Academy Awards pre-show

History

No pre-shows existed for the first Academy Awards; photographers and interviewers approached attendees without broadcast coverage. In 1979, Regis Philbin hosted the first red carpet pre-show, produced by KABC-TV, an ABC owned-and-operated station in Los Angeles, but it was not aired elsewhere. MTV and Movie Time (which became E! a year later) began their own red carpet pre-shows in 1989, focusing on fashion. Other broadcasters such as CNN, E! (under the Live from the Red Carpet banner), and Pop have continued their own extended coverage.

To protect the official telecast, ABC holds an exclusive window during the final hour before the ceremony (5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT) during which no other broadcaster may air live or newly recorded red carpet footage. Competing programs either sign off or use earlier recorded footage; interviews by other outlets may continue but cannot air on television until the window ends.

Hosts

The pre-show typically features recent television or media personalities as hosts, who interview nominees and attendees and may introduce special segments. Since the 74th Academy Awards in 2002, hosts have included Chris Connelly, Leeza Gibbons, Ananda Lewis, Jann Carl, Shaun Robinson, Billy Bush, Maria Menounos, Cynthia Garrett, Vanessa Lachey, Lisa Ling, André Leon Talley, Allyson Waterman, Regis Philbin, Samantha Harris, Tim Gunn, Robin Roberts, Jess Cagle, Kathy Ireland, Sherri Shepherd, Krista Smith, Nina Garcia, Louise Roe, Kristin Chenoweth, Kelly Rowland, Lara Spencer, Tyson Beckford, Michael Strahan, Joe Zee, Amy Robach, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sara Haines, Dave Karger, Ashley Graham, Elaine Welteroth, Billy Porter, Ryan Seacrest, Lily Aldridge, Tamron Hall, Elvis Mitchell, Ariana DeBose, Lil Rel Howery, Vanessa Hudgens, Terrence J, Brandon Maxwell, Sofia Carson, Lilly Singh, Reece Feldman, Rocsi Diaz, Julianne Hough, and Jesse Palmer.

Title

The pre-show's title has changed over the years. From the 75th through the 78th Academy Awards it was called "Oscar Countdown". For the 79th Academy Awards it was "Road to the Oscars", and for the 80th, 81st, and 82nd Academy Awards it was "Oscars Red Carpet". Since the 83rd Academy Awards, the title has been "The Oscars Red Carpet Live".