By: Alex Spindler
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the entertainment organization responsible for producing the Golden Globe Awards, recently announced that last year’s hosting duo Amy Poehler and Tina Fey will host the award ceremonies in 2014 and 2015. According to CNN, the quick decision to have the partnership host for the next two years is due to their high critical praise and attractiveness to TV viewers. In fact, the 2013 viewership for the Golden Globe Awards (which traditionally falters in ratings compared to the Academy Awards) was the highest that it had been in the last six years.
Despite criticism, it is no surprise that the HFPA would hire a duo so well known to host the ceremony multiple times. As history will show, the film organization recruits celebrities like Ricky Gervais and Steven Martin for multiple shows primarily due to their star prestige and edgy humor.
Since 1958, there has been a long-standing tradition for the Golden Globe Awards to incite a bit of controversy. Originally, journalists from the organization presented the awards much to the audience’s dismay. To combat boredom, the Rat Pack (composed of famous singers such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin) stormed the stage with cigarettes and whiskey in tow. The Rat Pack was invited to repeat its appearance for the next three years, bringing greater attention to an otherwise ignored awards gala. It was a combination of celebrity power and natural charm that swayed the committee towards electing stars as the hosts for following ceremonies.
Their popularity should not be ignored. As the Golden Globe Awards’ ratings prove, these ladies are forces with which to be reckoned. With both their shows, “30 Rock” and “Parks and Recreation,” have breathed new energy into NBC Thursday night’s “Must See TV,” and they are proving once more how women deserve a place in the male-dominated realm of comedy.
The duo looks to be an unbeatable force for hosting awards ceremonies, and its performances may enter the two into the Hall of Great Hosts which includes Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg. The 2014 Golden Globe Awards ceremony will be at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, Jan. 12 on NBC.