This Year’s Grammys Ceremony Will Be Audience-Free

The Grammys are set for March 14 with Trevor Noah hosting. But since coronavirus is still very much a thing, the Grammys people are taking precautions including moving the ceremony outdoors. There will also be no audience so will it really be the Grammys without Taylor Swift awkwardly dancing to the performances? Well, I guess they could always get an intern to hold up a Taylor Swift cardboard cutout while making it dance, which would be just as awkward.

Variety spoke to sources who have a few details about what to expect. Well, one thing we can definitely expect is that The Weeknd isn’t going to watch, that’s for damn sure. Sources say that the biggest change to the show is that it will be audience-free:

The ceremony will be held in the outdoor portion of the Los Angeles Convention Center, with the show’s traditional home of the Staples Center — which is located essentially next door — as the backdrop.

There will be no audience, although a small number of media will be attending, and plans call for a live red carpet broadcast featuring performers and presenters. Most members of the media have already registered for virtual screenings.

A number of live performances are planned, but many are likely to be pre-recorded, possibly at venues other than the Convention Center.

Since it’s outdoors, all the celebrities will probably have to draw straws for who gets to enter their performance via helicopter. Some of the pre-recorded performances may be done at smaller venues that have been hit hard by the pandemic. An executive producer of The Grammys, Ben Winston, said in December:

“I’m looking to do something quite exciting with the independent venues — supporting them and putting a spotlight on them in what has been a really tough year for them… It’s hard to say at this point, honestly, but I know there are conversations around supporting independent venues in some capacity.”

A rep for the Grammys declined to comment on these supposed coronavirus era changes.

Well, I wonder if awards will be delivered by someone in a Hazmat suit. Or since it’s outside they can use drones like UberEats. If they use drones, they should expect Justin Bieber to tackle the one carrying the award for Best Male R&B Performance.

Pic: Wenn.com