The 2013 Golden Woodys, Part 2
It’s time for the 5th annual Awards for Excellence in Late-Night Talk Show Doing, aka, The 2013 Golden Woodys. If you missed the awarding of the first five categories you can catch up here.
There are ten award categories this year. Each category contains three nominees. Nominees are selected and winners are chosen based on my viewing of late-night talk show episodes during 2013. Needless to say, the awards are very subjective, but also very sincere.
Category: Best Sidekick
2009 Winner: The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
2010 Winner: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2011 Winner: Conan
2012 Winner: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2013 Nominees:
Conan
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
And the award goes to… The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Reason: Josh Robert Thompson, who voices the gay skeleton robot Geoff, has a really tough job. He needs to be funny, have perfect timing and interact with Craig by monitor, all while sitting off-stage in the dark operating Geoff’s head and arms. How does he do it so incredibly well and make it look so effortless five days a week? No idea, but he does.
Category: Best Internet Presence
2013 Nominees:
Conan
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
And the award goes to… Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Reason: The team at Jimmy Kimmel Live! understands how to use the web to reach and expand their fan base better than any other late-night talk show. First, they made JKL easily accessible by posting more clips of each episode in more places on the web than anyone else. Second, they produced bits that were perfect for, and well-received by, both their specific television audience and a diverse and finicky internet population.
Category: Best Live Show Experience
2013 Nominees:
Conan
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Late Late Show Craig Ferguson
And the award goes to… Conan
Reason: Each live late-night talk show experience in 2013 was terrific for a variety of reasons. In the end, however, the people at Conan did the best job of entertaining the audience without sacrificing too much of their fan’s time or comfort.
Category: Best Host
2009 Winner: The Late Show with David Letterman
2010 Winner: The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien/Conan
2011 Winner: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2012 Winner: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
2013 Nominees:
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
And the award goes to… Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Reason: Jimmy Fallon will be hosting The Tonight Show in February, 2014. If being picked to be the face of the late-night flagship doesn’t win you Best Host then nothing possibly could.
Category: Best Overall Late-Night Talk Show
2009 Winner: The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
2010 Winner: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2011 Winner: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
2012 Winner: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2013 Nominees:
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
And the award goes to… Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Reason: Taking into account each segment of each episode, and rating them on humor, fun, originality and effort, then pound for pound Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was the most entertaining late-night talk show of 2013.
Congratulations to the winners. Here’s to a great 2014!
– Woody
I will always argue that Jimmy Fallon is absolutely NOT what makes his own show(s) work. But since NBC is putting all their ducks into his pond, I hope it all works out. I’m fairly certain that Jimmy’s team could make even Donald Rumsfeld the funniest host in late night.
Fair enough. You’re right, it’s a team effort and not just one person doing everything. Still, I think he’s got some pretty decent talent and ideas that make Late Night a fun show.
It’ll be interesting to see how Fallon’s particular brand of weird translates to the more subdued audience The Tonight Show usually gets. If Conan was too weird for them, I have a hard time imagining that Fallon won’t be.
I’m really looking forward to Seth Myers. I think that will be a must-see first week.
P.S. I’m really glad you let douchebags like me comment on your very subjective choices. You could just say, “When YOU give out awards YOU can pick the winners.” 😛
You’re not a douchebag. I always appreciate your comments on WAH and late-night. I wish more people would follow your lead.