The 81st edition of the Golden Globes sparked controversy amid women in the entertainment industry. The awards show has been airing on CBS since 1944, honoring performances and contributions to the film industry. The show aired on Jan. 7 2024. Unlike the Oscars, the Golden Globes recognizes each genre of film separately, where each genre has a winner. Some individuals wait all year to watch this award show to applaud their personal favorites from the film industry.
Each year, a different host is selected for the evening show. This year’s host was popular stand-up comedian, Jo Koy. As a talented comedian, Koy attempted to make several jokes at this season’s Golden Globes. In his jokes, he offended the incredibly popular movie Barbie and humiliated Taylor Swift during his act.
Sophomore Madeline Smith (26) said, “The jokes he tried to accomplish were a bit out of pocket. Also, all of them seemed to be targeted towards women.” Minimizing the movie Barbie as well as the popular singer, Swift, only made Koy look bad in the face of women. The Barbie movie’s debut was a symbol for women empowerment and he diminished that. He used the sexuality of the movie to undermine the value of it. He has been receiving backlash since hosting due to the controversial jokes he presented.
However, the show’s viewing statistics grew by 50% as a result of his presence. Short clips of his monologue were posted on social media getting the attention of more viewers. “He had a point to bring up that Taylor Swift’s face is all over the NFL nowadays. She is getting a lot of fame from it,” said Chloe Crider (26) after watching a clip of Koy on social media.
Award shows have always been a hit throughout society, but lately seem to have fewer viewers. Shows like the Golden Globes, Oscars, and Grammy awards have been dying down in some popularity due to politics and controversies. This year’s host debacle is one prime example of this. Smith (26) also said, “I feel like some platforms plan some of the controversial acts in efforts to get more people to watch.” Will Smith’s well-known moment at the Oscars in 2022 where he punched Chris Rock could be an example of these planned acts to boost viewers.
Favored movies Oppenheimer, Barbie, and Killers of the Flower Moon were just a few of the films that were proudly recognized for the intense work put into them. Along with the films, Billie Eilish’s song, “What Was I Made For” won an award for being the best original song.
Above all, the 2024 Golden Globe Awards were held to honor well-written and outstanding performances that deserve to be recognized. These award-winning movies should not go unnoticed by society regardless of any controversy in the area.
