Arianna Huffington is my hero. Really. And I’m not just saying this because I am one of her bloggers. Arianna’s new book “Thrive” is fabulous. She makes some great points from which we can all learn.

As an author myself, having written 7 lifestyle books to date, and as the spokesperson for the Better Sleep Council, I just want to open up a conversation about one particular subject: the nap pod. Arianna says that she has several of them in her offices for her employees.  Google also has them, too.

These nap pods have been getting a lot of press lately. They are said to be the next, new, big thing. Some companies even have whole rooms filled with them.  Employees are allowed, even encouraged, to take breaks throughout their workdays to utilize these pods and take a nap. How much does each one cost? Anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000� EACH! But unless employees are working swing shifts, or more than 8-hour days, I don’t think that nap pods, or nap rooms, are such a good idea.

What’s so bad about this, you might think?  What’s wrong with a nap at work in the middle of the day?

Whether you are napping at your desk, in the back seat of your car, or in a luxury “nap pod” this is time you could be using more productively.  Sleeping around, that is not in your bed, is just bad on so many levels – so let me just break all this it down for you – and I have a feeling that you will agree with me. 

 

 Why are people feeling like they need a nap at work? Because they are not getting either the quality of sleep, or the quantity of sleep, that they need at night.  Simple science.  When you get the sleep you need at night – you don’t NEED a nap during the day.

 

If you take a nap during the day, you are more likely to stay up later at night. So, you end up NOT getting that nighttime sleep you need, yet again. You feel a little groggy after your nap, have a coffee to perk up, and miss more sleep at night. And you can follow the dots to see what happens – this ends up becoming a habit, and gradually, eventually, your whole schedule is going to be out of whack. It’s not hard to imagine thinking: “oh, I can stay up a half an hour later and make it up at naptime at work.”  Sleep doesn’t work that way, and neither should you.

 

Let’s look at the cost involved. It has been said that a lack of sleep costs businesses $63 BILLION dollars a year. These nap pods aren’t helping, they’re actually making matters worse by creating more of a loss of sleep at NIGHT, when it really matters. Plus, depending on how many employees a company has, and how many nap-pods a company decide to provide – you can do the math as to how much work time companies lose from each employee so they can take their nap – that’s all going to add up to lots of dollars.

 

Instead – isn’t it better, doesn’t it make more sense, to sleep at night, and be active during the day? Are we asking ourselves this very question – “How well do you sleep at night?”

 

Doesn’t it sound better to sleep at home, in your own bed, on your own comfy mattress, than napping in some “pod?” We are not robots!  You can’t literally plug us in when our batteries are running low. We are human beings, and we are wired to sleep at night, when it is dark, and to be active during the day when the sun is out. That is the way nature intended it to be! And I have information –  Ancient Wisdom, thousands of years old – that proves it! 

 

Interestingly, most of what we know about sleep we’ve learned in the past 25 years. Relatively – this is “new” wisdom!  And most sleep disorders have developed in recent history as well. During pre-electric times adults slept 9-10 hours a night, and kept their sleep schedules in line with both the seasons and the sun.  But now experts say that one of the biggest distractions to sleep is our 24/7 access to the internet.

 

And now, many people both start and end their day in bed with their smart phone.  Before their feet hit the floor they are checking their emails and social media pages. How many times have you checked your computer or smartphone today?

 

We’ve gotten ourselves into bad habits – and the first step is recognizing this! So let’s take a step back, let’s recognize some ancient wisdom, from the 5,000 year old Science of Life that is called “AYURVEDA.” 

 

Ayurveda is the original form of medicine.  Out of Ayurveda came Greek medicine, which then led to our current form of medicine known as allopathic medicine. And although Ayurveda has been continually practiced in India and Asia for all these thousands of years, it has recently become more known and practiced here in the west because of the popularity of yoga and meditation. Ayurveda is a sister-science with these two popular practices.

