The prestigious Golden Globes ceremony has ignited a firestorm of criticism after choosing to announce a major award winner during a commercial break, leaving viewers and the artistic community furious.
Outrage Over Off-Air Award Announcement
During the live broadcast, the award for Best Score, Motion Picture was presented while the television feed was showing advertisements. The winner, composer Ludwig Göransson for his work on Sinners, was seen accepting the honour in a clip later shared on social media platform X, where it quickly went viral.
Viewers expressed their disbelief and anger online. One user questioned the ceremony's priorities, stating, 'They had time for a song, a podcast award and a stand up one, yet not for score?' Another criticised the decision as 'freaking gross,' while a different comment highlighted the perceived disrespect: 'The amount of disrespect for the artists who poured their blood, sweat and tears is unfathomable.'
Host's Monologue and Controversial Jokes
The controversial award presentation overshadowed other moments from the night, including host Nikki Glaser's opening monologue. Glaser began with pointed political satire, targeting former President Donald Trump's Justice Department. She awarded them a mock 'Golden Globe for Best Editing' in reference to the heavily-redacted release of Epstein-related files in November 2025.
Glaser then turned her attention to actor Leonardo DiCaprio, making a joke about his dating history. 'The most impressive thing is that you were able to accomplish all of that before your girlfriend turned 30,' she said. Cameras captured DiCaprio's visibly uncomfortable reaction, which included an awkward thumbs-up. Glaser later apologised for the 'cheap' joke, remarking that the private actor rarely gives the public much else to discuss. DiCaprio's girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti, 27, was not in attendance.
Ceremony Priorities Questioned
The core of the backlash centres on the perceived misplacement of importance by the awards show organisers. Social media users contrasted the full, televised presentation of categories like Best Podcast with the treatment of the Best Score award. Many argued that artistic achievements in film scoring were sidelined in favour of advertising revenue and comedic sketches.
This incident has sparked a broader conversation about the running of major award ceremonies and the respect afforded to all artistic disciplines behind cinematic achievements. The decision to relegate a significant category to an ad break has been widely condemned as a significant misstep by the Golden Globes.
