The Golden Globes: Live Report

Welcome to AFP?s live blog of the 67th Golden Globes, kicking off shortly at the Beverly Hilton hotel in an unusually dark and rainy Los Angeles. The umbrellas are out in force but spirits seem high judging by the screaming of fans lining the red carpet awaiting the arrival of some of the biggest names in film and TV.

The Globes, the first major ceremony of the awards season, is often described as the stars? favourite; a less formal and looser-lipped sister to the Academy Awards where the booze flows and those on stage get to say and do pretty much what they want.

Organisers are hoping to up the ante this year with risqué host British comedian Ricky Gervais -- the show?s first host in 15 years.

A someone-for-everyone line-up of star presenters -- from Sophia Loren to Twilight hunk Taylor Lautner -- is also angling to revitalize interest in the telecast, which has seen ratings slump dramatically in recent years.

So, we can expect plenty of mischief from the master of ceremonies and maybe some of the winners too -- though hopefully not too much mooning a la Jack Nicholson. Here we go...