Within the battle of the “Barbie” tunes, “What Was I Made For?” was the far-and-away favourite over “I’m Simply Ken” within the Greatest Unique Music race on the 2024 Oscars on Sunday evening.
Certainly, the tune went on to make singer Billie Eilish, 22, and her producer brother Finneas, 26, the youngest two-time Oscar winners in historical past.
(This after the unstoppable siblings had already earned the distinguished Music of the 12 months prize on the Grammys final month.)
However Ryan Gosling, 43, nonetheless gained the evening when he introduced all of his Kenergy to the stage on the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
It was a show-stopping quantity in contrast to any that the Academy Awards had seen earlier than.
Immediately, Gosling’s Kenfest joined the ranks of those wackiest Oscar musical performances ever.
Ray Parker Jr., “Ghostbusters” (1985)
The sight of the orange-jumpsuited singer cavorting throughout the stage with a troupe of ghosts and different assorted ghouls was really scary. As was the truth that Stevie Marvel’s “I Simply Known as to Say I Love You” not solely beat out the No. 1 smash “Ghostbusters” however the likes of Phil Collins’ “In opposition to All Odds (Take a Take a look at Me Now),” Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose” and Deniece Williams’ “Let’s Hear It for the Boy.”
Geoffrey Holder, “Kiss the Lady” and “Beneath the Sea” (1990)
Though Samuel E. Wright sang these two Alan Menken-Howard Ashman tunes because the voice of Jamaican crab Sebastian in 1989’s “The Little Mermaid,” actor-dancer Holder took the efficiency plunge for each nominated songs earlier than “Beneath the Sea” gained the Oscar. However the tacky choreography — by Paula Abdul, only one yr after “Straight Up” went No. 1 — and even cheesier costumes have been a complete washout.
Nell Carter, “Pal Like Me” (1993)
Though Robin William unbottled his genie powers singing “Pal Like Me” in 1992’s “Aladdin,” Tony-winning actress Nell Carter tried to puff up the jam in her MC Hammer pants earlier than the tune misplaced the intramural battle to “A Entire New World” on Oscar evening. Give us a break.
Robin Williams, “Blame Canada” (2000)
Williams getting his Rockette on performing this tune from “South Park: Larger, Longer & Uncut” is the form of high-kicking hilarity that solely the late comedian genius may pull off.
Björk, “I’ve Seen It All” (2001)
Two phrases: swan gown.
Kathleen “Chook” York, “Within the Deep” (2006)
The one factor worse than “Crash” by some means beating “Brokeback Mountain” for Greatest Image on the 2006 Academy Awards was York performing this tune from the ensemble movie full with slow-motion dancers, dry ice and, sure, a burning automobile.
Three 6 Mafia and Taraji P. Henson, “It’s Exhausting Out Right here for a Pimp” (2006)
The 2006 Oscars additionally produced a musical quantity that wild in all the correct methods when hip-hop went Hollywood as Three 6 Mafia rocked the Kodak Theatre stage with “Hustle & Movement” actress Taraji P. Henson. And “It’s Exhausting Out Right here for a Pimp” went on to change into the primary rap observe to win Greatest Unique Music. Nothing wack about that.
Varied Artists, “Every thing Is Superior” (2015)
Legos as constructing toys are superior. Legos as musical efficiency inspiration? Not a lot. Not even with the motliest of crews together with Tegan and Sara, the Lonely Island, Will Arnett, Questlove and Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh.
Ryan Gosling, “I’m Simply Ken” (2024)
Rocking a glittery pink swimsuit, Ryan Gosling introduced down the home with a troupe of Cowboy Kens, Weapons N’ Roses guitar god Slash and an epic group karaoke that included everybody from “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie to Greatest Actress winner Emma Stone. With a fabulously over-the-top quantity that harked again to Marilyn Monroe’s efficiency of “Diamonds Are a Lady’s Greatest Pal” in “Gents Favor Blondes,” it hardly mattered that “I’m Simply Ken” went on to lose to a different “Barbie” tune, Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?”