Surprise! The Golden Globes happened last night! Apparently it was the 80th Golden Globe Awards, which seems like a big deal, but the show hasn’t been on for a bit because of racism. You see, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which runs the Golden Globe Awards, has not traditionally been an inclusive organization. At all. You know what, I’m just going to let the host of this year’s ceremony, Jerrod Carmichael, explain it:
Right. So anyway, Carmichael just went straight at it, and I laughed till I cried. I do not think the HFPA expected him to be quite so honest, but it was necessary. And here’s the thing: I wasn’t sure if we were all supposed to watch this broadcast or boycott it. The whole event was sort of flying under the radar this year. Should we be writing about it here on The Antagonist? Are we still punishing the HFPA? Are we giving them a second chance? How does this whole “cancel culture” thing work, anyway? I feel like none of us ever really agreed on the rules. All I know is that I am against racism.
So I hesitantly turned on the show and here’s what I saw: Black Hollywood was there. I often follow the lead of Black people whom I respect when it comes to issues of racial justice, because this is an area where they are unfortunately more experienced than I am, and in general I think my best course of action is to support them in however they choose to act. They chose to participate in the Golden Globes, and that’s enough for me. So in no particular order, some of the most memorable moments of last night’s broadcast were…
Short Round won a Golden Globe!
One of the most delightful stories of this past year is the comeback of Ke Huy Quan, who was a hero to us Gen X kids because of his roles in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies. His Waymond was the solid, stable ground for Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn to stand on in Everything Everywhere All at Once, and this award is well-deserved. His speech was wonderful.
Tyler James Williams, Golden Globe Winner
Who doesn’t love this guy?
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The night’s most unexpected cameo belonged to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who was, after all, an entertainment professional before going in to politics. He had an inspiring message to impart, albeit one that reminds us just how unimportant awards show are in the scheme of things.
Michelle Yeoh Can Beat You Up
This woman is a goddess, full stop.
“Naatu Naatu” wins India’s first Golden Globe
In a packed category including nominees like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift, the Telugu-language film RRR took home the award for Best Original Song.
Jennifer Coolidge is a National Treasure
If Jennifer Coolidge lived on my hill, I would invite her to every single party I ever threw.
Angela Bassett won for Black Panther
Angela Bassett is 64 years old, people. She is a freaking force of nature and we are not worthy to live on the same planet as her. Damn. What a night for incredible women.
Jerrod Carmichael Came for Scientology
Carmichael’s jokes didn’t always land, and there was a lot of uncomfortable humor. I’m not entirely convinced that hosting is his strong suit, even though he’s a very funny guy. But making a joke about Scientology in the heart of Hollywood is ballsy. It honestly shocked me more than anything else that happened the entire night.
Austin Butler as Elvis
As everyone knew he would, Austin Butler won for his portrayal of Elvis Presley. It was especially nice to see Priscilla and Lisa Marie in the audience.
Cecil B. DeMille Award Winner Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy is the GOAT and yet he never seems to get the awards love he deserves, so it’s nice to see him receive a lifetime achievement award. Also, Eddie Murphy is the GOAT and that means he’s the only one who could make this kind of joke about Will Smith.
Ryan Murphy Shines a Light on Others
Speaking of Murphys winning lifetime achievement awards, Ryan Murphy won the Carol Burnett Award. He used his time to talk not about himself, but about other LGBTQ people who he felt deserved recognition: Jeremy Pope, Niecy Nash, Billy Porter, MJ Rodriguez, and Matt Bomer–calling them “examples of possibility” to LGBTQ kids watching. It was an inspiring use of the moment.
Spielberg won for The Fabelmans
This show ran long, I mean LONG, and the world breathed a collective sigh of relief when Steven Spielberg, winning Best Director for the final award, announced that he wasn’t going to risk running into the news broadcasts in New York City and therefore would keep his speech short. It was a charmingly old-fashioned thing to say that I’m sure left everyone under the age of 45 wondering what the hell he was talking about.
Colin Farrell Can Get It
Oh, he can act, too, as evidenced by his winning Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) for The Banshees of Inisherin.
Public Education Gets a Shout-Out
Justin Hurwitz always wins, and he wore the hell out of a brown velvet suit with matching bowtie. But what was best about last night’s win was that he talked about how important his music education was at his public school. I wish I could find the speech online–you’ll just have to take my word for it. And thank a teacher!
