The Golden Globes' safest bet was, arguably, its host Nikki Glaser. The ceremony's history of struggling to find a suitable host, with the exception of Ricky Gervais' short-lived stint in 2010, makes Glaser an attractive option.
Glaser's performance on Sunday was met with a mix of reactions, ranging from amusement to annoyance. Her jokes about Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet were well-received by the audience, while her remarks about Paul Thomas Anderson's film "One Battle After Another" earned a chuckle. Her deadpan delivery during the commercial break, when she joked that the award for Most Editing went to CBS News, was particularly noteworthy.
However, Glaser's efforts couldn't overcome the lingering questions surrounding the Golden Globes' legitimacy. The ceremony's voting body is still composed of 300 members from around the world, a positive development in terms of diversity. Nevertheless, the apparatus propping up the telecast may still be less brazenly corrupt, insular, and racially exclusive than it was under the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Glaser's success in keeping the show light-hearted also served as a reminder that even in difficult times, there is value in finding humor and levity. Teyana Taylor's speech about female empowerment and acceptance was particularly noteworthy, as she encouraged her brown sisters to "belong" and for their voices to be heard.
Despite Glaser's best efforts, the ceremony still felt marred by the lingering questions surrounding its legitimacy. The introduction of Polymarket, a prediction market funded in part by Donald Trump Jr., added an air of predictability to the show, which detracted from the moment. Furthermore, the ceremony's reliance on gushing commentary from commentators Kevin Frazier and Marc Malkin, who are both valued employees of Penske Media, raised questions about the telecast's motives.
Ultimately, Glaser's performance was a reminder that even in difficult times, there is value in finding humor and levity. However, for the Globes to stay viable, other aspects of the telecast need to pull back on being so predictable.
Glaser's performance on Sunday was met with a mix of reactions, ranging from amusement to annoyance. Her jokes about Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet were well-received by the audience, while her remarks about Paul Thomas Anderson's film "One Battle After Another" earned a chuckle. Her deadpan delivery during the commercial break, when she joked that the award for Most Editing went to CBS News, was particularly noteworthy.
However, Glaser's efforts couldn't overcome the lingering questions surrounding the Golden Globes' legitimacy. The ceremony's voting body is still composed of 300 members from around the world, a positive development in terms of diversity. Nevertheless, the apparatus propping up the telecast may still be less brazenly corrupt, insular, and racially exclusive than it was under the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Glaser's success in keeping the show light-hearted also served as a reminder that even in difficult times, there is value in finding humor and levity. Teyana Taylor's speech about female empowerment and acceptance was particularly noteworthy, as she encouraged her brown sisters to "belong" and for their voices to be heard.
Despite Glaser's best efforts, the ceremony still felt marred by the lingering questions surrounding its legitimacy. The introduction of Polymarket, a prediction market funded in part by Donald Trump Jr., added an air of predictability to the show, which detracted from the moment. Furthermore, the ceremony's reliance on gushing commentary from commentators Kevin Frazier and Marc Malkin, who are both valued employees of Penske Media, raised questions about the telecast's motives.
Ultimately, Glaser's performance was a reminder that even in difficult times, there is value in finding humor and levity. However, for the Globes to stay viable, other aspects of the telecast need to pull back on being so predictable.