You’re Going to Watch the Golden Globe Awards

By John Everett

The Golden Globe Awards just became Must See TV. (Ok, so NBC doesn’t use that slogan anymore, so sue me.) NBC, which will air the show, has gone in-house and hired sitcom stars, and long-time friends Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to co-host the show.

It is telling that so many people’s first reaction to this excellent news is surprise that a television network would make such an obvious, unquestionably good decision. Hiring two of the funniest people on the planet, who have worked together extensively and have great rapport with one another, is just the kind of slam dunk that network executives manage to avoid, time after time.

Fey and Poehler have a much different approach to humor than the host they are replacing, Ricky Gervais. In his three-year stint as host of the Globes, Gervais managed to sour the tone of the event with his emphasis on bringing up the personal foibles of the celebrity guests and creating opportunities to talk about his militant atheism and contrariness. Fey and Poehler are sure to provide a much-needed breath of fresh air, and be a lot funnier as well.

The Golden Globes air January 13, 2013 on NBC.