This show introduces kids to the fun of watching award shows. To modify the title of an old AC/DC album, “For those who will be attending the awards, we salute you.”
Reneé Rapp loses weight while accepting the award for Favorite Artist on stage during the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on July 13, 2024 in Santa Monica, California.
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Nickelodeon
The most surreal thing about the 2024 Kids' Choice Awards is that it went on as scheduled on Saturday (July 13) at 8 p.m. ET, even as the rest of the world was reacting to former President Trump's shocking assassination attempt. The show didn't even mention the incident. Most awards appear openly with a moment of reflection after sad news events, which, unfortunately, are all too common.
To be fair, an opening about an assassination attempt would be completely wrong for a show based on epic meltdowns. Children watching and enjoying this show probably would not have understood what the moment meant to a country where violence and anger are constant facts of life.
It's also no surprise that so many favorite kids turned up at the show, including The Kid Laroi, who performed a three-song medley. Many young stars grew up watching this show. It's a kick to be featured in it. This show introduces young children to the fun of watching award shows. It's a gateway show. To paraphrase the title of a Billboard 200 album by AC/DC, “For those who will be watching the awards, we salute you.”
Many of the show's winners were expected. No one could be surprised by this Barbie won Favorite Movie, or that Taylor Swift won Favorite Female Artist, Favorite World Music Star, or Favorite Ticket of the Year for The Eras Tour. And the win for Sabrina Carpenter's 'Espresso' as Favorite Viral Song was no surprise.
That's not to say that all awards went as expected. Take a look.
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Surprise: Reneé Rapp
Rapp won favorite artist, beating out Coco Jones, Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Tate McRae, Teddy Swims, Tyla and Victoria Monét.
Ice Spice had four top 10 hits on the Hot 100. McRae, Swims and Tyla also had top 10 hits. Swims had a No. 1 hit, “Lose Control.” Rapp has yet to hit the Hot 100. She is best known to Kids' Choice audiences for starring as Regina George in the 2024 film Bad Girls and also contributing to its soundtrack.
With Rapp's win this year, four of the last five winners in that category are LGBTQ. Billie Eilish won in 2019, followed by Lil Nas X in 2020 and Dove Cameron in 2023. (There was no category in 2021. The winner in 2022 was Olivia Rodrigo, who had the same identity.)
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Snubs: Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake
Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Justin Timberlake each had four nominations, second only to Taylor Swift, who led the way with six nods. But unlike Swift (and Olivia Rodrigo, who also got four nods), everyone was disqualified. It's more surprising in the case of Cyrus, who is still fairly young (31) and coming off her biggest career hit to date (2023's “Flowers”).
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Surprise: Olivia Rodrigo
of Rodrigo OFFAL won favorite album, beating out Swift's Section The tortured poets: The Anthology and Barbie: The Albumas is Beyoncé's Cowboy CarterMiley Cyrus' Endless summer vacation and Jelly Roll's Whitsitt Chapel. I didn't see that coming.
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Surprise: Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice With Aqua
Swift won Favorite Female Artist and Post Malone won Favorite Male Artist, so you might think their Hot 100-topping collaboration “Fortnight” was in the running to win Favorite Music Collaboration. No. It lost to “Barbie World,” the soundtrack to Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice's Aqua hit.
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Surprise: Imagine Dragons
The group won favorite musical group, beating four previous winners in the category: Black Eyed Peas, who won three times; Jonas Brothers, who have won twice. and *NSYNC and Maroon 5, who have each won once. (The sixth contender, Coldplay, has yet to win.)
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Snub: Ryan Gosling
Barbie's The strong performance did not bring Ryan Gosling, the Ken of this film, over the finish line in the favorite actor category. The award went to Timothée Chalamet, who played the lead role Wonka. Chalamet has youth on his side (always a plus on this kid-voted show). The actor is 28. Gosling is 43.
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Slimed: The Kid Laroi, Jelly Roll, Reneé Rapp
They all agreed to be slimed, a feature of the show, as were actors Jack Black and Henry Golding. They showed that they are good sports and kids at heart.
