The Golden Globes Riddle

Scott Hardie | December 9, 2019
Maybe it's just because I read too much entertainment news, but I've seen a lot of coverage of the Golden Globe nominations today, and I see lots of excited talk about them in general at this time of year. I know they've marketed themselves as a respectable award ceremony after many years of being sort of a joke in Hollywood, but I still really, really don't get why anyone takes them seriously.

The Golden Globes are voted on by 91 people who are all entertainment reporters. That's it. That's all of the legitimacy that they have. They're not even critics who write opinions; they're reporters.

By contrast, the Academy Awards are voted on by 8000 people and the Emmys by 25,000 people, all of whom are professionals actively working in film and TV production: Writers, directors, actors, designers, composers, editors, and so on.

I can't think of a situation where so few people who are so unqualified to hold serious opinions are taken so seriously. Funeratic's annual best-of rankings are scarcely less legitimate.

There are all kinds of other awards in Hollywood if the Oscars aren't to your liking. Why does anyone take the Golden Globes seriously? What am I missing?