Monday, 7 January 2008

• Prev
• Next

It's official: Golden Globe awards are off

Formal televised ceremony abandoned

The Golden Globe Awards have become a victim of the writers' strike.

Organizers said Monday they’ve officially abandoned the televised formal ceremony this Sunday and will replace it with a press conference announcement of the winners.

"We are all very disappointed that our traditional awards ceremony will not take place this year and that millions of viewers worldwide will be deprived of seeing many of their favorite stars celebrating 2007's outstanding achievements in motion pictures and television," Hollywood Foreign Press Association president Jorge Camara said. "We take some comfort, however, in knowing that this year's Golden Globe Award recipients will be announced on the date originally scheduled."

The drastic move is in response to the Screen Actors Guild pledge that its members would not cross picket lines by the Writers Guild of America, effectively leaving the show without any stars.

Instead of the lavish ceremony, the HFPA, which sponsors the awards, will now announce the winners at an hour-long press conference broadcast on NBC.

"The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards NBC telecast and champagne dinner in the Beverly Hilton's International Ballroom is officially canceled," the HFPA said in a statement.

The writing had been on the wall that, despite the best efforts of the network and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the ceremony was in jeopardy. On Friday it was reported that the nominated actors would not cross the Writers Guild picket lines to attend the ceremony.

In terms of Globe nominations, Atonement led the list of movies in competition, with seven.

By Stephen M. Silverman