When the Logies ceremony is longer than the Oscars, is it time to shorten the show?

THE winners were worthy, the presentation almost flawless and the jokes really rather good. But, in one respect, the Logies were terrible.

I KNEW I shouldn’t have done it. Committing to the watch the Logies until the final standing ovation. I knew it was a rod for my own back.

When the first high heel tottered down the red carpet, I was fresh faced and full of enthusiasm. Questions danced through my head — what would Lee Lin Chin be wearing (as expected, something suitably wacky-amazing), would someone make a joke about Karl Stefanovic’s sobriety (just about everyone did), why did they change ‘most popular’ to ‘best’ (still no idea).

But, by the end of the evening, as the minute hand was in grasping distance of the witching hour, the bags under my eyes were so big if I’d been at Woolies somebody would be stuffing groceries into them.

At almost four and a half hours long, Australia’s night of nights was a full 45 minutes longer than this year’s Oscars — and they’re the Oscars with, you know, really famous people known throughout the world.

In fact, the 2016 Logies telecast exceeded the running time of the longest Oscars ever, 2002’s ceremony, which went for a yawn inducing four hours and 20 minutes.

At one point on Sunday night, an award winner noted a sign saying they should wrap up their speech. They carried on regardless.

These #Logies have been going on long I'm starting to wonder if I died sometime during Noni's speech and this is actually my personal hell.

— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) May 8, 2016

**Logies run so long, winner actually crowned 2017 Gold Logie winner**#TVWEEKLogies

— MC (@mrmikechristian) May 8, 2016

@Channel9 the Logies are too long. 4.5+ hours on a Sunday night is unreasonable. #bigfan #but #sorrryitstoomuch

— MT (@Maddie623343) May 8, 2016

So what else could you have done during the Logies? Within a whisker, you could have had a Harry Potter movie marathon squeezing in both The Deathly Hallows: Part One and Part Two.

Or you could have got almost 60 per cent of your recommended daily amount of sleep. Which I didn’t, because by the time Waleed Aly told us all to not adjust our sets, a male commercial TV host really was winning the Gold, I was having to adjust my body clock to the fact I’d probably be in bed for fewer than six hours.

Predictably, many social media users were less than impressed. As one person pointed out she’d had labours that had been swifter then the Logies. While another user wondered if Graham Kennedy had opened the show it had dragged on so long.

The outrage at the event’s length would probably have been stronger but tired tweeters probably just fell asleep.

@GidgitVonLaRue 4 of my labours didn't go for as long as the Logies have - ffs

— Rochelle McDonald (@romcdonald) May 8, 2016

#logies have been going so long my Foxtel box just said it was about to conserve power and turn off

— Howie (@the_howie) May 8, 2016

Still up watching the #Logies? Now you know how long it felt for Noni to get inducted into the hall of fame #Logies

— Logies Insider (@LogiesInsider) May 8, 2016

Speaking for many of us, on Monday entertainment reporter Peter Ford said on Melbourne radio station 3AW’s breakfast show, that: “The problem was it was too long. Way, way, way too long.”

There was lots to like in the show, Ford said. The presentation was indeed top notch, the celebrity banter less cringesome than in some years, the jokes funnier. “But five hours? Telethons don’t go that long. Give me a break.”

Could the Logies take a leaf out of the Academy Award’s playbook and actually interrupt speakers from chewing up time?

“The Oscars bring up the music and even well-known people can be doing their speech and the music gets louder and louder and next thing you know the hook comes out,” Ford said.

It’s true some of the ceremony sagged. Julia Morris’ rendition of I Need a Hero was a highlight but did we need Shane Jacobsen to talk to every Gold Logie nominee? And the constant plugs for sponsors, from holidays to new movies trailers, padded out the broadcast.

That feeling when you have to work the morning after Logies. #9Today pic.twitter.com/JOwBBApsf5

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) May 8, 2016

However, perhaps, it was worth it for some of the ceremony’s most important moments. Not just Aly’s win which proves Australians are a lot more accepting than some commentators. But for Noni Hazlehurst’s induction into the hall of fame.

After all, it’s taken her until her 60s and a four decade long career on some of Australia’s most loved TV shows to be officially recognised.

Maybe, we can live with a little less sleep today so Hazelhurst can savour her much deserved time in the sun.

And, maybe they could just put the Logies on a Friday night and we could all drink as much of the celebs and not worry about hangovers or early starts the next day.

I look forward to tomorrow's inevitable listicle compiling all the tweets complaining about how long the Logies are taking.

— Kate Jinx (@katejinx) May 8, 2016

Originally published as When the Logies ceremony is longer than the Oscars, is it time to shorten the show?