The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air were the night’s big winners on the film side while Mad Men, 30 Rock and Modern Family took home the winged trophy for achievements on the small screen at the annual Writers Guild Awards, held Saturday in Los Angeles. While accepting one of two awards for Modern Family, creator/executive producer Steve Levitan told the crowd that because TV was “so screwed up and mismanaged,” many of his writing peers have been rooting for the single-camera comedy’s success on ABC. “Thanks for that, Jeff Zucker,” Levitan said — a reference to the NBC Universal Chairman’s failed attempt to launch Jay Leno’s show in prime time, which put many writers out of work this season.
Zucker, in fact, got name-checked twice during the night. Chris Rock, who was there to present the prizes for best variety show, used his time at the mike to criticize NBC’s recent treatment of Conan O’Brien. “Zucker is like the Elgin Baylor of TV,” said Rock, referencing the ex-vice president of the woeful L.A. Clippers NBA franchise. Rock also had a few side-splitting comments about Tiger Woods (unfortunately, they’re too dirty to repeat here).
Host Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) opened the night with a clever redux of The Music Man song “Trouble” that skewered the networks’ shameless reliance on writer-free, reality show programming. “Trouble…with a capital T and that rhymes with C and that stands for crap!” he sang. And Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), had a special message for Paddy Chayefsky, the acclaimed writer who inspired the Laurel Award that’s given annually to scribes who’ve made outstanding contributions. “I am very, very sorry,” said David, this year’s recipient.
Here were the night’s winners:
Original screenplay: The Hurt Locker, written by Mark Boal
Adapted screenplay: Up in the Air, screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Documentary screenplay: The Cove, written by Mark Monroe
Drama series: Mad Men
Comedy series: 30 Rock
New series: Modern Family
Episodic drama: “Broken, Part 1 and Part 2,” House, written by Russel Friend, Garrett Lerner, David Foster and David Shore
Episodic comedy: “Apollo, Apollo,” 30 Rock, written by Robert Carlock, and the pilot of Modern Family, written by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd
Animation, any length (all nominations in category were for The Simpsons): “Take My life, Please,” The Simpsons, written by Don Payne
Longform, original: Georgia O’Keeffe, written by Michael Cristofer
Longform, adaptation: Taking Chance, teleplay by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.) and Ross Katz, Based on the short story by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.).
Comedy/variety: Saturday Night Live & The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Daytime serial: The Young and the Restless
Children’s episodic: “Welcome to the Jungle,” The Troop, written by Max Burnett
Children’s script, longform: Another Cinderella Story, ABC Family, written by Erik Patterson, Jessica Scott
Oh, Seth McFarlane, forever stealing from other comedians. This time, he stole from Conan O’Brien, who did a hilarious opening number at the Emmys a few years ago where he sang a parody of “Trouble” in regards to NBC: “Yessir, we’ve got Trouble, with a capital T, and that rhymes with G, for, Gee we’re screwed!”
Thought the exact same thing!
That was a blatant ripoff of Conan O’Brien’s opening monologue at the Emmys. Does that McFarlane guy always copy other comedien’s bits?
*comedian’s
TV was “so screwed up and mismanaged,” This is news?
How does SNL win for writing?
My thought exactly. It has not been a banner year for that show.
Agreed. When I heard “The Daily Show” tied, I assumed it was with “The Colbert Report” based on their writing this past year.
As much as Zucker needs to be fired yesterday, I don’t get why NBC’s mismanagement has anything to do with Modern Family. If there is one thing NBC has done right is being extremely patient and supportive of their Thursday night SINGLE CAMERA comedies, much more than other networks like Fox (Arrested Development) and ABC (Better off Ted).
Because if Jay Leno at 10 succeeded, then ABC/CBS/FOX would be more likely to go the same route, instead of investing in scripted drama’s/comedies.
But it doesn’t explain why Modern Family’s win is a triumph against that mess. Why wouldn’t his peers root for other comedies/dramas on other channels? Chin was never going to be anywhere near any awards except maybe Best Dump. IDK, Levitan just comes off as trying to join the crowd in downing NBC but not making sense in the process.
I thought Larry David didn’t really write Curb, per se. My understanding is that the actors are handed outlines and that most of the show is ad-libbed banter. Isn’t that every bit as dangerous to the scripted show as well? Not a reality show fan or anything, but I always find this kind of “protect the writers” thing amusing. Television is evolving and people are entitled to enjoy the shows that are entertaining to them. Blaming the networks for the audiences choices is ridiculous. Money talks in TV and it always has.
Hence Larry David’s apology for receiving the award, bud.
It just never get ‘ s old…..
Okay, writers, enough with the NBC-bashing. How about WRITING some shows we want to see, instead of the high-priced crap that turned audiences to reality shows and other filler programming in the first place?
Where do I send my writings to?
Modern Family reminds one of a Showtime series in the 90′s called Sherman Oaks.
SNL got best writing? ewww
SNL has writers?
Yay for recognizing the awesome episode “Apollo, Apollo”. Hands down my favorite episode last season on 30 Rock.