Gold Logie showdown: Adam Hills

Today’s Gold Logie nominee in the spotlight is ABC’s Adam Hills, nominated for the fifth time but yet to win.

Last year Hills wrapped Spicks and Specks and premiered Adam Hills in Gordon Street Tonight. Will this be his year of triumph?

But while being a comedian usually allows irreverence, is can be difficult to be sincere about the Logies when you are a Gold nominee.

“You never want to be the winning comedian. To be funny it’s best to be a loser, so there is that. It’s better for my comedy if I don’t win the Gold Logie,” he concedes.

“You want to make fun of it because you’re a comedian but you also don’t want to make fun of the Logies. So every year when these interviews come around part of me goes ‘Do I make jokes? Do I really say how I feel?’

“As a comedian it’s a very weird thing to be a part of.

“It’s easier to throw rocks when you’re outside the tent.

“But they’re beautifully Australian I think. It’s celebratory and it rewards people for being the best of the best. But at the same time it’s a little bit cheesy and we like to knock it down because we’re Australian.”

While commercial networks are marketing candidates heavily, the ABC is unable to aggressively promote Hills on screen, because the commercial interests of TV Week contradict the ABC Charter.

“We’re running promos on the ABC that say ‘If you can work out how to vote for me, then go for it.’ We can’t tell you what number to call, but if you go to the website and find the number, feel free.”

How do you rate your chances?
“I’d like to think that every year they get a little bit better. But I reckon I might have a chance of coming in third this year.”

Who is your main competition?
“Stefanovic. I reckon he will win purely for his Logies acceptance speech last year, alone.

“He was so magnanimous last year. He said something positive and personal about each of the nominees last year. It wasn’t just ‘You have a good show,’ it was something he had clearly thought about. He was the only nominee I hadn’t met and there were people telling me he was a nice guy, and I really wanted to dislike him because he had won the Gold. But he said if I wasn’t on the ABC I’d have won four of them and I thought ‘I can’t stay mad at you!’”

Who is the dark horse?
“Carrie Bickmore. If I was going to have a sneaky wager on the side I’d be picking Carrie Bickmore. I think people like her. She’s got integrity and respect, she’s also funny and trustworthy, and people like her story. I think there’s a lot to like about her.”

What does it mean to win a Logie?
“For me the highlight of winning the Logie for Spicks and Specks was being able to stand beside Myf on stage. We share a love of cheesy Australiana and the Logies.

“The first year we went we just couldn’t believe we were actually going.

“Rove said to me once, I know this would mean a lot if you got a Gold or Presenter (Award), and it does. It would mean a lot.

“But the only one I’ve held is for Spicks and Specks and I took it back to the office and made sure it went home with our series producer.”

What was the highlight of your 2011 TV year?
The farewell for Spicks and Specks, putting it to bed the right way. That one-hour special I was really proud of.”

Why should viewers vote for you?
“Because it’s my fifth friggin’ year! I don’t know how many more nominations I’ve got left in me! This might be the last one!”

NEXT: Karl Stefanovic