Life Is a Series of (Awards) Seasons

Variety legend Tim Gray recently began a new chapter with the Golden Globes

After 42 years of covering awards at Variety, I recently became executive VP of the Golden Globes and, like Joni Mitchell, I’ve looked at life from both sides now.

Here are a few conclusions:

Campaigning is a business.

More than 2,500 years ago, ancient Greeks honored the best plays at their spring festivals. Did Sophocles and Euripides campaign to win first place? Entirely possible. A few years ago, I wrote in a column that awards campaigns must seem strange to outsiders because you can’t imagine FYC ads for a Nobel or Pulitzer. I received multiple emails basically saying, “Are you nuts? The campaigning for those awards makes Hollywood seem like amateurs.” Some awards contenders (especially British ones) are horrified at the word “campaign,” but Hollywood Decision Makers know that marketing is part of their DNA and awards are a great way to drum up interest. Executives, agents, managers and personal publicists use awards as a way to lure talent; the money spent on campaigns is an investment. Some non-pros think showbiz awards are just self-indulgence, but every insurance company, every hotel chain and every booster club gives awards; they just don’t get as much publicity.

It’s also a marathon.

This year, the actors’ and writers’ strikes shortened the campaign trail. Even with an abbreviated calendar, talent is run ragged. A few years ago,

I did a Q&A with Hugh Jackman that ended close to 11 p.m. He casually mentioned he’d been on the trail since 7 a.m. And that was just one of many days. The endless number of awards strategists and consultants want to explore every possible news outlet. I once assured a writer he didn’t have to do everything they had scheduled and he said, “Yeah, I began to wonder when I gave an interview for a website that hadn’t launched yet.” All of this has made me more compassionate. I used to laugh when an awards winner started crying. Seemed over the top. Now I realize maybe they’re just tired.

Every awards race has four distinct groups.

The contenders and their reps; the awards-givers, such as the Golden Globes (the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. has been disbanded); the media; and the voters. And the media often confuses things by assuming these groups are identical. Pundits declare with certainty how “they” will vote and what “they” are thinking, without ever having met a single voter that they’re writing about. And they often assume voters see as many films and TV shows as they do, forgetting that most award voters are working people with families. So journos often declare fearlessly “Here’s who will win/who should win” — “should”? Sez who?

Every so often, something unforgettable happens.

In the decades, there have been many memorable moments, such as Ving Rhames winning the Golden Globe for the telefilm “Don King” (1998) and then giving it to fellow nominee Jack Lemmon. There have been many memorable acceptance speeches, such as Oprah Winfrey and Meryl Streep at the Globes. Oscar Incidents like Envelope-gate and the Slap are memorable (though I’m sure many at the Academy would like to forget them.) There are also great moments that TV viewers will never see. In 2018, Globes nominee (and eventual winner) Frances Mcdormand noticed that an unknown attendee was near tears because people kept stepping on her train. So Mcdormand picked up the train, and carried it until the woman arrived at her table. Who says Hollywood has no heart?

Awards can be fun.

Yes, campaigning is year-round, endless work. Yes, there can be scary desperation and meanness as contenders spread negative talk to subvert the chances of their rivals. But it’s also fun, whether getting to talk with excited newcomers or smart veterans such as George Clooney and Whoopi Goldberg — or meeting Steve Jobs.

Switching sides has been fascinating.

It was an eye-opener to see an awards show from a different POV. I assumed people work hard at the Golden Globes, but I had no idea how much work is involved to make it look effortless, from credentialing to floral centerpieces. The Globes began a major overhaul after years of negative publicity and public punishment: Two years ago, no network wanted the show and last year NBC aired it with minimal promo. This year, Todd Boehly and his Eldridge became majority owner of the Globes, and Jay Penske and his PMC took over Dick Clark Prods. Jay had masterminded a huge rebound for Variety when he bought it in 2012, and he plans a similar move with the Globes — to expand its potential. In the past year, we increased membership from about 80 to 300, no longer just in Southern California but now global (it’s in the name!). The voters represent 75 countries and live on six continents. I was thrilled (and relieved) that the Dec. 11 nominations reflected the worldwide outlook and the diversity (60% of the voting body are “minority” members.)

This year, CBS plans a heavy broadcast and digital push for the Jan. 7 show. After the Dec. 11 nominations, the New York Times observed “this once-snubbed awards ceremony has engineered a surprising comeback.”

And there’s more to come. ⚫