2016 Golden Globes Got Less Gay, More Boring

Remember the good ol’ days, all the way back one year ago, when Amy Poehler and Tina Fey hosted their last Golden Globes and the whole night turned into a celebration of queer stories and powerful women? Sorry, those days are gone. Ricky Gervais hosted last night’s male-dominated, straight-dominated Globes. No queer TV shows or movies won (Carol unforgivably lost in every category it was nominated in!). If a man was nominated in a category with a woman, or if a male-fronted movie/TV show was nominated in the same category as female-fronted ones, the men won. The Globes were a lot of the same old blah blah blah, but Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio taking home trophies side-by-side weren’t the only things that made it feel like 1997 — Gervais opened the show with a bunch of stupid “jokes” about trans people that I’m not even going to repeat because come on, man.

It wasn’t all men doing men things, though. So here are the five best moments of the mostly boring 73rd Golden Globes.

1. Taraji P. Henson finally gets her hardware

Dang, Taraji is a shining star in a bleak universe of sameness. She handed out cookies on the way up to the stage and shut down the play-off music because, as she said, she’d been waiting 20 years to accept this award (and she probably remembers Kevin Spacey talking for five full minutes last year when accepting his trophy, which only left Ruth Wilson 30 seconds to accept hers). Henson became the first Black woman in 24 years to win for best TV actress, and the third black woman in the show’s 73-year history to win the award. Her speech was gracious, but she also didn’t shy away from pointing out that out of all the amazing roles she’s played in her life, it’s the black-woman-as-ex-drug-dealer/con that made people pay attention.

2. Eva Longoria and America Ferrera call out racism

It’s relevant in every way, but especially because the Golden Globes’ official Twitter mixed up Ferrera and Gina Rodriguez when the nominations were announced in December.

3. Lady Gaga wins, spooks Leonardo DiCaprio

https://vine.co/v/iMAHYTw00bH

Lady Gaga was the only openly queer woman to take home a Globe last night. She won for American Horror Story: Hotel and gave a really moving speech in which she truly seemed shocked to be standing up there. My favorite part was how she gave no deference to Leo on the way up to the stage, running right into/over him, a thing he is clearly not used to.

4. Aziz Ansari takes a page from Amy Poehler’s book

aziz

Neither Tambor nor Ansari won, though. Gael García Bernal did.

5. Regina King wasn’t having Quentin Tarantino’s racist shit

https://twitter.com/TinaLaBang/status/686370919908950016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The camera cut away to her face when he was accepting the award for The Hateful Eight‘s Best Score award on behalf of Ennio Morricone, saying:

“When I say favorite composer, I don’t mean movie composer — that ghetto. I’m talking about Mozart, I’m talking about Beethoven, I’m talking about Schubert. That’s who I’m talking about.”

Jamie Foxx: Also unamused. When Tarantino left the stage and it was time for him to introduce his daughter (Miss Golden Globe), he called out Tarantino too.

My vote is for Eva Longoria and America Ferrera to host this thing next year, with one of those long cartoon hooks in their hands at all times to pull whomever they want right off the stage.

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!
Related:

Heather Hogan

Heather Hogan is an Autostraddle senior editor who lives in New York City with her wife, Stacy, and their cackle of rescued pets. She's a member of the Television Critics Association, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, and a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer critic. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.

Heather has written 1718 articles for us.

54 Comments

  1. Quentin Tarantino is every uncomfortable white boy i’ve tried to escape at every straight party ever. I wish I had a gif of Jamie Foxx’s reaction with me for use irl at all times.

  2. I watched the first bit of Ricky Gervais and I was starting to laugh at some of the jokes until he made that horrible sexist and transphobic joke and called Caitlyn Jenner by her old name and then I turned it off.

    • I don’t understand how people are still effing this stuff up. A) it’s not really a secret that everyone should be treated with respect regardless of identity B) even if he doesn’t TREAT people with respect you’d think Ricky’s handlers would have reminded him that bigotry isn’t so cool.

  3. I’m confused about the stats — Taraji wasn’t the fourth black woman in Globes history to win an acting award — what about Taylor, Hudson, Fisher, Debbie Allen, Monique, Woodard, etc? (I think she’s only the 3rd to win in this category though)

    Anyway, it was much deserved! Lord she was stunning. That was one of the only highlights of the night.

      • Cool! Sorry, I hate to be the annoying corrector-commenter but I saw that and all of a sudden thought of a slew of awesome actresses who’ve won, so I just had to say something!

