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golden globes what are they

The Golden Globes are a major Hollywood awards show that honors excellence in both film and television, held every year as part of the industry’s awards season.

What the Golden Globes Are

  • The Golden Globes are awards given for outstanding work in movies and TV, including acting, directing, writing, music, and more.
  • They’ve been held annually since 1944 and usually take place in January, kicking off the new awards season that later leads into the Oscars.
  • The ceremony is known for being glitzy and relaxed compared with the Oscars, with stars sitting at tables, eating, and drinking during the show.

Who Gives Them Out

  • The awards were originally created and run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a group of entertainment journalists based in Los Angeles who write for outlets outside the U.S.
  • In recent years the Globes were restructured into a for‑profit entity tied to Dick Clark Productions, with a separate nonprofit continuing the HFPA’s charitable work.

What They Actually Award

  • The Globes cover both film and TV, with categories like Best Motion Picture (Drama, Musical or Comedy), Best Actor and Actress, directing, screenplay, and more.
  • On the TV side, they honor drama and comedy series, limited series/TV movies, and performances in each.
  • There are now around two dozen-plus categories, and recent updates bring the total close to 28, including new areas like podcasts.

Why They Matter

  • Within the industry, the Globes are often seen as second only to the Oscars for film and the Emmys for TV, making them a strong visibility boost for nominees and winners.
  • Because they air early in the season, a Golden Globe win or nomination can build momentum for later awards like the Oscars.
  • The show’s big ratings and red‑carpet moments also make it a major pop‑culture event every year.

How They’re Seen Online and in Forums

  • Film fans often debate how “serious” the Golden Globes are, since the voting group is relatively small and doesn’t overlap much with Oscar voters.
  • In forums, you’ll see people treat the Globes as a fun, boozy party that still matters for hype, but not always as the most accurate measure of artistic quality.

TL;DR: When people ask “golden globes what are they,” they’re talking about a big annual awards show that honors movies and TV, sits just below the Oscars and Emmys in prestige, and unofficially opens Hollywood’s awards season.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.