Entertainment

Golden Globes pre-party honors Viola Davis, Ted Danson


If Friday night’s “Golden Gala: An Evening of Excellence” is any indication, Sunday’s 2025 Golden Globes is shaping up to be a loose and eventful affair. The pre-party is for big eventhonored Ted Danson And Viola Davis for their work, punctuated by a salacious onstage anecdote from Danson’s wife, Mary Steenburgenan emotional and tearful exchange between Davis And Meryl Streepand affectionate booing from Carol Burnettgiving the Golden Globes a lot to strive for indeed.

Friday night shindig at The Beverly Hilton also counts Jane Fonda, Anthony Anderson, Steve GuttenbergAnd baby face among her guests, all watched as Streep presented a crying Davis with the 2024 Cecil B. DeMille Award. (A representative for the event noted that the delivery was a nod to consciously remembers 2017, when Davis presented the same award to Streep.)

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Photo: (lr) Actress Viola Davis, winner of Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for ‘Fences’ and honoree Meryl Streep, recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award, at the Awards The 74th Annual Golden Globes were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017.

Christopher Polk/NBC

Davis accepted with a 16-minute speech about the challenges she faces in the industry — and how she had to make some tough decisions when choosing roles. “Let me tell you this, no contradiction, but when I started my career, I took a lot of jobs for the money,” she said. “Sometimes, for a dark-skinned, black woman with a broad nose and thick lips, that’s all it is out there. If I had waited for a role that was well crafted and scripted for me, well staged, I wouldn’t be standing here.” (Variety posted Davis’ speech full.)

When Steenburgen took the stage to present the 2024 Carol Burnett Award to her husband, she began detailing the early days of their relationship, saying her assumption that he was a “slick guy ” becomes more confusing the more she learns about him. “How wrong I was,” she said. “Slick guys don’t say ‘gosh-a-rooney’ after sex,” then, wincing gently, said “Now I want to apologize to my nieces.”

In his acceptance speech, Danson said: “I have to admit that I have always had a confusing relationship with awards. If I win, I feel a bit embarrassed and lonely. If I don’t win, I feel a bit embarrassed and lonely.”

“But not tonight. Not tonight. I am delighted to receive this award, Carol. I can’t tell you how much it means to me. You have brought so much joy and happiness to households around the world. You radiate kindness. I love you so much.” From the seated crowd, Burnett — still sharp at 91 — shouted “I love you” onstage in response.

“As Sam Malone said, I really am the luckiest bastard I’ve ever met,” the 77-year-old said. Congratulations the star said in conclusion. “And Carol, you know what’s great about this award is that every year, we come together to celebrate laughter and joy. We will celebrate you, Carol, and we will celebrate all the funny men and women who have come before us.”

Both Davis and Danson’s honors will be recognized again tomorrow, when the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. The show kicks off at the Beverly Hilton Hotel at 8pm ET on Sunday, January 5.

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