10 Weird Award Show Rules That Even Got Leonardo DiCaprio Barred From Returning To His Seat

Taking home an Emmy might feel like the ultimate personal trophy, but winners don’t actually own the iconic golden statuette. 

Despite proudly displaying it on shelves or mantels, the Emmy remains the legal property of the Television Academy and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). 

In other words, it’s more of a lifetime loan than a prize celebs can do whatever they want with.

According to the official rulebook, Emmy statuettes cannot be sold, auctioned, reproduced, or used for any commercial purpose without explicit permission from the Academies. 

If a recipient, or even their heirs or successors, ever attempts to sell or dispose of the award, they are legally required to return it to the Academy from which it was received. 

The organization then keeps the statuette in storage as a memorial to the recipient. 

These ownership rules are even engraved on the bottom of every Emmy, ensuring winners know exactly what they’re agreeing to when they accept the honor.

There are restrictions beyond the statue itself, too. 

Contributors who worked on an Emmy-winning production but did not personally receive a statuette are not allowed to advertise themselves as “Emmy Award winners” for the year following the ceremony.
 
After one year, recipients may reference their Emmy status, but still cannot use images of the statuette for promotion.

In short, while an Emmy brings prestige and bragging rights, Hollywood winners can never cash it in. 

Despite its party-like reputation, The Grammys enforce a strict no-drinking policy for performers, and it starts well before anyone hits the stage.

Artists scheduled to perform are strongly advised to remain completely sober, with alcohol prohibited both backstage and inside the main arena. 

Unlike the Golden Globes, where champagne flows freely at tables, the Grammys maintain a no food or drink rule inside the main awards show venue, with security often requiring attendees to finish beverages before entering the venue.

While there are no confirmed reports of breathalyzer tests being administered backstage, the expectation is clear, performers are not supposed to drink before or during the show. 

Any visible signs of intoxication, especially if they interfere with the live broadcast, can lead to serious backlash, removal from the venue, or reputational damage. 

The rule exists to maintain the high standards of a live telecast, where even minor slip-ups are broadcast to millions.

That said, the rule isn’t always followed to the letter. Over the years, a few high-profile stars have openly hinted at bending it. 

In 2023, Lizzo and Adele jokingly referenced getting “so drunk” while seated at the ceremony, and in 2024, Jay-Z raised eyebrows after sipping cognac from his Global Impact Award during his acceptance speech. 

While these moments made headlines, they’re exceptions, not the norm, and largely happen offstage rather than before a performance.

In short, while the Grammys may look like a glamorous music party on TV, performers are expected to treat it like a high-stakes live production, with sobriety very much part of the job.

Despite all the creativity that goes into the Academy Awards, one thing remains completely untouchable, the Oscar statuette itself.

The iconic gold figure is governed by some of the strictest rules in award show history, and the rigidity of these rules were revealed by Conan O’Brien, who hosted the 2025 Oscars in March last year. 

In an episode of his Conan Needs a Friend podcast, the 61-year-old comedian shared that several of his humorous promo ideas were swiftly rejected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

“At one point, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if it’s just on the couch?’” Conan recalled, explaining a bit where he imagined vacuuming around a lounging Oscar.

“Let’s lay it on a really big couch and I’ll be vacuuming and say, ‘Could you at least lift your feet? Or could you at least get up and help? Load the dishwasher?’”

The response from the Academy was immediate.

“One of the people from the Academy came forward and said, ‘Oscar can never be horizontal,’” Conan said, admitting the seriousness of the rule “blew my mind.”

That wasn’t the only idea shut down.

When Conan’s team suggested dressing the statue as a housewife in an apron, the Academy shut that down just as quickly.

“No clothing on Oscar,” Conan added. “Oscar is always n*ked.”

According to AMPAS’ official brand guidelines, the Oscar statuette is treated as a protected symbol of the film industry.

It must always appear in an upright, vertical position and cannot be dressed, altered, rotated, stretched, or embellished in any way.

The statue may only appear in its authorized colors, Academy gold, white, or black, and cannot be used as a prop or set decoration without explicit approval from the Academy.

In short, no matter how funny the bit or creative the idea, Oscar is sacred - standing tall, untouched, and eternally unclothed.

Those headline-making Grammy collaborations may look spontaneous, but they’re anything but. 

While artists can sign up to perform at the Grammys, the Recording Academy, along with the show’s executive producers, ultimately decides who performs together. 

These pairings, often referred to as “Grammy Moments,” are carefully orchestrated to create unforgettable television, celebrate musical history, and blend artists across genres and generations.

