The Golden Globe Awards 2018 prove how politics and entertainment fuel each other

 

By Brittany Da Silva

 

As we have seen multiple times over the past few months, politics and entertainment often fuel each other. With the rise of social media, the average person is more connected to the entertainment world than ever before. In the past, people could stay somewhat up-to-date on the daily lives of the stars through magazines and entertainment television programs, but these often barely skimmed the surface.

 

Today, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of magazines touting inside information or behind-the-scenes drama. It is nearly impossible to avoid stumbling upon one of the many reality TV shows that offer a glimpse into the daily lives of the Hollywood elite. Following celebrities on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter has seemingly closed the gap between the famous and the ordinary, perpetuating a near-constant dialogue between these two opposing groups. These changes have revolutionized what that the entertainment world affects in global politics.

 

In order to understand the ways in which politics and entertainment fuel one another, you need not look any further than the events that transpired at the 75^th Golden Globe Awards ceremony. Although this ceremony centrally honours achievements in American film and television, the broadcast has had a profound effect on global politics. A simple Google search for “golden globes 2018” will populate news articles from the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, all within the first three pages.

 

This year’s Golden Globe Awards were dominated by a political climate, unlike any other awards ceremony that has come before. Since Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein was successfully accused of sexual harassment and rape in late 2017, there has been a firestorm of sexual misconduct allegations brought against multiple public figures across the entertainment industry and beyond. Some notable individuals include Ben Affleck, Roman Polanski, President George H. W. Bush, Kevin Spacey, U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, Louis C.K., Matt Lauer, and James Franco. TIME Magazine has been keeping track of the accused since news of Harvey Weinstein surfaced, with their current total coming in at 116.

 

Many celebrities used the Golden Globe Awards as a platform to promote the newly founded Time’s Up movement against sexual assault, harassment and inequality in the workplace. Nearly everyone in attendance at the ceremony wore black and chose to speak out about the movement at every opportunity. Oprah Winfrey, Nicole Kidman, Frances McDormand, and Elizabeth Moss are only a few of the women who used their acceptance speeches as a way to speak out about the injustices that Time’s Up seeks to dismantle.

 

On the official Time’s Up website, their mission begins with, “TIME’S UP is a unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere.” Despite originating within the entertainment world, Time’s Up is a political movement seeking global change. As the line between entertainment and politics continues to blur in light of recent events, it is refreshing to see so many celebrities using their status to create real change. The steps that have already been taken by women in entertainment will no doubt have a profound and lasting effect on our culture. Only time will tell the impact of the Time’s Up movement, but the future is certainly beginning to look bright for women everywhere.