The Media and Award Season

Award season: that time of the year when social media is buzzing with “Who said that?” and “I can’t believe they did this!” remarks minutes, if not seconds, after events unfold throughout the night. I have loved watching these award shows for as long as I can remember. I am a part of the small few who genuinely watch the shows for the interest in the entertainment industry and the movies, TV, actors, actresses, directors, and more who I believe deserve recognition. Others watch the shows to critique every detail that ends up happening. In some ways, it feels like more critiquing gets done than what goes into voting for the winners.

We’re all aware of the impact social media has on the world, specifically this generation. When there is something that can be offended, commented on, criticized, or allows social media to get angry during awards season, it will happen without a doubt.

The award show that roared up the media this past month was the Golden Globes. The host was Jo Koy who is most known for his work in stand-up comedy. You would think that a comedian would be a great host as there have been iconic ones such as Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon. In this case, Koy was given late notice on his position to host and it came across in his opening monologue with his poorly executed jokes throughout the night. Not only did he attempt the faulty punchlines but proceeded to admit some were not written by him. In a way, he blamed other writers for the lack of response from the audience members.

One of the biggest jokes of the night that got the most media attention was about none other than Taylor Swift. Koy made a joke about how the only difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL was how the Golden Globes had “fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.” We are all aware of how big a star Swift is, and her fandom took to the internet immediately to back her up.

On the other hand, since social media is always divided, people said how Swift should have taken the joke more lightly. Of course, however, with award season, everyone has an opinion about everything else but what the ceremony is all about. In many ways, it’s a perfect match for Hollywood!

This is not the first time that there has been controversy tied to these award shows. Think back on the unforgettable Chris Rock and Will Smith slap, which will always be a classic people continue to talk about to this day. Just like that situation, unforgettable award show moments will keep being added to the list year by year. These shows are magnets for dramatic entertainment on and off the big screen for sure. Not to mention all of the shows are broadcast live, so the mistakes, embarrassments, and awkward moments are all happening in real-time—the perfect recipe for a social media craze.

It’s interesting to think about how society gets so caught up in the drama of these celebrities and that most media attention is surrounded by them. The simplicity of announcing the category, saying the winner, accepting the award, and saying your heartfelt speech is not even the focus of the night anymore, which I find disappointing for the people who worked so hard to earn these awards. I believe social media has too much power for these ways to ever change, for now at least, and the Golden Globes will be in the rearview mirror soon enough when the Oscars come rolling around.

The cycle is continuous, so if anyone is worried about the drama dying down a bit in Hollywood, it will live on as social media is always waiting to debut their opinions once again. At the end of the day, all of these movie and TV stars’ jobs are to entertain us, right? So in essence they are surely doing what they’re supposed to! As much as I love what the award shows are initially about (the movies, TV shows, actors, production, and all) I will admit this aspect of the shows provides mindless entertainment.

It’s always funny to wake up in the morning and look back at the highlighted moments from the night before. I am sure the Academy loves this because it just means more media attention and interest in the award shows altogether. At the end of the day, it truly does not matter what is said about these celebrities because they walk away with awarded achievements, a good night, and a chance to showcase themselves, a role they are very much used to.

Social media will not change any of that for them, and I know some of us can admit we can’t wait to see what the upcoming Oscars will have in store. Only time will tell who will be talked about, the events that will unfold, and what’s to come for the many more award shows in the near future.