My favourite event of the Australian entertainment calendar is upon us — TV WEEK Logie Awards. Yes, I know what you’re going to say: But Laura, aren’t the Logies a weak excuse for the cast of Home And Away to have a piss up with Karl Stefanovic? Well, yes, but they’re also SO much more than that.
The Logies are an extremely camp night of glitz, glamour, and red carpet antics. While older generations have fawned over the admittedly cheesy event with a fervour that I respect, I don’t think the Logies get enough recognition by millennials and Gen Z for being the silliest, campest event in the Aussie award calendar.
In reality, the Logies are an underrated Australian red carpet event and the hill I will die on is that more people need to get around them.
But first, what are The Logies and how do they work?
For those not in the know, The Logies are an industry-wide celebration of the amazing creative work by the Australian entertainment industry, specifically those working in television and streaming content.
The awards are broken into categories and types of Logie. There are the Popular categories, as voted by the Australian public, which consists of the coveted Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, along with the regular Logies for most popular New Talent, Most Popular Presenter and News or Public Affairs Presenter. All of these awards are voted by the public.
The rest of the categories fall under the “Best” category. The winners of the Best awards recieve a combined score from industry judges using assessment criteria (30 per cent), audience data (20 per cent) and Australian public votes (50 per cent).
While it does culiminate in a big, fancy event, the Logies are first and foremost to shout out the people absolutely killing it in the industry.
So, whether you’re a fan of reality shows like Married At First Sight, dramas like Bump or Fake, or comedies like Austin, voting for your favourite shows in the Logies is a way of showing networks and streaming services that we want MORE of that kind of content.
Why should we get behind the Logies?
I’m so glad you asked. To me, it all boils down to how the Logies — and generally the Aussie entertainment industry — isn’t afraid to take the piss out of itself.
In the Australian media landscape, the Logies are like the Emmys but with a significantly smaller industry and less cashola. As a result, its certainly not as shmick as what the US’ television academy can whip up. However, what it lacks in polish, it makes up for in attitude.
As someone who is gearing up to report on the red carpet of their fifth (!!!!!) Logies ceremony, I can vouch that the energy is different. It’s bubbly and silly and while everyone nominated wants to win, it’s clear that the main objective is to have a really good time.
An event which doesnt take itself so seriously not only benefits the attendees but the viewers at home gobbling up the live broadcast AND the content on social media being pumped out by the buzzed celebs hitting up the event.
Instead of an event where the stakes feel terrifyingly high, the Logies feel more like a celebration of an indsutry rather than make-or-break moment for a series or actor.
Aesthetically, the Logies have always erred on the camp side. With a long running history of the event being held on the Gold Coast in Queensland, the event just couldn’t brush off the bogan allegations.
Despite being held in Sydney since 2023, the bogan energy has not completely dissipated. Now, the energy in the air feels akin to an over-enthusastic mum at year 12 formal — excited, two champagnes deep and nervous.
If you ask me, this is the perfect mix.
In recent years, the Logies have been perceived with an air clouded in embarrassment, especially in an indsutry that has been struggling since the pandemic.
Personally, I think its high time that we switch the narrative and get behind it for what it is — a glitzy, positive piss up celebrating an industry that needs support.
