It's been a long time coming, although the biggest stunt of all might be vaulting from the red carpet to the actual ceremony, but at least the stunt coordinators and performers were recognized by the Screen Actors Guild. It was the first year for the overdue honor.

In case you missed them (winners were announced on the carpet by actor Ben Foster and SAG President Alan Rosenberg), the honorees were: "The Bourne Ultimatum," for movies, and "24," for television. The announcement came during the pre-show Webcasts on TNT.TV and TBS.com, when many of us were watching red-carpet interviews on cable TV.

If you have any doubt about how many people it takes to pull off the stunts of a "Bourne," its roster numbered 171 -- or even bigger than "The Sopranos" acting ensemble.

I'm not sure who voted Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri or actor Tony Sirico spokesman for the gang, but nothing made me happier than seeing James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and the HBO series win. And Sirico lent a touch of authenticity to the night.

As for the SAG influence on the Oscar voters, you have to assume Daniel Day-Lewis simply strengthened his front-runner status. The early awards shows are, in essence, rehearsals for the later ones.

Day-Lewis seems to be an actor who feels everything deeply, and his tribute to Heath Ledger was fitting and touching and seemed straight from the heart. He had also mentioned Ledger in an interview on "Oprah," when the shock was even fresher and the pain sharper.

Fellow nominee Ryan Gosling and his older sister also talked about Ledger in red-carpet interviews and sported small, handmade black ribbons, another subtle salute to the 28-year-old Ledger.

Although four weeks is a long time in Oscar season, "No Country for Old Men," Day-Lewis, Julie Christie and Javier Bardem are the early favorites. I'm still holding out hope for "Atonement," though. Best supporting actress is still up in the air, although Ruby Dee certainly proved that she would make a splendid Oscar winner.

As much as I loved "Away From Her," I have since caught up with "La Vie en Rose" on DVD, and Marion Cotillard is like a female Day-Lewis in how she immerses herself in the role. If I had an Oscar ballot, she would get my vote.

Not getting my vote for repeat red-carpet duty: Lisa Rinna on TV Guide Channel. She sent me running to E! One wrong move and Rinna would have flashed America; fawning over celebrities is not the same as interviewing them, something Joan Rivers understood.

Sure, Joan sometimes mixed up names or didn't know the less-famous spouse standing next to her or showed you can go overboard with the plastic surgery, but she was unpredictable -- and therefore, watchable.