Calling John Travolta to the stage!
Jeff Bridges had his very own Adele Dazeem moment while presenting the biggest award of the night at the 2024 CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 20, and fans of his inadvertent victim, Morgan Wallen, are none too pleased.
Wallen, 31, took home the honor of Entertainer of the Year at this year’s ceremonies. But, apparently, Bridges forgot to study up on the nominees before he butchered the “I Had Some Help” singer’s last name.
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“It’s the biggest award of the night, so let’s not screw around,” Bridges, 74, said before announcing the five performers going to bat for the top slot.
He then tore into the envelope and called out the winner: Morgan Whelan. Bridges also accepted the award on his behalf, as Wallen wasn’t in attendance.
Some viewers found it to be “an underwhelming ending to a very meh show at best,” while fans of Wallen thought it was insulting.
“Yikes! Jeff Bridges was the only person in that arena that didn’t know who Morgan Wallen was 🤦🏻♀️,” one wrote on X, while another declared, “If Jeff Bridges can’t even pronounce Morgan Wallen correctly, he’s got no business presenting an award.”
“This Jeff Bridges looked like an idiot about the whole thing and should be apologizing,” another fan demanded on TikTok.
Others found it “objectively hilarious.”
“I just heard the incomparable Jeff Bridges say “Waylon” just won the CMA Entertainer of the Year, and I am going to accept that as the official result, and won’t hear anything else to the contrary,” someone else wrote.
Wallen has yet to address his win—or Bridges’ blunder.
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