Fans of Christina Grimmie are in an uproar over the omission of the slain singer’s name during the Sunday night (July 31) broadcast of the Teen Choice Awards, which was dedicated to ending gun violence.
The late YouTube star and Voice alum won a posthumous award for Choice Web Star: Music, but was not referenced in a special segment where host Jessica Alba called victims of gun violence from San Bernardino, Newtown, and Orlando to the stage. The group asked viewers to take to social media with the hashtag #StoptheViolence.
Remembering Christina Grimmie, a Friend Who’d ‘Come Up and Give You a Hug’
“Tonight, we stand together with these teens united in a call for peace in an end to this violence,” Alba said before introducing Ne-Yo, who performed Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”
Fans immediately took to Twitter, but not in the way the FOX show intended. Many voiced their outrage that Grimmie — a victim of gun violence when she was murdered by a crazed fan at a meet and greet after a show in Orlando — didn’t rate a tribute or acknowledgment of her win.
Disappointed that @TeenChoiceFOX didn’t even announce who won #ChoiceMusicWebStar. Why have the award up if you’re not going to announce it?
— Jasmine Bala (@JasmineBala_) August 1, 2016
So the TCA’s essentially nominated Christina Grimmie after her death for promo and never even mentioned her name on air? Gross & corrupt
— Liz (@lizbaroa) August 1, 2016
christina grimmie, a victim of gun violence, did not get one mention at the TCAs after being exploited for views and tweets.
— alisa. | ntgk stan (@nawmani) August 1, 2016
The fact that they used Christina grimmie to promote this award show is disgusting they haven’t even mentioned her I’m done #TeenChoice
— KARAI (@sebftmendess) August 1, 2016
It’s sad that Christina Grimmie won her first TCA & they didn’t even honor her on the show after using her for promo–
— Miranda Friel???? (@Miranda003) August 1, 2016
#TeenChoice #ChristinaGrimmie
They didn’t even honor her or anything. No memorial. The people behind this show are literally sick freaks.–— Lauren Cross?? (@alx_justingoals) August 1, 2016
A source close to Christina expressed disappointment that the show “chose not to mention Christina’s name during the two-hour broadcast.” The source tells Billboard: “The fans have a right to be upset.”
Meanwhile, Grimmie’s team expressed their own thoughts on Twitter through re-tweets and a touching note celebrating her win.
.@TheRealGrimmie I am so proud of you. You deserved this more than anyone & I wish you were around to see your win tonight. I miss you.
— Heather Weiss (@HeatherLWeiss) August 1, 2016
Billboard has reached out to FOX and the Teen Choice Awards for comment.