 

Ayurveda teaches us the nature of everything on the planet.  And it teaches us how to live in harmony with nature. When we apply the principles of Ayurveda to our lives we can be our healthiest and happiest.  The universe supports us.  It’s like going with the flow.  Everything is easier. We’re in the groove.  We’re in sync.

 

Ayurveda tells us that just like there are seasons in the year, there are times during the day when the energy around us supports us in our efforts.

 

Let’s start at the beginning of the day:

 

6:00 am – 10:00 am – KAPHA time

When the sun rises, it is a signal to start our day, wake up, meditate, exercise, shower, and eat. Kapha time is gentle, slow and heavy, it allows us time to gear up for the day, to prepare for the day ahead.

 

10:00 am – 2:00 pm – PITTA time

During this time, our productivity is high and our intellect is strong. This is the time of day when we get our best, and our most, work done. It is also time when our digestion is the strongest during the day, so it is a good idea to have lunch, and have that be the largest meal of the day.

 

2:00 pm – 6:00 pm – VATA time

During these hours, our creativity is in full bloom.  This is a great time to brainstorm, to problem solve, and to think up those big ideas that move us forward. Be a visionary, make plans, allow your creativity to have full expression.

 

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm – KAPHA time

By 6:00 pm, ideally, we will have completed our work day. This is time to have our second meditation, and then have dinner. Try to finish your meal by 7 pm. After dinner it’s a good idea to take a walk to aid digestion, and then relax. Read, visit with friends, listen to music. It’s even fine to use the computer or watch TV, with the caveat that all technology should be off by 9 pm, or one hour prior to bedtime. Use that last hour for a pre-bedtime ritual – maybe a warm bath, getting in your pajamas, reading a book.

 

If you don’t get to bed by 10 pm, if you’re on the computer or involved in a TV show and tempted to stay up later – you’ll get that “second wind” and it will be more difficult to fall asleep. There is a definite shift in energy at 10 pm.

 

10:00 pm – 2:00 am – PITTA time

By 10:00 pm be in bed, lights out and ready for sleep.  The room should be dark, cool, quiet, and comfortable. Make sure your mattress is in good shape.  Too often we splurge on things like big screen TVs and skimp on necessities like a mattress.  But a mattress is an investment in our health and wellness. You can’t put a price on that. If you’re getting back aches, or you’ve had your mattress for more than 5-7 years, chances are it’s time for a new one.

 

During the hours of 10 pm and 2 am this is the time our bodies are getting the rest that they need to restore. We don’t need to do anything but snooze.  Nature is at work, active in healing the body. We can rest easy knowing this.

 

2:00 am – 6:00 am – VATA time

These four hours are when we have our most vivid dreams. This is our mind at work, our subconscious and unconscious working out problems that we might not have been able to solve during our waking hours in the day. We definitely want to be asleep during this time to get these benefits.

 

And then at 6:00 am we wake up, and begin our day again, fresh and new!

 

This is the Ayurvedic lifestyle, and THIS is how we need to live our lives.  When we do this we have tons of energy, we feel good, look good, are productive, healthy, we have better relationships, and all that comes along with it!

 

This is 5,000 year old SCIENCE. And some of you will say it’s just common sense.  And it is!  But when will be learn it? We’ve gotten so far away from it with all of our 24/7 technology – and we think we’re doing ourselves a favor with these nap pods but we’re very likely making matters worse.

 

So, I say – yes, continue with the meditation room and the yoga room for employees. There is definitely a place for these in the workforce.  But I’d re-think the whole nap pod thing. I want to encourage people to live in harmony with nature, to get that glorious, restorative, necessary sleep at night, when it is dark – and to be active and productive during the daylight hours. This helps to keep us in balance, to be our happiest and healthiest.

 

I know this isn’t possible for everyone.  Some people work night shifts, or double shifts. And for them the nap pod may be just the thing to help “re-charge” their batteries.  But for the rest of us, let’s do the best we can, using the ancient wisdom that has been keeping the planet on course all these thousands of years. Live an ayurvedic lifestyle and experience true balance and bliss.

