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Sorry Joel, Logies need to re-think New Talent rules.

The Logies need to rethink its rules to ensure awards go to emerging Australian talent, not import stars.

2013-03-13_0030If Joel Madden is eligible for Most Popular Male New Talent then it’s time to rethink the category.

Sorry to The Voice mentor, but this strikes me as being out of step with the spirit of the award.

Historically, this has always recognised emerging Australian talent: actors, presenters and even those working in News and Current Affairs. Such recognition might open doors for a rising actor, but what does it mean for an international star who already has global success?

As we now have international stars in debut roles on Australian television is it right that they are preventing rising actors from such recognition? Is it time the Logies ruled that talent must be Australian citizen or residents?

Indeed, is there anything to stop Seal, Mel B or Chucky Kaplow from walking away with the Gold Logie (ok admittedly there’s no risk Chucky Kaplow could walk away with Gold)?

The rules for Most Popular New Talent are as follows:

This award is to recognise new talent on Australian television. A new talent is a performer who has made their major TV debut in at least three episodes of an Australian-made program of any genre in 2012 as the same character, or for a breakout role in an anthology series, miniseries or telemovie. This may or may not be their first appearance on Australian TV. It will be their first major role.

Networks submit candidates for this category to TV Week who then draw up a shortlist for popular vote.

A TV Week spokesperson told TV Tonight, “Entries can be submitted to TV Week in accordance with the rules and criteria provided. TV Week reserves the right to add, revise or reject candidates, however is not liable for any errors that are the result of incorrect information submitted.”

It’s surprising that Madden has even edged out Keith Urban from contention here, given he is a local and resonated well with viewers. Once again, it sounds like somebody’s Facebook fans have dominated the voting.

Last year also saw some very fine performances from international actors including Miriam Margolyes (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) and Brian Cox (The Straits) but neither netted a nod in the “new talent” categories.

Still on the subject of New Talent categories, should David Campbell’s Foxtel series Studio Presents have ruled him ineligible for his Mornings nomination? At least it was on in the same year, but it is a tad confusing….

I would also like to see a Comedy category reinstated in the peer-voted Outstanding awards and a stand-alone Reality category in Popular. Ditch the double-up in Light Entertainment awards. It’s ridiculous that Gruen Planet goes head to head with The X Factor while Comedy shows are left by the roadside. The AACTA Awards has this right, but Logies does not.

34 Responses

  1. And, yeah – def agree that comedy should be separated out from talent shows. They’re completely different. Yet another indicator of how irrelevant to anything real the Logies have become.

  2. Completely agree, David. Appearing as a guest panellist, even if semi-regular, should not preclude someone from being nominated in the “New Talent” category. However, a previous career on the world stage in music or performing arts makes it difficult to see someone as a new talent, even if they haven’t fronted an Australian TV show before.

    If the award is designed to recognise emerging talent on Australian TV then Madden should be excluded. If it’s just for anyone new to Aus TV then I guess he qualifies. It just doesn’t seem right that a significant proportion of the votes that he’ll receive will prob be due to his musical career.

    Given that it’s a “Most Popular” award and the Logies Awards people are apparently comfortable with FB fans driving votes up for nominees with large social media profiles, why don’t they just present the award to whomever’s got the most followers on FB, Twitter and… er, Friendster?

  3. I agree with what David’s saying. If they want to do International stars they should do a category for them just like the ARIA’s do.

    My main problem with the criteria is this “It will be their first major role” How do they judge that?

  4. Reminds when I was a kid and the Countdown awards were on. Crowded House won best new talent? WTF? After Neil Finn had been in Spilt Enz for a decade. You would think some people would just have the grace to rule themselves ineligible .. but then this is the CH9 logie wards and Channel 9 has never been known for its grace.

    And whoever mentioned Annabelle Crabbe and talent in the same sentence should wash their mouth out.

