Explained | Golden Globes and Hollywood Foreign Press Association: Den of controversies

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organisation behind the Golden Globes (also called Golden Globe Awards), has been dissolved after several years of criticism and controversies surrounding the non-profit. This, of course, does not mean that the award show itself will cease to exist. Only HFPA, the organisation that held the award ceremonies, will no longer be in operation. Eldridge Industries, owned by billionaire investor Todd Boehly, and Dick Clark Productions, a subsidiary of Penske Media, have agreed to purchase the HFPA's Golden Globe assets for a yet-undisclosed amount, reported the New York Times. The 81st Golden Globe Awards ceremony, as far as we know, are still scheduled for January 7 next year.

What led to HFPA's demise?

To understand that, let us first try to grasp the very nature of the organisation.

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What, exactly, is (or rather was) HFPA?

HFPA was a nonprofit outfit made up of journalists and photographers on the entertainment beat in different media like newspapers, magazines, books, radio, and TV broadcasting in the United States. As the word 'foreign' implies, most of the members of HFPA are non-US citizens. The organisation was founded in 1943 and from the subsequent year until now, it held the Golden Globes, the awards show aimed at honouring the best in film and television. At the time of its demise, HFPA consisted of 105 members belonging to 55 countries. But despite its very nature, the organisation, particularly in recent years, came under fire for various reasons: from lack of diversity and inclusion to other serious ethical concerns.

While HFPA was restructured under an entirely new, diverse leadership with addition of several members from traditionally underrepresented groups, all that clearly proved to be insufficient.

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HFPA and Golden Globes

These awards, unlike the more sober and frankly more prestigious Academy Awards (or Oscars), are considered less serious and more relaxed. While the lists of nominees and winners are released publicly every year, how those films, TV shows, actors, actresses, writers, and so on are chosen has been less transparent. That is in stark contrast to the Oscars, which—and this is public knowledge—are chosen by an elected jury.

Popular wisdom posits that Golden Globes are fairly good predictors for Oscars. Best Picture Golden Globe winner, for instance, would likely go on to take the Oscar in the same category too— or so it's generally believed in tinseltown. But like a lot of popular wisdom, this is just a myth. Figures suggest only about half of Golden Globe winners take Oscar in the same category. The trouble is, in Globes, Best Picture is really two categories, Best Motion Picture – Drama, and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, so this doubles the chances of Globe winner also taking the Oscar.

What are the controversies that have historically haunted HFPA and Golden Globes?

While the Globe awards shows are snazzy and star-studded enough, reports of what happens behind the scenes have been less than flattering, raising concerns about the integrity and fairness of the entire process. For a long time, accusations of racism, coteries blocking the entry of journos outside the 'circle', bribery from studios in exchange for awards, and lack of transparency have stalked HFPA.

It all came to a boil after a Los Angeles Times exposé from February 2021, a week before the Golden Globes of that year was broadcast, detailed these accusations, focussing on a lack of transparency and diversity. The organisation then had 87 members, the report noted, and while there were people of colour, not a single Black person was part of HFPA.

The LA Times report also quoted former HFPA president Philip Berk. ”Territorial protectionism” in the organisation was “carried to the extreme”, Berk had admitted in a book.

Berk, incidentally, was accused by actor Brendan Fraser, currently enjoying a new lease of life for his career after winning best actor Oscar in 2023, of groping him in 2003. HFPA had reportedly conducted an internal investigation, finding out that Berk meant no harm. Er...

That being said...

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HFPA and Globe controversies go back much, much further

In fact, the first time Golden Globes courted controversy was in 1958. The HFPA president at the time, Henry Gris, tendered his resignation, citing the "transactional" nature of the awards. Gris asserted that awards were being granted as favours rather than being based on merit.

However, one of the earliest major corruption scandals involving the organisation occurred in 1982. It revolved around the Best New Star of the Year category, which saw young actress Pia Zadora winning for her role in Butterfly. Many critics and industry insiders alleged that Zadora received the award as a result of her billionaire husband's influence. It was claimed that her husband had effectively bought the award by wooing the HFPA voters with a lavish trip to his Las Vegas casino.

These instances of corruption, both past and present, contribute to a pattern that has raised doubts about the integrity and credibility of the Golden Globes. Critics argue that such incidents undermine the legitimacy of the awards and cast doubt on whether they are truly honouring deserving individuals based on their talent and achievements.

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Did HFPA take any measures to address these issues?

Yes, but as mentioned above, it might have come too little, too late. Following the fallout from the controversies, the HFPA pledged to undertake significant reforms to address the lack of diversity and ethical concerns. The organisation vowed to increase its membership by 50% in the next two years, with an emphasis on recruiting Black members. They also committed to adopting transparent and accountable practices.

To support these efforts, the HFPA sought external help in the form of diversity consultants and experts. They aimed to revamp their bylaws, increase transparency in their finances, and ensure a fair and unbiased selection process for the Golden Globe Awards. However, these promises were met with scepticism, as previous attempts at reform had yielded minimal results. Some of these promises, it has to be admitted, did result in tangible improvements.

What happens to Golden Globes now?

Going by reports, the next year's Globes will be held on schedule (January 7). The ceremony itself might undergo major changes to make the show more appealing to the audience as viewership ratings have been plummeting for nearly every year for quite some time now.

The HFPA members, most of whom were freelance journalists, will become employees of a yet-to-be-named for-profit entity. Their responsibilities will still include watching films and television shows, participating in the voting process for the awards, and creating promotional content for a Golden Globes website.

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