 For more information about getting a good night’s sleep visit BetterSleep.org

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I recently worked on a pilot for a new HGTV show called “Crowded House.” If you’re a fan of those real estate shows, where the couple goes shopping for a new home (I LOVE those shows!) you are really going to dig this one.  It still has all the great information, but it also has a ton of comedy.  This show is a hoot! 

Imagine 20 strangers tagging along while you’re trying to decide which home to buy.  That’s what Jason and Samantha, our two home buyers, had to endure!  And “Crowded House” is an appropriate name for this show, because there were so many people we often couldn’t all fit in a room.  You’ll see people peeking through the windows and doors.  And every single one of these people, who were dubbed “The Peanut Gallery” had an opinion on EVERYTHING!  Pretty hard to get a word in edge-wise.  But I did!

As you know, my take on things is “Ancient Wisdom, Modern Style.” So I had a lot to say about Feng Shui, Vastu, and the overall energy of each place. Here at CoffeyTalk my community loves all of this – over at Crowded House, I got mixed reactions – including eye-rolls that would normally only come from an impatient teenage girl! But I didn’t mind – it’s great to have a platform to bring this great information to the masses. And the proof is in the pudding, right!

I can’t wait to tune in on Thursday to see if the new homeowners took my advice.

The HGTV pilot “Crowded House” that I’m in airs Thursday! Here are the times, check your local listings for the exact channel and time:

EST
2/27 11:00 p.m.
2/28 2:00 a.m.
3/2 5:00 p.m. CST
2/27 10:00 p.m.
2/28 1:00 a.m.
3/2 4:00 p.m. PST
2/27 8:00 p.m.
2/27 11:00 p.m.
3/2 2:00 p.m. There are some preview videos up on youtube – including 2 that feature me! self-balancing scooters
http://youtu.be/NBFfLzYeHBU  Feng Shui or Not
http://youtu.be/IVWFznQNdNw Preview

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Contemporary Film
K.K. Barrett, Her

Fantasy Film
Andy Nicholson, Gravity

Period Film
Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby

One-Hour Single Camera Television Series
Gemma Jackson, Game Of Thrones, Episode: “Valar Dohaeris”

Half Hour Single-Camera Television Series
Jim Gloster, Veep, Episode: “Helsinki”

Television Movie or Mini-Series
Howard Cummings, Behind The Candelabra

Awards, Music, or Game Shows
Steve Bass, The 67th Annual Tony Awards

Multi-Camera, Variety, or Unscripted Series
Tyler Robinson, Portlandia, Episode: “Missionaries”

Short Format, Live Action Series
Brian Kane, Battlestar Galactica: Blood And Chrome, Episode: “Pilot”

Commercial, PSA, Promo, and Music Video
Todd Cherniawsky, Call Of Duty: Ghosts, Episode: “Epic Night Out”

Cinematic Imagery Award
Martin Scorsese

Lifetime Achievement Award
Rick Carter

Hall of Fame Inductees
Robert Clatworthy, Harper Goff and J. Michael Riva

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While the thought of meditating intimidates many
people with its implications of sitting in a Zen-like state for hours, quick, life–enhancing meditations
are accessible to everyone. Twenty such meditations are laid out in the new personal growth book,
“A Creative Toolkit of Meditations” (Balboa Press; November ’13).

The meditations are designed to reduce stress and increase calm,
so that “even those with a busy ‘monkey-mind’ will benefit from the selfreflection
and meditations,” said author William W. Blake.

“A quiet, calm mind sets the stage for a happy, fulfilled life, and
meditation provides the bridge between the two,” explains Blake, a
meditation teacher and descendent of poet William Blake’s brother, John.
“Meditation practice shows us that we can choose which thoughts
to entertain and which to observe and release.”

Reader friendly, with interesting anecdotes illustrating its concepts, A Creative Toolkit of
Meditations offers thought provoking insights on issues such as unhealthy patterns developed in
childhood and obsessive negative thoughts and behaviors. Each chapter includes straightforward
meditations to help readers recognize unhelpful patterns and behaviors, and gain access to their
innate wisdom. Readers can mix and match to build their own practices, choosing to focus on the
chapters (and their meditations) to which they are drawn.

