> At a Glance
> – A photo of the Critics Choice Awards snack plate has gone viral with 2.8 million views
> – The plate includes grapes, crackers, cheese, hummus, bruschetta, caprese, spanakopita and dried apricots
> – Abbott Elementary‘s Janelle James joked about the food during her acceptance speech
> – Why it matters: Awards-show menus are becoming a running joke among celebrities and fans
The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards on January 4 sparked social-media roast sessions over its minimalist snack spread.
Viral Plate Sparks Airplane Comparisons
New York Times columnist Marcus L. Bennett posted the now-viral image on X. Commenters likened the platter to airplane meals and the Fyre Festival‘s notorious catering.
On-Stage Jab Steals the Show
Janelle James addressed the elephant in the room while accepting Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
> “The best thing about being nominated four times is I finally realized they’re never gonna feed us at this thing. It’s gonna be grapes and ice cream every year, but this makes up for it!”
A Pattern of Paltry Provisions
- 2024 Critics Choice Awards: Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Oprah Winfrey reacted to receiving bagged pizza on camera
- Post-show tradition: Celebs including Paul Giamatti head to In-N-Out after ceremonies
- Jimmy Kimmel told News Of Los Angeles it’s “tradition” to hit the burger chain post-Oscars because “you get very hungry”
Key Takeaways
- Awards shows keep budgets low by serving finger-food spreads
- Social media amplifies every underwhelming detail
- Celebrities now openly joke about the lackluster meals
- In-N-Out benefits as the unofficial after-party caterer
Expect the next red-carpet event to face the same hungry scrutiny.