  5. i understand both sides to this story re Maden being nominated. Yes, this is his first role in an Australian role, so he should be eligable for a ”New Talent” award. But he is an internationally acclaimed singer in a popular group, and his ”fans” would vote for him just based on his singing rather than his judging duties.

    Also, as mentioned in the article, Brian Cox was short listed for ”Popular Actor” for the Logies for his role in The Straits, but being this is his first role on an Australian program, should have been short-listed to the New Talent award, rather than the Actor award.

    I know that the Logies did have an” Outstanding Comedy Program” until recently (ie – Kath and Kim, Thank God you’re here, 2 Chris Lilley’s series, won in this catergory), while Stupid Stupid Man, Very Small Business, Wilfred, The Chaser, Review with Myles Barlw etc were nominated here. A comedy award should be split from the Light Enterainment catergory.

  6. The sad fact is any number of young actors/performers have emerged in the last year and they’ve missed out on a moment in the spotlight in front of people who might hire them. It’s an opportunity missed to celebrate the next generation. People like Joel or Keith Urban or Seal don’t need the publicity but a youngster starting out could really benefit.

  7. This category has always stood out like a sore thumb because the term “new” seems to be pretty loose. As Jonno mentioned Carrie Bickmore was nominated a few years after starting on Rove. Belinda Emmett was nominated for Home & Away after already being on Hey Day (though it was the later years after “Dad” left so few people would have seen her!), and Tiffiny Hall was nominated several years after she debuted on Gladiators

  8. Joel could be considered “new” talent because he has never hosted or presented. I do agree it is a little odd.

    David Campbell co-hosted the Morning show from time to time and also stared in It takes two. He is not new talent.

  9. Of course no one takes the Logies seriously. It’s a joke and Madden’s nomination has shown it yet again.
    As for a separate comedy category, well, that’s not really fair to the network stations since none of them actually produce comedies. ABC would take up most of the nominations, and maybe an SBS comedy. So doubt the networks would allow a category where they can’t compete in.

  10. Does anyone really take the Logie voting system seriously anymore? I would vote for him. Carrie Bickmore won Best New Talent even though she had a sizeable role on Rove. The day Karl won the gold was the day The Logies died.

  11. I know this isn’t the main oint of your article – but Don Lane wasn’t Australian born, and he won a Gold (plus more).

    New Talent should be reserved for a performer’s first year on Australian TV – this would still make Joel eligible though.

  12. Totally agree. Nothing against Joel, but it should been an Australian, not an international star. And who the hell is Chucky Kaplow? Never heard of him.

  13. Totally agree with you David. In the New Talent category, only Australian Citizens should be eligible. I hope he gets beaten by the kid from Home & Away, who is quite a good actor.

  14. I don’t understand how they can look at the nomineed for light ent and think they have got it right.

    I agree 100% we need 2 awards/ comedy award, reality/competitiion award, light ent award.

  15. Award shows are a very different world and the Logies…well…they are “The Logies”.At the end of it all it’s really only one long ad for TV, their stable of talent and programming. No doubt Nine has all their “sneek peeks” and extended Underbelly promos at hand to run on the night. TVWeek, being an ACP publication and affiliate with Nine are hardly going to deny one of their “The Voice” stars a chance to enable some good cross promotion and much trumpeting. I thought recognition of talent would be reserved for people who actually rehearse, script read and deliver the goods, not already established celebrites who sign off for their services (no doubt handsomely) and judge “new” talent. It’s slightly ironic and incredibly unjust to the actors out there who get up at 4am, work long hours and actually do something other than spin round in a chair and say a few choice phrases about journeys. major threat, blew me away, superstar etc…

  16. The “new talent” categories for awards the world over are confusing… for instance The Grammys this year, with fun. winning, when they have been releasing material for almost a decade and had a charting album with the one before “Some Nights”.

    The Logies are no different.

  17. I don’t think the rule should be Australian citizens or residents.

    Dozens of UK and Australian based actors win US TV awards all the time.

    But you are right – the rule should defi be – they can not have had global success already.

    Joel is not a new talent

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