Viola Davis, Ted Danson Launch Golden Gala: An Evening of Excellence
The Golden Globes on Jan. 3 gave a rousing launch to its Golden Gala: An Evening of Excellence, with Ted Danson receiving the fifth Carol Burnett Award and Viola Davis being given the Cecil B. DeMille Award in an intimate ceremony that was both hilarious and deeply emotional.
The honorees had been previously announced. The Golden Globes decided to devote an entire evening to the recipients, with lengthy clips, introductory remarks and acceptance speeches that allowed time to give the artists their due, rather than squeeze them into a 45-second slot on a longer awards show.
Globes president Helen Hoehne said Davis and Danson “are two of the very best.” She described the evening as “a moment to celebrate all the things we love about film and TV” and artists, adding that the evening was an example of how the 82-year-old awards has been embracing change “and tonight is a perfect example of that innovation.”
Danson’s award was presented by his wife, Mary Steenburgen, who deadpanned that at first, she feared the actor might be slick. She eventually learned she was wrong: “Slick guys don’t say ‘gosharooney’ after making love.”
More seriously, she saluted his fight to keep the ocean clean and safe, and said that it was clear that his coworkers and crew members liked and respected him and he was a loving husband and family man.
Danson said a relative had videotaped a family gathering and when his mom was asked about her son’s success, she answered “I’ve always believed in the nobility of quiet failure.” He attributed that to the Scottish heritage.
He then proved that his Mr. Nice Guy reputation is well deserved as he saluted Davis, Carol Burnett, his family, his crews, agents, managers, publicist, costars, and all the writers he’s worked with especially the three “Cheers” creators, Glen and Les Charles and James Burrows, who launched his career into high gear.
Meryl Streep introduced Davis by saying she’d heard great things about the actress but didn’t know her work, until the first reading of John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt.” Davis’ character doesn’t have much to do in the early part of the script and Davis sat there silently “like a quiet volcano pretending to be a hill.” Davis’s eight-minute scene with Streep made everyone in the room aware of her power, and the 2008 film brought her worldwide audiences.
Accepting the award, Davis said “I feel like someone set me on fire,” and added she regretted having thrown away her prepared speech. She then launched into a 15-minute monolog about growing up poor and “the only thing people said to me is that I wasn’t pretty.” But she added “What I had was magic. My magic was that I could teleport” herself into the minds and souls of people that nobody seemed to care about. She admitted at the start of her career, she took any job that offered money: “I don’t think there’s any nobility in poverty.” Not a dry eye in the house.
Among the 200 guests were heavy-hitters, including Ted Sarandos, Jane Fonda, Troy Hayden, Babyface and Anthony Anderson. Guests dined on a choice of sea bass, steak or vegetarian plate.
The two honorees will be saluted in a segment on the 82nd annual Golden Globes, the first major award show of the season, will take place at the Beverly Hilton and will air live on Jan. 5, 2025, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on CBS and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs.)