As Mr. Blake points out in the book, life consists of two journeys: growing up and waking up
(enlightenment). They are distinct, but interrelated. Chapters One through Three define and illustrate
“growing up.” Growing up provides background and meditations to become more functional, happy,
giving and community-involved.

Chapter Four details “waking up.” Here, the book states that spiritual seekers (everyone to
some extent) must struggle through their dark night before arriving at awakening or enlightenment. “After we blow through our uncomfortable dark night, intuitive knowing transforms us into
more secure, friendly people. More encouraging, when we wake up we now experience an immense
freedom and clarity. ‘Wow’ becomes our descriptor for life,” Blake writes. This section includes three
easy meditations to facilitate waking up.

Chapters Five, Six, Seven and Eight integrate growing up and waking up to positively
influence every area of one’s life.

Blake concludes that while a sound meditation practice requires courage and perseverance,
according to considerable research the payoff is a longer and happier life.

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Best Animated Feature:
Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production:
Chipotle Scarecrow, Chipotle Creative Department, Moonbot Studios

Best Animated Short Subject:
Get A Horse!,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Commercial:
Despicable Me 2, Cinemark
- Universal Pictures

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children:
Disney Sofia the First
- Disney Television Animation

Best Animated TV/Broadcast Production For Children’s Audience:
Adventure Time, Cartoon Network Studios

Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Futurama,20th Century Fox Television

Best Animated Video Game:
The Last of Us, Naughty Dog

Best Student Film
Wedding Cake, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Viola Baier, Iris Frisch

Animated Effects in an Animated Production:
Jeff Budsberg, Andre Le Blanc, Louis Flores, Jason Mayer, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production:
Michael Balog, Ryan Hopkins, Patrick Conran, Florian Witzel, Pacific Rim, Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production:
Kureha Yokoo, Toy Story of Terror!,Pixar Animation Studios

Character Animation in an Animated Feature Production:
Jakob Jensen, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation

Character Animation in a Live Action Production:
Jeff Capogreco, Jedrzej Wojtowicz, Kevin Estey, Alessandro Bonora, Gino Acevedo, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Gollum,Weta Digital

Character Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Paul Rudish, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production:
Carter Goodrich, Takao Noguchi, Shane Prigmore, The Croods, DreamWorks Animation

Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Angus MacLane, Toy Story of Terror!, Pixar Animation Studios

Directing in an Animated Feature Production:
Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Music in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Christopher Willis, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation

Music in an Animated Feature Production:
Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Christophe Beck, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Production Design in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Angela Sung, William Niu, Christine Bian, Emily Tetri, Frederic Stewart, The Legend of Korra, Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production:
Michael Giaimo, Lisa Keene, David Womersley, Frozen,Walt Disney Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Daniel Chong, Toy Story of Terror!, Pixar Animation Studios

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production:
Dean Kelly, Monsters University, Pixar Animation Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Tom Kenny as the voice of Ice King, Adventure Time, Cartoon Network Studios

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production:
Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf, Frozen, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Lewis Morton, Futurama, 20th Century Fox Television

Writing in an Animated Feature Production:
Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises,Studio Ghibli/Touchstone Pictures/The Walt Disney Studios

Editorial in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production:
Illya Owens, Disney Mickey Mouse, Disney Television Animation

Editorial in an Animated Feature Production:
Greg Snyder, Gregory Amundson, Steve Bloom, Monsters University, Pixar Animation Studios

Winsor McCay Award:
Katsuhiro Otomo, Steven Spielberg, Phil Tippett

June Foray Award:
Alice Davis

Ub Iwerks Award
Dragonframe

Special Achievement Award
Creative Talent Network (CTN) Animation eXpo

Certificate of Merit
I Know That Voice

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ASC is the American Society of Cinematographers:

Feature Film: Emmanuel Lubezki for Gravity

Spotlight Award: Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski for Ida

Half-Hour Episodic Series: Blake McClure for Comedy Central’s Drunk History (“Detroit”)

Career Achievement in Television Award: Richard Rawlings Jr. (Charlie’s Angels, L.A. Law, Gilmore Girls, Desperate Housewives)

ASC Bud Stone Award of Distinction: Beverly Wood for her work with the ASC.

