Golden Raspberry Awards

The Golden Raspberry Awards, often shortened to the Razzies, is an award ceremony in recognition of the worst in film. Founded by American copywriter and publicist John J. B. Wilson in 1980, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day. The term raspberry in the name is used in its irreverent sense, as in "blowing a raspberry". The awards themselves are in the form of a "golfball-sized raspberry" which sits atop a Super 8 mm film reel, the whole of which is spray painted gold.

The first Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony was held on March 31, 1981, at John J. B. Wilson's living room alcove in Los Angeles to honor the worst in film of the 1980 film season. The 36th ceremony will be held on February 27, 2016.

History

American copywriter and publicist John J. B. Wilson traditionally held potluck parties at his house in Los Angeles on the night of the Academy Awards. In 1981, after the 53rd Academy Awards had completed for the evening, Wilson invited friends to give random award presentations in his living room. Wilson decided to formalize the event, after watching a double feature of Can't Stop the Music and Xanadu. He gave them ballots to vote on worst in film. Wilson stood at a podium made of cardboard in a tacky tuxedo, with a foam ball attached to a broomstick as a fake microphone, and announced Can't Stop the Music as the first Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture. The impromptu ceremony was a success and the following week a press release about his event released by Wilson was picked up by a few local newspapers, including a mention in the Los Angeles Daily News with the headline: "Take These Envelopes, Please".