Generally speaking, viewership for awards shows is in decline and mostly that’s because over the years they have become truly boring. In particular, the Golden Globes has been one long slog, with fun moments of celebrity interaction lost to, well, awkward speeches, egregious award snubs, and, well...Ricky Gervais.
Specifically, Gervais’ painful monologue with the tasteless jokes about Jeffery Epstein that led to the internet’s dad, Tom Hanks, becoming a meme.
Luckily, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are coming back to save the show. Fey and Poehler, who last hosted the Golden Globes in 2015 and claimed they wouldn’t ever host again, have just signed on to host in 2021, Variety reports. We’re not saying this was in direct response to Gervais hosting, but we’re also NOT not saying that based on Poehler’s visible reaction to his monologue.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Paul Telegdy announced the good news on January 11 at the NBCUniversal’s Television Critics Association press tour.
“NBC has long been the home to two of the funniest people on the planet — Tina Fey and Amy Poehler — and we didn’t want to wait any longer to share the great news that they’ll be hosting the Globes once again,” Telegdy said.
Anyone in doubt of the comedy duo’s ability to revive the Golden Globes need only rewind back to the surge in viewership from their first year as hosts in 2013. Fey and Poehler brought the show out of a six-year ratings slump, and notably beat ratings from the 2012 ceremony, hosted by Gervais. Though they may not be able to do anything about competition from the NFL that may crop up, after this year’s blandness, anything new is bound to bring in views.
Additionally, since Fey and Poehler will be hosting the show post-election, there will be plenty of material for a funnier monologue in 2021.