Golden Globes Producers on Host Mystery, Show’s New Tone, Taylor Swift and ‘Barbie’ Star Power

Through their White Cherry Entertainment, entertainment industry veterans Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner have steered just about every major live TV production from the Oscars, Tonys and Emmys to the Super Bowl halftime show and beyond. On Jan. 7, the pair will make their Golden Globe Awards debut as executive producers and showrunners of the telecast, with Weiss also handling directing duties. Moments after the 2024 nominees were revealed Monday morning inside the Beverly Hilton, the pair spent some time with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about the star power of this year’s roster, having a new broadcast partner in CBS and what tone viewers should expect following what has been a brutal year for Hollywood.

This is your first Golden Globes. Why did you say yes?

Glenn Weiss: That might be the best question we’ve ever been asked. [Laughs]

Ricky Kirshner: I’ve been wondering that the last couple weeks.

Weiss: Actually, my big thing always is restarts, recreation and making things from a start over point. We’re in a perfect start-over point. The [HFPA] has changed over, and obviously the voting pool has changed over. We’re basically coming in with fresh eyes and a fresh sensibility. It’s always been a really good show. We’re going to make this party something that you just don’t want to miss.

Helen said at the end of today’s nominations that this is the party of the year, repeating the tagline for the Golden Globes. How will you make sure that the party translates to a TV production?

Kirshner: I want to tell you that Helen and her organization have really focused on the party, and there are a lot of changes planned for the party and what will happen in the room that night — from the food to the table set-up, the décor and everything else. As far as how that will translate to television, we have the best director in television right here and he’ll have 72 cameras. This is a party and everyone schmoozes and has conversations, and we want to bring that immersiveness to the viewers. We want them to really feel like they’re a part of this party and this new experience as it’s changing.

Weiss: For the people who walk into the room as well as the viewers, they will all experience something different and new than what the Golden Globes has been.

There’s a lot of star power among the nominees. What’s your reaction to the names you heard today?

Kirshner: It’s amazing. We haven’t analyzed all of the names yet. We heard the nominees at the same time everyone else did. But to have three songs from Barbie with major stars, Taylor Swift in the [cinematic and box office achievement category], and Selena Gomez all nominated — we will have people who wouldn’t normally be at the Golden Globes. Then add in all the movie and TV stars, the full cast of Succession, Ted Lasso. It’s crazy.

How quickly do calls start going out?

Weiss: Calls have been going out in a different kind of basis, but starting when we hit the office at 9 a.m., it’s going to be full steam.

The obvious question now becomes about the host… [CNN reported that Chris Rock, Ali Wong and Will Arnett, Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman as a trio all passed.]

Kirshner: We don’t decide on announcements, but whenever they decide to announce something, I’m sure you’ll be on the list…

When it comes to the Golden Globes, one aspect of the show that people talk a lot about is the tone. When Ricky Gervais was the host, Hollywood took a bit of a beating. Coming off a rough year for the industry with the strikes, the political climate and cutbacks, what will your approach be to the tone for the 2024 Golden Globes?

Kirshner: Positivity is the tone for us, always. Being the first out of the gate in terms of awards shows and hosting all these movie stars, we need to be positive. Everyone’s coming together for the first time. I don’t think we need to look back in the past. We should look at celebrating everyone’s success that night.

Weiss: To make a Broadway analogy, it really is an opening night. This is a true reopening for our business. Everybody’s been living through this really rough period, but we’re all out of it now and we’re all on the same team. We’re just here to celebrate. That’s our tone and that’s what we hope translates.

How will the telecast change with a new broadcast partner in CBS.

Weiss: Honestly, that has come together so quickly because it came in so late in the day. We’re making a show, which is going to play really great on CBS and play really great on Paramount+ and by doing so, reach a whole different set of viewers. But as far as impacting the tone, I don’t know if it will impact the tone because we’re in sync with them on this.

Kirshner: The one thing I will say about CBS is that they will have two football games on that day and they will be promoting us all day. And hopefully promoting us all month on football and across all of their other shows. It’s a great plus for us.

The hotel strike was averted when they made a deal on Friday. That must have been a big relief. How involved were you in those discussions?

Weiss: We were not involved at all. We were as relieved as you were when all your readers were when that headline came out though.

With this show less than a month away, that means no holiday break?

Kirshner: I have to look at my deal memo. [Laughs] No, probably not. But look, we’ve done shows on July 4th, my birthday, my anniversary, it’s just what we do. We don’t look at the calendar like that. This show is a sprint. The nominations are today and the show is four weeks from now. We’ve just got to get it done and we will.

Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge that also owns The Hollywood Reporter.