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Something in the atmosphere tilted in this past week. Maybe its general crankiness or a sense of one kerfuffle too many, or the fact that Hollywood seems to have violated its own storytelling principles, losing the plot. But on various fronts, exhausted individuals and companies are doing what seemed unthinkable just a few weeks ago, and ignoring the outrage mobs.
After sitting back and watching the publicists’ uprising against the HFPA, many in the awards racket are fuming that enough is enough; the HFPA has repeatedly twisted itself in knots to meet the publicists’ group’s demands, only to see the goalposts move each time.
The loss of the Globes, it is noted, will not just mean hardship for the erstwhile HFPA membership, but for workers on the awards industrial complex – the hair and make-up people, caterers, hotel workers, ad reps, gifting mavens, etc etc etc.
While the publicists’ cabal continues to fume and foment, and bluster about the non-televised ceremony plan, what you are definitely not seeing, is any talent or any studio saying: How dare you hold a banquet! Over our dead bodies will we submit to, or attend, the HFPA! Critics Choice now and forever!
Last week, the HFPA threw a wrench in the publicists’ hopes for a cost-free boycott, changing the rules this year from requiring submissions, to saying – we’re just going to honor whoever the hell we want. And if you don’t want to accept it, that’s up to you.
The effect of this is to toss an extremely hot potato back in the publicists’ lap, putting them in the position of not just being able to passively boycott a show they were hoping wouldn’t even be there, but to have to step up and explain to clients why, ahem, we really would prefer, as your publicists, that you not accept…this…award…
After which they can explain why the leaderships of nearly uniformly white led Hollywood PR firms, believes it would be unconscionable to participate in an awards ceremony from a group that has been mostly white but working hard to make amends.
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