SOUND OFF SPECIAL AWARDS SHOW SPOTLIGHT: GOLDEN GLOBES 2012

Meryl Streep Got Bleeped. So goes the 2012 GOLDEN GLOBES broadcast and its destined subtitle for all time. A gallon of gaffes and a ton of risqué fun made the night more memorable for its moments of awkwardness amidst technical tomfoolery, and, the many, many surprises in the winning categories, to make it an award show worth watching - but, at what cost? THE ARTIST, THE DESCENDANTS and Harvey Weinstein productions in general were the cause celebre of the entire affair, all things considered, with everything from MY WEEK WITH MARILYN's Michelle Williams and THE IRON LADY's Meryl Streep to Madonna's W.E. taking home gold. Showtime's HOMELAND took many of the top wins in the TV categories, though some truly sensational and exceedingly superb fan-favorites got their due, too - AMERICAN HORROR STORY's Jessica Lange and GAME OF THRONES's Peter Dinklage both received their rightful trophies for their exceptional work on two of the finest dramas on television both nominated, but unfortunately losing out to Showtime's tense war drama HOMELAND. Laura Dern's effervescent showing on Showtime's ENLIGHTENED and Kelsey Grammer's brusque and brilliant BOSS also unexpectedly ruffled some probably prognosticator's feathers, as well, with their wins. Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese were saluted for THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN and HUGO, respectively, showing clear evidence of not one but two long-standing titans of Hollywood remaining at the top of their field for decades with no foreseeable end in sight. While warm-heartedness was sporadic and spicier, spacier fare was more the special of the day, there was plenty of delectable dessert - a gold-flecked tart, let's say - to go around.

That Less Esteemed Awards Show

Golden Globe shows are always a surefire way to enJoy Hollywood's elite juiced up and loose in a way you never really see at the more high-brow - and relatively booze and drug-free - Oscar shows - all from the comfort of your own home and couch - and last night's telecast of the 2012 GOLDEN GLOBES was no exception - Julianne Moore and Rob Lowe's teleprompter malfunction and their cold reading as Lowe hilariously ad-libbed: in front of master director Steven Spielberg, no less being one of many, many glaring mistakes in technical and presentational departments made memorable by the galaxy of stars on hand who somehow managed to make almost all of it work. And, boy oh boy, were they all well turned out, to boot! Everyone looked absolutely fantastic with nary a fashion faux pas - something one can rarely say for awards shows these days. Yet, perhaps more conservative times such as these call for somewhat more conservative clothing on celebrities - with a diamond or two to dazzle us. And dazzle they did. The night is about the stars, after all, so their appearance at this second-most-important awards show of the season is pertinent to not only how we see them as the movie-going - and theater-going - public, but, also, how they present themselves to each other. Where else can you see Michelle Williams and Katherine McPhee sharing a candid pre-commercial chat? Or, better yet, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler trying out some visual gags - on camera - during their nomination segments? Jimmy Fallon's rocking-out to Madonna's call-out, the ad-libs and banter - scripted and otherwise - ran the gamut from grimace-inducing, in a good way, to the exact opposite.

Yet, above all else, the onslaught of upsets at the 2012 GOLDEN GLOBES in many categories made it a constantly entertaining and sporadically compelling broadcast - as did Ricky Gervais and his off-the-wall and in-your-face style and delivery though a bit toned down from last year's all-out, near-cringe worthy bacchanal of emceeing duties, no doubt. Of course, as always at these affairs, George Clooney was king of the room - and took Best Actor - Drama among his multiple nominations in many categories- for both his directorial effort, THE IDES OF MARCH, as well as his Alexander Payne-directed starrer, THE DESCENDANTS. THE ARTIST and THE DESCENDANTS being the big winners of the night, taking not only Best Picture - Musical Or Comedy and Drama, as well as Best Actor, respectively, makes both films hopeful Academy Award recipients in a month's time and the many wins for THE ARTIST add yet another slew of prizes to the extensive and expansive Harvey Weinstein mantle of night; for not only did THE ARTIST take many top prizes, but Michelle Williams was also recognized for her work in Weinstein's MY WEEK WITH MARILYN - co-starring fellow Golden Globe nominee and InDepth InterView participant Kenneth Branagh - and Weinstein also acts as the man responsible for the recipient of top honors in the Best Actress - Drama category, as well - in the form of the one and only star of stars, Meryl Streep, making Golden Globe history with her bleep heard around the world. But, what else can you say when you forget your glasses at a time like this but, "Oh, sh*t!" anyway - even if you are American acting royalty like Meryl Streep?

While THE HELP took Best Supporting Actress - Drama, with Octavia Spencer shining bright in her standout role in the 60-set racial exploration, the Supporting Actor category was filled out by beloved SOUND OF MUSIC star Christopher Plummer, here awarded for his work in BEGINNERS and beating out odds-on favorite Albert Brooks for the moody and intense DRIVE. The film categories had but a few surprises when compared to the television component of last night's telecast, however. Indeed, that is the element that makes the Golden Globes the best awards show of all - spreading the love around to both film and television; particularly pertinent to today's times in which many television programs surpass films in not only viewership, but risk-taking content and improbably high quality.

