Winning Best Drama even before the red carpet is rolled out at this year's Oscars - the Academy itself.
Announcing, then axing, a Best Popular Film category was greeted with universal derision, but that controversy paled in comparison to the Kevin Hart hosting debacle - and not even the last-ditch power of Ellen could save him.
Not since the infamous 61st Academy Awards of 1989 has the show been without a host. Snow White never really recovered from that, and neither did a single soul who watched it.
So what can save the Oscars this year?
As it turns out, plenty of things.
This year's big categories have films that people actually watched, like Black Panther, the first ever superhero movie nominated for Best Picture - and as importantly, a film that made over $1 billion at the box office.
Offsetting the #OscarsSoWhite diversity count is Mexican director Afonso Cuaron and his Roma, the very first Netflix film ever nominated and odds-on favourite to win.
- Roma and The Favourite lead nominations for Best Picture Oscar
- Thomasin McKenzie's elegant rant about lack of female director Oscar nominees
- 'Staggeringly ham-fisted' - Oscars slammed for adding Best Popular Film
The big box office love story of the past year, A Star Is Born, could also win the Oscars a ton of viewers. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper look assured to win Best Song, but it will be their much anticipated live performance that will win them ratings.
But they're not even top billing. Bohemian Rhapsody has been a box office behemoth.
Rami Malek seems a shoe-in for Best Actor for his Freddie Mercury, and Queen will take to the Oscars stage with Adam Lambert centre stage.
Newshub.
