World Stupidity at a Glance

I've been monitoring the status of the 5th Annual World Stupidity Awards closely, but apparently not close enough, as they've up and redone their website and made their nominations and awarded the winners. Right under our imbecilic noses.

Awards shows were well represented in several categories, with the surprise inverted-reality-TV-suplex-slam administered by Danny Bonaduce on Jonny Fairplay taking Dumbest Moment of the Year. Britney Spears rightfully reigned supreme in the Stupidity Award for Making a Stupid Situation Stupider for her performance (or lack thereof) at the MTV Music Video Awards.

Miss South Carolina, who's response to a question about the inability of Americans to located the United States on a world map, earned her the crown of Stupidest Statement of the Year and settled the beauty over brains pageant debate once and for all. Let's hope the same 20% of Americans have more success finding YouTube and the video of Miss Lauren Caitlin Upton, as I'm not about to relive this nightmare.

And finally, the Television Industry in its entirety was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Stupidity. Now that's a whole lotta stupid.

Just one minor complaint, the name of the game at the Stupidity Awards, is stupidity on a global scale. However, the U.S. dominated every category. We took home every top prize and I'm. Not. Bragging. World Stupidity Awards my ass. Call a spade, a spade you morons. Or maybe we're just that good.

5th Annual World Stupidity Awards [press release]

Today the Razzies, Tomorrow the Oscars

First comes the Razzies then comes the Oscars, then comes Eddie and Lindsey in a baby carriage. Suckin' their thumb.......sing along on your own time.

If you're Eddie Murphy, ya have to take the bad with the good. Oscar nom one year, Norbit the next. Oh so far to fall. If you're Lindsey Lohan, you were barely able to get one foot out of the gutter and up on the curb before ya slip on the slimy shit of your own making back to your rightful place. Harsh, I know, but I've gotten myself off on a tangent.

Officially known as the Golden Rasberry Awards, the Razzies have faithfully heralded the short-comings of Hollywood's elite. Previous winners include, Ben Affleck, Jack Nicholson, Christopher Walken and aptly named Halle Berry.

Murphy is nominated multiple times for each of his equally horrendous roles in Norbit. Founder of the Razzies, John Wilson, told CNN, "We decided that each of his characters were so offensive that he deserved individual nominations."

Sharon Stone is in direct competition with Lohan in the worst actress category for her role in worst film contender Basic Instinct 2. This is not the first time Stone has been nominated, winning two Razzies in 1994 for The Specialist and Intersection. Wilson gave FoxNews this yummy morsel, "She's what we call a Razzie repeat offender. Perhaps even a recidivist." If you don't recall either of these two flicks, count your lucky stars.

By the way, Rachel McAdams was the real break-out star of Mean Girls.

Lohan, Murphy Lead Razzies for Year's Worst [CNN]

Sharon Stone, Duff Sisters, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan Nominated for Razzies [FoxNews]

Atonement Leads the Baftas With 14 Nominations

With a nomination in nearly every category in which it is eligible, Atonement is the front-runner at the British Academy Awards this year. Both Keira Knightley and James McAvoy were recognized in the Leading Actor and Actress category, and director Joe Wright is also nominated.

As reported by The Herald, Keira Knightley expressed her delight by saying, "The Golden Globe was extraordinary, but to be recognised at home is really special, I'm thrilled." Also sharing the nomination spotlight is Christopher Hampton, who adapted Ian McEwan's novel with storytelling precision.

In 2002, BAFTA moved is announcements and ceremony from April or May to fall just before the Oscars, in order to benefit from awards show fever in the U.S. People Magazine makes mention of this clandestined turn of events and how the schedule change could position the Orange British Academy Film Awards to be one of the only awards shows with celebrities present.

Keira Knightley's Atonement Leads BAFTA Nominations [People Magazine]

Atonement Wins 14 BAFTA Award Nominations [The Herald]

WGA Awards a Bust in LA, Mini-Me in NYC

Even the Writers Guild of America plan a dumbed-down version of their annual awards presentation on February 9, as a result of the writers strike, according to a press release. The WGA Awards recognize writing in television, film, radio and video games. Only this years' nominees and their guests will be permitted to attend the ceremony and like the Golden Globes, there will be no red carpet.

WGA East president, Michael Winship hinted at the real reason behind shrinking the event to a mere reception when he stated, "It is very, very cold in New York City this time of year. Very cold."

Okay fine, he didn't say that. Winship did say, "We have chosen to honor the nominees and recipients of our awards in the context of our ongoing strike against the studios and networks. This will be a simple event that will rally us together as a union." The WGA West out of Los Angeles has decided to forgo an award ceremony altogether.

A few notables from the list of WGA Awards nominees include:

Knocked Up by Judd Apatow in the Best Original Screenplay category. While Knocked Up has received only a smattering of awards recognition (not unusual for a comedy), it has not been selected in any screenplay category thus far. Ryan Seacrest was given a Teen Choice Award for his portrayal of a Hissy Fit. Not sure if this is really a stretch for Seacrest, but who am I to judge?

For someone who has been nominated for and won a whole slew of awards, it's nice to see Sean Penn nominated for Into the Wild in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. Penn's ability to wrap his mind around a character as an actor is well-suited for this film with such focused intensity on the main character, Chris McCandless' perspective. You can read an insightful interview from the December 2007 issue of Written By, trade magazine for members of the WGA West.

Mad Men (AMC) has been enjoying lots of buzz this awards season and deservedly so. This smart, cocksure and deliberate circa 1960s Dramatic Television Series and New Series nominee is almost solely dependent on its writing. Now, this is not meant to diminish the talents of the actors (mesmerizing performances, but very subtle!) or the hazy cinematography that has the audience hanging back as if a fly on the wall or shot tight up enhancing the tension naturally. Writing credits go to a parade of names, but the one that stands out is Matthew Weiner who competes with himself in the same category for The Sopranos. Indeed! While the first season has ended, you can catch the replay beginning Monday, January 21.

The entire list of WGA Awards nominees can be found here.

WGA Awards to Hold Small NYC Ceremony [AP]

Outtakes from Into the Wild Mind of Sean Penn [Written By]

The Golden Globes: Brilliant but Cancelled...

...not brilliant despite being cancelled, as we had to endure a Solid Gold set and commentary by Billy Bush (cuz to thee prez) and Nancy O'Dell. Honestly, I watched for approximately three minutes and pulled a writers strike of my own. I love the Golden Globes, but could not bear to see them go down this way. I hate to say it, and I never thought I'd bear witness in my lifetime, but the Golden Globes have "jumped the shark." And although, as I've said, I did not bare witness (and actually went to bed with a giant Golden Globe sized headache), I've read that some of the other networks announced all the winners as NBC slogged on through to the bitter end. Ha!

For those of you who did not watch (everyone) here's the run down:

Best Motion Picture - Drama

Atonement

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

Julie Christie - Away From Her

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Javier Bardem - No Country For Old Men

Best Animated Feature Film

Ratatouille

Best Foreign Language Film

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Director - Motion Picture

Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

No Country For Old Men - Ethan and Joel Coen

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

Atonement - composed by Dario Marianelli

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

"Guaranteed" - Into the Wild (music & lyrics by Eddie Vedder)

Best Television Series - Drama

Mad Men

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama

Glenn Close - Damages

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama

Jon Hamm - Mad Men

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy

Extras

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy

Tina Fey - 30 Rock

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy

David Duchovny - Californication

To view the rest of the list and the competition visit the Hollywood Foreign Press Association website.