Golden Globes 2015: The 12 Things You're Most Likely to See at This Year's Ceremony
A month from now, are you even going to remember who won the Golden Globes? And should you? After all, it's not like the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the little group of entertainment journalists who give out the prizes, have loads of credibility, either as Oscar and Emmy prognosticators or as discerning film and TV critics.
But they do put on a heck of an awards show. This year's gala, the HFPA's 72nd, boasts a pair of popular and funny emcees, a glamorous gathering of TV and movie stars, a tribute to a certain Hollywood royal, and the possibility that the event's free-flowing alcohol and relaxed vibes will lead to something spontaneous and memorable happening. Oh yeah, and Sunday's proceedings will also offer a small hint at what could win at the Oscars in February. Here, then, are some things likely to catch your eye at the 2015 Golden Globes ceremony.
The Tina and Amy Show. This is the third and, alas, apparently the last year that Ms. Fey and Ms. Poehler will co-host the ceremony. Expect them to go out with a bang, sparing few with their sweetly-delivered barbs, since they don't have to worry about being invited back.
More of the same from Ricky Gervais. After all, the HFPA is letting previous three-time host Gervais come back as a presenter, despite his well-established tendency to insult the powerful and hijack the show for his own purposes. You at home will be laughing, even if those in the Beverly Hilton ballroom do not.
A-listers reading cue cards. Along with Gervais, plenty of top-ranking entertainers will be happy to serve as presenters at the Globes, where no one will be writing awkward jokes into their remarks like at the Oscars. Those who've agreed to appear so far include Amy Adams, Adrien Brody, Robert Downey Jr., Anna Faris, Kevin Hart, Salma Hayek, Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Pratt, Channing Tatum, Lily Tomlin, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Frasier's daughter. Miss Golden Globes, the gowned gal who hands out the trophies and escorts the winners offstage, is almost always a celebrity's daughter. This year, it's 22-year-old Greer Grammer, star of "Awkward" and daughter of Kelsey. Keep an eye on her; after all, past Miss GGs have included Melanie Griffith and Laura Dern.
A coronation for George Clooney. After all, like Jack Nicholson or Clark Gable before him, Clooney is pretty much acknowledged by one and all to be the king of Hollywood. So why not make it official? On Sunday, he'll pick up the Cecil B. DeMille award, the HFPA's lifetime achievement prize. Isn't the 53-year-old a little young for that? After all, just 20 years ago, before the 1994 debut of "ER," hardly anyone knew who he was. (Though we shouldn't discount his earlier career, a decade spent doing things like guest roles on "The Golden Girls" and starring in horror spoof "Return of the Killer Tomatoes!") Still, he's a big deal now. And a good sport, judging by the way he canoodled with Poehler during a comedy bit at a previous Globes ceremony. Over the years, the HFPA has nominated him in nine different categories; the organization's official press release about the DeMille award observes, "At this point, he could only top this if he were to write a song or have a sex change." Let's hope not.
Newcomers among the TV winners. The Globe voters like to get out in front of the Emmys when it comes to being the first to recognize new shows. So look for Gina Rodriguez to take home a trophy for "Jane the Virgin" and Viola Davis (who's a newcomer to primetime, at least) to grab one for "How to Get Away With Murder."
Newcomers among the movie winners -- sort of. Director Richard Linklater has gone Globe-less throughout his quarter-century career, but that's likely to end with the hosannas over "Boyhood." Watch for that film's supporting actress nominee, Patricia Arquette, to pick up her first Globe, too. Of course, "Boyhood"'s big rival, "Birdman," could also grab a few prizes, including a Best Actor award for the previously Globe-deprived Michael Keaton.
Jokes about "The Interview." Nobody came off looking noble in that fiasco, so there'll be plenty of wisecracks to go around.
Food envy. Potential Globe honorees had better remember to bring some dental floss; you don't want to go up on stage and on camera with black Tuscan kale from the awards banquet's second course stuck in your teeth. This year, you can watch as Globe guests nibble on a three-course meal consisting of a modified Waldorf salad with a lemon emulsion dressing, a surf-and-turf course of filet mignon and Arctic char (served with a potato croquette, a fondue of heirloom cherries and tomatoes, and the aforementioned kale), and a triple dessert course of cassis lemon cheesecake, chocolate alliance salted caramel, and hazelnut dacquoise. You know, in case you wanted to duplicate the menu at home.
A moment of silence. Many greats from the worlds of both TV and film passed away last year, probably too many for the show to do justice to them all in the annual "In Memoriam" montage. Hold your applause 'til the end, folks.
Plugs for "Parks and Recreation." You think NBC is going to miss a chance to promote the final season of Poehler's cult-fave sitcom? C'mon, people, it's your last chance to discover this show.
Drunken revelry. There's never as much of it as we at home would want to see. Still, hope springs eternal that the Globes' keep-refilling-those-goblets policy will pay off in an on-camera slap fight or wardrobe malfunction. Heck, we'd settle for a loud belch.