The 2026 Grammy Awards red carpet is supposed to be all about flash, fashion, and those slow motion moments that make celebrities look like walking pieces of art. But this year, fans noticed something was missing almost immediately. The man behind one of the red carpet’s most iconic visual experiences was nowhere to be found. Yes, the Glambot king himself, Cole Walliser, was noticeably absent and the internet definitely had something to say about it.
For nearly a decade, Walliser built a name for himself as the creative force behind those dramatic, high speed red carpet videos that get slowed down into cinematic magic. Since 2016, his Glambot has captured everyone from A list actresses to chart topping artists, turning quick poses into viral moments. His work with E! News at major events like the Golden Globes, the Emmy Awards, and the Oscars helped make the Glambot a staple of award show culture. If you saw a celebrity flipping their hair in slow motion while looking like a million bucks, chances are that was his camera doing the work.
So when the Grammys rolled around and the Glambot still showed up but Walliser did not, fans clocked it instantly. E! News shared behind the scenes clips from the carpet, but social media users were quick to point out that the familiar director wasn’t in sight. And baby, the reactions were loud.
People flooded X with commentary, jokes, and more than a little shade. Some folks straight up celebrated his absence. Others cracked sarcastic comments about him being too expensive or raising his prices. The internet did what the internet always does and turned a missing face into a full blown conversation.
The reason behind the chatter traces back to recent controversy that put Walliser under a not so flattering spotlight. Old emails from years ago resurfaced and quickly made their rounds online. In the alleged exchange, a woman named Yinka Animashaun had reached out in 2019 about booking the Glambot for a wedding. What seemed like a simple inquiry turned into something people now describe as uncomfortable and condescending.
According to the emails that circulated, Walliser emphasized how costly and exclusive the Glambot setup was, pointing out that it is typically used by major television networks on the biggest red carpets of the year. When the potential client expressed that it might still be within her budget, he allegedly questioned that claim and threw out a wide range for his services, saying it could cost anywhere from ten thousand dollars to one million.
The exchange continued with the woman asking how to move forward and where to begin the booking process. He allegedly responded with a steep quote of three hundred thousand dollars and mentioned a deposit to secure the equipment. Things reportedly took a turn when he followed up with a message implying she did not need to pretend she was booking just to find out the price.
When the screenshots hit Reddit, the reaction was swift and intense. Users labeled the tone as dismissive, unprofessional, and unnecessarily harsh. The situation quickly spread beyond Reddit, with people forming strong opinions about how the interaction was handled.
So when the Grammys came and went without Walliser directing those slow motion moments, the timing felt more than a little telling. No official statement was made about his absence, but the online buzz made it clear that people were connecting the dots. In the court of public opinion, silence speaks loud.
Still, the Glambot itself lived on, capturing artists in all their glamorous glory. But for many fans, the experience felt a little different knowing the man who made it famous was not the one calling the shots.
In the world of celebrity culture, image is everything and reputation can shift overnight. One minute you are the mastermind behind some of the most iconic red carpet visuals of the last decade. The next, you are trending for all the wrong reasons and sitting out one of the biggest nights in music.
If there is one thing we know for sure, it is that the culture never misses a beat. The Grammys will always be about fashion, drama, and unforgettable moments. But this year, the biggest moment might have been the one that happened behind the scenes with the man who was not there. Vibe Culture Daily will definitely be watching to see what happens next.
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