Golden Globe Judges Bribed into Nominating 'Burlesque?'

Last week, thenominations for the 2011 Golden Globeswere instantly met with cries of derision and raised eyebrows. The Tourist? Really?  Even Angelina Jolie laughed when she heard the news.  Burlesque? How?  The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been plagued by scandal over its lifetime, but a new report suggests the upcoming 68th Annual Globes are as tainted as ever.

An article inThe Independentalleges judges from the HFPA were recently flown to Las Vegas on Sony Pictures’ dime to attend a private meal at a luxury hotel. There, the studio behindBurlesquetreated the members to a concert performed by Cher. This just before the movie and its star picked up a surprise nomination for“Best Motion Picture– Comedy or Musical” and two nods in the“Original Song” category (one performed by Cher).

It’s a dubious coincidence, particularly given the critical drubbingBurlesquereceived from others members of the press, but is it bribery? Perhaps.  It’s certainly shady, but no different than the all-expenses-paid trips doled out to bloggers on a regular basis, which had some gushing about the qualities of Dwayne“The Rock” Johnson inFasterrecently.

One isolated event doesn’t indicate direct influence, necessarily, but their Vegas vacation connects with the HFPA’s already shady track record. The Independent piece cites 1981’s infamous Pia Zadora win for“Best Newcomer,” immediately after HFPA voters were flown to… you guessed it, Las Vegas. Or Sharon Stone’s gold watch giveway just before picking up an unexpected nomination in 1999. In short, this isn’t the only time the integrity of the organization’s 81 members have been called into question.

Ultimately, a Globe means next to nothing compared to the almighty Oscar. But when the Globes are being used as a marketing tool for financial flops or as a bellwether for future accolades, they tarnish a year-end process that, love it or leave it, actually recognizes creativity, talent, and originality in an industry that regularly ignores those qualities.

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