TV Movie/Miniseries: Jeremy Benning for National Geographic Channel’s Killing Lincoln

International Achievement Award: Eduardo Serra (Girl With The Pearl Earring, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2, Blood Diamond, Unbreakable)

Board of Governors Award: John Wells (August: Osage County, ER, The West Wing, Southland)

One-Hour Episodic Television Series: Jonathan Freeman for HBO’s Game of Thrones (“Valar Dohaeris”)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dean Cundey (Halloween, The Fog, Escape from New York, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future trilogy, Apollo 13)

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The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) tonight announced the winners of the 2014 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for screen, television, radio, news, promotional, videogame, and new media writing at simultaneous ceremonies at the JW Marriott L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles and the Edison Ballroom in New York City.

Her, Written by Spike Jonze; Warner Bros.
Captain Phillips, Screenplay by Billy Ray; Based on the book A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty; Columbia Pictures
Stories We Tell, Written by Sarah Polley; Roadside Attractions

DRAMA SERIES Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC COMEDY SERIES Veep, Written by Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO NEW SERIES House of Cards, Written by Kate Barnow, Rick Cleveland, Sam Forman, Gina Gionfriddo, Keith Huff, Sarah Treem, Beau Willimon; Netflix EPISODIC DRAMA “Confessions” (Breaking Bad), Written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC EPISODIC COMEDY “Hogcock!” (30 Rock), Written by Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock; NBC LONG FORM – ADAPTED Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Written by Shawn Slovo, Based on the book by Howard Bingham and Max Wallace; HBO SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL “Episode 4: The Collected Sylvia” (Sylvia Plath: Girl Detective), Written by Mike Simses; sylviaplathgirldetective.com ANIMATION “A Test Before Trying” (The Simpsons), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES The Colbert Report, Writers: Stephen Colbert, Tom Purcell, Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Rich Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Dan Guterman, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Opus Moreschi, Bobby Mort, Meredith Scardino, Max Werner; Comedy Central COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas, Head Writers: Jay Martel, Ian Roberts Writers: Alex Rubens, Charlie Sanders; NBC QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Jeopardy!, Written by John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius, Billy Wisse; ABC DAYTIME DRAMA Days of Our Lives, Written by Lorraine Broderick, David Cherrill, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Christopher Dunn, Janet Iacobuzio, David A. Levinson, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Melissa Salmons, Christopher J. Whitesell; NBC CHILDREN’S – EPISODIC & SPECIALS “influANTces” (A.N.T. Farm), Written by Vincent Brown; Disney Channel DOCUMENTARY – CURRENT EVENTS “Egypt in Crisis” (Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria & Martin Smith; PBS DOCUMENTARY – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS “The Choice 2012” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk; PBS TIED WITH: “Silicon Valley” (American Experience), Telescript by Randall MacLowry and Michelle Ferrari; Story by Randall MacLowry; PBS NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT “Tragedy at Newtown” Special Edition (ABC World News with Diane Sawyer), Written by Lisa Ferri and Matt Negrin; ABC NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY “Lethal Medicine” (60 Minutes), Written by Michael Rey, Oriana Zill de Granados, Michael Radutzky; CBS

DOCUMENTARY “2012 Year in Review,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT “Afternoon Drive,” Written by Bill Spadaro; CBS Radio/1010 WINS NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY “Remembering C. Everett Koop,” Written by Scott Saloway; CBS Radio News

ON-AIR PROMOTION (TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA OR RADIO) The Crazy Ones, “Building a Better Comedy,” Written by Erial Tompkins; CBS TELEVISION GRAPHIC ART AND ANIMATION CBS News Animations: “Brain Injury,” “Pills,” “Bionic Leg,” “Midland Parade,” “Concordia Salvage;” Animation by David Rosen; CBS News

