How Did Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Do as Golden Globes Hosts?

Jan. 13, 2013— -- To say that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's Golden Globes hosting gig was much anticipated is an understatement. Hearing Homeland's jazzy intro was anticipated. Waiting to see who would wear something memorable and/or mortifying was anticipated. But -- particularly in the wake of former host Ricky Gervais' controversial gig -- the show's hosts was perhaps the most-buzzed about aspect of tonight's awards ceremony. So how did they do?

In a word: Spectacular.

Their opening monologue was an on-point mix of good-natured ribbing and truly biting commentary.

"You can smell the pills from here," Poehler said, looking out at the audience. The duo joked about having to call Child Services over Girls creator and star Lena Dunham's frequent nudity on the HBO show. They were hopeful about the lack of pornographic film prospects in Les Misérables star Anne Hathaway's future ("No one plans to do porn," they noted sagely), and noted that "I've never seen someone so abandoned and alone since you were on stage with James Franco at the Oscars."

They confronted inevitable comparisons to Gervais head-on, noting that "if you run afoul of the [Hollywood Foreign Press], they make you host the show two more times." The most "Gervaisesque" joke of the night? "I haven't really been following the controversy over Zero Dark Thirty," said Poehler, "but when it comes to torture, I trust the woman who was married to James Cameron for three years."

Later, Poehler was simply beside herself after "Hillary Clinton's husband," as she referred to Bill, made an appearance, but kept her cool when she was spotted sitting on George Clooney's lap later in the evening.

The two, drinks in hand, later made their displeasure over not winning known. "Glad we got you through middle school," Fey hissed at Dunham, who'd won the award for Best Actress in a television comedy she and Poehler were also also nominated in.

And they weren't done.

"You know what, Taylor Swift? You stay away from Michael J. Fox's son," slurred Fey. Mercifully for Swift, the camera didn't pan over to capture her expression.

They wrapped things by announcing that they were both going home with Jodie Foster -- who'd used her Lifetime Achievement Award speech to formally come out about not wanting to come out publicly, as it were.

Overall grade: A. We only wish there'd been more of them.