The group of film journalists that awards the Golden Globes was accused Monday, August 3, of sabotaging non-members while receiving lavish perks and access to Hollywood stars, reported The Hollywood Reporter.
An antitrust lawsuit filed against the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) claimed said the organization illegally monopolized entertainment reporting in Los Angeles while creating near-impossible barriers to entry for new members.
“All year long, HFPA members enjoy all-expenses-paid trips to film festivals around the world where the studios treat them lavishly and accommodate their every desire,” stated the suit brought by Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa.
“Qualified applicants for admission to the HFPA are virtually always rejected because the majority of its 87 members are unwilling to share or dilute the enormous economic benefits they receive as members,” it added.
The HFPA wields considerable power due to its annual Golden Globes — one of Tinseltown’s biggest and glitziest award shows, which is seen as a key step to success at the all-important Oscars.
The lawsuit details instances of members being wined and dined by Hollywood studios, including a Disney press trip to a Singapore five-star hotel last year.
“The studios, of course, resent having to lavish enormous sums of money on, and being required to cater to, the desires of a few dozen aging journalists who are regularly heard snoring through screenings, but given the importance of the Golden Globes, they see no way to end the farce,” stated the lawsuit.
Full Content: Hollywood Reporter
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