Bridesmaids Producer Judd Apatow Calls For Comedy Oscar

Bridesmaids Producer Calls For Oscar Comedy Category
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It's something that many lovers - and makers - of comedy films have thought for years. And now Bridesmaids producer Judd Apatow has been the one to say it.

"Since comedies are rarely up for Oscars it does make sense to have a comedy category," he tweeted last week. "It would just add more fun categories."

When pressed about his comments at an LA Times panel event, Apatow pointed out that "only about five comedies" had won Best Picture in "a zillion years". (And he's not wrong: the last two were Shakespeare In Love and American Beauty in 1998-99. Or as they're also known: 'the golden years').

"There should be a comedy category. Why not?" he said, to a round of applause from the audience. "It doesn't seem like it's screwing up Schindler's List for The Hangover to have its own category... And then we could kind of get rid of the Key Grip category."

Apatow's not the only one speaking out for comedy award recognition, either. Back here in the UK, screenwriter James Moran - whose credits include Doctor Who and Spooks - urged Bafta not only to include the writers' awards in its televised ceremony, but also to separate comedy from drama writing.

"You wouldn't make Downton Abbey and Peep Show compete for 'Best TV Show', because they're completely different experiences," says Moran, "so why lump all writers into one box?"

According to Moran, the last time this issue came up, John Willis - then chair of Bafta's TV committee - said there were "a finite number of categories for each ceremony".

But as Moran points out, Bafta has added a new category for reality shows this year. A point echoed by Apatow at the weekend, too - when he cited the Best Animated Feature award, added to the Oscars in 2001.