No fuss. No muss. That’s the Golden Globes way.
The 59th annual Golden Globes ceremony ran like clockwork–and for that, we were thankful. Even though some were concerned about security issues, it seemed the celebrities didn’t mind coming out in force.
Show producer Dick Clark was on the red carpet, meeting and greeting. He may finally be looking his age, but he’s still the consummate schmoozer. Clark’s counterpart, Nancy O’Dell, was even better. When talking to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson unexpectedly walked by and entered into the conversation. Before all the talk of their “next projects” and the industry, Hanks had the class to say that’s not what they were there for.
“We all know what it’s about…it’s the free drinks and shrimp cocktails.” (Of course it is.)
The show started with a montage of the stars walking in on the red carpet with a (can we just say, very lame) rendition of Jennifer Lopez‘s song “Waiting for Tonight” with the lyrics changed to “Waiting for the Globes” complete with lyrics that corresponded with shots of stars on the red carpet. Please.
Then, without a moment of hesitation, the awards were immediately handed out, with the extraordinary Halle Berry first up to give the best supporting actress (drama) award to Jennifer Connelly for A Beautiful Mind.
Looking stunning in a black dress with a simple white flower at a plunging neckline, Connelly certainly set the tone for the evening with her first words: “Oh my God…that was fast!” But she was very poised and gave a touching speech, thanking her son, Kai.
Best actress in a TV comedy or musical was the next category. A very short-haired Sarah Jessica Parker won for Sex and the City. Is this going to be her new look? Hmm……
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After thanking her other three castmates and more, Parker managed to make a nice reference to New York City. “This is also to the city of New York, who is indeed the fifth lady”.
Charlie Sheen brought some comedy to the evening in his acceptance speech for best actor in a TV comedy for Spin City. He seemed surprised, and his first words complimented his bride to be: “My lovely fiancée, Denise Richards, had a dream that I won. I guess she was right.” He went on to say how surreal the experience was to win.
“It’s like a sober acid trip,” said Sheen.
Best supporting actor in a motion picture winner Jim Broadbent winged it. “I really haven’t gotten anything worked out…” Guess he didn’t think he’d win.
Sex in the City won for best TV series comedy/musical and the whole gang went up on stage. Executive producer Michael Patrick King wanted to thank the writers, “since you now all know about their sex lives.” Might be more information than we needed.
HBO’s spectacular Band of Brothers predictably won for best miniseries/TV movie, while James Franco unpredictably won for best actor in miniseries/TV movie for his performance as James Dean.
Gene Hackman was a no-show after winning the best actor in a motion picture comedy/musical for The Royal Tenenbaums–something about missing a connection in the Caribbean? Nice excuse.
The first major winner of the evening was Ms. Nicole Kidman as best actress in a motion picture comedy/musical for Moulin Rouge. We all knew she’d get it and she did too because she accepted with a fairly rehearsed speech.
“When you win an award, you realize it’s not about me but the people who helped me get there.” Yeah, yeah.
On the flip side of rehearsed speeches, Jennifer Garner, who surprisingly won best TV drama actress for her work in Alias against heavily favorited Edie Falco and Lorraine Bracco, delivered an off-the-cuff and fresh speech.
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“I’m really glad I had that first glass of wine but I’m kind of regretting the second,” she started off and then went on to thank creator Jeffrey Abrams for casting her. “I don’t know why you cast me in this! I mean I knew I was good in Dude, Where’s My Car? but, jeez…”
Then the famed Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the masterminds behind the Golden Globes, had to come out and talk for a brief moment about the glory of Hollywood. OK, sure, why not? Now where’s that ice cream?
One note: the winners seemed to have had to wade through lots of tables, winding round and round just to get up to the podium. The road to victory may have been a long one, but c’mon–the Foreign Press may want to rethink how they set this thing up. All the nominees up front, perhaps?
Things started to pick up considerably when Robert Downey Jr. came out to announce the best supporting actress for TV and told the audience he was “so glad to be out here. It’s getting evil in the Green Room.”
Rachel Griffiths, whom Downey announced won that award, was full of energy as she bounding up onstage, thanking the producers (“crazy bastards!”). She added, “[To do] A show about dying…sure!”
She also thanked her homeland of Australia, which had a huge contingency at the Globes, including Kidman, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett, Mulholland Drive‘s Naomi Watts and director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge).
This was followed by some hilarious antics of Cameron Diaz and a bald Mike Myers (preparing for Dr. Evil perhaps?), who were there to give out the best song award. They thanked “seat fillers” Shrek and Princess Fiona, who appeared at their table, and then went on a few minutes riffing on the word “ogre.” Asked Myers: “Who wrote this bad, bad award show banter?” to which Diaz replied, “Jeffrey Katzenberg.”
Ouch.
Stanley Tucci was either a tad drunk or just couldn’t remember anyone’s name after winning the best TV supporting actor award for HBO’s Conspiracy. He just ended the speech saying “Oh well, I’ll see you later.” Go back and get another glass of wine, Stanley.
The big moment of the evening belonged to Harrison Ford, who received the Cecile B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement award. Ben Affleck came out to introduce a long string of clips from just about every movie Ford has ever made. This must be why the show forged ahead so diligently, so they would have enough time for this stuff.
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Ford, however, did not look too keen to be sitting there watching himself. When he finally got onstage to a standing ovation, he told everyone, “Sit down, please. I’m too old to wait,” and quipped, “I’ve been nominated in a category where all the competition is dead.” Yet, the ultimate minimalist had the style and grace to keep the speech very brief.
Best director winner Robert Altman, notoriously known for large ensemble casts in his movies, got a big laugh when he attempted to introduce his Gosford Park actors and then asked everyone from Britain to stand up.
The remainder of the evening went fairly predictably.
Down-to-earth Sissy Spacek won best actress in a motion picture drama for her performance in In the Bedroom, while no-nonsense actor Russell Crowe won the best actor award for portraying John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Both did not actually hold their Globes but kept their hands free so they could read their thank-you lists.
The top prize for best motion picture drama went to A Beautiful Mind and producer BBrian Grazer (who seems always in the middle of a bad hair day) and director Ron Howard, who gushed about each other shamelessly.
The best line of the night belonged to Mel Gibson, who told the audience after Grazer and Howard left the stage:
“There are actually 19 seconds left to the show, which is a minor miracle. We could wait or go home. What do you say? Show of hands?”
To end an award show early, even by 19 seconds, was truly a miracle. Well done, Golden Globes.
