Feb 14, 20243 min read

Golden Globes spin back to success

Updated: Feb 15, 2024

By Mahika Khosla and Joshua Yan Feb. 14, 2024 After years of controversy, the Golden Globe Awards returned on Jan. 7. Once again, the Beverly Hilton Hotel filled up with Hollywood celebrities, with viewers eager to see who would be taking home one of the show’s prized golden namesakes.

First broadcast in January 1944, the Golden Globes is an annual awards show that recognizes achievements in the film industry. However, in recent years, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA)—which is responsible for organizing The Golden Globes and deciding winners—has been at the center of controversy. For example, the organization has been accused of accepting bribes and was implicated in various scandals. As a result, the event began garnering a negative reputation.

This reached a breaking point in 2021, when the Los Angeles Times discovered that of its 87 members, the HFPA had no Black voters for at least 20 years. The newspaper’s accusations angered viewers, inciting boycotts and storming of the HFPA office. Following this, the awards show was taken off air in 2022—although HFPA claimed that this was due to the pandemic. The show’s decline continued into 2023, with Golden Globes viewership reaching a new low of 6.3 million viewers, as per Entertainment Weekly.

The issues that many viewers called out in the Golden Globes are echoed throughout other awards shows. A 2023 initiative by USC Annenberg found that the Oscars faced similar problems; throughout the show’s history, only 17% of nominees were women and 6% were people of color. In 2023, every winner was white.

“Although there is always more to be done, we are making huge progress towards improving diversity in the entertainment industry. It is critical for diverse winners to be honored in awards shows, as this inspires people from different backgrounds to enter the industry to tell their stories,” Senior Vishnu Dhev Kumar Yogendran said.

In response to backlash, the Golden Globes underwent a promising number of changes this year. Under its new owners, the HFPA was reorganized into a new, more diverse voting organization; a press release stated that the body was now 10% Black. Furthermore, the Golden Globes also debuted two new categories: the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement Award and the Best Performance by a Stand-Up Comic Award. The number of contenders allowed in each of the 25 categories was also expanded, allowing more diverse faces to join the competition.

Notable winners of the show this year included Cillian Murphy for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture and Billie Eilish’s "What Was I Made For" for Best Original Song. Historic wins were also celebrated, with Lily Gladstone becoming the first Indigenous winner of Best Actress in a Drama, and “The Boy and the Heron” being the first PG-13 winner of Best Animated Feature.

“My favorite win of the night were Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, who won Best Actress and Actor in a limited series. I felt extremely proud as they were the first Asians to receive an award in this category,” Freshman Aastha Chivakula said.

The show did not occur entirely without backlash, though. This year’s host, American comedian Jo Koy, was criticized for making insensitive jokes belittling women, and blamed his writers for the quality of jokes, telling CBS that the Globes were his “off night.”

Regardless, this year’s show was more well-received than last year, with a viewership of 9.4 million viewers on average—signaling an over 50% increase and a potential return to the Globes’ former glory. With no current plans of halting, the Golden Globes are on track to continue making their mark in the following years.

About the Contributors

Mahika Khosla staff writer Mahika Khosla is a sophomore at Leland High School and is a writer for The Charger Account. During her free time, she enjoys reading novels, watching movies with popcorn, and creating board games.

Joshua Yan staff writer Joshua Yan is a Junior at Leland High School and is a staff writer for The Charger Account. In his free time, he enjoys playing the piano, listening to music, and playing video games.

Mingyue Xiao artist Mingyue Xiao is a freshman at Leland High School and is an artist for The Charger Account. She does dance, pottery and loves to read.