1. The Need to be 360. Some dresses looked better from the back. Some looked bad from the side. Amy Schumer’s dress looked better in pictures than on film. Lesson learned, figuratively and literally, look at yourself from all sides.
2. The Value of Timeless. There are fads and there is class that is timeless. Pants made of plastic were a fad and well-tailored black pants are an example of timeless class. We first met Aaron Sorkin 20 years ago when he gave us The West Wing. At these Golden Globes he won for Steve Jobs, a 2015 movie. His brilliance has been timeless.
3. Share the Credit. Matt Damon led the parade and several others went in the same direction. This was the first time I noticed so many giving credit to others in their acceptance speeches. Lady GaGa said to her cast, because of you I was able to shine. A reminder to all of us that there is no limit as to what we can accomplish if we are willing to share the credit.
4. Private Jokes are Always Bad. Do you remember what it felt like to be excluded by other students in elementary school? It doesn’t feel any better as adults. This why the talent that chose in their acceptance or presentation speeches to use expletives that were bleeped out, gave the home audience the same feeling. The first award presented was presented in bear swear. Those in the hall were included and everyone else was excluded. Think of all of your audiences.
5. Be Authentic. This year more than any other year, much more than any other year, there were recipients that seemed truly thrilled. Even though host Ricky Gervais kept saying that the award meant nothing, award recipient after recipient seemed genuinely thrilled. New to TV Rachel Bloom was thrilled, as was Gael Garcia Bernal from Mozart in the Jungle, and Sorkin and Tarantino seemed thrilled too. Being the opposite of blasé is always Big, Really Big.
6. Take Advantage of Defining Moments. Denzel received a life time achievement award. First he couldn’t find his notes and then he couldn’t read them without his glasses. It would not have been a big deal if he just would have talked to us the audience. The moment came and passed. I assume that getting a lifetime achievement award is a big deal. He needed to step up in that moment. He didn’t. Don’t let those moments go by without the appropriate response. The moment may not come again.
