In the grand circus that is Hollywood, the annual Golden Globes have once again stumbled onto center stage, determined to celebrate movies that seemingly nobody watched and hand out awards to actors most of America has seen enough of. This past year’s event can only be described as an extravagant demonstration of out-of-touch celebrities patting themselves on the back, while the rest of the country shrugged, changed channels, or didn’t bother to tune in at all. It’s hard not to laugh at the irony.
Despite the A-list names, meme-worthy moments, and “buzzy,” albeit incomprehensible, speeches, the ratings for the Golden Globes continued their downward spiral, drawing a mere 8 million viewers. A couple of years ago, this number was more than double. What gives? Well, maybe Americans have grown tired of being lectured on politics by folks who’ve swapped reality for red carpets.
The numbers don’t lie, and the box office receipts are a testament to a bigger issue plaguing Tinseltown. October was a disaster at the box office, the worst in modern history if inflation is factored in. A grand total of $405 million was scraped together across theaters, reminiscent of 1997’s numbers but significantly worse if you account for how much more a movie ticket costs these days. It was a sea of flops, yet these very movies lined up to collect shiny awards, further disconnecting the industry from what audiences actually want.
While stars like Wanda Sykes and Mark Ruffalo lamented about a reality they disagree with, wandering assistants toted bottles of champagne worth more than most people’s monthly wages in the background. A stark reminder of just how far removed these Hollywood elites are from everyday lives. Is it any surprise that when movie stars criticize politics from the gilded halls of award shows, people stop listening?
In years past, when Hollywood masked its disdain for the “average Joe” and produced films with genuine entertainment value, millions would tune in for these glitzy events. But nowadays, actors and actresses who openly scorn anything outside their echo chamber are rewarded with dwindling viewers. The ultimate tragedy for them isn’t what they claim is happening in the country but rather their slide into irrelevance. And irrelevance, as it turns out, is their worst nightmare.
Whatever semblance of cultural influence the Golden Globes once held is rapidly fading. As streaming platforms and independent content creators rise, traditional Hollywood’s grip on entertainment seems more tenuous with each passing award season. Perhaps it’s time for the Golden Globes to take their cue from the movies they celebrate—missing their intended mark, yet still rewarded with a big shiny, albeit meaningless, prize.
