What Are the Golden Globes?

The Golden Globes are fast approaching, and Hollywood’s elite will gather to attend the big ceremony, but many who watch the awards show on TV are not entirely certain what it’s all about.

For those not familiar, the Golden Globe Awards are defined as “accolades bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign.”

The next logical question is, “What is the Hollywood Foreign Press Association?”

Well, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is “a non-profit organization of journalists and photographers that reports on the entertainment industry activity and interests in the United States for information outlets (newspapers, magazines and books, TV and radio broadcasting) predominantly outside the U.S.”

So, essentially, the Golden Globes are an award ceremony wherein trophies are given to movies, TV series, actors, actresses, directors, etc., that were voted on by a large group of men and women who report on them regularly.

75th Golden Globe Awards ceremony will air on Jan. 7, 2018 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and will be hosted by NBC’s Late Night host, Seth Meyers.

Meyers actually has writing credits for the Golden Globes in 2013, 2014, and 2015, but hasn’t hosted an a major award show since the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2014.

Prior to hosting Late Night, Meyers was the head writer on Saturday Night Live, and more than earned his talk show host position through his many years on SNL‘s Weekend Update. His final episode was February 1st, 2014.

In addition to the Primetime Emmy Awards, Meyers has also hosted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (2011), the ESPY Awards (2011), and the 4th Annual NFL Honors (2015).

Interestingly, the Golden Globes are one of the few awards shows that have functioned mostly without a host. For 50 years they had no official host and then brought in John Larroquette and Janine Turner to co-host in 1995.

The first person to host the show solo was actor/comedian Ricky Gervais. He hosted from 2010 to 2012 but proved more controversial than the Hollywood Foreign Press was comfortable with.