Tonight’s the Grammys. The Golden Globes was about a month ago, and the Oscars are coming up. Other big award shows throughout the year are the Emmys and the Tonys, all of which covers movies, music, plays, and TV pretty well. But then you have your other awards shows like the People’s Choice Awards, or the American Music Awards, SAG Awards, and specialized shows for specific niche categories like Daytime Emmys or the Latin Grammys. Then you have some by TV networks like the Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards, the Teen Choice Awards by FOX, BET Awards, and MTV has both the Video Music Awards AND the** Movie Awards**! What the hell?
At least with sports, you usually have the championship, which is far different from a subjective honor like the Oscars, and maybe an All-Star game. That’s usually all they get (though sometimes sports stars are awarded honors from one of these other shows, but they are ancillary and not primary at these shows). And these are just award shows that are shown on TV. There are also others who don’t get their shows but are given to members working in the industry like the Hugo Awards or the Peabody. Seriously, do people really need this many award shows? What’s the purpose of a Golden Globe vs. an Emmy or Oscar? Is there really that much intrinsic difference between the two that they need different awards?
Now I’m not saying these people shouldn’t get to create these awards and give them out. As long as they are willing to do that and people are willing to accept them, more power to them. And as long as people watch the shows then they are free to have as many as they want on TV. But it seems like the huge number of awards diminishes those that win. If Argo loses the Oscars after winning both the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards, that means…what? Ultimately on the biggest stage, it sucked? It lost its luster, people saw through the BS? And if it wins, that means Lincoln or whatever other close runner up is objectively a worse film? I don’t know what they mean anymore.
When writing this, I thought “Ok, maybe some people (with deep pockets) just wants to get in on the whole deal. Their pet project was snubbed or didn’t get the press they want, so they created an award to draw attention to what they like or what they want to sell. Its a money thing”. And that kind of makes sense, but at this point, I think things have gotten away from them (if that was ever the reason to have created any of these awards). Why do I care that kids chose some movie to be their favorite? WTF do they know? And MTV hasn’t been relevant for 15 years, maybe they should realize that and end their awards. And is anyone really waving around their Soul Train awards like it means something, or a Latin Grammy as if anyone even knows what that is?
For the few shows that are kind of fun to watch, I do it because the presenter is interesting or it has one of my personal favorites in the running. I don’t care about sound editing, and I seriously doubt that it helps anyone get a job by simply waving around the fact that you won a Best Special Effects Oscar. I know a few people in the industry and it is more about connections and who you know rather than what prize you’ve won. And even if it helps, so what? We don’t give a prize to every guy on the team to help him get a job later. If his team can’t win, and even if they do and he’s not an integral part of it, why should he get an award? I do not know the name of one guy who’s ever been a sound or graphic effects artist in a movie because I don’t care, and I think most of you don’t either.
Maybe there is something to the whole Hollywood vainglorious douchebag stereotype…