Los Angeles - Viewership of the Golden Globes dropped on Sunday night from the levels of a year earlier, broadcaster NBC said on Monday.
Comedian Ricky Gervais' relentless ribbing of the show's Hollywood stars was meant to attract legions of new viewers.
But the absence of blockbusters among the major nominees contributed to only 16.8 million people tuning in, compared to 17 million who watched last year.
The Golden Globes, regarded as the most important awards in Hollywood besides the Oscars, chose the silent movie The Artist as the best musical or comedy, while The Descendants was named best drama.