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VIDEOGAME WRITING The Last of Us, Written by Neil Druckmann; Sony Computer Entertainment *Editor’s Note: There were no nominees in Long Form – Original, Short Form New Media – Adapted, or Children’s – Long Form or Special awards categories this year. The Writers Guild Awards honor outstanding writing in film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio, promotional, and graphic animation categories. The awards were presented jointly in competitive categories during simultaneous ceremonies on Saturday, February 1, 2014, in Los Angeles at the JW Marriott L.A. LIVE and in New York City at the Edison Ballroom. Three-time Emmy-winning Everybody Loves Raymond actor-comic Brad Garrett hosted the West Coast WGA ceremony, which was executive produced by Cort Casady. Presenters who appeared at the WGAW’s L.A. awards ceremony included Oscar nominee Bruce Dern (Nebraska), two-time Emmy and Golden Globe-winning The Good Wife star Julianna Margulies, Oscar-nominated writer-actress Julie Delpy (Before Midnight), three-time TV Guide Award and People’s Choice Award-winning Castle co-star Stana Katic, Oscar-winner and Emmy-nominated Justified co-star Walton Goggins, SAG Award-nominated actor Dermot Mulroney (August: Osage County), WGA-nominated Parks and Recreation co-star Nick Offerman, True Blood co-star Joe Manganiello, Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress Amber Tamblyn (Two and a Half Men), three-time SAG Award-nominated Breaking Bad actress Betsy Brandt, Rizzoli & Isles co-star Sasha Alexander, WGA-winning writer and Emmy-nominator actor B.J. Novak (The Office), TV Guide Award-winning actor Jeff Perry (Scandal), and six Daytime Emmy Award-winning Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The Writers Guild of America, West presented several special honors during its ceremony: Academy Award-winning comedy director-writer Mel Brooks (The Producers) presented the WGAW’s Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement to Oscar-nominated screenwriter-director Paul Mazursky (An Unmarried Woman) for lifetime achievement, two-time Golden Globe and Daytime Emmy-winning Happy Days star Henry Winkler presented the Guild’s Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing to Happy Days creator Garry Marshall, Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly (Bullets Over Broadway) presented the Guild’s Valentine Davies Award to The Simpsons co-developer/ and philanthropist Sam Simon for his community service and humanitarian efforts, WGA-winning screenwriter Bob Eisele (The Great Debaters) presented the WGAW’s Morgan Cox Award posthumously to late screenwriter Thomas C. Cook (The China Syndrome) for Guild service, and WGAW Vice President Howard A. Rodman presented the WGAW’s Paul Selvin Award, for written work which embodies constitutional rights and civil liberties, to documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney for his screenplay We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks. Attendees at the WGAW’s awards ceremony included Oscar nominated-actress June Squibb (Nebraska), director-actress Penny Marshall, actor Drew Carey, and L.A. City Councilman Paul Koretz. Renowned television star and Emmy Award nominee Colin Quinn hosted the Writers Guild Awards New York ceremony, which was executive produced by John Marshall. Presenters who appeared at the WGAE’s New York awards ceremony included Fred Armisen (Portlandia), Robert Carlock (30 Rock), Ra�l Esparza (Law & Order: SVU), Nelson George (CB4), Terry George (Hotel Rwanda), Kate Mulgrew (Orange Is The New Black), Steve O’Donnell (Late Show with David Letterman), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Matthew Rhys (The Americans), Keri Russell (The Americans), Danny Strong (Lee Daniels’ The Butler) and Beau Willimon (House of Cards). Barbara Rosenblat (Orange is the New Black) served as the evening’s announcer. The Writers Guild of America, East presented several special honors during its ceremony: James Schamus was presented with the Evelyn F. Burkey Award for bringing honor and dignity to writers. His award was presented to him by Dee Rees, the screenwriter and director of Pariah. Schamus co-founded Focus Films, produced the Oscar®-nominated Brokeback Mountain, and wrote award-winning screenplays including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Ice Storm. Wendell Pierce, who starred as Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme, presented The Hunter Award for career achievement to David Simon. A MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow, Simon created the acclaimed television series Treme and The Wire. He also wrote for Homicide: Life on the Streets, which was based on one of his books, and the miniseries Generation Kill and The Corner. Writers Guild council member Philip V. Pilato was presented with The Jablow Award for his service to the guild by last year’s recipient, Bob Schneider, Secretary-Treasurer of Writers Guild of America, East. The John Merriman Memorial Award was presented to Rachel Baye of American University by Michael Winship, President of Writers Guild of America, East. The Writers Guild Initiative’s 6th annual Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting was presented to Hennah Sekandary of New York University by Lowell Peterson, Executive Director of Writers Guild of America, East. Attendees at the WGAE’s awards ceremony included Tina Fey (30 Rock), Ethan Hawke (Before Midnight), Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street), Richard Linklater (Before Midnight), Michael Barker (Co-founder, Sony Picture Classics), Emily Mortimer (Newsroom), Alessandro Nivola (American Hustle), Jeremy Scahill and David Riker (Dirty Wars), A.M. Homes (The L Word). Mike Schur (Parks & Recreation), Lizz Winstead (The Daily Show), Franklin Leonard (The Black List), Gina Gionfriddo (House of Cards) and Joe Weisberg (The Americans), among many other illustrious guests. Production credits for the WGAW’s West Coast show included: Executive Producer Cort Casady, Director Joe DeMaio, Talent Producer Carole Propp, Head Writer Dave Boone, Writers Beth Armogida and Cort Casady, Coordinating Producer Michelle Robinson, Line Producer Aaron Cooke, and Production Designer John Calkins. Production credits for the WGAE’s East Coast show included: Executive Producer and Head Writer John Marshall, Producer and writer Bonnie Datt, Writers Bruce Cherry, Ann B. Cohen, David Steven Cohen, Henriette Mantel, Frank Santopadre, and Craig Shemin. Line Producer LBI Audio, Video & Scenic Solutions. For more information about the 2014 Writers Guild Awards, please visit www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org.]]>

