And the award for best writing in a comedy/variety talk series goes to… Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.
The WGA Awards were handed out late Sunday and, in an announcement that likely surprised absolutely no one in the crowd, Last Week Tonight was recognized—yet again—for best writing in a Comedy/Variety Talk Series.
A total of 15 writers shared in the accolade. In addition to Oliver himself, senior writers Daniel O’Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, and Seena Vali and writers Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofia Manfredi, Taylor Kay Phillips, and Chrissy Shackelford all share the award.
This marks the second year in a row that Oliver and company have taken home the big prize, and the seventh time the WGA has recognized their excellence overall.
Last Week Tonight has been nominated in the same category every year...
The WGA Awards were handed out late Sunday and, in an announcement that likely surprised absolutely no one in the crowd, Last Week Tonight was recognized—yet again—for best writing in a Comedy/Variety Talk Series.
A total of 15 writers shared in the accolade. In addition to Oliver himself, senior writers Daniel O’Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, and Seena Vali and writers Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofia Manfredi, Taylor Kay Phillips, and Chrissy Shackelford all share the award.
This marks the second year in a row that Oliver and company have taken home the big prize, and the seventh time the WGA has recognized their excellence overall.
Last Week Tonight has been nominated in the same category every year...
- 4/15/2024
- by Jennifer M. Wood
- LateNighter
The David Hemingson-scripted Alexander Payne dramedy The Holdovers and Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction were the big film winners at the strike-delayed 2024 Writers Guild Awards, which were handed out Sunday in Los Angeles and New York.
Jefferson — who also was honored with the WGA West’s Paul Selvin Award — followed his Oscar win for Adapted Screenplay as the WGA’s weird, wild and elongated Awards season wrapped with simultaneous ceremonies on both coasts. Hemingson scored a modicum of revenge for losing the Original Screenplay Academy Award to Justine Triet and Arthur Harari for Anatomy of a Fall.
The latter script, however, wasn’t eligible for a Writers Guild Award. That’s because, unlike other guilds, the WGA deems ineligible any scripts for movies not produced under its Minimum Basic Agreement or a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with various affiliated countries.
Later, the Documentary prize went to Errol Morris...
Jefferson — who also was honored with the WGA West’s Paul Selvin Award — followed his Oscar win for Adapted Screenplay as the WGA’s weird, wild and elongated Awards season wrapped with simultaneous ceremonies on both coasts. Hemingson scored a modicum of revenge for losing the Original Screenplay Academy Award to Justine Triet and Arthur Harari for Anatomy of a Fall.
The latter script, however, wasn’t eligible for a Writers Guild Award. That’s because, unlike other guilds, the WGA deems ineligible any scripts for movies not produced under its Minimum Basic Agreement or a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with various affiliated countries.
Later, the Documentary prize went to Errol Morris...
- 4/15/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah was somewhat of a surprise winner for the main late-night Emmy.
But it was made slightly easier after Last Week Tonight with John Oliver was moved out of the Outstanding Talk Series category (he won Scripted Variety Series).
Noah, who left The Daily Show more than a year ago, accepted the award.
He thanked a litany of his former team, as well as Jon Stewart, who was also in the category with The Problem with Jon Stewart, for bringing him to The Daily Show, as well as showrunner Jen Flanz, “this woman rode with me through the trenches”.
“I told you we’d beat John Oliver if he wasn’t in our category. We did it, we got rid of John Oliver. This story has been so long, so crazy, so wonderful. I want to start by thanking the crazy Africans who followed me to this country,...
But it was made slightly easier after Last Week Tonight with John Oliver was moved out of the Outstanding Talk Series category (he won Scripted Variety Series).
Noah, who left The Daily Show more than a year ago, accepted the award.
He thanked a litany of his former team, as well as Jon Stewart, who was also in the category with The Problem with Jon Stewart, for bringing him to The Daily Show, as well as showrunner Jen Flanz, “this woman rode with me through the trenches”.
“I told you we’d beat John Oliver if he wasn’t in our category. We did it, we got rid of John Oliver. This story has been so long, so crazy, so wonderful. I want to start by thanking the crazy Africans who followed me to this country,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver beat Saturday Night Live and A Black Lady Sketch Show to win the first ever Emmy for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series.
John Oliver’s HBO show continued its Emmy win streak, winning its eighth straight Emmy, having won seven years in a row in the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category.
The TV Academy shook up the categories last year, launching Outstanding Scripted Variety Series, alongside Outstanding Talk Series and moved Oliver into the former, going head to head with SNL, which had won the award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series six years in a row starting in 2017.