  4. I cannot believe Carol didn’t win a single award. A beautiful movie lost to bloodbath. It’s bullshit.

  5. That was honestly one of the worst Golden Globes I have ever watched. Thanks, Ricky Gervais. I knew there were likely going to be trans and/or lesbian jokes in the opening due to the movies nominated this year, which is why I didn’t bother to watch that part. The Oscars are likely to be full of them as well so prepare yourselves. And he did with Laverne Cox sitting right there in the audience. Ugh.

    That audience is so damn dense that what America and Eva said probably went over the heads of a lot of the white people in the room. It was also great to see Oscar Issac win and talk about how their is lack of diversity in films backstage after a reporter asked him about his win as if it meant the end of racism in Hollywood.

    I’m going to save my Jennifer Lawrence rage for another post after I’ve calmed down. But I’ll just say that what she did to that foreign reporter, who was clearly struggling with his english, back stage was really fucking rude and ignorant. Yeah, I get that she was trying to do her usual quirky schtick but it was still disrespectful. Oh, didn’t I say I was going to wait to talk about this? I lied.

    I’m disappointed that Carol won nothing and I think that is a good indicator of how the rest of awards season is going to go. That bums me for a number of reasons. Mostly, I just worry about what that means for the future. Didn’t Brokeback Mountain loose a lot of awards it was nominated for in 2006? I don’t think there has really been another big budget film about gay men starring A-list actors since that’s been nominated for anything. Freeheld didn’t even get nominated for anything despite it’s starpower and incredible performances. When are we going to get another Carol or Freeheld? Then their is the Danish Girl. They just gave Jared Leto an Oscar for playing a trans woman last year. Redmayne didn’t have a chance, especially not when they can finally give Leo an award for getting eaten out by a bear in the woods. I joke but like yeah. At least he used his Globe win to advocate for First Nations people.

    • One of the worst parts of the Ricky Gervais’ trans jokes to me (not that it wasn’t all horrendous, obviously, but)- was that Laverne Cox was right in the room! She had to sit through that live and in front of her peers/ future bossss/ etc.

      And she was the only (known) trans person in the room, I believe. As someone who had been the only black person in the room when racist jokes are spilled, I felt for her deeply.

    • Speaking of JLaw, I’m surprised that autostraddle readers didn’t have any issue with her “power lesbian” comment. Yes, I realize it was a joke. And if this had been a celebrity who didn’t have a history of making flip, dismissive comments on LGBT issues, it wouldn’t have registered on my radar. But this is Jennifer we’re talking about, she of the “I was so dykey”/”I named my cat Chaz”/”Mystique was going through a lesbian phase” moments. While I wasn’t offended, exactly, by her latest comment, I did roll my eyes and mentally tell her to shut up.

      To make matters worse, during her post-GG interview, she revisited the comment and claimed that people who found the comment offensive were the offensive ones. What sort of juvenile ignorance…

      • Well, I had a problem with it. I don’t understand why she got a pass on that either. And I’m sorry but Jennifer Lawrence and other straight women like her don’t get to use the word dykey to describe anything. That word has been used for many many years to describe lesbians in an offensive manner and straight women were not apart of doing the work to reclaim that word. They don’t get to use it, period. Not until the day where I don’t get shit in this country for my sexual orientation. And if this had been any other celebrity they would have been rightly put in their place about it. I don’t give a damn what Ruby Rose has to say. And I want to see those receipts about “all the work she’s done for the LGBT community” that gives her the pass to throw around “slutty power lesbian” in the press likes it’s nothing.

        This woman has been coddled by the media for years to the point where she thinks any ignorant thing that comes out of her own mouth(and there have been many) is darling and precious and above criticism. She has never to my knowledge apologized for anything she has said in the past so I’m not going to hold my breath that she is going to apologize for berating this man like he was a child in a room full of people who all laughed at his expense. I know she won’t because once again the media is praising her for putting a man in his place. Yay Feminism. Nevermind that he clearly didn’t speak English very well and was trying to get out his question so she could understand. She should have been more patient instead of trying to plow through her little schtick about how the world needs to look up from their phones. I’m sure she probably already had it in her head to do that before she got to that podium, she just unfortunately picked the wrong person to do it on.

    • I’m not bothered that Redmayne didn’t win. Never mind the underlying issue of his being cast for the role in the first place, I know a number of trans women who saw the movie, and every one of them thought that both the movie and his performance were both awful and wretchedly offensive.

  6. I’m betting that anyone who wants to watch an awards show where Carol has a huge chance in some big wins should watch the Independent Spirit Awards next month.

  7. I figured it was going to be a bad time when I learned Ricky Gervais was to host.
    Thanks for suffering through it Heather to bring us what few gems that shined through soul draining muck.

