Editor’s Note: Diane Clehane is a bestselling author who has covered Hollywood for Variety and People.

Having covered Hollywood’s award circuit for over a decade, my favorite awards show, hands down, is always the Golden Globes. The particular alchemy that occurs at the Beverly Hilton when stars of movies and television are mixed together with liberal doses of champagne always makes for plenty of memorable moments. Last night’s broadcast did not disappoint. Here’s my list of the evening’s big winners – and sinners.

The Winners

Hollywood After all the gloom and doom we’ve been subjected to in recent months, Hollywood’s A-list helped take our minds off the heavy stuff for a few hours last night — and that felt good — serving to remind the movie-going and television-watching public that’s what the industry does best. That’s got to be good news for the studios and for the suits at HBO, AMC and NBC who all took home multiple statuettes. It’s a safe bet that the box office for sleeper films like "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Happy Go Lucky" are going to get a Globes ‘bump.’ And it didn’t hurt that pretty much everyone looked great last night. I am a bit perplexed by Drew Barrymore’s eerie channeling of Marilyn Monroe, though.


Susan Sarandon is a winner! © AP

The Fashion Industry When a star like Susan Sarandon whips out a list on the red carpet to recite the names of everyone who outfitted her – and her son Jack – for the evening, you know all of Seventh Avenue is rejoicing. Fashion darlings like Eva Longoria, Anne Hathaway, Debra Messing and Eva Mendes all dutifully recited the names of the designers of their dresses and jewelry to anyone who asked. Even Jonathan Rhys Meyers waxed on and on about “those lovely people” at Procter & Gamble when asked about his Hugo Boss fragrance ads. That huge sigh of relief you’re hearing is from the squadron of fashionistas from New York to Los Angeles who are hoping this season’s preening stars on the red carpet help keep them in the black.

Great Dames There were plenty of pretty young things in frothy frocks, but they couldn’t hold a candle to the evening’s most alluring and interesting women: Demi Moore, Laura Linney, Sigourney Weaver, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jessica Lange and Kyra Sedgwick. Not one of these actresses looked as if they’d been pre-packaged by a stylist. (Although each wore a killer dress – I especially loved Kyra’s red Oscar de la Renta). More importantly, they radiated the confidence that comes from being comfortable in their own skin. I was particularly intrigued to see Demi sporting some very attractive softness and curves – a far cry from her days as a gym-obsessed hard body. Didn’t you just love when she told her daughter, Rumer, this year’s Miss Golden Globes, “Don’t hunch.” Mother knows best!

Kate Winslet The two-time winner could have been forgiven if she had borrowed from the now-infamous acceptance speech of her "Titanic "director James Cameron and foisted her two Golden Globes aloft declaring herself “Queen of the World.” The humble and gracious actress ingratiated herself to everyone by seeming genuinely shocked by her double win and likely becoming the one to beat in the Oscar race. A quick note to Kate: The tabloids are sure to benefit from your heightened profile, too. I’m pretty sure Mrs. Sam Mendes touched off what is sure to morph into a slew of breathless stories about her relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio by being so effusive about her love for her "Revolutionary Road" costar and best friend.