Now that the Golden Globes has flopped and the Academy Awards are in jeopardy, the Screen Actors Guild and Film Independent Spirit awards shows have a chance to shine this year. Both shows—the proverbial bridesmaids, so to speak—have been granted waivers from the Writers Guild of America, so the stars are expected to show up in their designer finest. What else are they going to do with those red carpet gems they’ve been hording all year?
The Hollywood Reporter tells us:
Both are televised — SAG on TNT and the Spirits on IFC. And with waivers in hand, both expect the full complement of celebrities that Sunday’s Globes news conference — and potentially the Academy Awards — will lack. Whether the stars’ presence at the nonstruck shows will draw TV audiences remains to be seen, but if Tuesday’s People’s Choice Awards are an indicator, it’s clear that star-less shows will struggle. In what had to be an ominous development for NBC and the Golden Globes, CBS’ pretaped People’s Choice Awards hit an all-time ratings low, averaging a paltry 1.6 rating/4 share among adults 18-49 and 6 million viewers overall, according to Nielsen data. In adults 18-49, that was down 54% from last year’s live ceremony broadcast, and the show shed viewers every half-hour.
The presence of celebrities at the SAG and Spirits shows could keep ratings and viewer interest high, as movie fans with few other places to turn tune in to the show.
