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Best TV Documentary

Blinky

For Blinky, videographer Brian Malone peeled away the makeup worn by Russell Scott, aka Blinky the Clown, who hosted Blinky's Fun Club on Channel 2 for an astonishing 33 years. Using archival footage and contemporary interviews with family members, sometimes-persnickety colleagues and the man himself, Malone created an unexpectedly complex portrait of Scott, a born ham who had trouble adapting to changing times (at one point in the flick, he complained that "education was being shoved down our throats!") and continues to yearn for the spotlight. The doc's conclusion, which featured an elderly Blinky glad-handing people on the 16th Street Mall, captured the joy and sadness of a lifetime spent clowning around.

Best TV Documentary

Blinky

For Blinky, videographer Brian Malone peeled away the makeup worn by Russell Scott, aka Blinky the Clown, who hosted Blinky's Fun Club on Channel 2 for an astonishing 33 years. Using archival footage and contemporary interviews with family members, sometimes-persnickety colleagues and the man himself, Malone created an unexpectedly complex portrait of Scott, a born ham who had trouble adapting to changing times (at one point in the flick, he complained that "education was being shoved down our throats!") and continues to yearn for the spotlight. The doc's conclusion, which featured an elderly Blinky glad-handing people on the 16th Street Mall, captured the joy and sadness of a lifetime spent clowning around.

Best News Anchor Who's a Real Clown

Ann Lincoln
Channel 12

Tired of the same old Barbie and Ken clones on the local news? Tune into Channel 12's weekly LGBT news show, Colorado OutSpoken, where you'll find a breath of fresh air (and maybe a whoopee cushion) with Ann Lincoln. While she seems like a pro on this show, she's a real clown -- the kind who wears big floppy shoes and baggy braced pants and a rainbow shirt and a funny hat and a clown nose. Lincoln not only works as a clown/magician for hire -- she's a hot commodity at all the cool kids' parties -- but she also doubles as a comic, juggler and fire-eater. Take that, Katie Couric.

Best News Anchor Who's a Real Clown

Ann Lincoln
Channel 12

Tired of the same old Barbie and Ken clones on the local news? Tune into Channel 12's weekly LGBT news show, Colorado OutSpoken, where you'll find a breath of fresh air (and maybe a whoopee cushion) with Ann Lincoln. While she seems like a pro on this show, she's a real clown -- the kind who wears big floppy shoes and baggy braced pants and a rainbow shirt and a funny hat and a clown nose. Lincoln not only works as a clown/magician for hire -- she's a hot commodity at all the cool kids' parties -- but she also doubles as a comic, juggler and fire-eater. Take that, Katie Couric.

Best TV News Anchor

Asha Blake
Channel 2

According to most television-news experts, viewers prefer old, comfortable faces to new, unfamiliar ones -- but Asha Blake blows right through that theory. Denver's newest anchor looks young, but she has an extremely impressive resumé, having hosted such national programs as Later Today and Good Morning America Sunday, and she displays all this skill and savvy on Channel 2, whose ratings-challenged late-night newscast desperately needed the star power she delivers. While Blake is still a relative unknown in this city, she's worth getting to know.

Best TV News Anchor

Asha Blake
Channel 2

According to most television-news experts, viewers prefer old, comfortable faces to new, unfamiliar ones -- but Asha Blake blows right through that theory. Denver's newest anchor looks young, but she has an extremely impressive resumé, having hosted such national programs as Later Today and Good Morning America Sunday, and she displays all this skill and savvy on Channel 2, whose ratings-challenged late-night newscast desperately needed the star power she delivers. While Blake is still a relative unknown in this city, she's worth getting to know.

Best TV Newscast -- Night

Channel 9

The turnover of talent on Channel 9's 10 p.m. newscast has been enormous. With the retirement of Ed Sardella, the ship-jumping of Mike Nelson and the ignominious removal of sports hunk Tony Zarrella, only anchor Adele Arakawa remains from the crew that had attracted large audiences for years, and her new counterpart, Bob Kendrick, isn't exactly Mr. Charisma. But Roger Ogden, the station's president and general manager, came up with a surefire way to compensate, bringing up weathercaster Kathy Sabine and sportscaster Drew Soicher from the outlet's ultra-successful morning show. Thanks to their presence, the newscast has been revitalized -- much to the chagrin of its competitors.

Best TV Newscast -- Night

Channel 9

The turnover of talent on Channel 9's 10 p.m. newscast has been enormous. With the retirement of Ed Sardella, the ship-jumping of Mike Nelson and the ignominious removal of sports hunk Tony Zarrella, only anchor Adele Arakawa remains from the crew that had attracted large audiences for years, and her new counterpart, Bob Kendrick, isn't exactly Mr. Charisma. But Roger Ogden, the station's president and general manager, came up with a surefire way to compensate, bringing up weathercaster Kathy Sabine and sportscaster Drew Soicher from the outlet's ultra-successful morning show. Thanks to their presence, the newscast has been revitalized -- much to the chagrin of its competitors.

Best TV Newscast -- Morning

Channel 4

When Channel 9 raided its own morning show to fill holes at night, Channel 4 decided to rise and shine to the occasion. The chemistry between early-a.m. personalities Scott Sander, Brooke Wagner, Ed Greene, Wayne Herman and Mark McIntosh, supplemented by the ace traffic team of Luan Akin and Lynn Carey, rivals that achieved by Channel 9 before the old gang split. The departure of Sander this March could change that, but in the meantime, one thing's clear: The contest for Denver TV supremacy in the mornings is no longer a one-horse race.

Best TV Newscast -- Morning

Channel 4

When Channel 9 raided its own morning show to fill holes at night, Channel 4 decided to rise and shine to the occasion. The chemistry between early-a.m. personalities Scott Sander, Brooke Wagner, Ed Greene, Wayne Herman and Mark McIntosh, supplemented by the ace traffic team of Luan Akin and Lynn Carey, rivals that achieved by Channel 9 before the old gang split. The departure of Sander this March could change that, but in the meantime, one thing's clear: The contest for Denver TV supremacy in the mornings is no longer a one-horse race.

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