John Oliver, 'Fargo' to get Peabodied

The guy holding the cat is getting a prestigious award. 

The guy holding the cat is getting a prestigious award. 

The 74th Peabody Awards were announced todayfor the entertainment category and, sadly, there was no beagle with glasses in tow. Instead, Amy Schumer's show Inside Amy Schumer was recognized for comedic excellence. John Oliver's Last Week Tonight won as well. Physical Peabody Awards are to be doled out Sunday May 31st. For now, check out the comedy winners below:

“Fargo (FX)
MGM and FX Productions
“Fargo,” the series, boasts the same snow-swept backdrop and dark, deadpan ambience as the Oscar-winning movie but tells a different, more complicated story. Its villain, Billy Bob Thornton’s mischievous, murderous, charismatic Lorne Malvo, is a character worthy of Norse mythology.

Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central)
Jax Media LLC
Schumer’s wholesome, disarming “Brady Bunch” looks belie and enhance a comic intelligence that’s smart, distinctively female and amiably profane, whether she’s applying it to sketch comedy, stand-up, or person-on-the-street interviews.

Jane the Virgin (The CW)
Eye Productions Inc., CBS Television Studios Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Electus; RCTV; Poppy Productions.
Immaculately conceived, it’s a smart, self-aware telenovela that knows when and how to wink at itself. Its Latina lead, Gina Rodriguez, is incandescent.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
HBO Entertainment in association with Sixteen String Jack Productions and Avalon Television
A most worthy addition to the news-as-comedy genre, “Last Week Tonight” doesn’t just satirize the previous week’s news, it engages in fresh, feisty investigative reports that “real” news programs would do well to emulate.”

UPDATE 4/17/15: Added a link to the Peabody website and formatted the featured award list.

 

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'Last Week Tonight,' 'Louie' Take Home some WGA Awards

This past weekend marked an event called the Writers Guild Awards, a show dedicated to the people that make that show you like so good. The Simpsons, Louie, Grand Budapest Hotel and other comedic media won awards for their ability to make us laugh in the past year. Even a web show, High Maintenance, won for Short Form New Media. 

The rest of the winners can be seen below. 

“ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness; Fox Searchlight

COMEDY SERIES

Louie, Written by Louis CK; FX

EPISODIC COMEDY

“So Did the Fat Lady” (Louie), Written by Louis C.K.; FX

ANIMATION

“Brick Like Me” (The Simpsons), Written by Brian Kelley; Fox

COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Kevin Avery, Tim Carvell, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner; HBO

COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS

71st Annual Golden Globe Awards, Written by Barry Adelman; Special Material by Alex Baze, Dave Boone, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Jon Macks, Sam Means, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Mike Shoemaker; NBC

SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA

“Episode 113: Rachel” (High Maintenance), Written by Katja Blichfeld & Ben Sinclair; helpingyoumaintain.com”

Last Week Tonight Gets High on Pharmaceutical Marketing

Last Week Tonight came back this week last night for a second season! Yay! Host John Oliver started this 35 week stint by talking about the shady nature of pharmaceutical companies and their marketing for doctors. Boo?

These companies buy doctors everything from plane rides to free lunches to probably drugs. Okay, they actually sell them drugs but that's to help people. There is no telling if those drugs will help those that use them though. 

'Last Week Tonight' Returns this Week for Several Weeks

Late night shows will be taking over most of your week with the return of the HBO's Last Week Tonight hosted by John Oliver. The show differs from its counterparts by looking at the week as a whole then, usually, focusing on one single story. 

The second season is set to run for 35 episodes. That means at least 35 uninterrupted weeks of that sexy British accent. Season one concluded this past November to rave reviews. Oliver covered everything from net neutrality to Uganda’s anti-LGBT laws. And because news happens, like, every day, that means the host will be able to tackle real issues like Deflategate or Valentine's Day. 

Last Week Tonight begins its second season this Sunday at 11 PM on HBO.