‘I don’t know why the f**k I am here.’ Does winning a Logie actually mean anything?

We’re just two days away from the Australian entertainment industry’s 'night of nights', when our homegrown TV talent will get the chance to frock up and play WHO’S THE MOST POPULAR OUT OF ALL OF US.

But beyond the glitz and glamour of the Logies red carpet (which, TBF, is all I’ll be living for), does anyone actually care about the poor man’s Emmys? 

Sure, the awards ceremony — named after the Scottish engineer who invented the television, John Logie Baird — has come a long way since its inception in 1959 when it was broadcast on an episode of the variety show, Melbourne Tonight, and only included Melbourne stars.

Listen to the host of The Quicky discuss whether a Logie still means something. Post continues after podcast.

In 1988, Kylie Minogue became the youngest person to win a Gold Logie for her role on Neighbours when she was just 19. 

While in 2015, Carrie Bickmore famously used her Gold Logie acceptance speech to raise awareness of brain cancer and advocate for more research after losing her husband. 

In 2019, tennis star Dylan Alcott used the platform to deliver an emotional speech about representation of people with disabilities after winning the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent. 

And finally, in 2016 Waleed Aly became the first non-Caucasian TV personality to win the top gong after the ceremony faced backlash over its failure to diversify nominees. 

But I do have to wonder, have we really moved on from 2006 when American actress and comedian Joan Rivers hosted the show and told the audience: “I don’t know why the f**k I am here.”

Okay so maybe Americans don't know an awful lot about Australian TVs biggest night of the year. 

But Aussies should, right? 

Watch: Dylan Alcott's Logies speech on disability representation. Post continues after video. 

Not 18-year-old Logies hopeful Lilliana Bowrey. The pro surfer turned actress is up for the prestigious Graham Kennedy award for Most Popular New Talent following her work on Netflix’s teen drama Surviving Summer. 

“My producer actually called me, I was overseas, and she messaged me and said, ‘I have some really exciting news’, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, we’re getting a season three’,” Bowrey told Mamamia’s daily podcast, The Quicky. 

“Turns out she said, ‘You’ve been nominated for a Logie’, and I was like, ‘Wow, that’s really cool... I have no idea what a Logie is. 

“I called my mum and I told her and she screamed and I then screamed, and I’m like, ’What’, and she goes, ‘You’re going on a red carpet’, and I said, ‘Ok, that’s enough for me’, and I screamed too!”

Since then, Bowrey’s brushed up on her Logies knowledge but said she’s “not setting any expectations” for Sunday night.

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Meanwhile, (and maybe we can let them off the hook because they were actually born and bred elsewhere), but Kween Kong, runner-up on season two of RuPauls Drag Race Down Under, has also been nominated for the Graham Kennedy award. 

It is the first time a drag queen has been included in the competition, but still, the awards went over the head of the New Zealand native turned Adelaide local.

“My publicist called me, maybe four months ago, and she’s like, ‘You’ll never believe what's happened, you’ve been nominated for a Logie’,” Kong, whose real name is Thomas Fonua, told The Quicky.

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“And I was like...I had no idea what the Logies were to be honest. I literally had no idea what the Logies were then. And obviously, when they explained to me what it was like the Australian Emmys, it was such an honour, but I think because no drag queens before that had been nominated for it or any award period, I just never really took notice of what the Logies were.”  

So, here’s to you, Logies. Best of luck this weekend and may more people know you exist by Monday morning. 

Image: Getty Images + Mamamia.