  8. The box office stats for Carol make for much more cheerful reading.

    I’m planning on watching it for a third time, because, damn.

    Also, it’s totally superficial, but I am so biased towards Gael García Bernal, because he has the exact same first name as me, and I never see it anywhere! (Although I also use the female version, which I’ve seen occasionally). I bet people in N. America never know how to pronounce his name either …

  9. Every time Amy shumner (however the hell you spell it) speaks I have to hear about her vagina, who she wants in it and/or her try to joke her way to the “cool kid’s” table. Seriously, I feel like a combination gynecologist/therapist every time I try to give her a try.

    Amy, don’t douche and stop trying to claw your way to the in crowd for validation. I should get a copay every time she opens her mouth.

    • What a strangely sexist comment for this site. You are under no obligation to enjoy her, but she absolutely has the right to speak about whatever the hell she wants – which includes her body and sex. Not your cup of tea, fine, but women get enough shaming from all other corners of the internet.

      Oh, and it’s spelled Schumer. Thanks Google.

      • Its sexist that I’d like a larger variety of jokes from a comedian? I don’t go out of my way to see her comedy but I did see the movie and I’ve seen TV interviews in passing and between who she wants to sleep with, vaginal infections and what is reminiscent of that kid that would do anything (including embarrass themselves) to get on with the cool kids,I don’t like her brand. The same way I’m annoyed with Seth rogen and his continuous dick jokes, I can do without hearing about her vagina every time she pops up. She can talk about whatever the hell she wants just like I can talk about why I don’t enjoy it.

        • And just to be clear: I don’t have a problem with her doing those jokes. I even chuckled the first few times I heard them. What annoys me is that every public appearance I see of her involves the same tired kind of jokes (unless she’s answering specific questions).Its like can you do something else? Is that all you’ve got going? And she has a show so I’d assume that there would be a larger variety of material for her to pull from but its the same tired cycle of jokes and that’s what annoys me so much about it.

          • That’s cool. I get it. But in a wider context beyond your own personal joke preferences, I find the constant barrage of criticism about her body, her talking about her body, her talking about sex or god forbid actually having sex, to be sexist and exhausting.

            Seth Rogen is a white dudebro who is generally applauded for being such. Not really in this corner of the web, but more broadly. Schumer is a woman who quite often gets dumped on from ALL sides for making a similar style of jokes. Look at comments on any article or video of her, or even mainstream critics like Jeffrey Wells saying she’s too unattractive to be a love interest. The venom towards her is constant, far overshadowing anything you seen thrown at those dudes.

            If you don’t like that branch of comedy, all good of course. I don’t particularly either – although I definitely think Schumer’s show has more than vagina/sex jokes, and her social commentary can be wonderfully cutting. (That is mainly the only stuff I like from her, personally.) A lot smarter than Rogen’s style, at the very least.

            She is certainly not above criticism. She deserves her fair share. But getting back to your comment, you framed it specifically around trashing her because you have to “hear about her vagina” or hear about her sex preferences. The point I’m trying to make is that there’s a disturbing dialogue around her, and you tapped into it. I’m sure not with those intentions, but I found it frustrating.

      • Schumer is difficult to spell? Seriously? You’ve never seen a Jewish name before? You’re being as much of an ass to raise that as anyone else who makes a point of not being able to spell “foreign-sounding” names.

  10. And the Globes go to the…*drumroll* patriarchy!
    God forbid the double female fronted indie film with the gay director get even one f**** award.
    Or other gay/trans movies get an iota of recognition!
    No, let’s give all the awards to the movies with a maximum of manly men in them and as few women or queerness as possible..
    *shakes fist at the sky in outrage*
    Dear globes, shooting things in one shot or in extreme cold does not a noteworthy movie make.
    F****ers, all of them.
    With the gamut of nominations in the queer sector, we may consider ourselves veritably queer snubbed.
    *growls in rage*

    • That movie was WAY overrated. There was no substance for it to be that gd long. I started to fall asleep 3 times. (I went to see this because the Mothership wanted to see it and Carol STILL isn’t playing anywhere near me.)

      • Thank You, I only saw the trailer for it and even that turned me so off that movie that I originally had intended to see.
        I could have lived with Spotlight winning, but a male masturbatory opus winning instead of Carol feels like a slap in the face.

      • For a minute there I thought you were talking about Carol and I started having legit heart palpitations.

