Welcome back from the mid-season break! This week’s episode of the Spin Cycle Podcast is packed: the 2026 Golden Globes, the premiere of The Traitors US, and the first part of the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion.
Award Season Is Actually Just Campaign Season
Let’s be real: award season has become less about artistic merit and more about who campaigned the hardest. Studios are dropping millions on screenings, fancy dinners, and gift baskets that cost more than most people’s rent. The Golden Globes are basically the fun, messy, slightly drunk aunt of award shows—and this year did not disappoint.
In this week’s episode, I break down why the Golden Globes matter (spoiler: they don’t, but they’re fun) and who the front-runners are for the Oscars race. Plus, the Golden Globes’ category placements make absolutely zero sense, and I have thoughts.
The Red Carpet Made a Statement
Several celebrities showed up wearing “Be Good” and “Ice Out” pins in honor of Renee Nicole Goode, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Mark Ruffalo and Jean Smart gave particularly powerful interviews about why they couldn’t stay silent, even at a glamorous event.
This wasn’t performative activism—these were genuine moments of political courage on a night when it would’ve been easier to just smile and pose. I dive into what they said, why it mattered, and how it set the tone for the entire evening in the full episode.
Nikki Glaser Roasted Everyone and Bill Maher Didn’t Think It Was Funny
Nikki Glaser’s monologue was a masterclass in reading the room while simultaneously burning it down. She went after the Justice Department, CBS, the studios, and basically everyone sitting in the audience. There were Epstein references, Leo DiCaprio jokes that went beyond the usual young girlfriend material, and one person who was visibly not amused.
One Battle After Another Dominated
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another swept with four wins, including Best Picture in Musical/Comedy. Yes, you read that right—Musical/Comedy. For an action film.
Meanwhile, Teyana Taylor gave one of the most moving speeches of the night, Timothée Chalamet finally won his first Golden Globe after four nominations, and Stellan Skarsgård walked to the stage while “Yeah!” by Usher played. The chaos was everything.
I also get into the shady coverage Sinners got from Variety compared to other films, and why its win for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement felt particularly sweet.
The Fashion Deserves Its Own Category
Jennifer Lawrence showed up in a sheer Givenchy gown and said “I’m naked”—and she was right. Colman Domingo explained how every detail of his look was intentional storytelling. Michael B. Jordan proved you don’t need a black tux to look incredible at a formal event.
Reality TV Is Reality TV-ing
The Traitors US just premiered with a cast that includes Housewife alums, drag royalty, and, inexplicably, Michael Rapaport. There’s a secret traitor twist that has me hooked, and I’m already obsessed.
Meanwhile, the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion is giving me whiplash. After a season where Meredith and Lisa finally got vulnerable during the Greek play episode, they immediately reverted to lawyering everything at the reunion. The semantics arguments, the rules for thee but not for me energy, the boundary violations—it’s all too much, and I have a theory about what happens when certain personality types stay on these shows too long.
If you’re a Housewives fan, you need to hear my breakdown of the Lisa/Braunwyn dynamic and why it reminds me of the Lisa Vanderpump/Lisa Rinna situation that broke Beverly Hills.