Oliver, who was handed the award by Stephen Colbert, his Strike Force 5 co-host, and After Midnight host Taylor Tomlinson, started by thanking his staff, although pointed out that some of them were still in New York “burning down a bar there”.
“Thank you to HBO, Casey, Nina...
John Oliver’s HBO show continued its Emmy win streak, winning its eighth straight Emmy, having won seven years in a row in the Outstanding Variety Talk Series category.
The TV Academy shook up the categories last year, launching Outstanding Scripted Variety Series, alongside Outstanding Talk Series and moved Oliver into the former, going head to head with SNL, which had won the award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series six years in a row starting in 2017.
Oliver, who was handed the award by Stephen Colbert, his Strike Force 5 co-host, and After Midnight host Taylor Tomlinson, started by thanking his staff, although pointed out that some of them were still in New York “burning down a bar there”.
“Thank you to HBO, Casey, Nina...
- 1/16/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
After Writers Guild of America waged a protest regarding the Television Academy‘s decision to move the outstanding writing for a variety series or special categories out of the upcoming Emmy telecast, the TV Academy has reversed course.
In a joint release sent out today, the Television Academy, Fox and the WGA said they were “happy to announce they have reached an agreement to include the Writing for a Variety Series category in the 75th Emmy Awards telecast airing live on Fox on January 15, 2024, at 8pm Est / 5pm Pst.”
Because this year’s Primetime Emmys has moved the variety special (live) category into the telecast (it was on the Creative Arts show last year), the TV Academy was likely looking to keep the telecast capped at 25 awards, so something had to fall out. And in this case, it was the variety writing field that originally got pushed to the Creative Arts ceremony.
In a joint release sent out today, the Television Academy, Fox and the WGA said they were “happy to announce they have reached an agreement to include the Writing for a Variety Series category in the 75th Emmy Awards telecast airing live on Fox on January 15, 2024, at 8pm Est / 5pm Pst.”
Because this year’s Primetime Emmys has moved the variety special (live) category into the telecast (it was on the Creative Arts show last year), the TV Academy was likely looking to keep the telecast capped at 25 awards, so something had to fall out. And in this case, it was the variety writing field that originally got pushed to the Creative Arts ceremony.
- 1/3/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s original screenplay for award-season juggernaut Everything Everywhere All at Once and Sarah Polley’s adapted screenplay for Women Talking scored the marquee awards Sunday at the WGA Awards.
The WGA, which handed out its trophies for the year’s best writing in dual ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City, also gave Apple TV+’s Severance wins for Drama Series and New Series, and FX’s The Bear for Comedy Series. HBO’s The White Lotus won for Limited Series, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver won for Comedy Variety Talk Series.
Everything Everywhere completed its sweep of the major guild awards with the win, which comes after triumphs at PGAs, DGAs and the SAG Awards, as well as Saturday in the category at the Spirit Awards. It has 11 Oscar nominations including Original Screenplay.
Related: Charlie Kaufman Slams Industry Suits At WGA...
The WGA, which handed out its trophies for the year’s best writing in dual ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City, also gave Apple TV+’s Severance wins for Drama Series and New Series, and FX’s The Bear for Comedy Series. HBO’s The White Lotus won for Limited Series, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver won for Comedy Variety Talk Series.
Everything Everywhere completed its sweep of the major guild awards with the win, which comes after triumphs at PGAs, DGAs and the SAG Awards, as well as Saturday in the category at the Spirit Awards. It has 11 Oscar nominations including Original Screenplay.
Related: Charlie Kaufman Slams Industry Suits At WGA...
- 3/6/2023
- by Erik Pedersen and Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
John Oliver can’t stop winning Emmys.
HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver picked up the award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, its seventh in a row at the Creative Arts Emmys.
It beat out A Black Lady Sketch Show, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Saturday Night Live.
Creative Arts Emmys 2022 Photos: Chip & Joanna Gaines, ‘Queer Eye’ & ‘Selling Sunset’ Stars Plus RuPaul, Simone Boseman & More
Could the win be a precursor for another win in the main late-night category next week at the Primetime Emmys? Oliver has won that category six years in a row.
The Last Week Tonight writing team that won included Daniel O’Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Seena Vali, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofía Manfredi, John Oliver, Taylor Kay Phillips and Chrissy Shackelford.
HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver picked up the award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, its seventh in a row at the Creative Arts Emmys.
It beat out A Black Lady Sketch Show, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Saturday Night Live.
Creative Arts Emmys 2022 Photos: Chip & Joanna Gaines, ‘Queer Eye’ & ‘Selling Sunset’ Stars Plus RuPaul, Simone Boseman & More
Could the win be a precursor for another win in the main late-night category next week at the Primetime Emmys? Oliver has won that category six years in a row.
