This New Globes Mess
Getting past my foundational concerns about a publicist suing and parsing out the details to media like, well, a publicist…
The details and the truth or untruth of the specific claims in this Michael Russell lawsuit – whistleblowing after fired – are a distraction from the real issue.
The details and the truth or untruth of the specific claims by or against Dick Clark Productions are a distraction from the real issue.
The real issue is that 81 voting members (this year) hold Hollywood as a willing hostage, year in and year out, all year long, because they have a network television slot… which, of course, is 100% at the well-paid largess of Dick Clark Productions… but I digress…
I like many HFPA members. I even respect some of them, including Emanuel Levy, who is once again a Guru o’ Gold this year, and Mike Goodrich, who is a legitimate journalist, though he tends to dip his beak into the scummiest puddles. There are a few others.
And of course they won’t expand the membership base, since not only would the pool of benefits be thinned, but the scam, because it is reliant on the industry’s cooperation, might be endangered if the cost of wining/dining/flying/hosting/buying were significantly increased. When a con artist has a mark on the hook like this, getting too greedy about the mark would be a massive tactical error. Sucking in extras from side players is fair game though. And trying to kick the person who set up the con for you, since it is now so well placed that you don’t need to keep paying for the privilege, is standard, although dangerous if the waters get murky for some reason (like Oscar moving into January).
Thing is, like the element of the junket system that is about quote whoring – as there is legitimate business done at junkets that benefits both studios and the mostly TV outlets that attend junkets at studio expense – this is a broken, corrupt mess that is allowed to stand because it is seen to be of more service to the industry than trouble.
So who do we blame? The Whore or The John?
I say, you have to blame both. I am not going to rail on about Phil Berk or anyone else stealing cash out of wallets when the industry is not only soliciting his/HFPA’s favors, but is blithely stupid enough – or is it an intentional way of pretending to not have responsibility? – to leave its wallet on the desk while going into the bathroom to brush its teeth before the act being paid for begins?
Hollywood enables the HFPA and The Golden Globes year after year after year. Journalists go on radio and TV and write in print about how silly it all is… and then write some more about it, because, you know, it might sell a damned paper.
Really, we’re all sicker than HFPA is. They may be in denial about their high-priced whoredom… and I would estimate a slot in HFPA to be worth well over $100,000 a year in goods and services. But they know. They have to know. These are not stupid people. And moreover, they are political people. Political enough to get into and stay in HFPA, which has the best funded social welfare program for (mostly) non-productive journalists in the world.
You cannot talk to ANY of the industry professionals who do business with this organization without getting eyerolls and sighs or even outright rages about how wasteful and unpleasant the HFPA dog & pony show is. No one wants to do it. No one wants to pay for it. No one enjoys their interactions with the group.
YET… they line up to kiss the ring. They take the opportunity to promote. They take the opportunity to give parties that are much bigger than the proceedings themselves. (The invited population of the Beverly Hilton must quadruple within an hour of the end of the show… including me, who comes to the parties that are not HFPA’s, but the studios that I work with and, indeed, do business with.) And they don’t want to be left out… even if being “in” causes them to feel a certain urge to shower, especially when they have to convince talent that this is really important and they really shouldn’t tip the limo driver with the trophy.
See Charles Ferguson’s Inside Job… think about movies… pretty close, though the stakes are so much lower that (almost) everyone can sleep at night, comfortable that no one outside of The Club really knows how humiliating it all really is.
but, ya know… they put on a great show. that was a great awards show.
That seems to be all people care about with the globes.
really, bob?….a great awards show?…i’d love to hear about the ‘great’ things…..
Ricky Gervais insulting celebrities, scoot. That’s about it.
It was pretty freakin’ funny. And not just when Gervais was on fire, or when De Niro and Downey went to work. Hell, I laughed out loud when Jeremy Iorns let loose with a bombastic “Here… are the nominees… for Best Supporting Actress… IN A MOTION PICTURE!!”
Let’s see…
The entire cast of Glee rubbing elbows with Hollywood royalty. Michelle Pfeiffer reprising her role from The Fabulous Baker Boys while presenting (you know, the parts where she can’t remember the lyrics to a single goddamn song). Fincher, Nolan, Aronofsky and Russell practically sitting at the same table. Angie leaning on Brad’s shoulder all night (awwww!!!). Andrew Garfield totally blowing his lines. Annette Bening kissing Julianne Moore on the lips. Jesse Eisenberg looking like he genuinely did not give the slightest fuck. January Jones in that dress. Was Elizabeth Moss actually Hugh Laurie’s date? When he asked her who the hell Jim Parsons was, it sure looked like it. Portman calling Kunis “Sweet Lips.” Warren Beatty watching Robert Downey Jr. and wistfully remembering his past. Plus, some surprising moments of authentic emotion: Chris Colfer’s acceptance speech, Temple Grandin having a great time, Michael Douglas totally selling “There’s got to be an easier way to get a standing ovation.”
The whole thing clocking in at 3 hours flat.
WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?!?
Speaking of “Inside Job,” did the GG give an award for best documentary?
If so, I must have missed it.
Fun show (Gervais may be an atheist, but he’s my new god), but did they really need to show excerpts (from the trailers, no less) of every damn movie nommed for Best Picture Drama AND Musical/Comedy? Particularly when some of those movies were “Burlesque” and “The Tourist.” (I’m still trying to figure out how “Country Strong” missed out on a m/c nod.)
It seems fun, it’s too bad it’s associated with the HFP. I can’t even watch the Oscars now but I like how the globes doesn’t have so many leaden presentations.
GG doesn’t give that award, movieman.
I really don’t understand all the trashing pundits and bloggers give the Globes as if to say the OSCARS is the barometer of what is really outstanding in films for the year not the Globes. From what I see the Globes have the same nominees for their award show as do the critics groups or the OSCARS. So why the thrashing…must be the dinner table set up.
The Globes are given away by a bunch of people who are in it for the swag. While the Oscars are given away by the ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENTISTS! This is why the Oscars matter and the Globes, not so much.
Fer fuck’s sake, Poland’s gonna have to write another column about the HFPA to explain it all.
thnx, Chris.
it must have slipped my mind that the Globes don’t bother awarding docs.
Interesting entry, keep up the great work… bookmarked!