10 Surprises of the Golden Globes

1. It was a gay, gay, gay, gay night. From cowboy drama Brokeback Mountain’s four awards to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s win for biopic Capote to Felicity Huffman’s trophy for Transamerica, films with gay and transgender characters swept the show. The King Kong/Naomi Watts inter-species love affair, however, still proved too edgy, even for those live-and-let-live Hollywood Foreign Press voters.

2. The awards actually entertained us more than the pre-show hubbub. With former red carpet wild cards Joan and Melissa Rivers playing it straight on the TV Guide Channel and by-the-book-boy-host Ryan Seacrest orchestrating a mostly bland crew on E!, the arrivals left us unmoved. Fortunately Seacrest’s co-host Isaac Mizrahi took some chances, like cupping Scarlett Johansson’s breast, ostensibly to check out her dress’s built-in support. Nice save, Isaac!

3. The pot-selling mom proved TV’s least desperate. Weeds’ Mary-Louise Parker beat all four Desperate Housewives she was up against for Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy. Which means, of course, the diva crown on ABC’s primetime soap opera will have to be decided on set.

4. Not all the swag was glam. The extravagant gift bags the award ceremony’s A-list presenters took home included more than $60,000 in indulgent goodies like spa gift certificates, designer watches and pet couture. And a $300 vacuum. Cause you know Mariah Carey cleans her own crib.

5. The night’s hottest accessory? The baby bump. Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, Debi Mazar and Mira Sorvino all sported one. After months of keeping their growing forms under wraps, the actresses could no longer conceal their bellies in red carpet garb. Fortunately they also got to show off their maternal glows.

6. The little people prevailed. Universal Studios’ indie division Focus Features won the most awards of the night, taking four for Brokeback Mountain and one for The Constant Gardener. “I thought we’d be sitting at the kids’ table,” said Focus co-president James Schamus. Nope. You’re a big boy now.

7. Lighter fare was let down. The Globes was supposed to be the event for comedies like 40-Year-old Virgin and Wedding Crashers to have a chance at a big prize. Instead, super-serious biopic Walk The Line stole the Musical-Comedy categories, while the real laughers weren’t even invited to the ball. There’s something funny about that.

8. The Queen Trumped King. Before the crowd could get too philosophical about the event falling on Martin Luther King Day, opening presenter Queen Latifah reminded them what the night was really all about—money—when she touted her new movie, Last Holiday, and its weekend box office receipts. Always nice to have somebody help you keep it in perspective.

9. Hilary Swank got frank. ”I’m not single. We’re trying to work our marriage out,” said the actress, who showed up to present an award, of her recent separation from husband Chad Lowe. We guess Million Dollar Baby really prepared her to take a blow with dignity.

10. Pam discovered modesty. Presenter Pamela Anderson was uncharacteristically conservative in a bosom-blocking, high-necked black-and-white frock. What’s next, Meryl Streep baring midriff?