Album of the Year: Daft Punk, “Random Access Memories”

Record of the Year: “Get Lucky,” Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams

Song of the Year: “Royals,” Lorde

Best Country Album: “Same Trailer, Different Park,” Kacey Musgraves

Best Pop Vocal Album: “Unorthodox Jukebox,” Bruno Mars

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Holy Grail,” Jay Z and Justin Timberlake

Best Pop Solo Performance: Lorde

Best Rock Song: “Cut Me Some Slack,” Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Get Lucky,” Daft Punk

Best New Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

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Pre-Telecast Winners:

Best Pop Instrumental Album: Stepping Out, Herb Albert

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: To Be Loved, Michael Buble

Best Reggae Album: Ziggy Marley In Concert, Ziggy Marley

Best Spoken Word Album: America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren’t, Stephen Colbert

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Summertime Sadness, Cedric Gervais, Remixer (Lana Del Rey)

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance: “Break Every Chain [Live]“, Tasha Cobbs

Best Gospel Song: “If He Did It Before� Same God [Live]“, Tye Tribbett

Best Gospel Album: Greater Than [Live], Tye Tribbet,

Best Latin Pop Album: Vida, Draco Rosa,

Best Song Written For Visual Media:  “Skyfall,” Thomas Newman

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Brady Wells and Roomful of Teeth, “Roomful of Teeth”

Best New Age Album: Love’s River, Laura Sullivan

Best Jazz Vocal Album:  Liquid Spirit, Gregory Porter,

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue, Terri Lyne Carrington

Best Latin Jazz Album: Song For Maura, Paquito D’Rivera And Trio Corrente

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album: Sound City: Real To Reel, Butch Vig (Compilation Producer)

Best Musical Theater Album: Kinky Boots, Cyndi Lauper

Best Song Written For Visual Media: “Skyfall”, Adele

Best Americana Album: Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell

Best Folk Album: My Favorite Picuture of You, Guy Clark

Best Dance Recording: “Clarity,” Zedd ft. Foxes

Best Dance/Electronica Album: Random Access Memories, Daft Punk

Best Comedy Album: Calm Down Gurrl, Kathy Griffin

Best Rap Performance: “Thift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap Song: “Thift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap Album: “The Heist,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best R&B Performance:  “Something,” Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway

Best Traditional R&B Performance: “Please Come Home,” Gary Clark Jr.

