A cavalcade of horrific awkwardness
Edward Keeble

13:22 14th January 2014

We've all been there, the failed handshake that morphs horrifically into a guarded hug and then into an unwanted kiss on the cheek. Maybe you were too eager, maybe you didn't want to be touched. Either way it's bloody awkward you think as you sit there in the moment where you and your embarrassed accomplice sheepishly shuffle away from one another pretending nothing ever happened.

Hug? Who me? No. Surely not.

Bono and P Diddy embodied this experience perfectly with their epic failure of a congratulatory hug at the Golden Globes this week. We all recoiled in horror when we saw the two men in a moment of utter culture clash confusion. Here are 10 more moments in music that have achieved the same levels of soul splitting social cryptonite. 

  • P Diddy & Bono (Golden Globes 2014): This epic man hug failure from P Diddy and Bono was a highlight of the Golden Globes, just look at Bono's face and the rejection in Diddy's eyes. Truly a gut wrenching moment.

  • Kanye West and John Mayer (Bittersweet Promo 2005): This messy handshake hybrid Frankenstein hug thing took place between John Mayer and Kanye West when they were recording Bittersweet. Next time they should probably agree on how to man hug properly.

  • Stephen Tyler & Randy Jackson (American Idol 2011): Worse than the hug fail, there is the good old fist bump/high five confusion that turns into an embarrassing game of rock, paper, scissors. Here are Stephen Tyler and Randy Jackson to demonstrate. Just grin your way through the embarrassment.

  • John Kerry & Snoop Dogg (White House Party 2013): On the other hand American politician John Kerry knows how to do it, when he met rapper Snoop Dogg at the Whitehouse he seemed a little unsure of himself but then went for a full on fist bump. Look at the awkward joy in those faces.

  • Elton John & Pete Doherty (Live 8 2005): You could go full on with a snog like this one between Elton John and a not-quite with-it Pete Doherty. The pair duetted at the Live 8 concert and locked lips following a disastrous performance of 'Children of the Revolution'. Ever the classy one, Doherty later went on to slag Elton off saying the kiss lasted to long.

  • Taylor Swift & Olivia Munn (The People's Choice 2013): Was it for real or was it part of an elaborate spoof of Kanye West? Either way - THIS LOOKS AWKWARD.

  • Jay Z & Kim Kardashian (BET Awards 2013): After hugging almost everyone on his way to the stage, Jay Z seemed to make a deliberate effort to avoid Kim Kardashian. Where's the love?

  • DMX & Steve Wozniak (LAX 2013): Here is DMX exhibiting how it should be done, engaging in a good old spud with flustered Apple designer Steve Wozniak at LAX airport. DMX said they planned a robbery together on the plane, a confession that Steve seemed rather bamboozled by.

  • Frank Ocean, Adele & Chris Brown (The Grammy Awards 2013): This is a classic, a three way bonanza of bad atmosphere as Chris Brown snubs Frank Ocean as he receives a Grammy and Adele gets ready to give him an Eastenders style ass whupping.

  • 50 Cent & Erin Andrews (Daytona 500 2013): More kissing from 50 Cent who went on a bit of a kissing spree at the Daytona 500, planting a smacker right on Erin Andrews who dodged multiple attempts to lock lips. Awkward.