Logies 2018: We need to rise above tasteless humour and cheap gags

OPINION: There was an intimacy to the Logies on the Gold Coast that was truly special. However, it’s time we rise above cheap gags.

OPINION

Small is beautiful. That was the feeling of stars sitting in the room for this year’s Logie Awards on the Gold Coast.

There was an intimacy to the 60th Logies — maximum seating 670 — that was missing at

Melbourne’s Crown Palladium where numbers headed towards 1000.

The stars also seemed to like the fact that the red carpet — held outdoors — was a far less chaotic experience than in past years.

That wasn’t to say there weren’t teething problems.

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Karl Stefanovic and partner Jasmine Yarbrough were sent in the wrong direction and briefly ended up in a section of the Star foyer instead of the showroom.

A group of stars, including Karl Stefanovic and partner Jasmine Yarbrough were sent in the wrong direction and briefly ended up in a section of the Star foyer instead of the showroom.

The sheer mass of stars trying to use one walkway to get to the showroom also led to delays

getting to tables.

There was a genuine buzz and a real sense of thrill as opener Dave Hughes asked the crowd

whether they were glad to be on the Gold Coast.

The massive “yes” said it all. The stars were more relaxed than any time I’ve experienced at the Logies when they were in Melbourne.

The crowd were willing Hughes to make them laugh out loud and for the first ten minutes he did just that.

Hughesy was doing a great job with his opener, until a massive stumble derailed it. Picture: Channel 9

But a massive stumble with his gag about the disgraced Don Burke, where he said “I love Don Burke” multiple times sucked the air right out of the room.

You could literally feel the love leave the room as stars wondered what they had just witnessed.

A dud joke aimed at Miguel Maestre was another self-inflicted wound.

Not even Hamish Blake and Andy Lee’s clarification of Hughes remarks could truly get the energy back to top level.

TV veteran Bert Newton got a standing ovation when he appeared to present the Graham Kennedy award for Best New Talent — but his performance also went horribly wrong.

Bert Newton was criticised for being insensitive and offensive on social media. Picture: Channel 9

After a moving reminiscence about his early years with Kennedy, he made a sexually charged

reference to Kennedy “mentoring” behind closed doors. He also called himself an “old p**f.”

Newton also mentioned Don Lane “mentoring” and then compared he and wife Patti to Waleed Aly and wife Susan Carland — with Patti taking up a TAB account and drinking red wine the way Carland had converted to Islam for Aly.

Social media lit up but the feeling in the room was more one of bewilderment. For the second time in the night, a beloved entertainer had gone into tasteless territory.

An attempted joke about The Project host Waleed Aly and his wife Susan Carland also didn’t go down well. Picture: Getty

The stars were impressed by singer Jess Glynne’s powerful voice, as well as Kelly Rowland’s collaboration with Voice protégé Sam Perry.

I wouldn’t quite give the organisers of the Gold Coast Logies the top award but year one was a super solid start for everyone in the room. Silver for me.

Originally published as Logies 2018: We need to rise above tasteless humour and cheap gags