Last Night’s Globes: Kate Winslet’s Shark-Jumping Moment?

Two wins in one night: this year’s Golden Globes could be seen as the highlight of Kate Winslet‘s remarkable career. She sensationally won trophies in both the Supporting and Lead Actress categories, for The Reader and Revolutionary Road, respectively. But could Winslet’s hyper-emotional acceptance speeches last night prove to be the British star’s “shark-jumping moment”? After her second win, Winslet appeared in such shock – genuinely, I believe – that she fell into gushy hysterics. OK, fine: she was overcome. It happens. But who could have predicted the amount of vitriol Kate Winslet could have stirred up with a mere acceptance speech? (As Tina Fey pointed out in her speech, the Interwebs are just a-brimmin’ with haters.) Watch the speech:

Now read the comments:

The Guardian‘s Charlotte Higgins says, “Kate, we love you, and huge congratulations, but this display of hyperventilation and histrionic disbelief is going too far. You had a one-in-five chance of winning each of your gongs last night; you were bodily present at an awards ceremony where it is customary for people to win things; you were not in complete ignorance of the likelihood, or at least the remote possibility, of your receiving one or two trophies. So did you really have to make such a meal out of receiving the best actress award? Your openness, garrulity, and emotional directness have always been charming qualities, but last night there was a gaucheness that flipped into the realms of the ridiculous – you were almost Paltrow-esque.”

The Guardian‘s Anna Pickard concurs with her colleague: “You know what British people need to get better at? Acceptance speeches. Yes, I know, we’re all very ashamed of success and terribly humble and so would never do something so gauche as to prepare for the possibility of winning something. Winslet was winsome, as ever, but pretty gratingly humourless about the whole thing. Only a steely ‘They’re telling me to wind up. Like hell I’m going to wind up,’ to begin her second speech, which came complete with a teary, doe-eyed ‘Thank you!’ so mannered and earnest the whole room laughed, which is not really what you want for your big moment.”

Reid It and Weep says, “As far as I’m concerned, the Hollywood Foreign Press needs to black ball Ms. Winslet. She needs to get a hold of her breathing and recognize that her discombobulated persona is immensely annoying to watch. And for the love of Pete, she needs to pick one or two people to thank and leave it at that. If you are really so indebted to your makeup artist, Kate, send her some flowers in the morning, but spare us the patronizing, never-ending monologue. Lastly, learn your lines, you’re an actress, for crying out loud, you get paid a lot of money to memorize lines…lose the cheat sheet.”

The Celebrity News Examiner‘s Liz Barrett says, “Kate’s acceptance gush went on to rival Sally Field‘s ‘You like me, you really like me’ overshare at the 1985 Academy Awards.”

Robert Denerstein says: “Kate Winslet — shockingly, I think — seems to have studied at the Halle Berry school of awards acceptance.”

OK, full disclosure: I think Kate Winslet is a goddess. (Yes, I’ve been stricken with that common gay-male affliction, “diva-itis.”) Unlike Gwynnie and Ms. Halle, Winslet has always risen above some pretty lackluster film roles on the strength of her talent. She’s hardly some obsequious starlet desperate for Hollywood’s attention. I don’t give a ton of heft to industry awards, but for her, winning two Globes after years of being snubbed must feel very cathartic and hard-fought. I cut her a lot of slack. I would have cried along with her, but that would be…unbecoming.

Now Sally Hawkins, that girl needs to get a grip. What did you think of last night’s speeches?

As for the two British funnymen at the Globes, I’ll simply say this.

Ricky Gervais > Sacha Baron Cohen.

As if y’all need me to tell you that.

In other news:

• The video Prince Harry has lived to regret. Just replace the word “p***” with the N-word and think of how offensive that would be.(Telegraph)
• Charlotte Church has given daughter Ruby a little brother, giving birth to a 7 lb. 5 oz. son on Sunday. No word on what kind of ridiculous name she’s given him.(BBC)
• How much money will he try to get out of it?: Blake Fielder-Civil is divorcing Amy Winehouse “on the grounds of Amy’s adultery.”(BBC)
• Two more talentless people move to L.A., and suddenly it’s news.(The Sun)
• Mathew Horne and James Corden will kiss for laughter.(The Sun)
• Ms. Cheryl Cole has a major hate-on for Victoria Beckham, calling the former Posh Spice’s fashion collection a line “for older women.”(Mirror)
• Sienna Miller‘s part in the latest Robin Hood film is no more. And according to The Mirror‘s sources, it’s because she’s just too pretty to be paired opposite the hefty Russell Crowe. “The love scenes would have been laughable. He’s so old and fat and she’s so young and gorgeous. It’s just gross.”
• Sam Mendes, Mr. Kate Winslet, talks about directing his wife in Revolutionary Road. “I was amazed at how warm Kate was with the crew, but also how solitary she was in her own process. Very contained. I would have lunch with them [the crew], and she would be by herself. I was struck by what a pleasure it was to work with her.”(The Times)
• Charity Wakefield, a 28-year-old unknown British actress, has beaten out several other hopefuls for the lead in David E. Kelley‘s new drama, Legally Mad.(Telegraph)
• Wuthering, Wuthering, Wuthering Heights goes Bollywood!(The Stage)
• John Barrowman, his sis Carole, and comic book artist Tommy Lee Edwards are collaborating on a Torchwood comic strip for the show’s official magazine.
• More “clues” to the Stig’s identity?(Telegraph)