In most cases, turning down a proposed collaboration comes at a cost. 

Artists who decline these pairings often lose the opportunity for additional screen time, which is why many go along with the Academy’s vision even if it’s not their first choice. 

However, there have been notable exceptions. 

Ariana Grande famously pulled out of her planned 2019 Grammy performance just days before the ceremony after clashing with producers over creative control. 

Similarly, Lorde declined to perform at the 2018 Grammys when she was told she could only appear as part of a collaboration, while male nominees in her category were reportedly offered solo performances.

In recent years, collaborations have been driven by the show’s executive producers and a dedicated talent production team, working closely with artists’ managers to better balance spectacle with individual creative integrity.

For decades, former producer Ken Ehrlich was famous for creating unexpected pairings of artists from different genres or generations, like Elton John and Eminem at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2001, or Prince and Beyoncé at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards in 2004. 

The current production team strives to continue this legacy by actively seeking out and facilitating unique and unexpected collaborations.

While the performances may feel organic onstage, the reality is that most Grammy collaborations are carefully planned long before the lights go up.

One of the wildest award show rules is perhaps the Golden Globes’ rule where even getting considered comes with a price tag.

Reportedly, at the 2026 ceremony hosted by Nikki Glaser, anyone hoping to snag a nomination had to pay up.

Actors and directors faced a $250 entry fee, while each film, TV show, or podcast carried a $500 charge.

Producers who wanted voters to see their work on the official Golden Globes Screening Platform had to pony up an extra $5,000 “administration fee.”

For low-budget projects under $2 million, there was a possibility of negotiating alternative fees, but for most contenders, these costs were non-negotiable.

This year, even nominees in the new Best Podcast category were subject to the fees.

Titles like Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert, Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, and winner Amy Poehler’s Good Hang all had to play the game.

And the spending didn’t stop there.

Studios often drop $5 million to $8 million on “For Your Consideration” campaigns to push a single project into nomination territory.

After winning, additional ensemble members have the option to buy their own statuette for $3,000, while certificates confirming nominee status cost $1,000.

So, while a Golden Globe is a coveted honor, even stepping into the running comes with a hefty price, proving that in Hollywood, nothing’s really free.

Performing at the Grammys might look like the ultimate gig, but artists don’t actually get paid to take the stage.

Unlike a tour or a private concert, performers have very little control over their set, with the Recording Academy and producers making most of the decisions on staging, lighting, and creative direction. 

While the Academy covers the costs of production, travel, and logistics, the artists themselves receive no talent fee. 

Some musicians or labels do spend millions on custom staging to make their performance unforgettable, but that’s an optional investment, not a paycheck.

The real reward that performing artists receive is the televised exposure to millions across the globe, and what the industry calls the “Grammy Bounce.” 

Forbes has reported that after performing or winning, artists often see massive boosts in ticket sales, streaming, and their overall revenue. 

For example, Bruno Mars’ nightly gross reportedly jumped from $130,000 to $202,000 after winning his first Grammy in 2010. 

Collectively, performers and winners have experienced sales and streaming surges of over 260% immediately following the broadcast.

In short, stepping on the Grammy stage isn’t about the money upfront; it’s about the career-long boost and the prestige that comes with one of music’s most iconic nights.

The Golden Globes gift bag is legendary, but there is a major catch to receiving one of these over-the-top luxurious goodie bags.

As seen in 2024 and 2025, the 2026 ceremony also followed the rule that only winners in the top categories and a select group of high-profile presenters were eligible for the “Ultimate Gift Bag,” valued at roughly $1 million.

While the physical bag seen on the red carpet often looked like a luxury tote, the bulk of the prizes, luxury vacations, private jet credits, exclusive experiences, and rare bottles of wine, were delivered digitally or shipped directly to recipients’ homes.

Reportedly, the IRS treats these extravagant gifts as taxable income, meaning a celebrity in the highest tax bracket could owe nearly $185,000 on a bag valued at over $500,000. 

To mitigate this, some high-value items are provided as redeemable certificates, taxed only if the recipient chooses to use them.

The biggest catch, however, isn’t taxes, it’s availability. 

Many of the most coveted items, like the $210,000 Liber Pater wine collection or luxury villa stays, are limited in quantity and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

That means even winners could walk away with nothing more than the designer tote unless they act quickly.

In addition, recipients are often encouraged to provide social media coverage or allow their likeness to be associated with the brands included in the bag. 

So, while the Golden Globes gift bag may seem like a jackpot, it’s really a high-stakes game of timing, taxes, and marketing strategy.

One of the least glamorous realities of attending an award show is that commercial breaks are far shorter than they appear on TV. 

