Gleeson echoed Gunston in his golden Logies moment
As the second ABC star to win Gold, Tom Gleeson echoed Norman Gunston, but more brutal.
As the TV industry clutches its pearls over Tom Gleeson winning the gold Logie after a campaign dissing its very existence, straight from the archives comes the last ABC talent to win one: Norman Gunston.
The comedy creation of acclaimed actor and comedian Garry McDonald took the gong way back in 1976.
In his speech, McDonald, firmly in character as Gunston — joked that he’d known he was going to win — because the ABC had just sacked him.
In an acceptance speech punctuated with fake tears, the funnyman pilloried the win, mentioning the “people behind the scenes that you have to carry as well”, and getting some help from host Bert Newton to put a tiny “noose” around the Logie statuette so he could hang it around his neck “until it gets turned into a ring”, and venturing “when I’m not wearing it I’ll probably slip it around my dog’s neck”, to howls of laughter form the Logies audience.
Gunston’s win had come on the back of his Norman Gunston Show, in which he lampooned Australian culture, Australian media and ‘celebrities’ and talk show hosts.
Fast forward to last night, and another ABC comedian, Tom, Gleeson, became the second ABC personality to take out the gold.
Like Gunston, Gleeson had been “axed” — even if his claim he had quit and Hard Chat was finished on the ABC was the first stunt of his social media campaign to win gold.
I’M UP FOR THE GOLD LOGIE! Last year proved you can only win if you don’t have a show. That’s why I axed myself. When I win Gold, I promise I will un-axe #HardQuiz immediately. Please forgive me HARD! Voting opens June 24. #Gleeson4Gold #tvweeklogies pic.twitter.com/vYj9Z9Sono
— Tom Gleeson (@nonstoptom) May 26, 2019
Like The Norman Gunston Show, Gleeson’s Hard Chat was famously irreverent in the face of Aussie media celebrity.
Like Gunston, Gleeson had wreaked havoc on the whole Logies — starting from last year, when he’d campaigned for Grant Denyer to get the gold — to last night, when he opened the show pillorying all the TV networks, especially Channel 10, and with a few choice barbs for Karl Stefanovic,
Like Gunston, he’d stayed in character in both the lead-up to the Logies as his campaign for gold relentlessly mocked it.
And as he took the stage to accept the award he had so long ridiculed, nothing was changing.
Gleeson was more brutal than Gunston.
Instead of just going for the gags, the Hard Quiz host was delivering some hard truths.
And not everyone was laughing. Many were squirming.
“I have ruined the Logies, and it’s never going to happen again,” he said happily to the stunned crowd of TV industry figures at the ceremony on the Gold Coast.
“Our industry is dying, and I’m part of that!”
“I’m in a terrible spot because I like it and I hate it at the same time.
He continued his “the Emperor has no clothes” campaign, pausing for occasional slug of the red wine he’d brought along to the podium with him, happily conceding he’s not the most popular TV personality in Australia: he’d just ruin the best campaign.
In that social media campaign, the acerbic host of Hard Quiz, targeted his fellow nominees as unworthy.
Unapologetic
Gleeson said he would take it as a win for the ABC. “I’m not the most popular person on Australian television I know that … But I did host the highest-rating game show in Australia,” he said.
“Turns out I’m just good at manipulating the media to get people to do things for me so perhaps I do deserve this award.”
“There’s been a lot of concern that I’m turning this award into a joke. This award has done a lot of great things for a lot of different people. In the past it has represented trying to get more diversity on the screen or launching charities and that’s fantastic. But for me it represents a joke, but I love jokes. I really enjoy them. I really think we should all lighten the f**k up.”
Speaking after the ceremony, Gleeson was unapologetic for his campaigning, which involved predicting the death of the Logies and smearing his fellow contestants.
He said he did not notice if the other nominees looked surprised or disappointed.
“I was more focused on myself and my victory, how well I was doing. I’d already moved on,” Gleeson said.
