NEW YORK (AP) - Diversity, the FX network and O.J. Simpson - or at least his crime saga - were among the honorees in the television portion of the Golden Globe awards on Sunday.
"The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" seemed made for awards with an all-star cast and critical acclaim, and the FX production's victory as best television series seemed almost anti-climactic. "Simpson" actress Sarah Paulson was honored for portrayal of prosecutor Marcia Clark, the real-life 1990s television star who received a tribute from the actress who took on her story.
"If I could live my life with a fraction of her integrity and unapologetic fierceness, I would be on the road to doing it right," Paulson said.
Accepting the Globe for best miniseries, producer Nina Jacobson proved true host Jimmy Fallon's monologue joke: she didn't thank Simpson.
The Globes, with a tradition of giving kudos to new series, honored "Atlanta" as best comedy, denying the much-honored "Veep" for shows in a presidential election year.
"I really want to thank Atlanta and the black folks of Atlanta," said star and creator Donald Glover of the innovative series about two cousins in that city's rap music industry. Glover said he didn't think anyone was going to like the series.
He also tested his influence on the musical world, giving an onstage plug to Migos' "Bad and Boujee," calling it "the best song ever."
Tracee Ellis Ross, the matriarch in ABC's "black-ish," won for best comedy actress. She relished the moment - "It's nice at 44. I like it here" - but also took the occasion to point the advantages of diversity.
She dedicated the award to women of color "whose stories, ideas and thoughts are not always considered worthy and important. "Black-ish" has helped the way minorities are seen and looked upon by people in Hollywood, said Ross, the daughter of singer Diana Ross and music manager Robert Ellis Silberstein.
Up against two "Simpson" miniseries actors, veteran Hugh Laurie grabbed an acting award for his role in the BBC's miniseries "The Night Manager," shown in the United States by AMC. It was one of two acting awards for the series.
Laurie worked in a sly Donald Trump joke in giving thanks for an award on "the last ever Golden Globes."
"I don't mean to be gloomy," he said. "It just has the words 'Hollywood,' 'foreign' and 'press' in the title."
His colleague Olivia Colman, who didn't attend the Globes, won an acting award for her role as a spy in the adaptation of the John Le Carre novel.
Veteran Billy Bob Thornton won a best actor trophy for his role as the down-on-his-luck lawyer Billy McBride in Amazon's legal drama, "Goliath." Accepting his award, he poked fun at fellow nominee Bob Odenkirk of "Better Call Saul," a friendly rival. He paid tribute to fellow professionals in entertainment who stick their necks out to do good work.
"These days there are a lot of talented people in this business," Thornton said. "This is not track and field. You don't break a tape and actually win."