The Editorial (editor Paul Little) is discussing the
recent TV Awards, and the poor reception given the winner of
the Best Comedy Script.......
"Perhaps having a national sense of humour would help. We
won't have a real one of those until we can laugh at
ourselves with teeth ungritted. And perhaps the fact that
comedy, more than any other medium, needs time to grow its
audience ... is responsible. Its requirements are certainly
antithetical to the instant audience numbers demanded by
today's prgrammers.
"When presenter Renee O'Connor observed, bravely, given
her audience, that in the past year New Zealanders had had
been delighted by many comedy programmes and amused by some,
I knew exactly how she felt.
"And it's also significant that in several categories
only two nominees could be found: Maori Language
Programming, Drama (Shortland Street and Xena: Warrior
Princess - whichever won, the result was going to to be a
political statement) and Director, Multi-Camera......"
And later in the less serious column SINCE YOU ASKED
So who was the Queen of the Television
Awards? The competition was intense, with Her Worship Christine
Fletcher garnishing her mayoral chain with a herbaceous border
of little green ribbons, denoting her commitment to local
content quotas, and "Ms local quotas herself" Helen Clark
getting a rapturous reception from the potential recipients of
her party's cultural policy. The Topp Twins, of course, having
failed to do a Bill Clinton and "splash out on a dress",
somewhat lowered the tone, but the star of an American
production that currently does the job of a local quota by
employing most of the country's TV talent was the most regal on
the night.
Yes, LUCY LAWLESS, resplendent in shimmering red
silk-satin and glittering choker, left the warrior bit at work
and became a princess pure and simple for the evening. And, we
are happy to relate, she did not join the ranks of adoring
female celebrities and producers, who shall remain nameless,
calling for host KEVIN SMITH to remove his attire during the
performance of his band the Wide Lapels (whose rendition of the
Osmond Brothers' 70s classic "Crazy Horses" was one of the high
points of the night).
