If you have covered the entertainment business as long as I have, there is one truth lately. It is not the same and the award shows are feeling the pinch. It is not the same because Hollywood is not the same, and that is fine. But, at times, it feels as if Hollywood needs to put the idea of entertainment back into play.
When watching a show, the first thing that matters for most people is that they are entertained. Not everything needs to have a message and depress the heck out of us. There is no doubt that the reality concept of TV has ruined the business model and social media has contaminated it further. But, get back to the basics - entertain us.
Meanwhile, viewership for all the major award shows have dropped while the lesser ones barely get noticed anymore. Sure, they still get covered (I will not cover the lesser ones anymore, though).
So, with the 2021 Golden Globes, it will be different, and it will not be good. Some may try to explain it as being a good thing, but these shows are designed as PR campaigns for the movies and show business. It is pointless to have them while no one watches. Or the audience dwindles and they try to explain it away with reasons that make no sense. It is good to ignore group-think when it comes to award season. Just because one movie or TV show wins, that does not automatically mean you need to fall in line. When a show is universally despised or piled on after a nomination, you do not have to go along with that assessment. See "Emily in Paris" for that this time around.
It is important to enjoy the event, if you can, but if your show does not win, so what. And if it did not get nominated that does not mean it was snubbed. There is so much product that many get left out. And by suggesting your show or person was snubbed indicates someone who did get a nomination did not deserve it.
Thoughts:
- The idea that The Globes are rigged and uses payola to get nominations is old news. Every year that gets brought up and there is likely some truth to it. The Oscars have that as well. Actors, actresses, studios, etc., do campaign for awards but there are rules. Again I note, these are public relations campaigns for show business in general.
- There is no doubt that the whining and dining of voters can influence a vote. With the Hollywood Foreign Press, it is 90 members (of the press)...so yes, it surely has happened now and in the past.
- The audience dwindling has nothing to do with the nominees. They continue to do great work. It would be too much product, however, and that means all shows become niche shows. And other factors that Hollywood never wants to admit.
- Do not listen to anyone who says that viewership does not matter. It does. Do not televise them if that does not matter. They are industry awards, anyway, so just do it at a dinner with no cameras.
- You would think with more people home due to the pandemic, more people would tune in, but that has not happened. They are streaming more and more and fragmenting the audience even more. Last year, without the restrictions yet, this show was held in January and the viewership was at 18.3 million. They will hope to maintain that number and that would be a success for sure. See here.
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So, here we are in 2021 and still doing social distancing with events, and limiting attendance. That limits those nominated as well, to fully enjoy the award season.
The Golden Globes will take place on two coasts, Feb. 28. It will be live on both coasts, too, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Tina Fey will host from the Rainbow Room in New York while Amy Poehler will be at the Beverly Hilton in LA. See here. The idea is good but this will not work. If they have Zoom-like features in this show, it will be hard to watch.
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