Red carpet#Publicity events

File:Barack Obama leaving Air Force One by night.jpg Barack Obama exiting Air Force One on red carpet]]

File:Halle Berry red carpet.jpg attending the premiere of the movie Robots]]

The earliest known reference to walking a red carpet in literature is in the play Agamemnon by Aeschylus, written in 458 BC. When the title character returns from Troy, he is greeted by his wife Clytemnestra who offers him a red path to walk upon:

{{poem quote|Now, dearest husband, come, step from your chariot.

But do not set to earth, my lord, the conquering foot

That trod down Troy. Servants, do as you have been bidden;

Make haste, carpet his way with crimson tapestries,

Spread silk before your master’s feet; Justice herself

Shall lead him to a home he never hoped to see.{{cite book |translator-last1=Vellacott |translator-first1=Philip | author = Aeschylus | date = 26 July 1973 | title = The Oresteian Trilogy | publisher = Penguin UK | pages = | isbn = 978-0-14-190629-4 | oclc = 1004977950 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tuRiOESBVjkC}}}}

Agamemnon, knowing that only gods walk on such luxury, responds with trepidation:

{{poem quote|I count it dangerous, being mortal, to set foot

On rich embroidered silks. I would be reverenced

As man, not god. The praise of fame rings clear without

These frills and fancy foot-rugs;}}

Renaissance paintings often show rugs and carpets in oriental patterns, with red often the main background colour, laid on the steps to a throne, or on a dais where rulers or sacred figures are placed.

A red carpet was rolled out to welcome the arrival of United States president James Monroe in South Carolina in 1821.{{cite web |url=http://www.ego.net/us/sc/myr/history/gtown.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980211004821/http://www.ego.net/us/sc/myr/history/gtown.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 11, 1998|title=A brief history of Georgetown County (South Carolina)}} In 1902, the New York Central Railroad began using plush crimson carpets to direct people as they boarded their 20th Century Limited passenger train. This is believed to be the origin of the phrase "red-carpet treatment".{{cite web|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/what-is-the-origin-of-hollywoods-red-carpet-180949038/|title=What is the Origin of Hollywood's Red Carpet?|first=Amy|last=Henderson|website=smithsonianmag.com}}

By the late 1920s the red carpet had become synonymous with Hollywood and film premieres. A crimson-hued carpet was used for the first ever Hollywood premiere, the 1922 premiere of Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks, in front of the Egyptian Theatre. For the following decades, the red carpet was one of the few places the public could catch a glimpse of stars like Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly.{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160222-where-does-the-red-carpet-come-from|title= Where does the red carpet come from?|last= Baker|first= Lindsay|date= 22 February 2016|website= BBC News}}

In 1961, the red carpet was introduced at the Academy Awards at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. In 1964, the broadcasters of the ceremony opted to film outside the venue, showing the arrival of guests as they stepped out of their limousines. From this point forward, the red carpet became a globally acknowledged focal point for actors and actresses to make a grand entrance and showcase themselves at the Oscars.

For at least 4 decades, a red carpet, often called the "Hollywood red carpet" has been regularly used in gala celebrity and entertainment events such as the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Grammy Awards, Met Gala, and BAFTAs. While the awards ceremonies take place inside the venues, much of the publicity occurs outside, with journalists discussing the red carpet fashions and which famous fashion designers are being worn by the celebrities. Numerous photo-journalists are always present in the press line. The "Hollywod red carpet" has become an important product placement arena for the fashion industry, and it is often coupled with publicity backdrops which contain brand logos or emblems for photography and advertisement purposes.{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagonow.com/the-photo-ninja-blog/2010/10/red-carpet-misconceptions/ |access-date=April 2, 2015 |title=Red Carpet Misconceptions |publisher=Chicago Now |author=Jeff Schear |date=October 11, 2010}}

File:Adam Jones on Opening Day 2018 (41104580191).jpg of the Baltimore Orioles jogs down an orange carpet on Opening Day at Camden Yards in 2018. Orange is the team's primary color.]]

Carpeting in other colors may replace red in some instances to honor a certain cause, such as a "green carpet" to promote environmental awareness; or, for a sponsored event, the sponsor's logo colors, such as the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, which uses an orange carpet to match the network's primary imaging color;{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/28/kids-choice-awards-2015-photos_n_6957978.html |publisher=Huffington Post |access-date=April 2, 2015 |date=March 28, 2015 |title=Kids' Choice Awards 2015 orange carpet style was brighter than ever |author=Carly Ledbetter}} The MTV Video Music Awards have similarly varied, with some editions having used black (2022),{{Cite web |title=Lil Nas X Shuts Down the 2022 VMAs Black Carpet in a 'Heavy' Feathered Headpiece: 'I Feel Amazing' |url=https://people.com/style/vmas-2022-lil-nas-x-wears-harris-reed-feather-headpiece-skirt-outfit-photos/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=People |language=en}} white (2016),{{Cite web |title=Blue Ivy and Mom Beyonce Flutter Down the White Carpet at the VMAs |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/blue-ivy-mom-beyonce-flutter-white-carpet-vmas/story?id=41718368 |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=ABC News |language=en}} and blue (2017) carpets.{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Yasmine |date=2017-08-28 |title=12 of the Best Red-Hot Looks From The 2017 VMAs |url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/12-best-red-outfits-2017-vmas/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}

In 2019, the premiere of the film Detective Pikachu (2019) used a yellow carpet to match the color of its title character Pikachu.{{cite web |date= 3 May 2019 |last= Silliman |first= Brian |title= Talking favorite Pokémon, sequel hopes on Detective Pikachu's yellow carpet |url= https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/detective-pikachu-yellow-carpet |website= SYFY WIRE }} The premiere of Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) used a blue carpet to match its namesake character.{{cite web |date=17 February 2020 |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title='Sonic The Hedgehog' breaks video game pic opening record with $70m & reps 4th-best Presidents' Weekend debut – Monday Update |url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/sonic-the-hedgehog-birds-of-prey-will-ferrell-downhill-valentines-day-box-office-1202860119/ |website=Deadline |quote=premiere on the Paramount lot featuring games and activities for kids on a blue carpet.}}

At the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, the organizers chose a different champagne color for the first time since the red carpet was introduced, as part of an attempt to better reflect a "day event into the night".{{Cite web |last=Gardner |first=Chris |date=2023-03-10 |title=Oscars 2023: Why the Red Carpet Isn't Actually Red |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/why-oscars-2023-red-carpet-different-color-1235347177/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

The Jeopardy! Honors event, which was held annually since Season 39 on the eve of the Tournament of Champions, featured a blue carpet, in order to match the color of its background used during clues and dollar amounts shown on the clue board, from inside the Alex Trebek Stage at Sony Pictures Studios.

More generally, "red carpet treatment" and "rolling out the red carpet" usually refer to any special efforts made in the interests of hospitality.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

United Airlines operates a series of airport lounges at major airports that were formerly known as "Red Carpet Clubs".{{cite web|title=United Club Changes|url=https://hub.united.com/en-us/news/company-operations/pages/united-club-is-the-new-name.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121217204009/https://hub.united.com/en-us/news/company-operations/pages/united-club-is-the-new-name.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 December 2012|work=United Airlines web site|publisher=United Airlines|access-date=5 October 2012}}

• Red carpet fashion

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