For celebrities inside the venue, those brief pauses are a frantic race against the clock. 

Bathroom runs mean squeezing past fellow A-listers, waiting in long lines, and hoping you make it back before cameras start rolling again.

According to a report by E!, producers are notoriously strict about movement during live segments. 

If a celebrity isn’t back in their seat in time, security will stop them, and a seat filler will immediately take their place to ensure the audience looks full on camera. 

Late arrivals are often forced to wait behind closed doors until the next commercial break, no matter how famous they are.

That reality played out in real time at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards on January 11, when Leonardo DiCaprio was stopped by security while attempting to return to his seat during a live segment. 

Due to the ceremony’s strict “no-movement” policy, DiCaprio was forced to wait off to the side of the ballroom during a presentation by Snoop Dogg. 

He wasn’t alone either, as Selena Gomez and Chase Sui Wonders were also barred from reentering the audience until the show cut to commercial.

Another such instance that became a famous cautionary tale occurred at the 2014 BRIT Awards, when Harry Styles missed a key moment after stepping away for a bathroom break.

While he was gone, One Direction won the Global Success Award, leaving the rest of the band to accept the honor without him. 

Styles eventually made it to the stage, apologizing to the audience for “having to wee,” but the moment became a prime example of why award shows run such a tight ship.

As a result, major ceremonies like the Golden Globes and the Grammys are less of a party and more of a carefully choreographed work event.

The three-hour broadcast is packed with rapid transitions, and those 3-to-5-minute breaks are spent rushing to greet peers, grab a quick drink, or squeeze in last-second styling touch-ups.

Talking about Oscar rules, there was once a dress code so strict that today’s red carpet fashion would have been unthinkable.

The Academy Awards’ official dress code was historically white tie, the most formal level of attire in Western fashion.

Dating all the way back to the ceremony’s debut in March 1929, white tie required women to wear floor-length evening gowns, while men were expected to arrive in tailcoats, white bow ties, and wing-collar shirts.

The Academy took this rule seriously for decades, even issuing formal reminders to attendees.

In a now-archived 1968 letter sent to attendees ahead of the 40th Academy Awards, organizers laid out exactly what was acceptable onstage.

“Actresses are expected to wear formal evening gowns either maxi or floor length,” the note read, emphasizing that shorter or day-length dresses were not appropriate for the ceremony’s “very formal” white-and-gold setting.

Men, meanwhile, were explicitly instructed to wear white tie with traditional formal accessories to preserve the “dignity of this traditional affair.”

However, as Hollywood evolved, so did Oscar fashion.

By 1969, the Academy officially relaxed the dress code from white tie to black tie, reflecting shifting social norms and a more modern approach to red carpet style.

Today, the white tie mandate is no longer enforced.

For the upcoming 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, the Academy simply expects “formal attire,” which typically means tuxedos or creative black-tie looks for men and floor-length gowns for women.

Short dresses and minis are still discouraged, but bold colors, velvet jackets, and statement styling have become red carpet staples.

In short, while the Oscars once demanded peak formality, Hollywood’s biggest night has traded rigid white-tie tradition for fashion freedom, without completely abandoning its elegant roots.

Acceptance speeches may feel like a once-in-a-lifetime moment, but award shows keep them on a tight clock.

At most major award ceremonies, winners are limited to 45 seconds at the podium.

While many stars arrive clutching folded notes packed with dozens of thank-yous, producers rely on the familiar “play-off music” to signal when it’s time to wrap things up.

Reportedly, the Academy Awards became increasingly strict about speech lengths after several notoriously long moments in Oscar history.

Actress Greer Garson set an early precedent in 1943 with a speech that stretched over five minutes, inspiring future winners to linger just as long.

Decades later, at the 2025 Oscars, Adrien Brody broke Greer’s record with a speech lasting five minutes and 36 seconds while accepting Best Actor for The Brutalist.

In an effort to streamline broadcasts, producers have experimented with creative solutions.

In 2016, Oscar winners were reportedly asked to submit extended thank-you lists in advance so names could be published online instead of spoken onstage.

More recently, time limits have been enforced even more aggressively, as seen at the September 2025 Emmy Awards.

Host Nate Bargatze introduced a charitable twist, deducting $1,000 from a donation for every second a speech went over 45 seconds, and adding $1,000 for every second a winner finished early.

However, some leeway is occasionally provided. 

If a speech is particularly heartfelt or addresses a significant cultural issue, producers may delay the play-off music to preserve a “good television” moment.

In short, heartfelt gratitude is encouraged, but at award shows, timing is everything.