Some random thoughts while watching the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards Sunday night on TBS and TNT:

* This two-hour show really needs a host to enliven things.

All viewers may not have loved Ricky Gervais’ mean-spirited act on the Golden Globes but at least it was something to talk about and debate.

I won’t argue with “The King’s Speech” winning for best ensemble cast over “The Social Network.”

“King’s” was the best movie I saw last year.

However, the influence of the social network Twitter in the crisis in Egypt makes one think that “The Social Network” is the more important film of 2010 and the Oscar favorite. After all, you could make a case that Facebook led to Twitter.

* As much as I enjoyed the first season of HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.” I was surprised to see it win the best ensemble cast for a TV show. “Mad Men” still has the best cast on TV. But the writers of the series set inside the advertising industry have to realize that “Mad” is no longer the trendy pick.

* There is no arguing with the win by Christian Bale of “The Fighter” as best supporting actor in a movie. But Geoffrey Rush of “The King’s Speech” is just as deserving and he gave a much better speech after “King’s” won the ensemble acting award. Just to hear a Rush speech, I’m hoping he springs an upset at the Oscars on Feb.27.

* By the way, CBS Sunday Morning did a terrific piece on Rush and his acting career on… well on Sunday morning.

* Julianna Margulies of “The Good Wife” (see above) deservedly won her second straight acting award, which was more heartwarming since she was one of the actors who told little stories at the start of the program. She said that she was told early in her career that she would have to move to Europe to become a star because of her looks.

After she won, Margulies got a laugh when she thanked her in-laws before explaining that they raised her husband into a terrific partner. Ah, how sweet.

* Fans of “ER” might have been surprised to hear Margulies refer to her role as Alicia Florrick of “The Good Wife” as the role of a lifetime. After all, playing Carol Hathaway wasn’t too shabby, either. And and it led to “The Good Wife.”

* If you’re scoring, that’s the second major acting award for Steve Buscemi for his role in “Boardwalk Empire.” And just think, one Buffalo reviewer (it wasn’t me) wrote that he was miscast.

* Buscemi didn’t give much of a speech. In fact, there weren’t many good ones, proving that actors are best when the words are written for them.

But Colin Firth of “The King’s Speech” was nothing like the stuttering character he played. He gave the best speech of the night after being named best actor in a movie. Hopefully, he’ll practice a little more by the time the Oscars roll around in a month.

* The only expletive deleted came out of the mouth of a pregnant Natalie Portman after being named best actress in a movie for “The Black Swan.” When talking about the advice her parents gave her when she started acting at age 11, Portman said she was told “don’t be an (expletive deleted).”

Hopefully (boy I am using that word a lot), she’ll clean up her act by Oscar time.

* Glad to see ABC’s “Modern Family” win as best acting ensemble in a comedy. But it would have even been better to see Ty Burrell (who plays silly dad Phil) win as best actor in a comedy over Alec Baldwin of “30 Rock.” Even Baldwin seems to be tired of winning.

* Speaking of “thank yous,” I loved the Steve Hartman piece on CBS Sunday morning about the lost art of writing them on stationery. Hartman got an assist from CBS News reporter Byron Pitts, who thanks practically everyone he meets.

The story made me feel that I don’t thank people enough. So I thank all of you who have read this blog for the last nine months. Just don’t expect to get a thank you on stationery.

 pergament@msn.com

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