Amidst the glitz and glamour of the illustrious Golden Globes, Oscars and Grammys are the infamous Golden Raspberry Awards. Dubbed “Razzies,” the awards were presented at the Magicopolis in Santa Monica on Feb. 23, just one day before the Oscars. The annual award show, with arguably the least media coverage, has gained fame for its satirical nature.
The Golden Raspberry Awards started in 1981 in founder John Wilson’s living room, where awards were given out for the worst of the worst. Now, in its 33rd annual awards, the ceremony has been moved to an actual venue, albeit tacky and low budget, and is covered by many news networks, such as the BBC.
While no stars showed up personally to accept their awards, that didn’t stop the awards from drawing in hundreds in attendance.
This year, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2” received the most awards, winning seven of their 11 nominations. Their nominations include worst picture, actress, director, screen ensemble and on-screen couple, among others. While they were joined by Nicholas Cage’s nomination for his work in “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” and the film “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” none held up to the atrocity of the famed Twilight saga.
Aside from the whole Twilight cast receiving the award for the worst screen ensemble, several of its actors were further pilloried with additional awards. Kristen Stewart earned a Razzie for the worst actress in “Snow White and the Huntsman” and “Breaking Dawn.”
Taylor Lautner, who picked up an award for worst supporting actor for his role in “Breaking Dawn,” also shared another for worst screen couple with 12-year-old actress Mackenzie Foy. Audiences apparently did not appreciate their werewolf/child romance in “Breaking Dawn.”
The award show’s greatest claim to fame was in its 25th annual ceremony, when actress Halle Berry showed up with an Oscar in tow to receive her Razzie for worst actress in “Cat Woman.” Not only did she give a speech worthy of standing ovation, but she also brought along the rest of the cast of “Cat Woman.”
While the Razzies may not be taken seriously and are a source for laughter, they are a the much needed break in the overserious award show season. As Berry said in her interview with BBC, "It was just what my career needed — I was at the top and now I'm at the bottom."
As entertaining as Jennifer Lawrence’s fall or Taylor Swift’s not-so-subtle dig at Harry Styles were in the higher profile awards, the best form of entertainment occurs when stars learn to laugh at themselves, the Razzies provide an opportunity to do just that.