Lights, camera, action! Award shows in 2024 have begun, highlighting some of the Entertainment industry’s best artists, actors, films and shows from years prior.
What is going on with the hosts of these shows, though? The Golden Globes, for example, hired Jo Koy, a standup comedian, who, in his monologue, made remarks about the stereotypes of “Barbie” compared to “Oppenheimer.” Making remarks about how “[t]he big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.” What, like the two of them are so similar outside of Taylor Swift?
Later in the show, Koy commented on the movies “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” mentioning how “Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie about a plastic doll with big boobies,” truly highlighting the sexism that “Barbie” faced when released.
Confronting the sexism was one of the goals of “Barbie,” mainly trying to encourage women to know that they have the opportunity to be anything and everything that they may want despite what our society may portray.
This is not the first time that an award host has made an audience uncomfortable or upset with their performance. Back in 2022, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. While the joke was meant to come off as lighthearted and funny, it came off as rude and disrespectful towards Pinkett Smith, and rightfully so—nobody should have to show up to an award show knowing that there could be a possibility that they could have jokes cracked about them because of their appearance.
Why do award shows continue hiring these comedians as hosts when, year after year, there are jokes made that offend others? Award shows are meant to highlight the success of artists, actors, films and shows, not bring them down. Hosts continue to highlight irrelevant content in their performances. There needs to be a more rigorous vetting process to ensure that there are no comments that could be controversial because artists and actors should not be uncomfortable at a show.
Nobody wants to attend award shows that create an uninviting and uncomfortable atmosphere; these events are meant to be a celebration, not an awkward occasion.
