Ricky Gervais drank beer on stage, Colin Farrell chewed gum, Sally Hawkins came so perilously close to having an actual nervous breakdown that aid from Emma Thompson was required, Mickey Rourke thanked his dogs and Steven Spielberg gave possibly the most boring acceptance speech in the history of awards.
What else to say, really? The 2009 Golden Globes ceremony -- well, it was better than last year's. Of course, that wasn't too hard considering that last year the writers strike kept everyone away and the awards were announced in a monotone roll call by such luminaries as Mary Hart.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday, January 13, 2009 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 38 words Type of Material: Correction
Golden Globes review: The review of the Golden Globes broadcast in Monday's Calendar section said that Rainn Wilson and Hayden Panettiere presented an award together. It should have said the award was presented by Wilson and Blake Lively.
So the sight of all those pretty people in their pretty clothes filling the ballroom of the Beverly Hilton offered some reassurance in an otherwise confusing time (although the proliferation of Brian Grazer hair -- Colin Farrell, Robert Downey Jr., Kevin Bacon -- was a bit alarming). Not that anyone mentioned the writers strike or the still-possible actors strike, or the economy, or virtually anything else outside the confines of the Hollywood bubble. Sacha Baron Cohen got stink eye and murmurs of disapproval just for making a Guy Ritchie joke. (Sacha, just be thankful Sean Penn wasn't there to wrist-slap you as he did Oscar host Chris Rock for his infamous Jude Law jest.)
Still, the evening was not without its Moments of Significance. In danger of becoming the Susan Lucci of the award season, Kate Winslet actually won! Twice! And then, in perhaps the very best moment of the evening, she forgot Angelina Jolie's name!
Heath Ledger took supporting film actor for "The Dark Knight," and for the first and only time during the three hours, the champagne-swilling, chattering-through-acceptance-speeches audience joined in silence and applause.
Oh, and Tracy Morgan announced that Tina Fey had promised him that if Barack Obama won, he, Morgan, would become the new spokesman not only for "30 Rock" but also for "post-racial America. So deal with that, Cate Blanchett."
Otherwise, the ceremony did what it always does -- bring TV and movie people together under the same roof ("Hello, we're TV actors," Rainn Wilson announced to high hilarity just before he and Hayden Panettiere presented the best television drama award to "Mad Men") and act as the ultimate Oscar prognosticator. Odds look good for "Slumdog Millionaire," Winslet and Rourke (the shout-out to his dogs may have sealed the deal).
