Comedian Nikki Glaser called the event “Ozempic’s biggest night.”
But Glaser, a comedian who made her name criticizing Tom Brady, toured the ballroom at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., picking many targets in an opening monologue she had worked extensively in comedy clubs before.
Glaser, who presented the Globes two weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration, reserved his most incisive response for all of Hollywood’s stars.
“You could really do anything … except tell the country who to vote for,” Ms. Glaser said. “But it doesn’t matter, you’ll get them next time…if there is one.” I’m afraid. »
She then turned to “Wicked” star Ariana Grande with a request: “Ariana, hold my finger.”
Ms. Glaser complimented Timothée Chalamet, nominated for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” for having “the most beautiful eyelashes on your upper lip.”
Although Glaser didn’t reach the laugh levels of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the monologue was largely winning and a vast improvement over last year’s host Jo Koy. Glaser assured the crowd that, win or lose, “the goal of art is to create a brand of tequila so popular that we never need to make art again.” .
The first honoree of the evening was Zoe Saldaña, who received the award for Best Supporting Actress. She was recognized for her performance in Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Perez,” the transgender musical which received 10 nominations, followed by “The Brutalist,” Brady Corbet’s post-war epic, with seven nominations, and “Conclave,” the papal thriller by Edward Berger, with six nominations. Among the most nominated series are “The Bear”, “Shogun” and “Only Murders in the Building”.
After a few difficult years and the dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes appear to have stabilized. The question on Sunday was: Are the Golden Globes still capable of putting on a good show?
Last year’s edition, hosted by Koy, was widely criticized, but it delivered on its promises: According to Nielsen, audience ratings reached 10 million viewers. The CBS channel, which embarked on the adventure after NBC abandoned the Globes, signed for five additional years.
The Globes are now owned by Eldridge Industries, owned by Todd Boehly, and Dick Clark Productions, which purchased the ceremony from the now defunct Hollywood Foreign Press Association. After diversity and ethics scandals, the HFPA sold the Globes and disbanded. However, more than a dozen former HFPA members are seeking to overturn the sale to Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions.
Regardless, the Globes’ main reason for being, from the studios’ perspective, is to serve as a big marketing event for awards contenders. There are still almost two months until the Oscars on March 2.
But unlike last year, when “Oppenheimer” was a hit and “Barbie,” which grossed a billion dollars, added weight to the race, the main films in the running this year are more films of art house, and no favorite has yet emerged.
The Globes take place about two weeks before Trump’s inauguration. Most of Hollywood’s awards season nominees so far have tried to stay out of the political fray, with the exception of “The Apprentice,” the young drama about Trump starring Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong . Both actors were nominated by the Globes, and Mr. Stan earned a second nomination for his performance in “A Different Man.”
