The 2010 Golden Woodys, Part 1

It’s time for the 2010 Awards for Excellence in Late-Night Talk Show Doing, aka, the Golden Woodys. If you’d like to see the complete set of last year’s winners click here for part 1 and here for part 2.

There are eleven award categories. Each category contains three nominees. Nominees are selected and winners are chosen based on my viewing of late night talk show episodes during 2010.

 

Category: Best Introduction

2009 Winner: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

2010 Nominees:

Jimmy Kimmel Live
The Late Show with David Letterman
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

And the award goes to… The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Reason: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson’s introduction is still the funniest and most enjoyable intro to watch repeatedly.

 
Category: Best Set

2009 Winner: The Late Show with David Letterman

2010 Nominees:

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Late Show with David Letterman
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

And the award goes to… Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Reason: The Late Night with Jimmy Fallon set hasn’t changed since 2009, but the creative ways they took advantage of the set for desk, guest and music segments this year makes them the winner.

 
Category: Best Band

2009 Winner: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

2010 Nominees:

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
The Late Show with David Letterman
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

And the award goes to… Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Reason: There is no question that all three bands are extremely talented. The Roots, however, bring something to late-night that just isn’t matched by any other show.

 
Category: Best Monologue

2009 Winner: The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien

2010 Nominees:

The Late Show with David Letterman
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

And the award goes to… The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Reason: Craig Ferguson shouldn’t be nominated, much less win, in this category. His monologues aren’t the standard eight minutes of jokes and clips. Instead they’re eight minutes of chaos and juvenile stories that never fail to entertain.

 
Category: Best Sidekick

2009 Winner: The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien

2010 Nominees:

The Late Show with David Letterman
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien/Conan

And the award goes to… The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Reason: Geoff, the robotic sidekick that only knows a dozen phrases at any one time, is one of the freshest ideas anywhere in late-night. It’s amazing, but I’m still not tired of Craig and Geoff’s “in your pants” arguments.

 
Stay tuned Thursday for the 2009 Golden Woodys Part II.


Posted In: Late Night