The nominees were announced on December 11, 2023. Barbie and Succession both tied for the most nominations with nine each, followed by Oppenheimer with eight.[9][10][11]
On February 21, 2023, the date of the ceremony was announced. It came back on a Sunday night slot after being moved to Tuesday for the previous year.[4] On September 18, 2023, Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner were announced as its executive producers and showrunners.[5] On November 17, 2023, it was announced that CBS had acquired the broadcast rights to the ceremony, replacing the Golden Globes' long-time U.S. broadcast partner NBC.[1]
The nominations were announced on December 11, 2023, during an event co-hosted by Cedric the Entertainer and Wilmer Valderrama. Most of the categories were revealed during a live-streaming presentation, while ten of the categories were revealed during another segment on CBS Mornings.[9][17][18]
On December 21, comedian and actor Jo Koy was announced as the host.[2][19][20][21][22] Before this announcement, it was reported that a source with knowledge of the conversations told CNN that at least five A-list comedic actors, including Chris Rock, declined offers to host.[23] That same month, TheWrap reported that 64 voters threatened to withhold their final-round votes in protest, after being told that they would not be given tickets to the ceremony.[24]
With the awards no longer being overseen by the HFPA, a new, racially and ethnically diverse group of voters consisting of 300 journalists representing 76 countries selected the 2023 nominees and winners.[7]
On September 26, 2023, it was announced that two new categories would be added for the upcoming ceremony: "Cinematic and Box Office Achievement" (a category for films that grossed at least $100 million domestically and $150 million worldwide) and "Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television" (also known as "Best Stand-Up Comedian on Television").[12][26][27][28][29] Some critics felt that the new categories were an attempt to improve the ceremony's viewership and relevance, with comparisons drawn to the Academy Awards' attempt to introduce a category for "Popular Film"in2018.[30][31][32][33]
The two Lifetime Achievement Awards (the Cecil B. DeMille Award and the Carol Burnett Award) were not presented this year, but expected to return in the future. Executive Vice President Tim Gray explained that with the change in ownership and status, and 25 of the competitive categories expanding from 5 nominees to 6, the increase will also include a reduction with no presentation of the two aforementioned awards for this year. "This is not a permanent change, with future awards slated to be given," Gray wrote in a post on the Globes' official website.[34]
Cillian Murphy, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama winnerLily Gladstone, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama winnerPaul Giamatti, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy winnerEmma Stone, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy winnerRobert Downey Jr., Best Supporting Actor winnerDa'Vine Joy Randolph, Best Supporting Actress winnerKieran Culkin, Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama winnerSarah Snook, Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama winnerJeremy Allen White, Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy winnerAyo Edebiri, Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy winnerSteven Yeun, Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television winnerAli Wong, Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television winnerMatthew Macfadyen, Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television winnerElizabeth Debicki, Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television winnerRicky Gervais, Best Stand-Up Comedian on Television winner
Host Jo Koy's opening monologue was met with criticism from viewers and critics with many describing his jokes as "cringeworthy", "painful", and "unfunny". Chelsey Sanchez of Harper's Bazaar described the monologue as "awkward" and "distasteful".[35] Koy was also criticised for putting blame on his writers during the monologue, coming after the lengthy 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Justin Curto of Vulture noted that when some of his jokes fell flat, Koy "immediately threw his writers under the bus... He yelled. 'Yo, shut up. You're kidding me, right. Slow down. I wrote some of these and they're the ones you're laughing at'".[36] Marlow Stern of Rolling Stone noted that many of Koy's jokes drew "groans" and "boos" from the audience.[37]
Among jokes that drew the most ire were those about the film Barbie, and attending nominees Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and Taylor Swift; the latter's reaction went viral.[38][39][40] Shirley Li of The Atlantic wrote: "Practically every joke failed to land, mostly because the punchlines were dated or obvious."[41] Nicole Sperling of The New York Times, who was in the audience that night, wrote that she had "never seen an audience rebel against an emcee so quickly" and cited a prominent film director describing the monologue as a "disaster".[42]
Conversely, four-time Academy Awards host and comedian Whoopi Goldberg defended Koy on The View, saying: "These hosting gigs are brutal. They're just brutal. If you don't know the room, if you've not been in these rooms before and you're sort of thrust out there, it's hit or miss. Now, I love Jo Koy, he makes me crazy because he's funny. I don't know whether it was the room, I don't know whether it was the jokes, I didn't get to see it. But I do know, that he is as good as it gets when it comes to stand-ups and it is not an easy gig."[43] Actor and comedian Steve Martin also threw his support behind Koy on Threads, writing: "I tip my hat to anyone who steps out on stage to host a live awards show. It's a very difficult job and not for the squeamish. I know because I'm still throwing up from the last time I did it in 2010. So, Congratulations to Jo Koy, who took on the toughest gig in show business, hit, missed, was light on his feet and now has twenty minutes of new material for his stand up!"[44]
Furthermore, comedian Michael Che supported Koy by writing that "comedians should boycott hosting award shows" on Instagram.[45] When questioned about Koy's jokes aimed toward her film Barbie, director Greta Gerwig replied that she was not offended.[46]OnWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, actor and comedian Kevin Hart said he has "no reaction" to the backlash and went on to praise Koy for being a "phenomenal comedian".[47] In a Facebook post by Filipino actor and comedian Michael V., he posted: "I think Jo Koy's Golden Globes jokes are funny, direct, and pretty much self-explanatory. The last thing Jo Koy should be doing is trying to explain it to people who purposely choose NOT to understand and appreciate them."[48]
Koy responded to the criticism in an interview with Good Morning America, admitting: "I'd be lying if [I said] it doesn't hurt," but also admitted, "I had fun. You know, it was a moment that I'll always remember. Hosting is just a tough gig. Yes, I'm a stand-up comic, but that hosting position it's a different style. I kind of went in and did the writer's thing. We had ten days to write this monologue. It was a crash course. I feel bad, but I got to still say I loved what I did."[49] In his first stand-up set afterward, Koy mocked the Hollywood celebrities, alluding: "Lot a marshmallows, man. They're delicious, but goddamn, they're soft. I just come from a different time. I see the changes that are happening. I get it, but goddamn, can we fucking laugh at ourselves?"[50]
Jo Koy Opening Monologue | 81st Annual Golden Globes
