Julie & Julia star Meryl Streep beat out three other women and herself to take the win for actress in a comedy or musical.
The red carpet got hit by a rainstorm, and spirits were somber due to the Haiti earthquake disaster, but the Golden Globes attempted to live up to its rambunctious reputation.
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Host Ricky Gervais, creator and star of the original British version of The Office, likely had NBC censors twitching over his opening monologue, which began with plastic-surgery wisecracks and segued into self-deprecating penis jokes.
It also extended to wee-wee jokes. James Cameron won best director for Avatar, and was anything but the "king of the world," as he declared himself when he won the Oscar for Titanic. "I'm going to try to make this as brief as I can, because frankly I have to pee something fierce."
But more often than not, the Globes were caught up in emotion.
Nicole Kidman presented the first award, for best supporting actress, and brought the room back to a serious tone.
"A lot of people are wearing ribbons tonight in support of people from Haiti," she said. "George Clooney has organized a telethon next Friday night, and hopefully everyone will watch that, which is called Hope For Haiti."
With that, she opened the envelope and delivered happy news to Mo'Nique, the comic and talk show host who surprised and impressed with her dramatic turn as a monstrous, abusive mother in Precious.
The comedienne put aside humor in her speech, becoming tearful as she thanked her director, co-stars and husband, Sidney Hicks. "I'm shaking, and I tell y'all I'm in the midst of my dream," she said. "When I look at the eyes of the man I stood next to at 14 and I said, 'One day we gonna be stars,' and he said: 'You first.' And we walked this red carpet tonight."
The Golden Globes, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are considered barometers for the Academy Awards, which will present their nominees on Feb. 2. Mo'Nique, considered a contender since Precious debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last year, is now considered a front-runner by many Oscar watchers. The Globe adds even more momentum.
Paul McCartney presented the prize for best animated feature, noting The Beatles' own contribution to the genre, Yellow Submarine. "Animation is not just for children. It is also for adults — who take drugs," he joked.
Pixar's Up claimed the prize, and director Pete Docter said the filmmakers went to South America to research exotic locales for their balloon-bound elderly hero to explore. "But in finding the heart of our film, we didn't have to look very far — our grandparents, our parents, our wives, our kids, and our talking dogs," he said.
The melancholy ballad The Weary Kind from the Jeff Bridges country-music drama Crazy Heart claimed the best original song, accepted by producer and co-songwriter T Bone Burnett.
Meryl Streep claimed the next award, best comedic actress, for Julie & Julia— beating out herself in the category, where she was also up for It's Complicated. "I want to change my name to T-Bone. T-Bone Streep. I think it sounds good," said Streep, who played the gourmet chef Julia Child in the film. "In my long career, I've played so many extraordinary women that basically I'm getting mistaken for one."
She also alluded to the Haiti disaster, saying she felt "conflicted in having my happy movie self" at an award show when there is so much suffering elsewhere in the world.
Streep said she imagined the voice of her mother, whom she described as a serious person, telling her: "Be damn grateful you have the dollars to help."
Most of the top film awards were saved for the end of the evening, and so were not available by publication time. Up in the Air went into the show with a leading six nominations, including best drama and screenplay. Supporting actresses Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick were also nominated, but lost to Mo'Nique, and the film also had nominations for best actor for star George Clooney, and best directing by Jason Reitman.
The film won the screenplay prize, and Reitman said to Inglourious Basterds' Quentin Tarantino, a fellow screenplay nominee: "Quentin, I'm still waiting for them to say your name." He told the crowd that Clooney "doesn't even want to be here tonight," but would rather be somewhere setting up a phone bank for Haiti.
"George, you're one of the greatest men I've ever met in my life. I'm so proud to have worked with you, and to know you and be your friend," Reitman said.
Though the film is about a man who avoids family and relationships at all costs, Reitman thanked his profusely, singling out his mother and father, Ivan, the Ghostbustersfilmmaker who co-produced Up In the Air. "And my wife ... people like how I write women, but I could never write women if it wasn't for my wife. You're the fuel to my creative fire, Michele. I love you, thank you."
