Pharrell Williams to sing ‘Happy’ at Oscars

  • Herald News Services
  • Friday, February 7, 2014 10:02am
  • LifeGo-See-Do

LOS ANGELES — Pharrell Williams will perform at the Academy Awards, which will be telecast on March 2.

Oscar producers said the producer-performer will sing his nominated song “Happy.” There was no word on whether his Grammy Award-stealing hat would make an appearance.

Williams wrote “Happy” for “Despicable Me 2.” It’s nominated for original song along with U2’s “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel from “Frozen” and Karen O’s “The Moon Song” from “Her.”

The 40-year-old Williams has been on quite a run with prominent roles in the recent hits “Get Lucky” and “Blurred Lines” and with four Grammy wins, including producer of the year.

The field of nominated songs dropped from five to four last week when Bruce Broughton’s “Alone Yet Not Alone” in the movie of the same name, was taken off the list because Broughton emailed members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to draw attention to the song.

Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the academy, clarified the revocation.

“It’s not about a punishment,” Isaacs said, “but protecting the integrity of our voting process.”

Broughton became the first person to have his Oscar nomination revoked on ethical grounds.

“I’m dropping you a line to boldly direct your attention to entry 57,” Broughton wrote in his e-mail to 70 members of the academy’s msuic branch.

“I’m sending this note only because it is extremely unlikely that this small, independent, faith-based film will be seen by any music branch member; it’s the only way I can think of to have anyone be aware of the song.”

Isaacs said that the “key point” in the academy’s nullification of Broughton’s nomination was its violation of Rule 5.3, requiring that the credits of composer and lyricist be removed from the DVD of eligible songs sent to members of the music branch.

“The idea,” Isaacs said, “is that people are voting solely for the song and not who wrote it.” anonymity.

“He exerted undue influence,” Isaacs said, “using information that only an academy insider would have.”

“There are numerous films with limited promotional budgets,” Isaacs said. “This (“Alone Yet Not Alone”) was one that almost nobody knew.”

As to why the academy didn’t replace Broughton’s nomination with another song, Isaacs cited rule 5.7, which reads: “In the event a nominated achievement is declared ineligible by the academy, it shall not be replaced, and the category will remain with one less nomination.”

Broughton said he was simply trying to draw attention to his independent movie, e-mailing people he knew, whose addresses, he said, came from his own personal contact list, not an academy database.

“They had previews and parties and huge promotion,” Broughton said of the studio campaigns for Oscar-nominated songs from other films, which include box-office hits such as “Frozen” and “Despicable Me 2.”

“We had no budget. There’s no Oscar campaign. All there is is this really stupid e-mail that went out to about 70 people saying, ‘Please look at my song,’” Broughton said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

A stroll on Rome's ancient Appian Way is a kind of time travel. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves on the Appian Way, Rome’s ancient superhighway

Twenty-nine highways fanned out from Rome, but this one was the first and remains the most legendary.

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

The 2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV has room for up to six or seven passengers, depending on seat configuration. (Photo provided by Kia)
Kia’s all-new EV9 electric SUV occupies rarified air

Roomy three-row electric SUVs priced below 60 grand are scarce.

2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD (Photo provided by Toyota)
2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD

The compact SUV electric vehicle offers customers the ultimate flexibility for getting around town in zero emission EV mode or road-tripping in hybrid mode with a range of 440 miles and 42 mile per gallon fuel economy.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.