From iconic outfits to nail-biting nominations, award shows have celebrated the best in television, film, and music and have captivated audiences for decades. However, in recent years the take and view on award shows have shifted based on audiences’ opinions. Audiences prefer only to see what controversies transpired after the show took place, instead of wanting to watch through the show and see who won. The most recent award shows, the 2024 Oscars, 2024 Golden Globes and the 2024 Emmys have changed the public’s view of celebrities, movies and styles. Award shows try to achieve the attention they used to receive in their performance and rightfully deserving winning celebrities, but as of now, the main focus is the highlights or any feuds that happened with celebrities, changing the culture around award shows. The shows have kept the traditions and maintained a formula for many years, but audiences have changed over the years. In recent years social media has had a big impact on their attention spans, interest in who won, and controversy between celebrities.
The Emmys ran for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Audiences today have shifted ways of thinking about award shows, meaning people do not feel the need to watch the whole show, only the highlights. Their willingness to watch a 3-hour show is not in their time capacity. People’s attention spans have gone down to an average of 47 seconds. Instead of watching the entire ceremony, many just look to social media after the show for anything that happened and what people wore. Even if the award show has key moments in the 3-hour show, people’s opinion of the show has decreased. Instead of being interested in the winners, or even the nominees for each topic, audiences are more interested in reactions, outfits and scandals.
Outrage over outfits and talk of new celebrity couples also arose at the 2024 Golden Globes, where Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were seen with Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez even gossiping over the couple, and why they were together. Another X user saw the couple kiss at their table, with Kylie playing with Timothee’s jacket. So the internet quickly got to work, with many users trying to see if Selena Gomez mouthed the word “Timothee” to Taylor Swift. The public relished the gossip, but what seems to be undiscussed was who actually won the awards and who was nominated. Of course, “Barbie ” and its songs were what the public know as its winners, but other nominees and winners were not discussed as highly as the gossip among celebrities. Topics such as what Taylor Swift was wearing for the release of her next album or commentators during the show over celebrities were more prevalent than the overall show.
For the most recent show, the Oscars, nominees such as “Killers of the Flower Moon” for Best Picture and Robert Downey Jr. in “Oppenheimer” for Best Supporting Actor were up. However, rather than the excitement of who was nominated, or who won, audiences were more interested in outfit choices, new celebrity couples or rumors of scandal. Most talk about what was worn, and especially what was not worn, John Cena came out not wearing much of an outfit, but that was the main rage of the show. Most people do not know who won other than Emma Stone or Oppenheimer.
Talented director Greta Gerwig, was not talked of for her award for Director of Motion Picture at the Golden Globes as much as the rumors of Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner. Cultures toward the awards have changed, as there is more interest in the celebrities and what they do. People would rather talk of the after-effects of rumors and scandals of different celebrities, rather than honoring who won or who was nominated.
In summary, award shows have shaped audiences to only be interested in the drama, turning celebrities against each other. Although award shows have kept the tradition of ranks and awards, ward show cultures have changed. With the recent Emmys, people are more focused on what has happened with Taylor Swift and the outfits worn by celebrities rather than others who won less significant awards. Award shows try to achieve the attention they used to receive in their performance and rightfully deserving winning celebrities, but as of now, the main focus is the highlights or any feuds that happened with celebrities.
