Glambot Producer Removed From Grammys Carpet After Jennifer Lopez Drama

The Grammy Awards went on without a familiar face this year, as E! network decided to bench its longtime Glambot operator, Cole Walliser. According to reports from Variety, the decision came after several weeks of negative attention involving the director’s past interactions. Fans watching the red carpet arrivals quickly noticed that while the high-speed camera was still there, the man usually seen directing the stars was nowhere to be found.

The trouble started back in January during the Golden Globe Awards, where a video of Jennifer Lopez using the Glambot went viral. In the clip, Lopez seemed very focused and did not acknowledge Walliser as he spoke to her, leading many people to call her rude. Even though Walliser defended her by saying she was just a professional who knew exactly what she was doing, the situation caused a lot of unwanted talk online.

Things got worse when an old email chain from 2019 surfaced between Walliser and a woman named Yinka Animashaun, who wanted to book the Glambot for her wedding. In the emails, Walliser was very blunt and questioned if she could actually afford the service, which can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $1,000,000. He even told her that she didn’t need to pretend she was going to book it just to find out the price.

Following the backlash, Walliser posted an apology on his Instagram, admitting that the tone he used in those messages was dismissive and not okay. He explained that at the time, he was working entirely alone and felt very overwhelmed by all the work. However, he made it clear that this was not an excuse and that he took full responsibility for how he treated the potential client.

While Walliser was away from the Grammys, the Glambot was operated by a different person, and the show went on with stars like Bad Bunny and Michelle Williams posing for the camera.

E! network, which is now owned by a company called Versant, has reportedly told insiders that it wants to keep a very professional environment. Because of this, they are rethinking their entire strategy for future award shows to make sure everything stays respectful on the red carpet.

Outside of the Glambot drama, the 2026 Grammys were a massive night for music, with Bad Bunny making history by winning Album of the Year for his Spanish-language project. The night also featured huge performances from Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish, who took home the award for Song of the Year.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez, who was at the center of the original Glambot viral moment, has been busy with her new Las Vegas residency and her movie Kiss of the Spider Woman. As for the Glambot itself, the technology was originally created by director Joseph Kahn back in 2016, and it remains a staple of the awards season even as the faces behind the camera change.

Do you think E! was right to replace the Glambot operator after his old emails came to light, or should they have given him a second chance after his public apology? Share your thoughts in the comments!