The Last Week Tonight writing team that won included Daniel O’Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Seena Vali, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofía Manfredi, John Oliver, Taylor Kay Phillips and Chrissy Shackelford.
- 9/4/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The Amber Ruffin Show and A Black Lady Sketch Show have both secured Emmy writing noms for the first time – noticeably helping to improve the diversity of the category.
The Peacock series and the HBO show will compete in Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series against HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NBC’s SNL.
A somewhat curious note of this category is that Ashley Nicole Black will compete against herself, having been involved in writing on both The Amber Ruffin Show and A Black Lady Sketch Show.
It marks The Amber Ruffin Show’s first Emmy nomination since the weekly show launched last year. However, it is not Ruffin herself’s first nom, having been nominated in this category for her work, alongside her head writer Jenny Hagel, on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
The Amber Ruffin Show is...
The Peacock series and the HBO show will compete in Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series against HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and NBC’s SNL.
A somewhat curious note of this category is that Ashley Nicole Black will compete against herself, having been involved in writing on both The Amber Ruffin Show and A Black Lady Sketch Show.
It marks The Amber Ruffin Show’s first Emmy nomination since the weekly show launched last year. However, it is not Ruffin herself’s first nom, having been nominated in this category for her work, alongside her head writer Jenny Hagel, on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
The Amber Ruffin Show is...
- 7/13/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver continued its dominance in the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series category.
The HBO comedy show beat TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers, CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert to win the award for the fifth year in a row.
The British comedian accepted the award on behalf of his team using one of his son’s “creepy” toys in lieu of an actual Emmy.
“I’d like to thank my writers, obviously, who work incredibly hard all year round and this year has been particularly challenging,” he said. “I’d like to thank the Emmys for not holding the Emmys in person this year because of the, you know, thing. Thank you, we will cherish it forever.”
This comes after the show, produced by Avalon, was renewed for three more seasons. The deal will see Last...
The HBO comedy show beat TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers, CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert to win the award for the fifth year in a row.
The British comedian accepted the award on behalf of his team using one of his son’s “creepy” toys in lieu of an actual Emmy.
“I’d like to thank my writers, obviously, who work incredibly hard all year round and this year has been particularly challenging,” he said. “I’d like to thank the Emmys for not holding the Emmys in person this year because of the, you know, thing. Thank you, we will cherish it forever.”
This comes after the show, produced by Avalon, was renewed for three more seasons. The deal will see Last...
- 9/16/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s Emmy nominees in the seven music categories include such familiar scoring names as Ludwig Göransson, Pinar Toprak, Nicholas Britell, Mark Isham and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross as well as figures from the pop world like Pharrell Williams, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, Ingrid Michaelson, Sheila E and the RZA.
Labrinth joined Reznor and Ross in being nominated in both song and score categories. The latter Nine Inch Nails members (and Oscar winners for “The Social Network”) are up for scoring “Watchmen” as well as contributing an original 1940s-themed song (“The Way It Used to Be”) to the HBO limited series. Labrinth’s two noms are for Showtime’s “Euphoria,” which earned him both a series dramatic score nomination and a song nod (“All for Us”).
Nathan Barr has the most nominations in the music categories, with three. He’s up against himself in the main title theme category,...
Labrinth joined Reznor and Ross in being nominated in both song and score categories. The latter Nine Inch Nails members (and Oscar winners for “The Social Network”) are up for scoring “Watchmen” as well as contributing an original 1940s-themed song (“The Way It Used to Be”) to the HBO limited series. Labrinth’s two noms are for Showtime’s “Euphoria,” which earned him both a series dramatic score nomination and a song nod (“All for Us”).
Nathan Barr has the most nominations in the music categories, with three. He’s up against himself in the main title theme category,...
- 7/28/2020
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Here are the main Winners from the 2020 "Writers Guild of America Awards", honoring the best writers in film/TV in 2019:
Film
"Parasite", screenplay by Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, story by Bong Joon Ho (Neon)
Adapted Screenplay
"Jojo Rabbit", screenplay by Taika Waititi, based on the book "“Caging Skies"” by Christine Leunens (Fox Searchlight)
Documentary screenplay
"The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley", written by Alex Gibney (HBO Documentary Films)
Television
Drama series
"Succession", written by Jesse Armstrong, Alice Birch, Jon Brown, Jonathan Glatzer, Cord Jefferson, Mary Laws, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Gary Shteyngart, Susan Soon He Stanton, Will Tracy (HBO)
Comedy series
"Barry", written by Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Emily Heller, Jason Kim, Taofik Kolade, Elizabeth Sarnoff (HBO)
New Series
"Watchmen", written by Lila Byock, Nick Cuse, Christal Henry, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Cord Jefferson, Jeff Jensen, Claire Kiechel, Damon Lindelof, Janine Nabers,...