  11. I’m surprised to see no mention of the transphobic joke that Ricky Gervais made to open the show? Where he used Cautlyn Jenner’s dead name? And he followed that up with TWO other transphobic jokes throughout the night, making phone of the actors who played trans roles this year (one about Jeffrey Tambour in transparent, where he made fun of him tucking his genitals, and one about Eddie Remayne in the Danish Girl, that ended with the punchline “she’s a he”?)

    Maybe I hallucinated these things happening? Because I was appalled.

    He also made a punchline out of the equal pay for women movement that’s been getting traction in Hollywood. Ricky Gervais is SUCH an ass. He was one racist joke away from winning the bigot BINGO.

    The entire awards show felt like a bro fest celebration. And, giving that we are probably *this close* to likely having an #OscarsSoWhite part II that is also a bro fest, it’s going to be a loooong awards season.

    I’m seeing Carol this week in protest.

    Two good things from last night:

    1. Taraji P Henson, winning her first major award, telling the wrap signal “I waited 20 years for this! You gonna have to wait!!”

    I cheered! She’s was damn right. And a goddess.

    2. If any of you watched last night, you can clearly hear a voice in the crowd yell “Werq Gaga!” when Lady Gaga hits the stage. That was from Laverne Cox. She confirmed it to Janet Mock last night on Twitter.

    I continue to love how Laverne Cox is not taking a single minute of her celebrity for granted. She is living each moment to its fullest. I get that.

    • I mentioned it in the opening paragraph. I just didn’t go into detail because I didn’t want it to be doubly hurtful for our trans readers to have to reread his garbage. I was very frustrated about it, too. Grow up, Gervais!

      • Oh my goodness, I’m sorry I missed/ overlooked the mention, Heather! I was just still in my own rage place. My apologies for stating something that wasn’t true. I think you were right not to go into the jokes in detail. Now I wish I hadn’t either.

        Grrrrr, Gervais! Way to ruin things.

  12. Queen Latifa played a complex, fascinating and believable bisexual woman. Latifa has spent years honing her craft and is such a fantastic actress. Lady Gaga hammed it up as a vamping Ryan Murphy stereotype. What an absolutely atrocious win. I wonder if Murphy’s pull in Hollywood is what made it happen over all common sense?

    • I was yelling at my screen whenever Ryan Murphy was on screen, telling him to go to hell. Seriously, Gaga winning over Queen Latifah was heartbreaking. Not as much as Carol not winning in lead actress , but close.

  13. Minor victory for a not great evening, but I was so excited Rachel Bloom won for Crazy Ex Girlfriend . It’s an amazing, hilarious show that no one is watching and this means it will probably get a second season which was looking pretty doubtful before.

  14. I just wanted to mention that I’m still gutted and livid and absolutely disillusioned.
    Like that time Erica Hahn walked off into the parking lot of no return and the ballot votes overturned prop 8 in the same week.

  15. And along with all the stuff you called out… Gaga’s acting on AHS is mediocre, she really didn’t deserve to win. Most of the cast are much stronger actors than her and weren’t nominated, so that’s disappointing. And I say this as someone who really likes Gaga’s music.

    • Yeah, Gaga wasn’t the TOTAL trainwreck everyone expected on AHS: Hotel, so now she’s getting awards for it. “Not terrible” isn’t award-worthy. That was a pretty infuriating win — pretty much everyone else in her category was tremendous.

  16. How the fuck is Ricky Gervais even still relevant? How is there anyone not bored to death with the “white guy who acts like an asshole and calls it humor” shtick??

  17. I’m tired of not seeing enough diversity in Hollywood. It’s 2016, this is pathetic. Only a few of the winners actually deserved awards.

    • Same. I just watched The Hollywood Reporter’s Annual Actress panel that they do every year during awards season and it was nothing but white women. Just like last year. I was floored. You mean to tell me you couldn’t find one successful woman of color in film or tv this year to include on your panel? There were actually many. They just didn’t include them. Yet they wanna make jokes at the Golden Globes like they aren’t apart of the problem.

  18. The only decent thing to come out of this was that Eddie Redmayne didn’t win an award for making one face and quivering his lip to let you know he’s feeling something. The Revenant was an overly indulgent, disasterously underwritten mess. And so damn done seeing Jennifer Lawrence at these for David O. Russell Oscar bait flicks. She’s a decent actress but geez you’d think she was the second coming from these award shows, not to mention that the films themselves have each steadily been getting worse than the last and she’s been too young for her parts.

    Sicario getting snubbed for…anything is a crime. Blunt should have been in best actress instead of Vikander (she was decent but easily the weak link of the five in that category and was much better in Ex Machina), replacing The Revenant for best drama, Del Toro up for supporting actor at least.

Comments are closed.