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'Mad Men,' 'Longford,' 'Damages,' 'Extras' find favor with HFPA
The 65th Golden Globes went mad for offbeat cable shows Sunday.
It was a big night for AMC's rookie period drama "Mad Men," which won best drama series and best actor in a drama series for star Jon Hamm, while HBO's "Extras" was named best comedy series.
HBO's telefilm "Longford" led the trophy tally with three wins, including best TV movie or miniseries, while HBO dominated the network field with six awards, including a clean sweep of all longform categories.
It was 2-for-2 for basic cable channel AMC, which converted both of its nominations into wins for "Mad Men," its first original series.
"It validates our strategy of putting high-quality cinematic original programming on the air," AMC GM Charlie Collier said via phone from the penthouse at Chateau Marmont, where AMC execs celebrated the wins with "Mad Men" producers and cast.
The victories were an ever stronger validation for "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner, who spent eight years trying to get the show made.
"After I worked for so long to make this happen, making the show was the great reward, and to have the Hollywood Foreign Press recognize it just blew my mind," Weiner said.
Still, not being able to a traditional Golden Globes ceremony took away some of the joy.
"As someone who grew up in Los Angeles, you want to be in that room with the movie stars," Weiner said. "I would've loved to have made a speech and thanked my wife on international television. I've been rehearsing that speech since I was a little boy and would've loved to have given it."
After dominating the nomination field, cable programs swept the Globes, winning all but one category -- best actress in a comedy series, which went to Tina Fey of NBC's Emmy-winning "30 Rock."
"Mad Men" and "Extras" also ended ABC's two-year lock on the best series categories with "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Ugly Betty."
