Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Our long national nightmare is over. No, the government is still shut down and Congress is still driving us toward a default, but one of the greatest unanswered questions of the 2014 awards season has been answered: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are hosting the Golden Globes again.
(Yes, everyone can breathe now. Do you need a tissue? Moment to collect your thoughts?
The most surprising news, of course, is that Fey and Poehler have agreed to come back for two straight years. Clearly they have gotten a significant payout for the gigs and it’s a smart deal for NBC. Locking the duo up provides the network with a long-term franchise to sell and grow with advertisers. The continuity may actually allow NBC to grow the Globes ratings-wise as audiences actually know they are getting something worth watching this time around. (HitFix’s own ratings expert Dan Fienberg may have his own thoughts.) Remember, the Globes had their highest ratings in six years under Tina and Amy’s watch. NBC is itching to get back to the record 26.8 million viewers it earned in 2004 when even Oscar had to say, “They got what rating again?” Poehler and Fey’s return may certainly assist in that regard.
While the HFPA, NBC and Dick Clark Productions are now basically set for the next two years, Poehler and Fey’s commitment is actually an interesting development for big brother, aka the Academy Awards. Last year, host Seth MacFarlane joked during his controversial telecast that he knew everyone preferred the two former “SNL” stars emcee the Oscars instead of him (it got a big laugh because it was true). Many critics and fans verbalized their preference for Poehler and Fey to host next March’s telecast after MacFarlane’s not-so pretty night. Having the ladies jump to the Dolby Theater probably would have been too good to be true, and considering Fey has turned the gig down herself numerous times, it was highly unlikely. Moreover, the Academy basically hired the anti-MacFarlane instead: Ellen DeGeneres. That has its pros and cons (yawn), but makes the future even more intriguing. With Fey and Poehler unavailable for two seasons and DeGeneres unlikely to host back-to-back years (she famously did not want to return after the first time around), the Academy is already on the clock to see who will host in 2015. And trust, it’s never to early.
As for this year’s Globes, it will be interesting to see if Poehler and Fey are given more say in the proceedings. Fey hinted the producers didn’t listen to all their suggestions last time around and, typical of the Globes, they disappeared at times during the second half of the show. The Globe telecast always has a ton of awards to hand out and has made its name on the star-filled tables of increasingly tipsy celebrities and their usually emotional and/or funny speeches. Might we see some filmed segments this year to mix things up? Some interesting themed bits during the show?
Hey, it’s something to look forward to.
The Golden Globe Awards will be broadcast on Sunday, Jan. 12 on NBC.