In what can only be recognized as a sign that good things can happen in this new decade, a decision of extreme desperation or, possibly, both, NBC and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will return to host the 2021 Golden Globe Awards. This announcement was made less than a week after Ricky Gervais hosted the Globes for the “final” time and the ratings took a major downturn from the previous year. The Golden Globes are, of course, also now a year away although no official date has been set for the next ceremony.
READ MORE: Best and Worst of the 2020 Golden Globes
The announcement was made by Poehler who made a surprise appearance at the beginning of NBC’s presentation at the annual Television Critics Association winter tour in Pasadena. A press release followed with NBC Entertainment Chairman Paul Telegedy noting, “NBC has long been the home to two of the funniest people on the planet – Tina Fey and Amy Poehler – and we didn’t want to wait any longer to share the great news that they’ll be hosting the Globes once again.”
Lorenzo Soria, President of the HFPA added, “There’s no denying that Tina and Amy’s comedic chemistry is infectious. We can’t wait to see the dynamic duo return to the Golden Globes stage.”
Amy Thurlow, President of dick clark productions, which produced the ceremony, also remarked, “Tina and Amy have provided Golden Globes viewers with some of the most memorable moments the show has ever seen We’re thrilled to welcome them back in 2021.”
In an era where live events demand higher advertising dollars that episodic content, one can only assume that NBC made it extremely worthwhile for Fey and Poehler to return after three years of hosting the Globes from 2013-15 (they had declined to return after the three-year run). Gervais’ fifth telecast – one he promised would be his last – racked up 18.3 million viewers and a 4.7 rating among adults 18-49, a key advertising demographic. That was down 2% from the previous year when Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg were hosts. In the last year Fey and Poehler emceed, the show found 19.3 million viewers. More importantly, the 2014 ceremony they hosted cracked 20.9 million viewers, the highest viewership for the program over the past 15 years. NBC and the HFPA are no doubt hoping the Globes become “must-see” television once more.
It cannot be understated how impressive Fey and Poehler were in their previous three outings. Their opening monologues are now arguably comedy classics with the duo taking appropriate and smart zingers at the stars in the audience but laughing with them, not at them (a note someone like Gervais could make not of). The duo were also constantly rumored to be in the Academy’s top picks to host the Oscars, but have consistently turned the opportunity down. Instead, they have teased ABC and Oscar voters by simply killing it every time they appear to present. In fact, Poehler and Fey reunited with their “SNL” co-star Maya Rudolph to open last year’s Academy Awards non-hosted ceremony.
For a taste of Fey and Poehler’s comedic talents check out the 2014 monologue below. And of course, there’s always this masterful George Clooney joke (or perhaps observation?) that is a tease of what is to come.
Again, the 2021 Golden Globes has not been dated yet, but its expected to return on the first Sunday after New Years Day.