The 2024 Golden Globes was very interesting and full of what I, and many, would consider great moments; however, it also had its share of awkward and tone-deaf moments. Here are a few that stuck out to me, as someone who loves cinema, television, and women.
Moments I loved:
The Hulu series “The Bear” released its second season in June of last year and quickly became my favorite watch of the summer. It is beyond binge-worthy, funny, intense, and heartfelt, and for those reasons, it swept at the Golden Globes. It won the award for Best Comedy or Musical Series, and both Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White won Best Actress and Actor for this category. I love both of these actors and the show. Ayo’s speech was very inspiring and refreshing to watch, and she looked stunning. She is just that girl.
“Barbie”came out on July 21, 2023 and I am still obsessed with it. Girls and boys, old and young, found a lot to love about this movie, so much so that “Barbie” was up for 10 categories, and yet only won two. Many of the nominees that the cast were up against had winners that well deserved it, but I still rooted for “Barbie” and was so excited when I watched the movie take home two wins. One was the first-ever Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award, and the other was Best Original Song for a Soundtrack for “What Was I Made For” by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas. This was a real tear-jerker, as the scene from the movie with the song is full of montages of what girlhood and womanhood mean, and was the moment that made me tear up both times I watched it. Both awards were extremely well deserved.
Moments I hated:
In a year of the “Barbie” movie, to hear a man belittle the movie was so heartbreaking. Jo Koy, the comedian who hosted the event, went on to praise “Oppenheimer” and then summarize the “Barbie” plot as being about “a doll with big boobies.” To diminish all of the work that the director, cast, casting directors, assistants, and everyone involved gave just to make an unhumorous comment on Margot Robbie’s physical features is blasphemy. It was upsetting not only because of the objectification she must have felt, but also for the letdown it was for young women who were tuned in. I believe I could have written 20 better “Barbenheimer” jokes if given the chance.
Similarly, Taylor Swift’s career was belittled and reduced to her relationship with Travis Kelce when Koy said that she gets more screen time at the NFL games than the event he was hosting. They panned to her as she made a slight face and drank her champagne, being classy. So many people rushed online to say that this was an overreaction and that she should be able to take a joke, even thoughshe had barely reacted at all. It is interesting how Ryan Gosling is praised for his reaction to the Barbie jokes and Taylor’s milder reaction is picked apart online for being “too much.”
A team of writers approved these jokes, Koy had dress rehearsals, and he apparently had people in his life read the script. No one said that it was offensive and could not be aired, and no one told him it was just blatantly unfunny. I actually find these bad moments very important. After all of Barbie’s success this year, many of us did not expect a joke like this on live national television and in this capacity. It was eye-opening; men have not stopped degrading women for their entertainment, and we are far from seeing that change.
The Golden Globes was interesting this year and had so many fantastic movies and shows nominated. It was a great year for cinema and lots of my favorites got awarded, but the host was not worth listening to so that you could see these awesome moments.