Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have both won People’s Choice Awards.
But of course, both were absent from the awards show. In case you missed it, Swift is in Australia for her Eras tour.
Okay, fine. It’s been impossible to miss.
Kelce won the Athlete award after last week taking out Super Bowl LVIII with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Swift won the Pop Artist award, the Social Celebrity award and the Concert Tour award for the Eras Tour.
Barbie star Simu Liu’s opening monologue made reference to Golden Globes host Jo Koy when he described himself as: “An Asian host of a major awards show, what could possibly go wrong?” before he seemingly referenced Barbie when he spoke about “the most iconic pop culture moment of the year”.
“Who could forget that one little movie about a blonde American icon that had the entire country dressing up, dancing the night away and making huge waves at the box office,” he said.
“I’m talking of course about Taylor Swift the Eras tour movie.”
“I was a Swiftie long before I was Ken,” he clarified to applause.
Barbie gets the love it didn’t get at the BAFTAs
Just hours earlier, Barbie went home empty handed at the BAFTAs.
But at the People’s Choice Awards, Barbie won the Movie award, the Comedy Movie award, Barbie World by Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua won the Collaboration Song award, Male Movie Star went to Ryan Gosling, Margot Robbie won Female Movie Star and America Ferrera won the Movie Performance of the Year trophy.
“You, the audience, the people, you made Barbie a global cultural phenomenon, thank you,” Ferrera said.
Ferrera thanked the “incomparable” Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie who she said deserved “all the flowers”.
“It feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of a bold and inspiring masterpiece and to get to speak words of truth that so many of us needed to hear out loud, so thank you Margot and Greta. I love you.”
She also acknowledged how deeply Barbie resonated with fans.
“This movie Barbie, at the heart of what it is, it is an invitation to all of us to embrace our full selves.”
Billie Eilish, who was on stage for the speech, was also a winner on the night.
Eilish took home the TV Performance award for her role in Swarm – her first acting gig.
Two icons, two vastly different speeches
Adam Sandler was crowned the People’s Icon and in his acceptance speech, he did what he did best — entertained — delivering a self-deprecating acceptance speech… for the wrong award.
“This is going to be a little humiliating,” he started.
“When my agent called me and said I won the People’s Choice Icon Award, I was driving. I had him on speakerphone and I was also eating frosted flakes and… I think I misheard him.
“I thought he said congratulations Adam, you won the People Magazine Sexiest Man Alive, so anyway, I wrote a speech for that.”
Sandler said it was “about time,” putting on a voice and giving a lengthy speech in which he called on the audience to respond to his proclamations with a “hell yeah”.
“To the People Magazine’s academy members of hotness and sexual attractiveness,” Sandler said.
“I would like to say thank you for recognising me as the man who made our entire country the horniest this year. And was by far the most talked about person in the bedroom by couples or throuples during fantasy role play and slappy time.”
Sandler has mostly played comedic roles throughout his decades-long career, starting with Saturday Night Live in 1990, before moving on to star in films such as Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore.
More recently, he’s starred in the Netflix comedy Murder Mystery and the crime thriller Uncut Gems.
And as a true mark of pop culture relevance, he’s been referenced on The Simpsons, South Park and Family Guy.
Lenny Kravitz was recognised as the Music Icon and gave a vastly different speech.
“When I was thinking of what to say tonight, I kept going back to that word icon,” Kravitz said.
“And it means a lot of things to a lot of people.
“But to me, it means you’ve made an indelible mark by being who God created you to be and daring to be different.
“When I was first coming up, a lot of people offered me a lot of deals, but they wanted me to change.
“My music wasn’t black enough. It wasn’t white enough. It didn’t fit nicely inside a box or sound like what was on the radio at the time.
“And I turned down the money and the goods and promises of fame and stardom because I couldn’t live with myself doing something inauthentic.”
He said an icon to him is someone who inspires and teaches others to believe in themselves and their direction.
“I was a fan of music long before I was a musician,” Kravitz said.
“And my mantra now is the same as it was 35 years ago.
“Never follow the trends, set your own pace and recognise that the best is right here, right now, in front of you.”
Kravitz performed a medley of his hits including It Ain’t Over ’till It’s Over and Are You Gonna Go My Way.
Kylie Minogue performs Padam Padam
Dressed in all red, including long red leather boots and singing into a red microphone, pop star Kylie Minogue sang her hit Padam Padam.
She was earlier seen on the Red Carpet wearing a shiny teal dress.
The 49th annual People’s Choice Awards took place in Santa Monica. As many expressed when winning a gong, this awards show holds a special place in the hearts of creatives because, as the title suggests, it is voted by the people.
That essentially means the awards show recognises film, TV, sport personalities and comedians – who are popular.
Fan voted, and open to those 18 and above worldwide, the public votes take place online.
There are 45 categories.
Click here for a full list of the winners and check out the Red Carpet looks here.
