The rain poured down as Hollywood celebrities gingerly tiptoed down the red carpet and into CTV's live telecast of the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles.
Stars joked about their finery being ruined and their well-coiffed hair frizzing out thanks to the inclement conditions.
It was welcome relief to an otherwise dull show held on a dark, dreary day in L.A.
The overcast conditions cast a somber tone to this 67th edition of the Golden Globes. It mirrored the concern that many attendants felt and voiced for the people of Haiti.
Stars like Nicole Kidman and Maggie Gyllenhaal reminded audiences during the telecast to go to donate to Haiti after last week's devastating earthquake.
Kidman also plugged George Clooney's "Hope for Haiti" telethon, which will air on Friday, Jan. 22 on CTV.
The three-hour Golden Globes show had some light moments.
One of the best came when Julia Roberts presented the award for Best Picture.
"If you want attention sit next to Paul McCartney," Roberts smiled. "I've never had so many texts in my life."
"Up" composer Michael Giacchino, winner for Best Original Score, also sparked some genuine laughs thanks to Sir Paul.
"I can't believe Paul McCartney just said 'Go, Michael'," Giacchino quipped from the winner's podium.
That funny flow often overshadowed Ricky Gervais' flat performance as the show's host.
"Hello and welcome," the plucky Brit grinned before he lambasted Steve Carell ("The Office") and flogged his own boxed set of DVDs from the series Gervais conceived.
The 48-year-old actor and comedian achieved mainstream fame with his British television series "The Office" and "Extras," which Gervais co-wrote and co-directed with Stephen Merchant.
Gervais blithely took shots at "the great work" done this year by the stars in the room and their plastic surgeons.
He skewered McCartney, saying that the ex-Beatle flew coach while Gervais flew first class because "He spent a lot of money last year."
The reference to McCartney's payout of almost US$50 million to ex-wife Heather Mills earned a noticeable frown from the singer.
NBC's current troubles thanks to Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien also gave Gervais some ammo for the night, as it did other stars like Julia Roberts.
Roberts, for example, went as far as to say "You're in the toilet right now. You've got problems" about NBC when she chatted with Billy Bush on the red carpet.
"Let's get on with it before NBC replaces me with Jay Leno," Gervais snickered before handing the marathon telecast off to a series of presenters.
Heavyweights and Hardware
The long list included such heavyweights as Harrison Ford, Jennifer Aniston, Mel Gibson and Kate Winslet.
Surprises were few but significant.
The night's big wins for film belonged to James Cameron. "Avatar," his latest box-office juggernaut," scored a Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture and Best Director.
"Thank you for believing in blue people," Cameron told the crowd, in reference to his movie's animated aliens.
Sandra Bullock continued her award-show streak, picking up a Best Actress (Drama) Golden Globe for her performance in "The Blind Side."
Meryl Streep won Best Actress (Musical or Comedy) for "Julie & Julia."
"Up," as expected, scooped up the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature.
Mo'nique, as critics predicted, claimed this year's award for Best Supporting Actress in the drama "Precious: Based on the Novel Push By Sapphire."
One of the big surprises of the evening came when "Inglourious Basterds" costar Christoph Waltz nabbed a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.
Waltz defeated such big names as Stanley Tucci ("The Lovely Bones"), Christopher Plummer ("The Last Station"), Matt Damon ("Invictus"), and Woody Harrelson ("The Messenger").
"The Hangover" also scooped up a surprising win for Best Picture, Comedy or Musical.
The sleeper hit defied the odds and defeated "Julie & Julia," "Nine," "It's Complicated," and "(500) Days of Summer" to win gold.
In terms of TV wins, the Fox show "Glee" pulled off a surprising victory.
"Glee" walked off with the award for Best Series, Comedy or Musical. The fledgling show defeated such big contenders as "The Office" (NBC), "30 Rock" (NBC) and "Entourage" (HBO) in the process.
Julianna Margulies, the star of the CBS show "The Good Wife," also stunned audiences with her win for Best Actress in a Drama.
John Lithgow also caused a stir for his portrayal of the scary Trinity Killer on "Dexter."
Lithgow's work earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. The win left expected nominees like Jeremy Piven ("Entourage," HBO) and Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother," CBS) in the dust.
Finally, Chlo� Sevigny brought another fresh, welcome surprise to the telecast. The actress won a Best Supporting Actress for her performance on HBO's "Big Love."
Bridges, Loren claim the night's biggest applause
These winners all earned their fare share of applause. Yet, nothing compared to the standing ovations given to Jeff Bridges and Sophia Loren.
Long considered an under-appreciated star in Hollywood, Bridges took to the stage bathed with cheers as he accepted a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his performance in "Crazy Heart."
"You've really screwed up my under-appreciated status," Bridges joked as the crowd clapped on.
Finally, of all the beauties to grace the Golden Globes stage none compared to Loren and her entrance in a stunning black gown.
The film legend presented the award for Best Foreign-language Film.
Introduced by Samuel Jackson, Loren strutted onto the stage in all her sexy, timeless glory.
As Jackson told the crowd, "Now this is a real star."