Film
"Parasite", screenplay by Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, story by Bong Joon Ho (Neon)
Adapted Screenplay
"Jojo Rabbit", screenplay by Taika Waititi, based on the book "“Caging Skies"” by Christine Leunens (Fox Searchlight)
Documentary screenplay
"The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley", written by Alex Gibney (HBO Documentary Films)
Television
Drama series
"Succession", written by Jesse Armstrong, Alice Birch, Jon Brown, Jonathan Glatzer, Cord Jefferson, Mary Laws, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Gary Shteyngart, Susan Soon He Stanton, Will Tracy (HBO)
Comedy series
"Barry", written by Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Emily Heller, Jason Kim, Taofik Kolade, Elizabeth Sarnoff (HBO)
New Series
"Watchmen", written by Lila Byock, Nick Cuse, Christal Henry, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Cord Jefferson, Jeff Jensen, Claire Kiechel, Damon Lindelof, Janine Nabers,...
- 2/2/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
The WGA Awards boosted a pair of movie screenplays into Oscar frontrunner status on Saturday night, handing its marquee Original Screenplay award to Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won for Neon’s Parasite, and its Adapted Screenplay award to Taika Wiatiti for Searchlight’s Jojo Rabbit. Both of the winning scripts are nominated for Oscars on February 9.
This year the guild wasted no time in its 72nd edition, awarding its marquee prizes early in the night in simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York. Many of the film-side nominees gathered in the Edison Ballroom in NYC, so as to make the shorter jump to the BAFTAs which are Sunday in London.
Last year, the guild did not line up with Oscar’s screenwriting prizes, awarding Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade in original screenplay and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty’s Can You Ever Forgive Me? in adapted. Green...
This year the guild wasted no time in its 72nd edition, awarding its marquee prizes early in the night in simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York. Many of the film-side nominees gathered in the Edison Ballroom in NYC, so as to make the shorter jump to the BAFTAs which are Sunday in London.
Last year, the guild did not line up with Oscar’s screenwriting prizes, awarding Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade in original screenplay and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty’s Can You Ever Forgive Me? in adapted. Green...
- 2/2/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
It was the Primetime Emmy Awards, and it was a night of surprises—like Fleabag‘s win for Best Comedy Series, and the total shutout for perennial favorite Veep—and expected wins, like Game of Thrones taking Best Drama Series, and love for Saturday Night Live resulting in two trophies. John Oliver also doubled up, winning Variety Talk Series as well as Writing. In the Limited Series race, Chernobyl prevailed, taking three trophies including the top prize.
Perhaps the most drama, of course, came from the ever-evolving battle between the vanguard of prestige cable, HBO, and the upstart streamer fast becoming the new establishment, Netflix. Coming into tonight, the two were nearly neck-a-neck with Creative Arts wins, but HBO, which had a narrow advantage, cemented its lead with 34 wins to Netflix’s 27. It seemed like a two-horse race at the start of the evening, but the wins by Fleabag put...
Perhaps the most drama, of course, came from the ever-evolving battle between the vanguard of prestige cable, HBO, and the upstart streamer fast becoming the new establishment, Netflix. Coming into tonight, the two were nearly neck-a-neck with Creative Arts wins, but HBO, which had a narrow advantage, cemented its lead with 34 wins to Netflix’s 27. It seemed like a two-horse race at the start of the evening, but the wins by Fleabag put...
- 9/23/2019
- by Erik Pedersen and Joe Utichi
- Deadline Film + TV
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver took home the Emmy for best writing for a variety series on Sunday night.
Lin-Manuel Miranda presented the award with a little musical help from The Righteous Gemstones' Adam Devine and a guest appearance by Full Frontal host Samantha Bee.
Writer Seena Vali was tasked with Last Week's thank-you speech, taking time to offer appreciation to the show's office dog, Bruce. "Bruce, we want to thank you for having big floppy ears and letting us give you belly rubs, and for you producing our piece on the Senate filibuster this year."...
Lin-Manuel Miranda presented the award with a little musical help from The Righteous Gemstones' Adam Devine and a guest appearance by Full Frontal host Samantha Bee.
Writer Seena Vali was tasked with Last Week's thank-you speech, taking time to offer appreciation to the show's office dog, Bruce. "Bruce, we want to thank you for having big floppy ears and letting us give you belly rubs, and for you producing our piece on the Senate filibuster this year."...
- 9/22/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
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