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Stay in your lane -

The red carpet is essentially divided into two lanes, according to ABC. One lane is for major A-listers, and the other is for, well, everyone else. The reason for the separation is to help photographers get the best shots of the biggest stars.

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Distance from non-famous dates -

Photographers will also require non-famous people to step away from their famous dates, and they do so by reportedly using the polite phrase “Can we get a fashion?" which, according to Los Angeles Times photographer Jay L. Clendenin, per Nicki Swift, is well known to mean “get out of the shot.”

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Dress code for men -

The Academy Awards originally had a white-tie dress code in which men "must wear a tailcoat with a white bow tie and wingtip collar," but the show has since accepted "Hollywood black tie," which means men no longer need a tailcoat but must wear either a tie or bow tie.

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Dress code for women -

Women are supposed to wear full-length evening gowns, and the more couture the better. However, Oscars history has seen some stars break the rules, like in 1974 when Cher wore a scandalous ensemble that showed her midriff and featured a big headpiece.

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Sustainable fashion is encouraged -

To reduce the wasteful impact of the fashion industry, many shows like the SAG Awards and Oscars have asked attendees to make sustainable choices. The BAFTAs even shared a sustainable fashion guide to encourage stars to rewear old gowns, rent designer clothes, or choose vintage. One example was at the 2020 SAG Awards, where Jennifer Aniston wore a vintage Dior 1999 white satin dress.

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Sustainable fashion is encouraged -

'Lady Bird' actress Saoirse Ronan threw a great spin on the sustainable fashion guide by wearing a Gucci gown at the 2020 Oscars with a bodice made from the excess fabric from her dress at the BAFTAs, Elle reported.

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Sustainable fashion is encouraged -

Joaquin Phoenix was probably the most dedicated male celebrity when it came to this rule, and he wore the same Stella McCartney tuxedo to the Golden Globes, the Critics' Choice Awards, the SAG Awards, the BAFTAs, and the Academy Awards during his 'Joker' sweep.

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Very short break time -

In the comfort of our homes we can run to the bathroom easily during commercials, but it's not so simple for celebrities who rush to the bathroom outside and find a huge line. Michael Keaton missed the moment he was announced as winner of the SAG Award for Best Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series, and he ran to the stage, rolled onto it, and said, “Sorry, quick trip to the men's room, and it's packed by the way,” he said, before getting into his acceptance speech.

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Very short break time -

If they take too long on their break and the cameras start to roll again, stars won't be able to return to their seats. They have to wait until the next commercial break, and in the meantime their seat will be filled by someone else. In the case of stars winning awards while they're in the bathroom, at the 2014 Brit Awards Harry Styles was allowed back in to join One Direction as they won the Global Success Award. He arrived and apologized for having to “wee."

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No empty seats -

The ceremony is supposed to be one of the most sought-after events, and having empty seats doesn't make that very believable, so producers ensure seat fillers are there, according to E! News. Seat fillers also have strict rules to follow.

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No empty seats -

Seat fillers are not allowed to wear bright colors or anything that might outshine a celebrity, thus their outfits are often also preapproved. They're not allowed to speak to celebrities or take photos, or look at the camera if it's nearby.

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Bringing snacks and drinks is forbidden -

Some award shows last for around three hours, not including the red carpet, and while the Golden Globes offer dinner, the Academy Awards do not. They also prohibit stars from bringing their own snacks and drinks, though many have been known to break that rule by smuggling energy bars and flasks in their pockets.

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Bringing snacks is forbidden -

At the 2014 Academy Awards, host Ellen DeGeneres famously poked fun at the no-food policy and had pizza delivered to the show. Jimmy Kimmel did something similar when he provided little lunch boxes for the guests with chips, cookies, snack bars, and mints.

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Grammy performers can't drink -

There is no tolerance for drinking at or before the show when it comes to performers at the Grammys. That said, there is no breathalyzer test administered, but performers may not be invited back if they break this rule.

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No selling or throwing out the statuette -

The Oscars specifically say on their site: “Award winners shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the Oscar statuette, nor permit it to be sold or disposed of by operation of law, without first offering to sell it to the Academy for the sum of $1.00. This provision shall apply also to the heirs and assigns of Academy Award winners who may acquire a statuette by gift or bequest.”

