“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.
His name was Hamish Blake.
One half of Australia’s most recognised comedy duo, Hamish and Andy, Blake made his way to the stage, after kissing [Andy] Lee on the lips.
“So weird, so weird,” he began.
No one held their breath. It’s unlikely anyone kicked the leg of their table.
Over the next six minutes, Blake thanked everyone else nominated in the category. Blake explained how one of the nominees, Adam Hills, had given the duo opportunities, describing how appearing on Spicks and Specks “was a very formative part of my life on TV, and it was a real honour…”
The 30-year-old thanked the people who voted, “for me, obviously,” he clarified, before adding, “to the others… commiserations.”
He acknowledged the network that gave him a chance, and the team behind the scenes, who always work tirelessly and receive hardly any credit.
The words “lucky” and “grateful” were peppered throughout his speech, as he thanked his family, and all the people watching from his mum’s house.
“To my beautiful Zo,” he said, “my best friend, my rock… that sounded better when I thought of it earlier… actually it makes it sound like my best friend is a rock.”
There was one person, however, who Blake saved until last.
"I wouldn't be up here without them. Andy... Daddo. He is the best. It says here on the bottom [of the trophy] must thank a Daddo."
"Ando and I have been mates for a very long time, since we were teenagers, before this whole TV thing began, and we will be friends a long time after it inevitably finishes, because... really we are the luckiest guys in the world. I love what you do Ando, on screen obviously, but more than that, I love who you are off screen.
"This is half yours... not legally," he quipped.
He finished by saying, "I may never get this opportunity again. It is an amazing industry to be allowed to be a part of. It's a very humbling thing to be up here, saying these words. The thing about the Australian industry is... we have really good people and it doesn't have to be that way."
There was arguably more laughter throughout Blake's speech than there was during Gleeson's. No cutaways revealed stern faces, barely concealing their discomfort at the entire situation.
He 'lightened everyone up' without having to yell at them to - sticking to his roots as a comedian, but also illustrating that you can be funny while also being kind.
For him, the industry wasn't to be ridiculed. For almost everyone it was their livelihood. The reason why they get up in the morning. Being "allowed" to entertain was, for Blake, the ultimate privilege. His audience, who has made his incredible career possible, deserved nothing more than his full respect.
You can watch Hamish Blake's 2012 Gold Logie speech right here. Post continues below.
When he later walked into the after party, Blake's eyes wouldn't have been downcast and embarrassed, desperately trying to avoid contact with any of the people he knowingly offended.
He didn't treat the Gold Logie as the Nobel Peace Prize, although he did joke it made him President. But he accepted it for what it was. A symbol of years of hard work, by dozens of people, in an industry many are banging the door down to enter. He stood there knowing he was one of the lucky ones.
Comedy doesn't have to be cruel and vindictive. It's certainly not about refusing to give a shit.
Blake gives many shits. All the shits. His job might be to make people laugh, but he takes that commitment very seriously. His role is to bring joy to an audience who desperately wants and needs it. And to not do that at the expense of anyone else.
It's a skill very few ever master.
Just like Gleeson, when Blake accepted his Gold Logie in 2012, he told jokes.
The difference was that no one - at all - was the butt of them.
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.