When I say “award shows,” what comes to mind? Think about it long and hard…
Done? Alright, do you think of stars, all dressed up for the occasion, ready to either present or win in the category they are nominated for, or at least look happy for the person they lost to?
Or do you think of a long, boring, drab “ceremony” that is scheduled for three hours, but usually ends about an hour behind schedule?
Unfortunately, if you are like most, you thought of the second option. Personally, though, I am an award show junkie. The Emmys, the Oscars, the Grammys, the MTV awards; you name it, I watch it.
But the quality of awards shows recently has been declining. Take the last couple of MTV awards, for instance. Not only did the hosts suck (Shawn and Marlon Wayans last year, Jamie Foxx this past year), the big hoop-la and playful attitude of the show has gone down the drain. It’s all been replaced by crude humor that just isn’t funny.
Of course, the MTV awards are not exactly the cream of the crop when it comes to award shows, but even the big ones like the Oscars and the Emmys are starting to feel like a bore-fest. They end up being way too long and spawn entirely too many copycats. It seems like every time you check the TV Guide, another awards show is on.
However (yes, there is a however), salvation arrived in the form of a “gay woman in a suit surrounded by jews” this past Sunday.
Ellen DeGeneres, who in the paragraph above, referred to herself in the first person and hosted the 53rd annual Emmy Awards over the weekend made for some fine award show entertainment. After pummeling through a hilarious opening monologue, which included cracks about the World Series, her lesbianism and the Taliban, DeGeneres shamelessly begged CBS executives to pick up her new sitcom for the rest of the season, all adding up to hilarious results.
But it wasn’t just DeGeneres who saved the future of this particular award show; the stars and the overall tone of the ceremony helped keep the feeling casual and relaxed.
The dress code was toned-down business attire and the emphasis was not on who won and who lost, but more on uniting as an industry and finally getting this show on the road.
Maybe it’s a good thing the academy decided to postpone the ceremony twice. Had they not, it probably would have just been the same-old, same-old, with stars who are full of themselves prancing around, complimenting each other, a boring host cracking lame jokes about the president, and an over-drawn telecast that probably would have cut into the evening news.
DeGeneres and this year’s festivities have definitely brought new light to the history of the Emmys. They were in a slouch for a few years, but have regained, in my eyes, the status of a great award show. They also knew how to properly deal with the Sept. 11 tragedies by having a couple tributes to honor the deceased. Barbara Streisand actually agreed to perform a song at the end of the telecast in memory of those lost.
In the end, DeGeneres received a standing ovation. I’m not exactly sure why, though. I have, however, come to two conclusions; they a) were really happy with who won awards or b) were happy the show actually ended on time. This time, I’d go for the second option.
Tim Tevault, a sophomore journalism major, is arts and entertainment editor of the Campus Times. He can be reached by e-mail at zerotearx@aol.com.
