In today’s Times, Brooks Barnes enumerates the things NBC, Dick Clark Productions, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association are doing to boost ratings for Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards. Among them: hiring a host (Ricky Gervais) for the first time in fifteen years, a bunch of online marketing, and arranging the seating chart to be sure that only beautiful stars are seen on-camera:
“Anybody connected with Nine is going to be sitting ringside,†[HFPA president Philip Berk] said, referring to the musical starring Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Kate Hudson and Daniel Day-Lewis. Lining up younger stars has been a priority. Seated with The Hurt Locker contingent will be Taylor Lautner, the beefcake star of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. “He will be there to make the table look glamorous,†Mr. Berk said.
We didn’t think Kathryn Bigelow, Anthony Mackie, or Jeremy Renner needed the help. But we are excited to see who gets seated next to poor Michael Stuhlbarg.