Golden Globes host says no winners thanked God: 'No surprise in this godless town'
The host of this year’s Golden Globe Awards highlighted how no acceptance speech given in the first half of the ceremony included a mention of God, which quipped is “no surprise in this godless town.”
Comedian Nikki Glaser, who hosted the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards Sunday, reflected on the lack of acknowledgment of God during acceptance speeches from winners halfway through the show.
While delivering a “mid-show recap,” Glaser praised the acceptance speeches as “on fire” and provided a breakdown of the most frequent groups and individuals mentioned during winners’ remarks.
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Glaser identified fellow cast and crew members as the most commonly thanked group in acceptance speeches, with 11 mentions. The other group included in the tally was the winners’ mothers, with three shout-outs.
Glaser brought up how “God, Creator of the universe” had “zero mentions” before noting that “Access Hollywood” host Mario Lopez came up in one acceptance speech. She joked that the absence of God from acceptance speeches is “no surprise in this Godless town.”
Glaser’s remarks reflect the fact that Hollywood and the entertainment industry are seen as overwhelmingly secular and hostile toward traditional Christian values. Despite the atmosphere and prevailing attitude in show business, stars have not hesitated to give gratitude to God at awards ceremonies in the past, including the Golden Globes.
In 2023, actress Angela Bassett highlighted the importance of faith in an acceptance speech delivered after winning the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in “Wakanda Forever.”
After sharing a quote from author Toni Morrison asserting that “life is already a miracle of chance just waiting for you to order its destiny,” Bassett shared her belief that “in order for that destiny to manifest, I think that it requires courage to have faith, it requires patience, as we just heard, and it requires a true sense of yourself.”
“It’s not easy because the past is circuitous, and it has many unexpected detours, but by the grace of God I stand here,” she added. “I stand here grateful, grateful to the Hollywood Foreign Press for giving me this honor, along with ‘Wakanda Forever.’ … My mother always said, ‘good things come to those who pray.’ I see the truth of that every day as we welcome each new day as a family.”
On the other hand, actress Michelle Williams’ mention of God during her 2020 acceptance speech delivered after winning the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie had a much darker tone behind it. Williams insisted that she would not have been able to secure her career path as an actress “without employing a woman’s right to choose,” referring to abortion.
Williams urged women in the audience to “thank God or whomever you pray to that we live in a country founded on the principle that I am free to live by my faith and you are free to live by yours.”
When giving his acceptance speech after receiving the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama in 2017, actor Casey Affleck declared, “God is Love.” Affleck acknowledged that actor Denzel Washington had said the same words on stage during a previous awards ceremony.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
