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Stars snubbed in Logie vote

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It’s great to see a shaking up of voting procedures for the 50th TV Week Logie Awards.

No longer is buying the magazine mandatory for voting, with an online voting system set to widen the demographics of voters and hopefully produce some new names amongst final nominees.

At the moment, TV Week is conducting its preliminary voting, which will produce the finalists for its popular categories.

But with each category comes a list of names, several of which omit some enormously talented favourites. This is grossly unfair, effectively ruling many out of contention before they are even out of the starting blocks.

Shaun Micallef, Paul McDermott, Ray Meagher, Ian Smith, Tom Oliver, Livinia Nixon, Stephen Curry, Newstopia, Wilfred, Satisfaction and Stupid Stupid Man are just a few conspicuous by their absence.

5 time Gold Logie winner Ray Martin is nowhere to be seen on the list for the Silver Logie for Most Popular Presenter. His name isn’t even on the “Full List of Actors / Actresses / Presenters” for the Gold Logie Award.

There is a blatant favouritism towards ‘successful’ shows with axed programmes seemingly erased from Logie contention. The Nation, The Catch-Up, Family Feud… none of you are wanted here.

Only a handful of Foxtel original programmes and personalities are acknowledged.

If TV Week insists on conducting a preliminary list of multiple choice options, it must be more comprehensive.

At the very least it should allow an “OTHER” category for viewers to nominate their own choices. Only the Gold Logie has such a blank section.

Actors like Ray Meagher (Home and Away) and Ian Smith, Tom Oliver (Neighbours) have been on air for years, yet TV Week seems keener to recognise the work of younger, dare I say, “cover boys and girls.” What an insult to them and their fans.

There are also a number of inconsistencies. Sonia Kruger is listed for the category of Most Popular Presenter for Dancing with the Stars but Livinia Nixon is overlooked for Temptation and Things to Try Before You Die. William McInnes and Susie Porter are listed for East West 101 but not Dony Hany. Sam Newman and Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin are in contention for their respective Footy Shows but none of their colleagues (isn’t it Gary Lyon and James Brayshaw who actually host the AFL version anyway?).

And what about actors that have won AFI Awards for their work: Adam Zwar in Wilfred and Stephen Curry in The King? Geoff Morrell was blisteringly good in Bastard Boys. None are options for Most Popular Actor -presumably they will be nominated in the peer-voted Outstanding categories. None are listed in a the Gold Logie “full list” reminder.

The New Talent categories are appallingly slim. Only 6 males and 6 females are listed. How do we nominate someone from The Librarians or give a nod to Vasili?

Reality judges and panellists barely have a hope. Sorry Marcia, Dicko, Kyle, Mark, Red, Dannii and the ever popular Myf.

I don’t want to be a party-pooper on what is set be to be a fabulous 50th birthday party. But in the interests of equity the Logies should be open to recognising EVERYONE who made a contribution to television in 2007 and let the viewers decide with fairness and balance.

Here are some glaring omissions that should have been added to the voting form:

Most Popular Drama
Satisfaction
Bastard Boys (could pop up in the Telemovie / Mini Series category)

Most Popular Light Entertainment
Newstopia
Stupid Stupid Man
Chandon Pictures
Wilfred
Stand Up Australia
The Einstein Factor
The Nation
First Tuesday Book Club
(It Takes Two)
The Sideshow with Paul McDermott
National Bingo Night
Sunday Arts
Family Feud
The Con Test
Today (could be ineligible for having News content)
Sunrise (could be ineligible for having News content)
Mornings with Kerri-Anne
9am with David and Kim
The Morning Show
The Catch-Up
Friday Night Download
Big Brother: Friday Night Live

Most Popular Lifestyle
Bluelist Australia
Backyard Blitz
Is Your House Killing You?
Vasili’s Garden