“Even if I’d won by fighting a clean fight they wouldn’t have been happy for me anyway, they would’ve just been smiling and pretending to be happy for me.”
He planned to turn the gold Logie into a new tow bar for his Holden Monaro.
The comedian, who opened the Logies on the Gold Coast with a witty dissection of Australia’s television offerings, beat ABC stablemate Costa Georgiadis and a host of commercial stars for the honour, including Amanda Keller, Waleed Aly, Eve Morey, Sam MAC and Rodger Corser.
Congratulations to Scott Ryan for winning Most Outstanding Actor in the #TVWeekLogies for Mr Inbetween! pic.twitter.com/9WW7jwjE3f
— Foxtel (@Foxtel) June 30, 2019
Foxtel bagged six Logies, to finish equal second with Network Ten behind the ABC which won 10.
Among Foxtel’s winners, were most outstanding drama series for Wentworth; most outstanding actor for Scott Ryan’s performance in Mr Inbetween and most outstanding documentary, for Ron Iddles: The Good Cop.
Most outstanding actor went to English actor Jenna Coleman for best actor in the ABC drama The Cry.
Gleeson had earlier taken a couple of chips as Karl Stefanovic, who confirmed his place in Nine’s stable of stars when he joined the network’s biggest names at a prominent table.
But it was the ABC’s night, with awards coming thick and fast.
Mystery Road was most popular drama and its star Deborah Mailman most popular actor; Luke McGregor was most popular actor for Rosehaven and Dylan Alcott won most popular new talent for The Set, and Invictus Games Tonight.
Gardening Australia picked up most popular lifestyle program and host Georgiadis best presenter.
Veteran journalist and former 7.30 Report host Kerry O’Brien was given the honour of being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and quipped how pleased he was “not to be receiving the award posthumously”.
He went on to condemn ongoing budget cuts at the ABC and spoke out against inaction on climate change and reconciliation between indigenous and non indigenous Australians.
Network Ten fared the best of the commercial channels, picking up gongs for Gogglebox Australia, MasterChef and Australian Survivor, with other awards going to Foxtel and Stan programs.
Industry veteran Jacki Weaver said she was thrilled to win the most outstanding supporting actor Logie for her role as Gwen Reed on the Stan series, Bloom. “I don’t believe I deserve it. The other girls deserved it much more than me. However, I am thrilled. I’m keeping it,” Weaver who last won a Logie in 1978 said in a video.
“It’s been a long time between drinks. I hope I don’t have to wait that long for the next one.” Bloom also won the award for most outstanding miniseries.
Another industry veteran, Frankie J Holden, won the Logie for most outstanding supporting actor for his role on the Foxtel drama, A Place To Call Home.
ABC animated show Bluey won the most outstanding children’s program.
Tracey Grimshaw paid tribute to the late Mike Willesee with a montage set to the music of Geoff Harvey, who also died this year.
Despite the much anticipated return of Stefanovic, he was ultimately reduced to a bit player and the butt of several jokes.
Seated at Nine’s power table, alongside former network CEO David Gyngell and wife Leila McKinnon, network news director Darren Wick and stars Hamish Blake, Andy Lee and Sonia Kruger, Stefanovic took the jibes in good humour.
He earlier noted it was his first Logies in 15-years when he didn’t have to go to work the next morning.
Colour dominated the fashion choices, with red, pink and orange hues a standout.
Former Destiny’s Child singer-turned-coach on The Voice, Kelly Rowland, added star power in a gold mini, with Sonia Kruger choosing a similar shade in a floor-length gown.
Sophie Monk, who last year hosted Love Island Australia and is a former star of dating show The Bachelorette, was also a standout on the red carpet in a frilly gold creation. Monk, who hails from the Gold Coast, said her outfit was inspired by the host city and the top prize.
“Gold Coast, Gold Logie. How could you go past that?” Monk said.
Additional reporting: AAP
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