Best R&B Song: “Pusher Love Girl,” Justin Timberlake

Best Urban Contemporary Album: Unapologetic, Rihanna

Best R&B Albu: Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys

Best Blues Album: Get Up!, Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite

Best Music Film: Live Kisses, Paul McCartney

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “From This Valley,” The Civil Wars

Best Country Solo Performance: “Wagon Wheel,” Darius Rucker

Best Country Song: “Merry Go Round,” Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne

Best Rock Performance: “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons

Best Alternative Music Album: Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell Williams

Best Metal Performance: “God Is Dead,” Black Sabbath

Best Rock Album: Celebration Day, Led Zeppelin

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FEATURE FILM
WINNER: Alfonso Cuarn, Gravity
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen, Twelve Years A Slave
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

DOCUMENTARY
Zachary Heinzerling, Cutie and the Boxer
WINNER: Jehane Noujaim, The Square
Joshua Oppenheimer, The Act of Killing
Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell
Lucy Walker, The Crash Wheel

DRAMATIC SERIES
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad, “Blood Money”
David Fincher, House of Cards, “Chapter 1”
WINNER: Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad, “Felina”
Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland, “The Star”
David Nutter, Game of Thrones, “The Rains of Castamere”

COMEDY SERIES
Mark Cendrowski, The Big Bang Theory, “The Hofstadter Insufficiency”
Bryan Cranston, Modern Family, “The Old Man & The Tree”
Gail Mancuso, Modern Family, “My Hero”
WINNER: Beth McCarthy-Miller, 30 Rock, “Hogcock!/Last Lunch”
Anthony Rich, The Big Bang Theory, “The Love Spell Potential”

MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
Stephen Frears, Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight
David Mamet, Phil Spector
Beth McCarthy-Miller and Rob Ashford, The Sound of Music Live!
Nelson McCormick, Killing Kennedy
WINNER: Steven Soderbergh, Behind the Candelabra

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING
Dave Diomedi, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, “#799”
Andy Fisher, Jimmy Kimmel Live, “#13-1810”
Jim Hoskinson, The Colbert Report, “#10004”
WINNER: Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live, “Saturday Night Live with Host Justin Timberlake”
Chuck O’Neil, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, “#19018”

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
Louis C.K., Louis C.K.: Oh My God
Joel Gallen, 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Louis J. Horvitz, The 55th Annual Grammy Awards
Don Mischer, The 85th Annual Academy Awards
WINNER: Glenn Weiss, The 67th Annual Tony Awards

REALITY PROGRAMS
Matthew Bartley, The Biggest Loser, “1501”
WINNER: Neil P. DeGroot, 72 Hours, “The Lost Coast”
Paul Starkman, Top Chef, “Glacial Gourmand”
J. Rupert Thompson, The Hero, “Teamwork”
Betram van Munster, The Amazing Race, “Beards in the Wind”

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
Stephen Herek, Jinxed
Jeffrey Hornaday, Teen Beach Movie
Jonathan Judge, Swindle
WINNER: Amy Schatz, An Apology to Elephants
Adam Weissman, A.N.T. Farm

COMMERCIALS
Fredrik Bond, Voyage, Heineken; From The Future, Johnny Walker
John X. Carey, Real Beauty Sketches, Dove
WINNER: Martin de Thurah, The Man Who Couldn’t Slow Down, Hennessy VS; Human Race, Acura MDX 2014
Matthijs van Heijningen, Perfect Day, Sony Playstation; #Forty Eight, Verizon
Noam Murro, Basketball, Guinness; Kids, DIRECTV; Mask, Volkswagen