Most Popular Reality
Eco House Challenge

Most Popular Factual
Australian Story (could pop up in News / Public Affairs category)
Crime Investigation Australia (could pop up in News / Public Affairs category)
Compass (could pop up in News / Public Affairs category)
Real Top Guns

Most Popular Actor (clearly there are many omissions, but here are just a few)
Ray Meagher*
Tom Oliver*
Ian Smith*
Adam Zwar*
Jason Gann*
Stephen Curry*
Geoff Morrell*
Don Hany*

Most Popular Actress (as above)
The entire lead cast of Satisfaction*
Lynne McGranger*
Lyn Collingwood*

Most Popular Presenter
Shaun Micallef*
The Chaser team*
Paul McDermott*
Mike Goldman*
Ryan Fitzgerald*
Bree Amer*
Tim Campbell
Ray Martin*
Ellen Fanning*
Larry Emdur*
Kylie Gillies*
Kim Watkins*
David Reyne*
Michael Veitch*
Margaret Pomeranz*
David Stratton*
Jennifer Byrne*
Livinia Nixon*
Vasili*

* also overlooked on the Gold Logie “full list.”

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18 Responses

  1. As much as I like Shaun McCallef Newstopia was shite. It was a cross between Jon Stewart’s the daily show and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. A few funny bits (like the swearing lady interpreting the election speeches) didn’t really save it. When you looking at most popular shows then clearly it wasn’t it.

    Also “The Nation” was another reminder of just how unfunny Mick Molloy is without Tony Martin.

    However I do agree Wilfred should be on the list. Although it won’t win, 90% of the country doesn’t even know SBS exists.

  2. Girlband did indeed get a full run, albeit in a wasteland viewing hour on Sunday mornings after the religion nutters or somesuch.

    But hey, what the hell – let’s start a petition! We demand Victoria Thaine be included in the popular vote! Or at least her inclusion on the nominations list for voters in the REAL categories 🙂

  3. my other problem with the voting site is it’s a style vacuum.. no pictures to go with the names (sometimes helpful if we’re trying to pick Best new Talent from a list of names we’ve never seen before)… no colour and movement. no enthusiasm… it’s got about as much charisma as a Medicare claim form… obviously designed by a boffin at Roy Morgan who hasn’t got a showbiz or creative bone in his/her body, not really what you want for promoting TV’s “night of nights”.

  5. J Bar: Yes, Victoria Thaine was in All Saints, but only for 3 episodes.

    But point taken. Okay, she should be eligible for Favourite Actress then 🙂

    The New Talent section was so limited that I, too, had to just pick the least offensive. I didn’t know who most of them were, just that I wouldn’t go near their cardboard shows if I had a gun held to my head.

    And Josh, good point about BingoGirl! Since when was being a piece of gratuitous eye candy “talent”. Hmm, perhaps they were referring to those other talents, seen every time they did a close-up of her waiting for the ball to pop out (i.e. every single time 🙂

  6. I bought my TV Week today, it said a person can only vote once!
    So does that mean over the next 3 issues where voting can take place I can only fill in my form once?
    Last year you could place your vote each week by entering a special number.
    I too was very disapointed with so many people & shows not listed AND not even a section to enter the name – VERY BAD!
    I was going to send a vote Ray Meagher’s way but sadly could not see his name listed – sorry Ray I tried!

  7. tottally agree with what you said david. for most of the categories the missing shows werent the most popular but for the popular presenter ect. there were some pretty big names in there.

    and how is the glamour girl that said about 5 words from BINGO be new talent??????????????

  10. According to imdb the first series of ‘Stupid, Stupid Man’ screened from 14Nov to 5th Dec 2006, but I don’t remember if it was included in last year’s award nominations. Victoria Thaine is great but she may not qualify as a Newcomer because she had a recurring role in All Saints in 2003.

  11. Thanks, I amended Best to Most Popular. Peer voted are actually Most Outstanding.

    Pretty sure Stupid Stupid Man S1 also aired in 2007, trailing across 06/07 as with Love My Way.

