SACHA BARON COHEN - WHERE WAS THE GLOBES' WACKINESS? ASK CRITICS

WHERE WAS THE GLOBES' WACKINESS? ASK CRITICS

Although in reporting on the awards ceremony, the Associated Press's David Germain commented that it "failed to live up to its reputation as a freewheeling Hollywood soiree where stars sometimes cut loose with amusing antics," the acceptance speech by Sacha Baron Cohen almost instantly was transcribed and posted on numerous blogs -- including those belonging to "family" newspapers which did not quote him directly in print (Germain referred to his "colorful anatomical language;" Phil Gallo in Variety called his remarks "hilarious and vile.") The speech was also immediately posted on YouTube. There was also Tom Hanks's introduction of Warren Beatty, who received a lifetime achievement award. "What balls this man has," Hanks said, "and by 'balls,' I mean artistic vision." Backstage, the honorees also flung off constraints. Asked about her chances of winning an Oscar, Helen Mirren responded, "I've never had an O. They say the earth moves." Clint Eastwood, who received the award for best foreign-language film (Letters from Iwo Jima), an award that ordinarily goes to a foreign director (the actors in Letters speak Japanese), said that he was so thrilled that he was now planning to make a movie in Hungarian or Lithuanian. Several writers suggested it was a mistake to stage the ceremonies without a host, who might have livened things up. Rick Kushman, writing for the McClatchy newspapers indicated that he was surprised and disappointed to see George Clooney come out "so early" and hand out the first award to Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls. Noting the "large amounts of alcohol sitting on the tables," Kushman remarked, "Get a couple of drinks in the man, maybe he'll say something."

16/01/2007