Why the 2021 Golden Globe Awards Fell Flat
2021 was an odd year for television’s most popular awards show for Hollywood. The coronavirus is to blame for the first virtual awards show. It was strange to see the Golden Globe nominees accepting their award, and giving their speech on Zoom virtually on TV. COVID 19 has tarnished the entertainment industry. It will take years for Hollywood to recover from the pandemic.
Awards shows were meant to be gatherings where Hollywood’s elite movie stars and celebrities would appear in person to celebrate the night with their fellow TV co-stars. The Hollywood glitz and glamour are starting to fade away.
The weirdest part about the show was the Golden Globe nominees that accepted their awards on Zoom from their own “homes.” That was very bizarre. And some of the Golden Globe nominees were not very happy speaking on Zoom due to the show being 100% virtual. The ratings for the 2021 Golden Globes fell to a dismal “1.5 rating among adults 18–49 pulling in only 6.9 million viewers with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as hosts.” This was an article from Deadline. Here is a link to the full article: https://deadline.com/2021/03/golden-globes-ratings-fall-nbc-hfpa-tina-fey-amy-poehler-1234704025/. It was a total disaster for NBC.
NBC should have anticipated that putting on a full virtual show without the Golden Globe nominees in attendance at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills would result in the show being a flop. It was a major power move mistake. The coronavirus pandemic has caused a significant amount of damage to a prestigious and prominent awards show. Hollywood must find a way to pivot and come back strong. It is crucial.
Virtual shows are not only going to kill ratings. It will also hurt profits, even though NBC is doing well financially. People want to see the award winners and presenters on the same stage together. I believe that if the Golden Globe winners and presenters were in the same room standing six feet apart and speaking, that the ratings would have been a lot higher.
Let this be a learning lesson. Hollywood must find a way to reach mass audiences during COVID. I know that it will be tough. But, humans will always find innovative and creative ways to create that connection.
