GOLD-STANDARD: The world was watching as the best of film and television was honored at the Golden Globe Awards on January 5, 2020.
By Jennifer Hibbard, Staff Writer
Every year, the Golden Globe Awards – colloquially known as “the Golden Globes” – showcase excellence in film and television. Stars from around the world gathered to celebrate the talented artists and performers who were recognized for their hard work, bringing with them enough fame, fashion and controversy to satisfy audiences until the next major awards show. This year’s awards provided the public with no shortage of things to talk about.
The Host
Perhaps the most frequently commented-on aspect of this year’s Golden Globe Awards was Ricky Gervais. The five-time host made quite a few scathing remarks about Hollywood and its stars during his opening monologue, a noticeable portion of which contained expletives that had to be censored by television stations. His performance polarized audiences and spawned a plethora of memes about Hollywood’s most beloved celebrities, one of the most notable being Tom Hanks, who appeared very offended.
Some viewers applauded him for a job well done and firmly believed that a host like Gervais – someone willing to tell it like it is without regard for what anyone else thinks – is exactly what Hollywood award shows need. Others felt that his jokes, which included a jab at Felicity Huffman’s time spent in prison and a comment about the stars being friends with Jeffrey Epstein, went too far. As the host hacked away at the egos of the superstars in the room, the cameras repeatedly cut to Hanks to capture his hilariously scandalized facial expressions.
The Fashion
As they do at every Hollywood event, the attendees came fully decked out in designer couture and jewelry worth five times the average college tuition. One of the evening’s most interesting fashion inspirations was the tuxedo, whose signature black and white coloring gave rise to multiple elegant gowns with the same color scheme. Cynthia Erivo, nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture, turned heads wearing a simple yet glamorous black and white off-the-shoulder gown. Other favorite styles included bold colors and sparkles. Charlize Theron arrived wearing an apple-green dress by Dior, and Saoirse Ronan opted for a fully-crystalled look.
Immediately after the awards, bloggers took to the Internet to document the best and worst-dressed celebrities at the ceremony. As it turns out, no one can seem to agree completely on which styles worked and which ones didn’t. While some lists praised the uniqueness of Theron’s gown, others were decidedly less enthralled by it, pointing out that the piece looked “unfinished.” On the other hand, Taylor Swift’s floral dress from Etro received compliments for its tasteful use of patterns. The fashion scene in Hollywood that night proved that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
The Controversy
Aside from viewers’ debates over Ricky Gervais’ performance as host, there was one issue in particular that caused controversy at the Golden Globes: no women were nominated in the Best Director, Best Screenplay, or Best Motion Picture categories. In the history of the Golden Globe Awards, only five female directors have ever been nominated. Only one of these women, Barbara Streisand, actually won the award. In December, Rebecca Goldman, chief operating officer of the Time’s Up Foundation, released a strongly-worded statement asserting that “women — and especially women of color — continue to be pushed to the sidelines by a system that holds women back, onscreen and off.” She addressed the problem at the award ceremony directly and stated that it was not only an issue within the Golden Globes, but rather an industry-wide crisis.
In a list of nominations which was released on January 13, 2020, the Oscars announced the nominees for Best Director. To the disappointment of many who hoped women would be better represented in this category, the list once more consisted of five all-male nominees. This announcement sheds light on the ingrained sexist nature of Hollywood, leaving an even more sour taste in the mouths of anyone who expected improvement from the situation at the Golden Globes.
With its long lineup of talent, the first award show of the year proved to be a promising setup for an entertaining year. Those of us who aren’t movie stars can only hope that we have enough time to binge these critically acclaimed films and television shows in time for the Oscars in February.