E! addressed #TimesUp while Ryan Seacrest stood on the red carpet

March 5, 2018 at 11:44 AM

Kristin Dos Santos, left, made some spirited comments about gender inequality from her station at the Roosevelt Hotel Sunday night. (Photo: E!)

During E!’s 2018 Oscars red carpet coverage, people couldn’t stop talking about the juxtaposition of Kristin Dos Santos giving a rousing #GirlPower speech and … Ryan Seacrest’s presence.

Dos Santos, the E! News executive editor and correspondent, joined Giuliana Rancic at the Roosevelt Hotel to comment on the celebrity arrivals for the channel’s 90th Academy Awards coverage, while red carpet veteran Seacrest held down the fort at the Dolby Theatre.

Some people were surprised that Seacrest was there at all, considering the recent sexual harassment allegations against him amid Hollywood’s current effort to support the #TimesUp movement. Yet there he was, trying to wave down actors for a question or two. And during one of those long delays between interviews, Dos Santos gave a little talk about women in the industry.

“Only 4 percent of directors are female as of 2017, which is not a significant change within the last 10 years,” she pointed out. “I find those statistics really alarming because we’re seeing this change, but we need to take the next step, which is more jobs for females.”

Requisite post to thank everyone who helped this frazzled working mom look #Oscars appropriate today. More importantly: I really loved dropping some truth on #eredcarpet about women in film and diversity at the #Oscars. This year, we finally saw some real change, thanks to a change in Academy membership, in who is getting recognized. The Oscars are less white, less male and a little younger. But we still have a long way to go. For every female director hired, there are 22 male directors. Still. 83 percent of female directors never get the chance to direct again. And while there were some great strides among black nominees, there were no Hispanic or Asian acting nods. If Wonder Women, Get Out, Mudbound and Ladybird taught us anything this year – it’s that hiring people who look like the world we live in doesn’t just make social justice sense, it makes *business sense. Audiences will show up. And so will the awards and accolades. This feels like a good first step toward (hopefully) a lot more promising firsts to come. Happy #Oscars, everyone. ??????
A post shared by Kristin Dos Santos (@kristindossantos) on Mar 4, 2018 at 5:00pm PST

She credited Lady Bird, directed by Greta Gerwig, for helping the industry move forward. “I hope a lot of young girls are watching tonight, and they see that it’s a valid career option to be a director,” she added. “Go for it. Follow your dreams.” She later talked about how the number of women in the academy has increased.

All the while, Dos Santos and her co-host Rancic weren’t anywhere near the action, while a man who’s been accused of sexual assault was right in the middle of it.

And the Twitterverse couldn’t help but comment on this seemingly backward situation.

Preach Kristin De Los Santos. But you work for E…so…yeah. #ERedCarpet #Oscars
— Hannah Sussek (@hsussek) March 4, 2018

Having Kristin Dos Santos give a rousing Time's Up speech that ends with "now back to Ryan Seacrest" is… Something.
— Alex Zalben (@azalben) March 4, 2018

sympathy to my buddy Kristin Dos Santos and everyone else who works there — your bosses put you in a stupid position here. don't let them forget it!
— Owen Ellickson (@onlxn) March 4, 2018

We literally just had a moment on #ERedCarpet:
They cut to a Rancic segment talking about #MeToo / #TimesUp and it ended…with Rancic throwing to Ryan Seacrest.
Friends, you couldn't make it up… https://t.co/JAlGpRtvzF
— Kevin D. Grüssing #IWillVote (@KevDGrussing) March 4, 2018

Some wished that E! had put Dos Santos instead of Seacrest on the red carpet to talk with celebrities.

I am loving @KristinDSantos and @joshuahorowitz on the E! channel for the #Oscar2018. I wish they were on the red carpet interviewing the actors. Their commentary on the entertainment industry is brilliant.
— Elizabeth Smith (@Dumspirospero67) March 4, 2018

I feel sorry for Josh Horowitz and Kristin Dos Santos – they should be on the red carpet interviewing people, or Giuliana not Seacrest #Oscars
— celebitchy (@celebitchy) March 4, 2018

Others were just happy to see the network — under attack for not only protecting Seacrest but also for its salary gender gap — somehow acknowledging the inequality.

In other, totally related news, I genuinely enjoyed @KristinDSantos on the #oscars red carpet earlier. So refreshing. #smart #feminist @e_entertainment
— Shannon Pratt (@ShannonPratt) March 5, 2018

My favorite part of the #ERedCarpet was @KristinDSantos keeping it SO real and talking about the lack of diversity that remains at both the #oscars and in Hollywood in general. Backed by stats and everything. Thanks for using your platform to call for change.
— Katie O'Connor (@kdobooks) March 5, 2018

Loved your input on the show today! Fantastic info that really needed to be included. Thank you! #Oscars90
— Becca (@tigerpantss) March 5, 2018

As always you were flawless, not only in your appearance, but in your statements and professionalism.
— Christine Carter (@91ChrisCarter) March 5, 2018

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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?Adam Rippon’s bondage suit at the Oscars has the internet reacting

?#MeToo trailblazers Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino stand in solidarity on the red carpet

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