Rob Lowe's Oscar Shame: Still Haunted by 1989 Performance

Rob Lowe continues to feel the sting of embarrassment from his infamous 1989 Academy Awards opening performance. The actor recently expressed on SiriusXM's Andy Cohen Live that he harbored a brief hope that Will Smith's 2022 on-stage altercation with Chris Rock would finally usurp his own performance as the worst Oscar moment ever.

However, Lowe lamented that his 1989 musical number, a rendition of 'Proud Mary' alongside an actress portraying Snow White, is still frequently recalled. He feels there should be a statute of limitations on such past embarrassments, noting that even in 2026, his performance is still referenced, particularly when other award shows face criticism.

Despite the widespread memory of his performance, Lowe has received some unexpected absolution. He recounted that legendary singer Lucy was impressed by his singing, and John Fogerty, the original writer of 'Proud Mary,' even approved of his rendition on Lowe's podcast. Nevertheless, the memory of the 'painful' and 'car accident' like performance persists in public consciousness.