The Golden Globes has become the first awards show casualty due to the writers strike.  Presenters won’t have profound scripts to read and actors refuse to cross the picket lines.  So instead of a lavishly televised party with lots of self-congratulations, montages, honorary awards, and unbearable acceptance speeches, we get a press conference announcing the winners.

Best idea ever.

Every year fans and pundits complain about the self-aggrandizing speeches and the almost four hour runtime when the entire thing could so easily be crammed into a 20 minute announcement (including technical awards).  For the first time, the writers strike is giving us something we want.

The downside?  Uh…um…we don’t get to see the pretty dresses?  Jon Stewart was supposed to host the Academy Awards again.  It’ll be a little disappointing to miss that.  Can they release his what-would-have-been opening monologue on YouTube after the strike ends (since they’ll have internet residuals then)?

 Adweek estimates the award show’s cancellation will cost NBC, the network to air the Globes, $10-$15 million in ad revenue.  ABC is scheduled to air the Academy Awards on February 24th, one of the biggest ratings nights of the year.

But yeah, not too many negatives for the common man and woman.  It’s not like the entertainment industry would go a year without giving out awards.  That would be mean.