“There has been a lot of concern that I’m turning this award into a joke,” said Tom Gleeson, moments into his acceptance speech for the 2019 Gold Logie.
“But what you are forgetting is I’m a comedian. I love jokes.”
The audience chuckled – though cutaways to the other nominees, particularly Waleed Aly and Amanda Keller, suggested that the room might not have found the joke quite as funny as Gleeson did.
“So I would like to take this as a win for comedy – and taking the piss and not giving a shit,” the former Hard Chat host said, a glass of red wine sitting at his feet.
Watch Tom Gleeson’s controversial Logies speech. Post continues below.
But was it truly a win for comedy? And what, exactly, is wrong with giving a shit?
Gleeson’s detractors have been accused of the worst kind of crime; not having a sense of humour.
‘Can’t you take a joke?’ is the inevitable implication, closely followed by Gleeson’s now immortalised catchphrase – “lighten the f*ck up”.
In 2012, a different kind of comedian won the Gold Logie.
Top Comments
Ha ha, misreading the zeitgeist here. Go blather it on a morning show.
I’m surprised by the biased reporting on Tom Gleeson by Mamamia. He acknowledged in his speech that the award meant many things to many people and that’s ok but he had to be true to himself. Should he be judged so harshly because his speech wasn’t delivered the way you think it should be? He is a supremely talented, smart, witty comedian. Have you watched Hard Quiz? Even Kerry O’Brien had a go at someone in his speech. There are many good industries that do great things and don’t get to celebrate with awards. Nursing & healthcare for one who do lifesaving work, it’s a TV award show....in the nicest possible way ..... I think mamamia needs to lighten the f up :)
Most industries, including nursing (I know this by having the wife of my cousin who is a nurse in a Sydney hospital), have awards. Why do people get so upset when people in our acting industry have an awards night? Why do people want to piss on their parade?
I have no issue with Tom Gleeson at all, I enjoy his shows. However I think his defenders are really taking this very personally. The fact is, EVERY group, from hoteliers, to real estate, to nursing, to education have an awards night. Why do people get so upset that our tv legends have their own night? I just don't get it. I just don't get why us Aussies would rather piss all over our acting industry, than support them? The only answer I can see is the tall poppy syndrome/jealousy.
How many other industry award nights get the same public attention and bestowed importance that the Logies receive? How many winners can you name off the top of your head? Gleeson lampoons celebrity itself, which is well-deserved.
Good question. Most of those industries don’t have their awards broadcast all over the media. Football does, but I’m trying to think of other examples. Yes, of course there should be awards.
But the entertainment industry does itself no favours, be it salary spats from female breakfast presenters who aren’t getting the same millions as their co-host and so woe be me, their injection of personal views into the news so insidious it’s destroyed trust and earned the moniker of fake news or the drive towards click bait and rage bait at the expense of quality and serious journalism.
I think if Mike Moore and the Frontline team reappeared in 2019 the media would be full of hit pieces against it because they and society have become so ultra sensitive about everything these days.