Question: How Can the Golden Globes Upstage the Oscars?

Answer (maybe): Ricky Gervais. On the other hand, Matthew Gilbert makes a compelling case that there's really not much upside for Gervais: "hosting awards shows is a mostly thankless and doomed job, one that usually only brings criticism and disappointment. It's the very rare awards-show host who doesn't get tiresome by hour three."

UPDATE: The Oscars go all-American with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, which should be interesting. Do they both get paid the usual fee for hosting or do they split it? If the ratings are bad, how do you know which one to blame?