Every year since 1981, the Golden Raspberry Awards has acknowledged the worst in film the day before the Academy Awards recognises the best. The "Razzies", as they're colloquially known, is a deliberately tongue-in-cheek awards show designed to undercut the pomposity of the Oscars. Sometimes it's pretty funny; sometimes it really misses the mark – nominating Sharon Stone's breasts for "worst screen couple" in 2007 was nothing short of cruel, sexist BS.
But because Hollywood careers are so unpredictable and even the most talented performers sometimes pick a dud, it's not uncommon for Oscar-nominated actors to find themselves in the running for a Razzie, too. And this year, Melissa McCarthy has the dubious honour of winning the 'Worst Actress' prize for her performances in The Happytime Murders and Life of the Party right before she competes for Best Actress at the Oscars.
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Thankfully, the Razzies have shown McCarthy some mercy by also giving her the 'Razzie Redeemer' award for her brilliant, moving performance as a lonely, misanthropic literary forger in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
If McCarthy takes home the Oscar tomorrow (a long shot, to be honest, given that she's competing against hot favourite Glenn Close and BAFTA winner Olivia Colman), she won't be the first person to win a Razzie and Oscar in the same year. It happened to songwriter Alan Menken in 1993, screenwriter Brian Helgeman in 1998 and actress Sandra Bullock in 2010. Bullock handled the situation like the boss she is by turning up at the Razzies to collect her award in person – which actors very rarely do, for obvious reasons.
Bullock even challenged Razzies attendees to read lines from the script to All About Steve (her Razzie movie) better than she did, and handed out DVDs of the critically-panned comedy. Seriously, what a woman.
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