The CableACE Awards

Before the Emmys included cable television programs for consideration and until 1997, the ACE (Award for Cable Excellence) which became CableACE served to honor what was best on cable TV. I was pleased to serve as a judge during its last nine years usually judging the Best Directing in a Comedy Series category. It was a great assignment as we were locked up in a hotel suite--usually high above Universal Studios but once at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills and once in Century City--watching one excellent show after the other pausing only to enjoy a buffet lunch served en suite. The Larry Sanders Show and Dream On were usually the top contenders but other great shows where offered for consideration and it was a wonderful way to spend a day and see what some very talented people were doing.

Each year, the CableACE organization would ask us to refer other industry professionals to serve as judges. Kathi Carey, an actress/writer/producer/director in my organization was my first nomination and she went on to judge the awards for the next eight years. The following year, two more writer/directors from my group joined the ranks of judges. In the end, I think six of us were taking part in a variety of categories.

Every year, we would hire a limousine and go to the CableACE Awards presentation show that was staged at the Wiltern Theater on Wilshire Boulevard and the buffet/party after the taping. One year, Cirque du Soleil performed onstage as part of the awards show, which was spectacular. The guys wore tuxedos but the ladies in the group became quite competitive regarding fashion for these events. Even my daughter, who I escorted to the final awards event, was quite the fashion plate.

As much fun as judging the awards had been for all those years, I don't think I would be up for it today. The idea of sitting in a room all day having to watch Dancing with the Stars or Say Yes to the Dress would be my idea of torture in its purest form.

The photo below shows Morgan and me, along with fellow CableACE judges from my group, about to depart for the awards taping.