The Golden Globes, the much-anticipated annual awards ceremony honouring excellence in a foreign film, will be held without the usual sparkle and splendour this year.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has announced that the 79th Golden Globe Awards, which will be held on January 9, would not have a red carpet or celebrities in attendance. There will be no members of the press or audience who are not members of the HFPA.
The main reason stated for the same is the surge in COVID-19 cases.
The twisted reality
Apart from COVID-19, the HFPA is attempting to move on after a year marred by controversy and boycotts.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, it’s unclear whether or how people at home will be able to watch the ceremony if they want to. A live stream is a possibility, but there could be legal issues if the awards ceremony is broadcast without the participation of NBC, which owns the broadcasting rights to the Golden Globe Awards.
For the uninitiated, NBC has so far withdrawn from this year’s Golden Globes as a result of the repercussions from the Los Angeles Times’ investigation into the HFPA’s behaviour and demographic makeup in February.
Following a shocking article in the Los Angeles Times published in February, detailing alleged misconduct and diversity concerns, the organisation has been in hot water all year, prompting many celebrities and industry people to speak out. It was also stated that the group had never had a single Black member before.
Many Hollywood stakeholders boycotted the HFPA as a result of the incident, and NBC, the Globes’ longstanding television partner, declined to carry a ceremony in 2022.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that the HFPA grantees and Kyle Bowser, NAACP Hollywood Bureau, will address their work with the organisation throughout the ceremony, whatever shape it takes this year.
Many changes have occurred within the HFPA since April, including a behind-the-scenes, restructure and the employment of a chief diversity officer. Still, it’s unclear how much — if any — of an influence the adjustments will have on the programme.
Only 10,000 viewers turned in to the announcement webcast on the Globes’ YouTube account when Hoehne and Snoop Dogg revealed the nominees — a choice that no one entirely understood — and the ballroom where the ceremony took place was also conspicuously empty, according to Variety.
“We will be regularly updating the members and the public as we move forward in making our organisation more inclusive and diverse,” the HFPA said in a statement in May, “since we realise the necessity and need of transparency.” “We recognise that the hard work begins now, and we remain committed to being a better company and an industry leader in terms of diversity, openness, and accountability,” the statement added.