In the TV categories, the biggest surprises of the night included a Best Drama win for Showtime's HOMELAND - as well as Best Actress - Drama for its leading lady, Claire Danes - in addition to Idris Elba's well-deserved Best Miniseries - Actor win for the little-known LUTHER. Kelsey Grammer took home the Best Actor - Drama prize for his powerful performance on Starz's little-seen, but nevertheless quite tremendous, BOSS, and another shocker came with Matt LeBlanc's win in Best Actor - Comedy for Showtime's EXTRAS. In a more expected awards move, Jessica Lange was rightfully given her due for her peerless work in the superlative new FX series AMERICAN HORROR STORY - co-created by previous Golden Globe Best Series - Musical Or Comedy recipients Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for GLEE - and Peter Dinklage also took home Best Supporting for his turn on HBO's stupendous fantasy series GAME OF THRONES. Laura Dern scoring yet another GG for Showtime thanks to her inspired ENGLIGHTENED turn - another new TV series given copious attention by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association last evening - is one of many such awards for new female-driven dramas and comedies on the channel such as previous winners Toni Collette, for THE UNITED STATES OF TARA, and Mary-Louise Parker, for WEEDS. In a somewhat unfair category placement, the divinely addictive Brit period soap DOWNTOWN ABBEY won Best TV Miniseries over HBO's exquisite MILDREd Pierce one is a continuing series and one is not, after all. The stunning Todd Haynes HBO miniseries did not walk away empty-handed, though, with Kate Winslet the breathless recipient of Best Actress In A Miniseries for her MILDREd Pierce work and, without question, having the most glamorous appearance of all the many well-dressed and well-coiffed attendants of the evening, which was certainly saying something given the fabulous flair shown on the red carpet before and after last night's glittery proceedings.

As far as the more technical awards of the evening go, the Best Screenplay Golden Globe went to Woody Allen's whimsical MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, and Madonna took home the Best Song prize for her seductively entrancing "Masterpiece" from Weinstein's W.E., which she also directed. Weinstein won out in the Best Score category, as well, thanks to another ARTIST awards arrest. Martin Scorsese was HUGO's sole winner at least in the telecast portion of last night's proceedings, but managed to put across one of the most affecting and heartfelt speeches of the night after taking home Best Director. Scorsese stood right alongside Grammer, Dern, Elba and some of the other unexpected top-prize takers in managing to make the most of the moment as far as emotional clarity as expressed in an acceptance speech goes. It was a night full of surprises on one of the ugliest sets in Golden Globes history - stuffed to the brim with technical and editing errors to such an extent as to make one fail to believe this was an actual professional awards presentation at all - but, despite all that, it was still one of the most exciting events of its kind - this year or any year. The Golden Globes always delivers the comedy and the drama - just not always in the manner you expect it to be.

Awards Of Awards: 2012 Golden Globes Edition

To hand out a few special SOUND OFF awards to the unsung heroes of the evening - the elements that kept it flowing and, all in all, relatively smooth; even despite the many technical mix-ups and less-than-steller patter given to many of the presenters - here we have the best of the best.

Best Presenters - Felicity Huffman & William H. Macy

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and SHAMELESS real-life married couple Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy sang a perfectly pitched and delightfully presented musical introduction to the nominees for their category and made their offstage romance into an onstage and onscreen one with the audience thanks to their lovably campy and tangibly adoring rapport. What facial expressions!

Best Winner - The Dog from THE ARTIST

W.C. Fields once advised that it is never, ever wise to share the stage with an animal, and, last night, the lovable pup from THE ARTIST certainly proved that old adage much more than merely correct. He stole all focus - and, well, made tongues wag - with his excited and impossibly cute acceptance speech, generously shared with the creators behind the scenes of the night's big winner, the silent comedy THE ARTIST.

Most Uncomfortable Moment - Madonna & Ricky Gervais

The unquestionably bitchiest exchange of the evening - creating the most uncomfortable moment of a night chock full of them - came courtesy of Miss Ciccone, thanks entirely to her inelegant riposte to one of the many relatively mild puns in the jokey presentation of each presenter coming off the cuff of the ribald-and-raucous-as-always master of ceremonies himself, Ricky Gervais. "Like A Virgin", indeed.

Best Advertising - NBC's SMASH

From copious camera coverage on various cast members to commercials in a rainbow of styles and hues during the breaks themselves, NBC's upcoming musical/drama series SMASH got a major promotional push on last night's Globes as it should; it was on NBC. Honestly, seemingly all that was missing was a song from the show itself - though Debra Messing and Kat McPhee's blown kisses to the camera pre-commercial came quite close to that. Whatever the case, the new commercials make the show look even better than ever somehow. Could we be more excited?

Best Goof Cover-Up - Rob Lowe & Julianne Moore

Showing their considerable stage chops and charming way to woo an audience in the midst of a minor onstage disaster, Rob Lowe and Julianne Moore made the absolute best of not only the most presenting the absolute most disenchanting of awards given out all evening - that of Miss Golden Globe - but, also, made us all love them both a little bit more in suavely covering up for a misused teleprompter. If it were even possible to love them more than we already do, that is. Pure class.

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