Paul Drinkwater/NBCAh, the Golden Globe Awards.
The pre-Oscar, post-Emmy, film-and-TV extravaganza where celebs are encouraged to drink (and in some cases can't even be bothered to leave their liquor behind when they take the stage) is considered a serious harbinger of continued award-season success and a prestigious prize to take home.
But it's also one heck of a wild card, considering the aforementioned alcohol and the at-times quirky tastes of the mysterious, A-list-adoring Hollywood Foreign Press.
Certain things went according to the proverbial master script, such as 12 Years a Slave being named best motion picture, drama. And then there were things like...
1. Broadcast's Big Hope—Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Not that Andy Samberg's cop comedy isn't funny, and anything with Andre Braugher has instant cachet, but if another sitcom was going to knock Modern Family off its pedestal (well, technically Girls did the knocking last year, but still), as far as broadcast networks were concerned, we thought it would have been Parks and Recreation. (Especially since Amy Poehler finally won, yay!) But apparently the HFP has an affinity for by-the-book laughs as provided by Samberg's Fox show. As Simon Cowell would say, we're not being rude! Even Samberg, the star of the show, was vocally blown away by his win for best actor in a TV series, comedy.
2. American Hustled: Yes, David O. Russell's film is so much fun, from the hair to the clothes to the hair...and yes, even the writing and the plot are really engaging. But did 2013 awards-season darling Jennifer Lawrence really give a better performance than Lupita Nyong'o in 12 Years a Slave? Was she funnier than June Squibb in Nebraska? We adore us some J.Law, but let's hope the Academy has taken its cues from reality when the Oscar nominations are announced on Thursday. Meanwhile, we'll give the HFP Amy Adams for best actress in a motion picture, comedy, even though American Hustle isn't exactly one of those, either. (Best actor in a motion picture, comedy, winner Leonardo DiCaprio pointed out the ever-odd categorizing when he gave shout-outs to his fellow comedic actors, Oscar Isaac, Joaquin Phoenix, Christian Bale and Bruce Dern.) Adams is just always good, and she was overdue to win one of these big prizes.
3. Jacqueline Bisset Dances on the Edge: The 69-year-old British actress, who starred alongside the other Steve McQueen in Bullit in 1968, remains about as beautiful as it gets, but...She was definitely out of practice in the public speaking department, judging by her odd acceptance speech for best supporting actress in a TV series, movie or miniseries for the Starz drama Dancing on the Edge. The lengthy ramble included a couple of awkward pauses, tears, the S-word and a battle with the please-move-it-along music that Bisset actually won. Usually the British thespians' speeches are a little more pithy and concise than this one was, but it certainly made for a memorable return to the spotlight.
4. Buying Into Matthew McConaughey: Everybody talked about the weight loss for months before anyone actually saw Dallas Buyers Club. And then McConaughey's performance was well-received, but it got somewhat lost in a weighty shuffle that included career-making and -topping performances from the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Bruce Dern and Robert Redford. Even perennial everyone's-fave Tom Hanks had been picking up steam for Captain Phillips, and we know how the HFP likes its A-plus-listers. And then Jared Leto started getting all the shoo-in buzz in the supporting actor department. But it was McConaughey who was plucked from the pool of potential to be named best actor in a motion picture, drama. His speech, in which he thanked wife Camila for kicking his "ass out the door" to go work, was well worth the wait.
5. Yay, Amy Poehler! Finally!: Not only did she do a bang-up job cohosting the entire thing with Tina Fey, but Poehler also finally won a major acting award for playing Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation. Plus, she got a neck rub from Bono, so the night was really coming up aces for her! "Hey Bono, watch your back," Poehler's fake-jealous funnyman boyfriend (oh, who are we kidding, he's probably totally really jealous) Nick Kroll tweeted after the camera panned to his girlfriend and the U2 frontman for effect. "I was not prepared for this," the ever-adorable Poehler, who had to prepare for every other part of the evening, come what may, said in thanks. "Wow! I've never won anything like this. Oh my gosh, I don't have a speech." May you be rendered speechless many more times, Amy.
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