Help Perez Hilton Bring Muppets and Music Back to the Oscars
Muppets fans are not happy. Following news that musical performances at this year’s Oscars were canceled, Hollywood blogger Perez Hilton launched a petition to give The Muppets the opportunity to perform on stage as part of the awards show’s tradition.
The petition — which already has 24,000 signatures in a little more than a day — is asking the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to reinstate the musical performances this year to let the Muppets sing its nominated song, “Muppet or a Man,” from the film The Muppets. Only two songs were selected for the Best Original Song category this year, which also includes “Real in Rio” from the animated movie Rio.
“When Eddie Murphy dropped out of the Oscars, I encouraged the Academy to have the Muppets host the awards — it would have been such a fresh and fun choice,” Hilton told Mashable, noting that Billy Crystal will be hosting instead. “But when I heard they weren’t even going to let them perform, I was outraged. Why change tradition? If you are going to have Best Original Song as a category, you should celebrate it.”
In the Oscars’s 76 years of award shows, this is the first time the category only has two nominees, which is why many suspect the performances were eliminated. Voters had to rate the songs from 1 through 10 and only those with an average of 8.25 were nominated. Only two met that limit this year. Last year, four songs were nominated for Best Original Song.
Hilton hopes to get 100,000 signatures for the petition, which is posted on free petition site Care2, by Feb. 25 and ultimately, get the Muppets to perform on stage at the Oscars.
“We hope the petition will go viral and that the Academy will reconsider,” Hilton said. “There’s no real explanation for why they canceled the performances and we’re upset. If we get 100,000 signatures, that’s 100,000 people that will likely be tuning in to watch the Muppets perform.”
Celebrities are also getting on board to support the cause: “SAVE THE MUPPETS!!! They should be performing at the Oscars!!! Help our fuzzy little icons get their due!!!” tweeted Adam Levine, Maroon 5′s singer and judge on The Voice.
The Muppets star Jason Segel — who is also featured in the “Man or Muppet” song — and producer Judd Apatow also tweeted news about the petition.
Do you want the Muppets to perform at the Oscars? If so, sign the petition here — and forward it to fellow fans.
More About: muppets, Oscars, oscars 2012
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