With a seemingly endless river of champagne loosening up the A-list crowd, the Golden Globes has cemented its reputation as the awards ceremony most likely to deliver the juiciest water-cooler moments. It's a night where Hollywood's elite mingle, celebrate, and honour the year's finest work in film and television. Yet, beneath the glamorous black-tie surface, the event has repeatedly served up a spectacular array of jaw-dropping incidents that have left viewers gasping and cringing in equal measure. As comedian Nikki Glaser prepares to host the 2026 ceremony this weekend, we look back at the most outrageous spectacles to ever rivet the audience.
Viral Gossip and Steamy PDA
One of the most talked-about moments in recent memory came at the 2024 Golden Globes, when Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez sent the internet into a frenzy with a whispered gossip session. Seated courtside with Keleigh Sperry, the pair's animated conversation had viewers across the globe scrambling to lip-read. The consensus was that Gomez was regaling her friends with a tale of an awkward encounter with the evening's other headline-making couple, Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet. The scandal spawned countless memes and was credited with thrusting the Globes, which was undergoing a major rebrand, firmly into Generation Z's consciousness.
That same year, Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet made their debut as a couple at the ceremony and proceeded to deliver a PDA-packed display that quickly became the talk of the night. The pair were reportedly so engrossed in each other that they barely spoke to anyone else during commercial breaks, with an onlooker describing their behaviour as "puppy dog love." The non-stop affection inspired a flood of social media reactions, with one viewer tweeting, "Having to watch Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner make out every 29 seconds."
Cringe, Courage, and Controversial Jokes
Not all viral moments are born from romance. The 2024 hosting gig fell to Jo Koy at the last minute, resulting in a monologue many wish they could forget. Met with pity laughs and stunned silence, Koy defensively told the crowd, "Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago, you want a perfect monologue? Yo, shut up." A particularly ill-received joke about Barbie's "key moment" saw Selena Gomez bury her face in her hands in disbelief.
In stark contrast, Jennifer Coolidge delivered a moving speech in 2023 that moved her White Lotus creator, Mike White, to tears. She emotionally thanked him for reviving dreams she thought had "fizzled out by life," stating, "You have given me hope—you've given me a new beginning."
Controversy struck in 2023 when host Jerrod Carmichael cracked a joke about Scientology. Holding Tom Cruise's returned Golden Globes, he quipped, "I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige," referring to the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, who hasn't been seen publicly since 2007.
Historic Blunders and Unforgettable Gaffes
The Globes' history is littered with legendary blunders. In 2001, a flustered Elizabeth Taylor appeared to forget the protocol, opening the winner's envelope for Best Motion Picture Drama before reading the nominees. After being corrected by host Dick Clark, she exclaimed, "What? I don't open this? I'm new at this!"
That same year, Renee Zellweger nearly missed her own win for Best Actress. When Hugh Grant announced her name for Nurse Betty, she was nowhere to be found, having slipped away to the bathroom. Grant joked to the audience, "Renee is drunk, ladies and gentleman," before a sheepish Zellweger finally rushed to the stage, exclaiming, "Oh God, I had lipstick on my teeth!"
In 2015, Jeremy Renner sparked a social media storm after a quip while presenting with Jennifer Lopez. When Lopez offered to open the envelope because she "had the nails," Renner replied, "You have the globes, too," in a clear reference to her cleavage. Though Lopez laughed it off and later defended him as "very funny," Renner was widely branded a creep online.
And who could forget Jack Nicholson? After winning in 2003 for About Schmidt, he opened his speech by telling Nicole Kidman, "Doesn't Nicole look nice... with her old nose?" referencing her prosthetic for The Hours. He then casually revealed, "I took a Valium tonight so..."
As the 2026 Golden Globes prepare to unfold, the stage is set for a new chapter of unforgettable Hollywood drama. With nominations spanning films like Frankenstein, Hamnet, and Bugonia, and TV series including The White Lotus and The Bear, all eyes will be on who wins—and what spectacular moments unfold next.
