A journalist was jailed for storming the Grammys’ stage and almost accepting an award on behalf of Adele before being pushed aside by Jennifer Lopez.
The moment was broadcasted live but was noticed by very few thanks to a deft handling of the situation by Lopez, who saved Adele’s big moment from being hijacked by journalist and celebrity prankster Vitalli Sediuk.
Sediuk, a Ukrainian TV presenter, is notorious for such stunts. He was slapped by Will Smith for kissing the actor during the Men In Black III Moscow premiere in May.
The blink-and-miss fiasco happens when Lopez presents Adele with her Grammy for best pop solo performance. A man in a tuxedo and black glasses appears at the microphone to greet Adele, the Hollywood Reporter said.
“It’s such an honour to receive this award. I love you, Adele,” Sediuk can be seen saying as a stunned Adele climbs the stairs. A composed Lopez is seen giving the man a stern look and gesturing him off stage.
As Lopez’s co-presenter Pitbull offers Adele a kiss, he can be seen exiting upstage. Lopez seen turning around to catch a second glimpse of the man. Sediuk, 24, said he was amazed to infiltrate the high security area of the Staples Centre.
“I went with friends who had tickets. They didn’t check how many we had, so I was let in. I went to the media line and interviewed quite a few celebrities, like Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman... Then I just followed one girl in a green dress through the gates. They checked my pockets but never asked to see a ticket. Only once I was inside the building did I realise, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Katy Perry!,” Sediuk said.
He found himself an empty seat in the second row, surrounded by A-listers like Justin Timberlake and Beyonce.