Award Fiasco!
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Why would they put three names on the envelope?! And shouldn't he have double checked first? I'm sure he has done that before.
It's a human error but still, so awful.
(p.s. is it me or do both books sound boring? One about a friendship between two neighbors and one about a 50-year-old marriage? Hmmm, I hope something happens bad, really bad, in them)
It's a human error but still, so awful.
(p.s. is it me or do both books sound boring? One about a friendship between two neighbors and one about a 50-year-old marriage? Hmmm, I hope something happens bad, really bad, in them)
Oh. My. God.
I can't even imagine what that must have felt like. Don't MCs double-check before they read their lines?
I can't even imagine what that must have felt like. Don't MCs double-check before they read their lines?
That must have been humiliating, but I also feel bad for the minister and the winner (Dannie Abse)-- the minister because it IS human error, and now he's being humiliated, too; and the winner because this is stealing the spotlight.
Yea. Just a huge bummer for all parties involved...especially the false start.
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Bad planning on the part of the event organizers. You never, ever put anything complicated into one of those "and the winner is" envelopes.
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My God, a real life Zoolander moment. How truly awful, for all involved.
Maybe both books will sell well and everyone will feel better a year or so from now. Hey, it's worth a shot to hope for, right?
Maybe both books will sell well and everyone will feel better a year or so from now. Hey, it's worth a shot to hope for, right?
Oh my gosh that is AWFUL. I totally know that feeling (a story I will never share, lol) and it is just awful. Poor writer. What a sad sad moment. :-(
How mortifying. I would be so humiliated if that was me. Imagine going up only to find out you didn't win. I feel so sorry for the author.
Seriously though, why put three names on the card? Why not just list the winner? Listing three names is going to cause confusion.
Seriously though, why put three names on the card? Why not just list the winner? Listing three names is going to cause confusion.
That freaked me out. Embarrassing as all holy hell for the not-quite-winner, but now the one who actually won will have his moment forever tainted. How could he have possibly come up to receive the award with the pride and happiness he deserved to feel, having just watched the other guy humiliated?
I'm with everyone else. Why in the world would there be three names on the "And the winner is..." card???
--Q
I'm with everyone else. Why in the world would there be three names on the "And the winner is..." card???
--Q
Were I the victim of the minister's "human error," I might have instinctively punched him right in his ministerial nose!
What would have been cool is if the winner had said he wanted to share the award with the other two (I suppose) candidates. Called them up, split the dough. That would have saved it for all involved, but is something that only happens in, ah, books, I guess. 
What would have been cool is if the winner had said he wanted to share the award with the other two (I suppose) candidates. Called them up, split the dough. That would have saved it for all involved, but is something that only happens in, ah, books, I guess.
I agree, it would be the nice thing to do, Phaeal -- and i'm almost sure the winner would have done just that, only they must've run out of time.
excuse me for a second --
However, now that everyone's more or less survived it, could the tragic loser have ever bought (or, as he says, dreamed of) publicity like this?
My guess is that, once the pain ebbs to a manageable level, he'll find himself awash in a sea of lemonade from this mega-lemon. Just too bad he had to live through that nightmare to get there.
My guess is that, once the pain ebbs to a manageable level, he'll find himself awash in a sea of lemonade from this mega-lemon. Just too bad he had to live through that nightmare to get there.
How horrible!
Saying that, he couldn't have asked for better publicity for his book.
ETA: two great minds...
Saying that, he couldn't have asked for better publicity for his book.
ETA: two great minds...
It's interesting that that guy complained that it would never happen at the Oscars, because it did. In 1934, Frank Capra was nominated for best director. When Will Rogers announced the winner, he didn't say the name, he just said, "Come on up here, Frank." Capra jumped up and headed to the stage, only to find out the winner was Frank Lloyd.
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They spoofed that in The Oscars, starring Stephen Boyd. His character, Frankie, weaseled his way to the Oscars. He thought he won and as he went up to the podium, he realized it was Frank Sinatra who won.
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I coould be wrong, but I think I read heard something like this happened with SFWA one year. During the Hugos or Nebulas or something. Some poor author was told he had won, and he went up to the stage -- only to learn that the award had been given to "No Award." So none of the books had won.
Also, IIRC from what I read, the only reason "No Award" was the "winner" in that category was because of another stupid misunderstanding, where a number of people who hadn't read any of the books thought voting for "No Award" meant they were saying that they weren't voting, not that they were voting for none of the books to win. Or I could be confusing this with another story.
Also, IIRC from what I read, the only reason "No Award" was the "winner" in that category was because of another stupid misunderstanding, where a number of people who hadn't read any of the books thought voting for "No Award" meant they were saying that they weren't voting, not that they were voting for none of the books to win. Or I could be confusing this with another story.
Well, if we hear about that poor guy going on a murdering spree, the insanity plea might just work. Man, I would be pissed. The Minister may never have presented one of the awards before, though.
I agree with you maestro, those books wouldn't be on my top picks list.
I agree with you maestro, those books wouldn't be on my top picks list.
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The organizers have defended the ceremony :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7488299.stm
They claim that the name of the winner is in "large bold type" preceded by the words "The Winner" and that the names of the runners-up are in smaller type preceded by the word ''Runners-up." OK, but it still sounds confusing to me.
:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7488299.stm
They claim that the name of the winner is in "large bold type" preceded by the words "The Winner" and that the names of the runners-up are in smaller type preceded by the word ''Runners-up." OK, but it still sounds confusing to me.
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