Ricky Gervais Hosts The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards

by Dick Mac

Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes this year.

I generally don't watch awards shows, but Mrs. Mac does, and on occasion I join her. When I heard the Gervais was going to host (again), I decided to watch at least his monologue.

He did not disappoint.

Nobody was sacred, and he garnered more laughs per minute than any other awards show host in my memory.

Here are some excerpts:



In their need to create "news" the conservative media have been giving credence to dullards who were offended by Gervais' performance. What these people seem to forget is that it was a "performance"! This was television, not reality. It was entertainment, like everything else on television! Unlike the rest of the stuff on television, however, this was really funny and really entertaining!

[Gervais] said Monday that he chose to introduce the stars "I had the best jokes for. (And who I knew had a good sense of humor.) Everyone took it well and the atmosphere backstage and at the after-show was great."

The smart, engaging, dynamic stars and executives were entertained; the dull, dim, conservative (sorry if I'm being redundant) were offended.

"His job is called host," [Howard] Bragman said. "A host is there to make you feel comfortable. A host is there to make guests really have the great moments. And in past Golden Globes, we've seen a lot of really crazy moments from the guests because there's alcohol. There's a lot of fun there. We didn't see that this year. We're talking about the host. And I think we should be talking about nominees and the winners instead."

Here are some links, including the articles that include the quote above.

Ricky Gervais responds to Golden Globes controversy

Some Offended by Comedian Ricky Gervais's Comedic Jabs at the Golden Globes

Ricky Gervais Too Mean at Golden Globes?

Foreign Press To Hold Press Conference; United Artists Agree Deal

. . . or . . . in my attempt to emulate Variety

Foreign Bribes Don't Jibe For Scribes, and Artists Know Best

The Writers Guild of America held out against NBC's efforts to broadcast the Golden Globes Awards, and so the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has decided to announce the winners at a press conference that will be broadcast live. The WGA has given the nod to the press conference broadcast, as it does not violate the strike terms.

According to the press release published at HollywoodDeadline.com,

the recipients of Golden Globe Awards in 25 categories will be revealed during an hour-long HFPA press conference at The Beverly Hilton to be covered live by NBC News . . .

In other WGA-strike news, United Artists have agreed a side deal with the union so that production can begin on their projects. UA owners Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner officially announced the deal today, that Nikki Finke reported on Friday.

UA minority shareholder MGM is not included in the deal, but that does not stop other major studios from being furious with MGM Chairman Harry Sloan for allowing this UA side deal to be negotiated.

The UA deal, along with the Worldwide Pants deal, shows a chink in the armor of the producers. The producers are completely wrong about this strike and they will lose in the end.

Keep up the good work, WGA!

Added at 0730:
I watched the Late Show With Jon Stewart last night. It was terrible. His guest was a Cornell University professor of Labor Relations. I guess he isn't very expert on labor relations, since he crossed a picket line to appear on the show. Jon Stewart should reconsider his broadcasts. Why is he damaging his previously stellar reputation with these crap broadcasts that make him a scab?


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Screen Actors Guild to Honor Writers' Strike and Snub Golden Globes

According to Associated Press, members of the Screen Actors Guild will not cross picket lines to participate in the Golden Globe awards ceremony scheduled to air on NBC January 13th. This conclusion has been reached after weeks of canvassing members.

Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg said

there appears to be unanimous agreement that these actors will not cross. . . ."

This will be a victory for the writers; but, I assume NBC will force some of their current scabs to participate. Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien have been happy to participate in writer-less television, and I assume they will participate in the Golden Globes telecast, even if there are no actors or actresses to accept the awards.

Now is the time for all the other unions to come to the support of the writers. I am pleased to hear that the 72 actors nominated by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association will not cross the picket lines.

I am certain that the SAG decision is far from unanimous. I think there are plenty of conservative and neo-conservative actors whose interest in their union stops at the point when it becomes inconvenient. I am tempted to list the names of actors I think would be happy to cross the picket lines if they were nominated; but I will refrain.

Are there actors, composers, directors, producers or writers that you think would cross the line?

You can see the list of all nominees at the Golden Globe site.

Are you honoring the strike? Are you supporting David Letterman and Craig Ferguson while boycotting Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmell?


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