five Irish actors are nominated tonight,” he said, “which means the odds of another fight onstage just went way up.” Thankfully he had the good grace for the L-word to remain unstated.

He later offered a baffling “fan question” to Farrell, saying that they wanted to know what the Oscar-nominee was saying during The Banshees of Inisherin. Farrell's retort? “I'd like him to go on YouTube and check out the SNL skit from last night.” Good on you, lad.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 12: (L-R) Elizabeth Banks and Cocaine Bear speak onstage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)Kevin Winter/Getty Images

For whatever reason, the dull and ugly sum-of-its-title creature feature Cocaine Bear made a lot of money at the box office over the past month, popularity that an Academy Awards in the throes of existential diminishing viewership latched onto with a weird cameo. Director of the so-bad-it's-bad B-movie Elizabeth Banks was recruited to present the Best Visual Effects award, joined on stage by her awkward furry film star, presumably on a rehab day pass.

“I recently directed the film Cocaine Bear," Banks said, “And without visual effects, this is what the bear would look like,” as a man in a bear costume awkwardly performed a bunch of Kung-Fu moves. He then started tapping his nose. “Are you trying to score right now? You have to wait until the after-party like everyone else,” she continued. Speaking as someone whose first thought on waking up at god knows what time this morning was of how long the line for the cubicles of the Vanity Fair party bathrooms must have already been, at least that was comically self-aware.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 12: (L-R) Malala Yousafzai and host Jimmy Kimmel speak during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)Kevin Winter/Getty Images

You're presenting the biggest awards ceremony on the planet, and one of the guests is Malala Yousafzai, the education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner who, at the age of 15, was almost shot to death by the Taliban. What do you say to her? Well, you probably don't ask her about one of the more trivial moments of the just-passed film season. But you and I are not Jimmy Kimmel, who saw wise to ask Yousafzai about so-called Spitgate in a mid-awards segment last night, the widely debunked event that set the internet ablaze in the autumn after Harry Styles was alleged to have spat on Chris Pine during the Don't Worry Darling premiere.

To be fair, it was an attempt at a quip — sort of like the aforementioned Irish jokes that Kimmel had made earlier. “Your work on human rights and education for women and children is an inspiration,” the comic set up. “As the youngest Nobel Prize winner in history, I was wondering, do you think Harry Styles spit on Chris Pine?” We get it, juxtaposition of serious and silly, but even the gag is five months out of date.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 12: Lenny Kravitz performs onstage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Jokes aside, this was just sad. Charlbi Dean, the up-and-coming star of Best Picture nominee Triangle of Sadness, tragically passed away at the age of 32 in August last year, just a few months after the 0.1-percenter satire took the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival with her performance winning deserved acclaim across the board.

Unfortunately Dean wasn't included in the broadcast In Memoriam segment, this year introduced by John Travolta with a heartful dedication to Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John. She might not have made the televised shortlist, but Dean is still memorialised on… the Oscars website. Deeply embarrassing stuff.