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Controversy at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

On April 5th, the Breakthrough Prize ceremony, often dubbed “the Oscars of Science” due to its notable achievements in the fields of science and technology, encountered an unexpected moment of controversy when comedian Seth Rogen took the stage to present one of the evening’s awards. Rogen’s comedic remarks aimed at the high-profile tech leaders in attendance, many of whom have been linked with political support for Donald Trump, stirred up reactions that led to their removal from the official livestream of the event.

During his presentation, Rogen commented, “It’s amazing that others in this room underwrote electing a man who, in the last week, single-handedly destroyed all of American science,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. He continued with a pointed critique, stating, “It’s amazing how much good science you can destroy with $320 million and RFK Jr., very fast.” His comments, which were intended to be humorous, received only a mild response from the audience, following a speech by his co-presenter Edward Norton that expressed gratitude towards the Silicon Valley benefactors for supporting the ceremony.

The Breakthrough Prize awards each winner $3 million for their contributions in areas like life sciences, mathematics, and fundamental physics. This year’s event was notable not only for the remarks made but also for its extended runtime compared to previous ceremonies, prompting organizers to implement edits for timing purposes. The event was not broadcast on television, leaving questions about the nature of the edits that were made for the eventual YouTube upload, as noted by the prize organizers themselves in their communication with The Hollywood Reporter.

Source
www.theverge.com