Real Time and Inside Amy Schumer Take Home Writing Awards and Elaine May Saves the Day…Again
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 13: Honoree Elaine May accepts the Screen Laurel Award onstage during the 2016 Writers Guild Awards at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on February 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Writers Guild of America, West)
Writers often get overlooked in the entertainment industry, but there is no content without writers.
The Writers Guild of America 2016 writing awards were handed out over the weekend. The guild breaks up the ceremonies into two events, one on each coast. In the age of social media, the announcement of winners often gets to the left coast well before the event begins, destroying the anticipation and dulling the proverbial shine of the event. Legendary screenwriter Elaine May managed to save the day with her insight and wit, playfully mocking role of the writer in Hollywood. “Then someone told me there’s going to be a red carpet…Excuse me, no designer is going to give writers clothes!”
Academy Award-nominated and WGA-winning screenwriter-director-actress May was receiving the WGAW’s Screen Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement. In classic May form, she lit up the once sleepy room and energized the event. May who was half of a legendary comedy duo with Mike Nichols in the 1950’s has a history of adding levity and humor to often stuffy awards shows. This clip from the 11th Annual Emmys is a brilliant display of poking fun at rewarding mediocrity in writing, and is a great example of May at her finest. Host of the evening Patton Oswalt didn’t even attempt to hide his admiration for May as she left the stage, Oswalt exploded, “God I love her! I f**king love her!”
Here are the big winners in the area of comedy writing
COMEDY SERIES
Veep, Written by Simon Blackwell, Jon Brown, Kevin Cecil, Roger Drew, Peter Fellows, Neil Gibbons, Rob Gibbons, Sean Gray, Callie Hersheway, Armando Iannucci, Sean Love, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Andy Riley, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Sand Hill Shuffle” (Silicon Valley), Written by Clay Tarver; HBO
COMEDY / VARIETY TALK SERIES
Real Time with Bill Maher, Writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Billy Martin, Danny Vermont; HBO
COMEDY / VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
Inside Amy Schumer, Head Writer: Jessi Klein Writers: Hallie Cantor, Kim Caramele, Kyle Dunnigan, Jon Glaser, Kurt Metzger, Christine Nangle, Dan Powell, Tami Sagher, Amy Schumer; Comedy Central
COMEDY / VARIETY SPECIALS
Jimmy Kimmel Live: 10th Annual After The Oscars Special, Written by Jack Allison, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Greg Dorris, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jimmy Kimmel, Bess Kalb, Jeff Loveness, Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Joe Strazzullo, Bridger Winegar; ABC
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Hollywood Game Night, Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Michael Agbabian, Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter, Dwight D. Smith; NBC