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No lip-syncing at the Grammys -

Some of the biggest artists have been caught lip-syncing but chalk it up to necessity because they were sick or there were technical issues. That is not an option at the Grammys, however, where lip-syncing has been banned from its performances since 2012.

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No lip-syncing at the Grammys -

The award show's veteran audio coordinator Michael Abbott outlawed lip-syncing, but shared "some performances are so demanding in terms of sound design that there has to be some of what we call track augmentation," which might explain Cardi B's 2019 performance of 'Money.'

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Grammys must approve hair and makeup -

Each performer at the Grammys, and their background dancers and singers, have to be cleared through the award show's own hair and makeup crew before getting on stage—not the celebrity's own crew.

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Grammy performers have to cover up -

In 2013, CBS, the network broadcasting the Grammy Awards, sent out an email requesting that “buttocks and female breasts are adequately covered,” and that “sheer see-through clothing” was avoided, as well as any brand names or logos.

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Speeches shouldn't exceed 45 seconds -

In 2010, the Oscar acceptance speech time limit was reduced to 45 seconds, though it was bumped up to 90 seconds in 2019, including the time it takes to get from their seat to the podium. "The faster you get to the stage, the more time you have to speak," producer Donna Gigliotti told USA Today. If you're like Jennifer Coolidge, you can just dance to the music trying to play you off!

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Speeches shouldn't exceed 45 seconds -

The rule was inspired first by actress Greer Garson who famously spoke for over five minutes in her 1943 acceptance speech, and again when Adrien Brody spoke for three minutes when he won Best Actor for his role in 'The Pianist,' during which time he acknowledged the time limit flashing and, when the music started playing, asked the producer to "cut it out."

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No swearing -

Stars aren't allowed to swear or use foul language on stage, though it still occasionally happens in the rush of emotions, and there are people to bleep it out. Every song that is performed at the Grammys must be clean, and announcers and artists must avoid cursing at all costs.

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Straight from speech to speed questions -

Immediately after their acceptance speech and with hardly any time to process the achievement, stars have to go to a rapid-fire Q&A with the press asking canned questions like how it feels to win and where they'll keep the trophy.

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Must pay taxes on gift bags -

While trophies are obviously the main prize of the night, Oscar nominees also receive gift bags that are usually worth over US$100,000—in 2022 the bag, which included everything from gold-infused olive oil to $10,000 worth of plastic surgery, was worth over $137,000, CNBC reports. But should the star accept the so-called gift, they are indeed taxable. Pictured is the gift bag from 2004 ,which included a Z Electric Scooter, a gift certificate for a private island getaway on Fisher Island, Jelly Brand handbags, a collection of skincare products, and vintage leather wrist cuffs.

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Must pay taxes on gift bags -

The IRS has deemed them taxable because they're not actually “gifts” but rather intended to influence celebrities to use certain products and services. As such, the value of the gifts, which depends on whether they take advantage of all the vacations and services, is counted as income on the recipients' taxes.

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Must pay taxes on gift bags -

According to CNBC, the Oscars actually stopped giving out gift bags to presenters and performers in 2006 due to the IRS scrutiny. “It seemed a little inappropriate to offer a gesture of thanks that then carried with it a [tax] obligation,” an Academy spokesperson told CNN in 2006.

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Laughter is mandated -

Things inevitably go wrong during the broadcast because stars are, after all, human. But humor is the Academy's preferred way to brush these blunders off, and that's why they reportedly have comedy writers backstage churning out jokes to help the hosts in the most awkward situations. Jimmy Kimmel's joke after the 'La La Land'/'Moonlight' debacle was an example, according to Ossa.

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After-party precision -

Vanity Fair's Oscar after-party sees the stars switch into less regulated outfits, but there are still some rules to be followed. According to entertainment reporter Angela Bishop who spoke to KIIS 106.5, per Nicki Swift, every celeb has a strict arrival time that they must follow. "So say it's like 9:11 till 9:13 p.m. and if you do not arrive at that time and stand on those circles for that time, you don't get in.”

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After-party precision -

Bishop added that stars who arrive late have to go to the back of the line and only get into the party once everyone else is in so as not to mess up the precise schedule. On the rare chance that a celebrity doesn't adhere to the rules, they likely won't be invited again.

Sources: (Nicki Swift) (Oscars.org) (USA Today) (OSSA) (Your Tango) (CNBC) 

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