It's that time of year again -- the Golden Globes are happening on Sunday night. The host of the show will be Ricky Gervais (as it was last year), but you're welcome to come here and spend the evening with us, because I'll be live-blogging the ceremony, beginning at 7:45 p.m., with regular contributor Marc Hirsh. Join us, contribute your thoughts, and see Jennifer Love Hewitt take on Judi Dench in the category of Best Performance By An Actress In A Miniseries Or Motion Picture Made For Television.
Now, take note, the ceremony is under a wee cloud created by a lawsuit claiming that they, you know, essentially trade nominations for money and trips.
But the truth of the matter is that the Globes have never run on their high prestige; they're handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which lists fewer than 100 active members, the credentials of whom are totally unknown to most of the people who watch the show. (Compare that with, for instance, more than 5000 who vote for the Academy Awards.)
No, the Globes are not high honor as much as often kooky spectacle. Remember, this is the awards ceremony that, last year, was rained upon and resulted in the sightings of many festive umbrellas. There are beautiful gowns, but you can also catch someone from time to time in a kicky little cocktail dress.
And frankly, it's also the awards show that is somewhat notorious for freely flowing beverage selections. (I'm just making sure you're fully informed, is all.) There's absolutely no way to know whether it's that or simply a more relaxed atmosphere that makes interesting things happen, but remember -- in 2009, Darren Aronofsky gave Mickey Rourke the finger from the audience, and his Black Swan is a nominee this year. Look out, Natalie Portman!
This is also where Christine Lahti, in 1998, missed the reading of her name as the winner (for her work on Chicago Hope), and where -- the same year! -- Ving Rhames won a Golden Globe for Don King: Only In America and gave his award to Jack Lemmon.
The Golden Globes can be a little bit wacky, they really can. So come one, come all, and hang out with us on Sunday night. If James Franco misses the award for 127 Hours because he's in the bathroom or something, it's going to be really funny.
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