“Ricky Gervais couldn’t be here tonight because he is no longer technically in show business.” And thus began the 2013 Golden Globes. The joke was one of the many zingers made by co-hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler who took Gervais’ role after his three year stint as host. The choice of replacements was verified the moment the comedy duo opened their mouths, constantly leaving the audience in stitches.

It was a night of big contenders, as there was no clear prediction of who the winner was going to be in many categories. Some big names battling it out were “Les Miserables,” “Argo,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Lincoln” and “The Silver Linings Playbook.”

Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman represented “Les Miserables,” winning Best Supporting Actress and Best Actor for Comedy and Musical respectively. The film took home the award for Best Film-Comedy or Musical.

Ben Affleck got his moment to shine, receiving the honor of Best Director for “Argo,” which also won Best Film-Drama. This win for Affleck assuaged the snub he received when the Academy Awards nominations were announced and he was not up for Best Director.

The win for Best Actress-Comedy and Musical was surprising when the award went to Jennifer Lawrence for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook.” The young actress beat out some big names, such as Meryl Streep and Maggie Smith.

“Zero Dark Thirty” actress Jessica Chastain and “Lincoln” actor Daniel Day-Lewis were honored for Best Actor and Actress in a Drama. Best Supporting Actor in a drama went to Christopher Waltz for his performance in “Django Unchained.”

Other highlights of the night included an appearance by Bill Clinton and a win for Adele with her original song “Skyfall” for the most recent Bond film.

The most touching moment of the night was when Jodie Foster was given the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. It was not the award itself, but the amazing acceptance speech that followed it, urging everyone that privacy is privacy no matter if the person is famous or not.

For television, “Homeland” dominated while Lena Dunham beat out the hosts for Best Actress in a Comedy for her role in “Girls,” a show she writes as well. HBO’s “Game Change” proved victorious in several categories, with both Julianne Moore and Ed Harris receiving acting honors for their roles as Sarah Palin and John McCain.

The surprises were pleasant, the winners well deserved and the hosts sparkling. While there were also some shocking defeats, the negatives of the night were near none. Perhaps the ushering in of Fey and Poehler is a good sign for the future of the Globes.