The Golden Globes Admits It Has No Black Voters, And the Ones They Do Have Are Really Weird (Here Are Their Most Unforgivable Snubs of 2021)

A scathing and critical investigation by the Los Angeles Times recently revealed that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (which decides who gets to take home Golden Globes) has no Black voters.

In a way, we’re unsurprised, given that only two of the 40 actors nominated for TV performances this year are Black, and only two Black women total were nominated across both film and TV categories. Those are on top of the many egregious snubs of Black actors, directors, series, and movies in this year’s nominations.

The lack of Black representation in the HFPA, especially given the current cultural climate, is unforgivable. To add insult to injury, the Golden Globes take place this year on Feb. 28, aka the final day of Black History Month.

So who are these oblivious – or just downright racist – people who dole out the coveted golden statues to a mostly homogenous crowd of Hollywood heavyweights? Well, the HFPA currently consists of 87 members described as “international journalists,” though some write for publications so obscure no one has ever heard of them. A few are people of color who also have backgrounds in the entertainment industry, like actress Lisa Lu (the grandmother from Crazy Rich Asians, former Miss Universe Margaret Gardiner, Noel de Souza (who played Mahatma Gandhi in Star Trek: Voyager).

Those are the normal ones. Then we get into the eccentrics. Socialite Yola Czaderska-Hayek, who calls herself “the First Polish Lady of Hollywood” is among them. Russian-bodybuilder-cum-low-budget-film-actor Alexander Nevsky is another. Member Erkki Kanto of Finland has authored two books on the Chinese art of face-reading. And one unnamed member is a nonagenarian who is deaf and legally blind.

According to The Times, members have been known to doze off during screenings, insult one another during news conferences, and sell the gifts they receive from studios and celebrities online. In short, it’s a shit show, and the members are likely out of touch with what qualifies as relevant and quality entertainment today.

Need proof? We’ve rounded up a long list of Black directors, actors, series, and movies that the Golden Globes shut out this year. Instead of watching the clueless awards show, spend your time watching bona fide entertainment instead.

Cover Photo: HBO

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