    Victoria Thaine is a glaring omission in the New Talent category.

  12. The Public Voting categories are actually for “Most Popular…”, rather than “Best…”. That title is reserved for the awards voted by the panel.

  13. I’m wondering if ‘Satisfaction’ and ‘Stupid, Stupid Man’ were not included because they started in December, after the official rating period ended. ‘Newstopia’ and ‘Wilfred’ should have been there though.

  14. Definately agree that there are alot of people/shows that deserved a prelim nom, but missed out, however, the list as it is, is already very long. What I would suggest is that they have a box to put down the name, same as the Gold, except, have a link with a comprehensive list of all eligible nominees

  15. agree with you David – some of the names missing are a complete insult. I tried to put a vote in yesterday and for some categories, in particular the new talent ones, i was given only 6 options – all people i had never heard of – and no “other” option. So whoever I voted for (i can’t remember which ones i ticked) they only got their vote by default. In the past when they’ve had online voting you were allowed to enter “other” options. And why the rule that you can only vote once? How enforceable is that???

  16. Couldn’t agree more!!
    I think a show like Satisfaction or NEWStopia might not have chance to win, just from being on smaller networks. But if we look at the merit of the quality of the programs for writing, production and performances, they simply have to be nominated.

  17. But its the same thing with the Oscars and GG’s as well, the people nominated have been in the industry for many many years and they have a special award for Best New Talent.
    I agree with most of the Logie’s Pre Noms but some are strangly absent, and you can understand why.
    Newstopia, while amusing, is basically just an Aussie Version of The Daily Show but with more of an Monty Python kind of wacky zany streak through it. I see it being nominated in the next few years (if it survives) but putting personal taste aside, I can understand why it wasnt included as it is still very wet around the ears and hasnt quite found its footing yet.
    Wilfreds a surprise so is The Einstein Factor.
    The shows that are obvious to be inculded I personally think are crap, like BBFNG, It Takes Two.
    Friday Night Live, Catch Up, Con Test and a few others I can very much see why they havnt been included, again personal taste involved but they didnt make the grade and in some cases were VERY tacky and a constant source of cringes.
    I love Vasillis Garden and have been watching since C31, but again, its just not 5 star quality!
    And Stephen Curry? Wasnt The King made last year?? If it was thats VERY disapointing he didnt make the cut.
    I cant STAND Lavinia Nixon, such a tool, shes never met a camera she didnt like.
    All the ommissions I agree with but damn, Chasers had a great year (enetertainment wise) the only reason I can see them being omitted is because they are facing charges for one of there shows.
    I just think being a person who decides these things you have to put your personal taste aside and not just go with what you think is obvious.
    I remember a scene from Frontline years back when Mike calls the publicity spokesperson and she’s sitting in a room with a bunch of people all filling out multiple copies of the TV week voting cards lol
    Maybe they are just trying to give the Shows and people who need the awards the shot and not the ones who already have good potential.
    I mean really, most years the Golden Logie has gone to the person who the execs THINK should get it and thinking that it was the person who was voted for by the public is a bit of laugh.
    I mean John Woods!! Can you really see families sitting around filling out the TV week form thinking…”Yes, that John Woods is the best personality our country has!!”
    Maybe with this new online voting they might actually let the public decide and not just a bunch of execs who give it to the highest bidder 🙂

  18. And for Best Newcomer, surely Victoria Thaine from Rain Shadow deserves a mention on the voting form; hell, she was really the co-lead in that show and was on screen more than Rachel Ward was, so really, she should be up for Best Actress.

    These, though, are the “favourite” categories, which are not taken at all seriously by anyone and which mean (and have always meant) pretty much nothing. It’s the peer-voted awards that count.

    Note the repeated use of the word “Favourite” – and not “Best” – on the voting form.

    Talent has nothing to do with the public vote. Never has.

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