Focus On The Positive
WOW. Last night's golden globes were… well…To be completely honest, terrifying. I'm not the kind of person that's too sensitive or easily offended but Ricky Gervais’s behavior was appalling. First of all, I'm disgusted by how he addressed the lack of female directors or screenwriters nominated. He was suggesting that women who aren't recognized for their work should feel lucky they get to work at all and not speak out against unequal recognition. I could just tell that's what he meant. Lots of female actors who are paid less than their male co-stars have described feeling unable to speak up because they know they're lucky to be working at all. Statements like the one Gervais made is exactly the kind of verbal garbage that scare women into remaining silent.
Second of all, I HATE that he said actors shouldn't lecture the public about anything because they know nothing about the real world. Yes, some may be wealthy and privileged and may have luxuries some people will never have. That doesn't mean they didn't work their asses off to get to where they are. I HATE it when hardworking professionals are bullied into having to apologize for their success. Especially women.
Stopping climate change hasn't happened because some people can't be reasoned with. Hollywood can't change ignorant people. Using their platform to make political statements is a means they have to influence the public and they have a right to use it. Many of them go out and do their own charity work. With the level of corruption that's ruling America, there isn't much else they can do at this point.
Hearing Stars we all admire address real issues was made out to be a bad thing by Gervais. That's why last night was terrifying. It's often very comforting hearing many of our role models talk and if Gervais has his way, we won't even have that anymore. Verbal normalcy will be eliminated altogether. What if we get to a place where speaking out against injustice is seen by everyone as a naive privileged entitlement?
What's scary about Gervais is that he presents what he says as jokes people are too sensitive for but they're not jokes. Not because they offend but because he's not joking about them. The extent of his hatred for Hollywood is so sincere and everyone in that ballroom last night felt that. The whole atmosphere was just so full of tension. He was so ungracious and I could just see the exhausted anger in his eyes when he closed the ceremony.
I can tell he loves the attention, though. By writing all this, I'm giving him exactly what he wants but I can't help it. Too many good people were offended last night and it wasn't right. It's not right that fires are spreading like viruses across Australia and more needs to be done about it besides public speaking. Public speaking is nothing though because when this sort of thing happens, you address the compassion you feel for those in the middle of it. That's what humans do.
As for the actual award, many of my predictions were wrong but I am so happy for those who won. I was over the moon that Joaquin Phoenix won for Joker. I think more often than not, actors try to say one thing and it unintentionally comes out as something else. That's the end of his speech for you. He absolutely didn't mean to throw actors mentioning Australia under the bus.
Any time he gets an award, he gets really nervous. I could just see the stage fright written all over him. I feel he's not the best at public speaking but a lot of what he says makes sense. I always saw him as misunderstood. He's a very rare bird of a person and I'm sure at heart, he's a really great guy. He couldn't have played Arthur Fleck without humbleness and compassion.
I'm also paralyzed with happiness for Renee Zellweger, Taron Egerton, Awkwafina and Laura Dern. They all did beautiful work and it was wonderful seeing them be recognized for it. Joker truly had the best music of the year and I just know Hildur will win that Oscar. Film composers are responsible for bringing back and saving classical music. Audiences want to hear them and they contribute to the stories being told.
I loved hearing Ellen and Tom Hanks speak. Kate McKinnon and Charlize Theron gave beautiful introductions for both of them. I was also touched by the chemistry between Quinton Taranto and Margot Robbie. The sincerity of their friendship makes me emotional.
I made no predictions on TV shows because I don't watch a lot of it. I truly don't always have time to see everything for film and especially for tv but I do my very best. I'm just as proud of the tv winners. Olivia Colman is another actor who gets nervous winning awards and she's always so gracious and adorably shy with her sincere mousy persona. She's just a lovely person.
Michelle Williams’s speech was the best of the night. She was very brave to speak out so personally the way that she did. I praise her and I'm so excited to see her win the SAG. She went through a very dark period with Heath Ledger's death and it's been a beautiful gift seeing her rise up the way that she has. She's truly a great role model.
I felt terrified when I started writing my thoughts on last night. I still am but I feel a little better having focused on the positive. That's my advice to you all right now: Focus on the positive.