Small talk

The Golden Globes are pretty much a joke of an awards show from a sham of an organization. The group's network television contract and the awards' value as another accolade for trumpeting in marketing campaigns are the main reasons why they have any traction. I watch the awards show, not because I grant it any legitimacy but because it's part of the conversation...and there's usually nothing else on television.

Unlike the Academy Awards, I don't really know of people holding parties to watch the show. I imagine it happens, just not on the same scale. No, the place to get together, make snarky observations, and maybe gripe about the worthiness of winners is on Twitter.

Unfortunately my contributions to the stream weren't very inspired. Guess I wasn't on tonight. Nevertheless, for all the talk of interactive media, this was the way to view the program (and NFL playoffs and the recent college football bowls). It's strange to think of such broadcasts as the canvas on which friends around the country can joke around and chat in real time about, yet that seems to be an increasing attraction to them.

Oh, and for what it's worth, this awards season is pretty predictable. Get a jump on your Oscars pool by picking these near-sure things to win:

Picture: The Social Network
Director: David Fincher, The Social Network
Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter (upset special: Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech)
Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, The Fighter

The nominees haven't even been announced, but at worst I've just predicted four of the winners. Maybe one of those will be wrong, but it's not looking that way.