So you made the smart, healthy decision to skip watching the Golden Globes live and get some damn sleep instead. That’s probably wise. To be entirely honest, the five hour (that’s including the red carpet bits) Golden Globes experience can be distilled down into surface chit-chat, great face-to-camera audience moments, and these ten important things you need to know.
1. La La Land won BIG
Seriously, it won REALLY big. So big, in fact, that they set the record for the most Golden Globes won by a single film, ever, picking up seven awards in one night. Pretty impressive.
2. For some reason, people simply could not correctly name the film *Fences *
It started on the red carpet, when NBC correspondent Jenna Bush Hager deeply confused Pharrell Williams by telling him he was nominated for a film called* Hidden Fences*.
He was confused, you see, because there is no film called Hidden Fences. Pharrell did work on the soundtrack for a film called Hidden Figures, however, while Fences is a film that features Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.
It’s strange that someone would mash these two films – one about sports in the 1950s, one following three African-American women at NASA – together. Strange because the only thing they have in common is the fact that they star black actors.
Later on in the show Michael Keaton managed to make the same mistake, calling Hidden Figures Hidden Fences when announcing the nominees for best supporting actress. Interesting.
3. Jimmy Fallon skipped the controversy
After a great pre-filmed opening, Jimmy Fallon went on to have a dull go at hosting the show, with no controversial jokes or huge stunts. We occasionally forgot he was hosting the awards, tbh.
4. Tracee Ellis Ross dedicated her award for best actress in a TV comedy to women of colour
Winning for her brilliant performance on Black-ish, Tracee became the first black woman to win in this particular category since 1983.
Tracee acknowledged this with a to-the-point speech.
'This is for all the women of colour and colourful people whose stories, ideas, thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important,” she said. “But I want you to know that I see you. We see you.'
5. Trump had a presence
Jimmy Fallon made a brief reference to the President-elect in his opening monologue, followed by Hugh Laurie’s comment that this might be the last Golden Globes (you know, because the awards have ‘foreign’ and ‘press’ in their name) and his acceptance of his award on behalf of '“psychotic billionaires everywhere.'
6. Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig were the standout presenting duo
Their bit on animated films, divorced parents, and dead animals was absolutely glorious and prompted genuine laughs.
Can they just present everything from now on?
7. There was a moving tribute to Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher
It was okay to tear up a little as clips played of the late mother and daughter’s best bits.
8. Viola Davis gave Meryl Streep an incredible introduction
Viola Davis re-enacting the moment Meryl Streep very subtly slammed her apple pie will go down in history as one of the greatest award show introductions of all time.
9. And Meryl Streep gave an even greater speech in return
Meryl managed to cover Trump, the importance of the press, and Carrie Fisher’s wisdom all in one moving speech – even after losing her voice.
10. Casey Affleck won best actor in a drama, despite controversy
You might have missed this (you know, because hardly anyone seems to be mentioning it), but back in 2010 two women who worked with Casey Affleck on I’m Still Here sued him for sexual misconduct, accusing him of verbal and sexual harassment, telling someone to show the crew their penis, and climbing into a woman’s bed without her consent. Affleck denied any wrongdoing and settled both claims.
In contrast to this, a 1999 rape accusation against Nate Parker – for which he was later acquitted – stuck around for the entire press circuit of his film, Birth of a Nation, Casey Affleck is getting critical acclaim and, now, actual awards without much discussion of what happened.
If you’re wondering why these two men may be experiencing different treatment in regard to allegations of sexual wrongdoing, it’s worth noting that Nate Parker is black, and Casey Affleck is white. Twitter, as you can imagine, had plenty to say on the matter.
Casey Affleck also just picked up the Golden Globe for best actor in a drama. It seems likely that he could be given the Oscar.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.