Golden Globes Preview: What to Expect as Nikki Glaser Takes On This Year’s Awards, Under New CBS Deal
After a rough several years of reform and overhaul inside the Golden Globes, the kudocast is riding a wave of momentum into the 2025 show. That includes a recent ratings boost, averaging 10 million viewers in 2024 — up almost 50% from the year before, making it the ceremony’s most-watched year since 2020.
Those ratings were particularly impressive despite the rough reviews that comedian Jo Koy received for his monologue at last January’s event. But to be fair, Koy was brought in at the last minute to host — and it ultimately wasn’t the right fit. This year, the Globes are hoping for better returns with Nikki Glaser, who was recruited in August to emcee the show. That gives her more than four months to prepare, and Glaser is on a career roll, garnering perhaps the best reviews of anyone at May’s live “The Roast of Tom Brady” special on Netflix.
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“Some of my favorite jokes of all time have come from past Golden Globes opening monologues when Tina [Fey], Amy [Poehler] or Ricky [Gervais] have said exactly what we all didn’t know we desperately needed to hear. I just hope to continue in that time-honored tradition (that might also get me canceled),” said Glaser when her hosting gig was announced. “It’s one of the few times that show business not only allows, but encourages itself to be lovingly mocked, at least I hope so. It’s an exciting, yet challenging gig because it’s live, unpredictable and in front of Hollywood’s biggest stars, who also might be getting wasted while seated next to their recent exes.”
The Globes have been on a road to recovery and reinvention in the years since the L.A. Times investigation which eventually led to the dissolvement of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. In its place, Dick Clark Prods. — owned by Todd Boehly’s Eldridge and Variety parent Penske Media Corp. — took over the show.
In the wake of the scandal, the Globes’ 2022 ceremony wasn’t televised, and NBC agreed to keep its contract going through 2023 before the network parted ways with the show. Just when it looked like the Globes might be orphaned in 2024, CBS came in at the last minute and gave the telecast a one-year tryout. It was enough of a success that the Eye network has now struck a five-year deal with Dick Clark Prods., keeping both the Globes and the American Music Awards on CBS (plus Paramount+) through 2029.
“CBS stepped up for the Globes during a very challenging time, and inherently understood its value, while having the foresight, imagination and conviction to bring this iconic show to its many platforms,” PMC’s Jay Penske said at the time.
With the voting body’s demographic makeup still a recent concern, the Globes notes that it now has 334 voters (up from around 80 when this controversy began), representing 85 countries. That includes “47% female with 60% self-identifying as racially and ethnically diverse: 26.3% Latinx, 13.3% Asian, 11% Black and 9% Middle Eastern,” according to the Globes.
There aren’t many awards changes this year. Last year’s additions — cinematic/box office achievement on the motion picture side, and best TV stand-up comedian on the television side — will both be back. All told, there are now 27 categories between film and TV. Nominations will be announced on Dec. 9.
White Cherry Entertainment’s Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, who exec produced last year’s Globes, are also back to produce the 2025 telecast for Dick Clark Prods. And although they won’t have a “Barbenheimer” to play with, there are plenty of high-profile contenders for the producers to lean on — including the musical “Wicked,” the huge “Dune” sequel “Dune: Part Two” and the animated phenom “Inside Out 2.” It might not have seemed possible earlier this decade, when controversy threatened to destroy the awards show — but things are looking pretty golden for Hollywood’s Globes.
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