Comedy Gets Political at This Year’s Golden Globes

Awards shows usually operate as a superficial yet entertaining public relations platform. Events range from the fashionably clad stars’ “who are you wearing” banter on the red carpet, to the 30-second movie clips dispersed throughout the show highlighting what movies you “should be watching.” Last night’s 72^nd Annual Golden Globes Awards, however, shocked us by getting pretty political.

With all that’s been happening in the news recently involving attacks on media, from the Charlie Hebdo shooting to the Sony Pictures hack, Hollywood had a lot to say in defense of the First Amendment. The tone of the show was set in motion by a 10-minute opening monologue from the always-hilarious comedy duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who hosted the Globes for their third consecutive and final year. Fey started off:

Tonight we celebrate all the great television shows that we know and love, as well as all the movies that North Korea was ok with.

The Golden Globes, judged by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), didn’t just use the monologue to mock North Korea. Actress and comedian Margaret Cho, dressed as a pale-faced North Korean general and new HFPA member, posed for an awkward selfie with Meryl Streep and joined Fey and Poehler on stage.

Cho, a Korean-American, is no stranger to controversial roles. She dressed as former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il on NBC’s “30 Rock,” for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. I guess critics didn’t find the same pale-faced broken-English impersonation as funny this time, taking to Twitter to call it racist. A debate quickly ensued, with some finding it highly offensive, while others defended it as comedic satire. Was her acting offensive? It was definitely stereotypical and dragged on for far too long, but personally I didn’t find it any more offensive than those parodies shown in “The Interview,” which has reportedly been downloaded or rented more than 4.3 million times online since its Christmas debut.

why is Margaret Cho doing this weird…uncomfortable…racist caricature thing; can this not be a thing

— Lindsay Crockett (@lindsaymcroc) January 12, 2015

Chill on Cho, twitterverse. Her NK satire was brilliant. Not racist. Jennifer Lopez tried to steal @goldenglobes But @margaretcho did.

— Emil Guillermo (@emilamok) January 12, 2015

Nothing was off limits for Fey and Poehler, including rape jokes when they transitioned into Pudding Pop-like impersonations of accused sitcom star Bill Cosby. “I put the pills in the people,” impersonated Fey, “The people did not want the pills in them!”

The Bill Cosby jokes didn’t stop there. When talking about new movie musical “Into the Woods” Poehler joked:

Cinderella ran away from her prince, Rapunzel was thrown from a tower . . . and Sleeping Beauty just thought she was getting coffee with Bill Cosby.

Too soon? After I’d picked my chin up off the floor, I registered just how ballsy the night was getting in terms of comedy risks.

On a more serious note, HFPA President Theo Kingman gave an inspiring mid-show speech reminding the crowd of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in Paris. His words were met with a standing ovation from the entire crowd. His speech included:

As international journalists we also understand the importance of freedom of expression, as not only an integral part of the American fabric, but a beacon that is reflected across the globe. Together, we will stand united against anyone who would repress free speech, anywhere from North Korea to Paris.

Rapper Common also shared some uplifting words in his acceptance speech for best original song in a motion picture for his and John Legend’s work in the civil rights drama “Selma.” His words were met with tears from the film’s producer Oprah. Common stated:

As I got to know the people of the civil rights movement, I realized, I am the hopeful black woman who was denied her right to vote. I am the caring white supporter killed on the front lines of freedom. I am the unarmed black kid who maybe needed a hand but instead was given a bullet. I am the two fallen police officers murdered in the line of duty.

Overall, the playful parodies of some current hot button issues upstaged big winners like “Boyhood” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” livening up the relatively boring telecast. The comedy teetered the line of what is offensive, without truly crossing it, and showed that Hollywood still has a sense of humor after an embarrassing and arduous few months.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.