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An uncomfortable history of the international guests who have awkwardly attended the Logies.

The TV Week Logie Awards can best be described as a raucous and celebratory dinner party of the work function variety.

Everybody knows everyone else, you have to be a little bit on your best behaviour because your boss is watching and there’s a touch of friendly competition in the air as the awards are handed out.

In the case of the Logie Awards, it has become a tradition for an outsider to be invited along to join the festivities.

These outsiders are presented in the form of ‘international celebrity guests’ and in most cases, they are pretty much the awkward out-of-town contractor who is invited along out of obligation and spends the whole night being politely confused about exactly where they are.

Here is a brief and uncomfortable history of international guests who have awkwardly attended the Logies over the years.

Wilmer Valderrama, 2018.

Wilmer’s appearance at the 2018 Logie Awards is only really awkward if you watch the clips back in excruciating detail… which I did.

The actor, best known for his role in That '70s Show well over a decade ago and who now features on NCIS, presented an award onstage with Osher Günsberg and the show announcer went to great pains to let everyone know who he was and to pump them up for his arrival.

"Wilmer Valderrama… I’ve been waiting to say that all night!" squealed the voice-over.

"Please guys have a seat, thank you. What a nice crowd, Australia is very nice, I like it," was Wilmer’s response to the audience.

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To put it bluntly, he looked exactly like a man who could not name where he was or why he was there even if offered up a million dollars and a new Dyson.

Thanks Wilmer, come back soon.

Wilmer Valderrama at the 2018 Logie Awards. Source: Getty.

Katy Perry, 2011.

Oh, this one is a doozy.

The songstress known as Katy Perry (real name 'Kate Hudson', but that moniker was taken) rocked up to the 2011 Logies and at first it all appeared to be going swimmingly.

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She named Kath and Kim as her favourite Aussie TV show (excellent choice) and only slightly terrified Chris Lilley when she yelled out "I love Chris! That’s the only person I want to meet tonight. I heard you're shy but I am not!"

Things went slightly downhill, however, when Andy Lee and Hamish Blake, who were on stage with her, tried to get some fun, Aussie-themed banter going.

“If there was any Australian performer you could be in the world, who would you choose?” Andy asked her.

"Uggghhhhh….." replied Katy, clearly stumped. "Maybe that person who was on Neighbours? They became a pop star?"

“That’s everyone,” replied Hamish helpfully.

Never change, Katy Perry.

Katy Perry at the 2011 Logie Awards. Source: Getty.
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Matt LeBlanc, 1998.

To the average Aussie viewer watching from home, Friends star Matt LeBlanc may have appeared like a fine choice of guest to be invited along to the soiree, but insiders tell a different story.

"Matt LeBlanc was over it and wasn't interested," a former Nine publicist told news.com.au

"But he was good fun at the after party although we had to have Cristal champagne until we ran out and then he switched to vintage Bollinger and finally tequila slammers with TV game show host Larry Emdur."

So I guess Matt LeBlanc will be 'there for you' but only if drinks are involved.

Friends star Matt LeBlanc was a guest at the Logies in 1998. Source: Getty.
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Joan Rivers, 2006.

The iconic Joan Rivers was the guest of honour at the TV Week Logies in 2006 and her onstage antics were both hilarious and memorable.

I'd even go so far as to say she might be the greatest international guest to ever grace the Logies stage.

The comedy legend, who passed away in 2014, appeared on stage alongside Richard Wilkins in 2006 to present the award for Most Popular Light Entertainment Program.

It's hard to pick a favourite moment from her performance, but it might have been when she called the Logie statue the "ugliest award I have ever seen" and threw it on the floor.

“They don’t know who the sh*t I am," Joan said on stage. "I don’t know why the f**k I’m here. I know him (pointing to Richard Wilkins) and I know you’re all famous (gesturing to the audience) and I hope you all win. I know I’m sitting with important people, I don’t know who you are.”

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Iconic.

Joan Rivers made an iconic appearance at the 2006 Logie Awards. Source: Getty.

As funny as some of these little visiting celebrity stories are, the Logie Awards are, of course, all about celebrating our own brilliant Australian talent.

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