Christina Grimmie won Choice Web Star: Music at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday night.
The honor, of course, was handed out posthumously because Grimmie was tragically shot and killed by a deranged fan on June 10 in Orlando.
The late singer’s victory, however, was not included on the broadcast itself, which has reportedly raised some ire among her fans and even members of her family.
Granted, the the awards show did not announce every award during its live production.
And, granted, Choice Web Star: Music was likely not considered one of the most popular or significant categories of the night.
But producers also failed to include Grimmie in the event’s most emotional segment, a tribute to family members of victims of gun violence.
At one point during the ceremony, Jessica Alba introduced a handful of teenagers who have been affected by recent shootings, including Alton Sterling’s son Cameron.
The actress took to the stage and asked viewers to take a stand via the hashtag #StoptheViolence.
To many, this seemed like the ideal moment to honor Grimmie, whose murder took place one night before the massacre at nearby Orlando nightclub Pulse.
Here is a look at portions of Alba’s tribute:
“While we are glad that Christina finally won her much-deserved Teen Choice Award, we are also definitely disappointed that her name was not mentioned at any point during the two-hour broadcast,” an insider close to the Grimmie family told Entertainment Tonight.
“It seems they could have paid honor or tribute to her in some way and that opportunity was missed. The fans have a right to be upset.”
Also making many online angry?
The fact that the Teen Choice Awards sent out an official Tweet that prior to Sunday’s show that read:
“Retweet to vote in memory of @TheRealGrimmie for #ChoiceMusicWeb Star. #TeenChoice.”
Critics feel as if the show exploited Grimmie’s memory.
“I can’t believe that the TCAs didn’t even acknowledge Christina Grimmie’s win or mention her death within the gun violence portion,” one Twitter user wrote.
A Change.org petition is now circulating that calls for an apology from the Teen Choice Awards and the Fox network.
In part, the petition reads as follows:
“As the final categories were announced and Jason Derulo came out to close the show, millions of hearts collectively shattered at the realization that Teen Choice and Fox went out of their way to ignore and completely avoid addressing the terribly tragic passing of one of their own nominees.”
