Backstage and on the red carpet at Golden Globes

The Associated Press, Sunday, January 17, 2010, 8:02pm (PST)

By MSNEnt

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- Winning the prize for outstanding actor in a TV movie for HBO's "Taking Chance" at Sunday's Golden Globes was a good way to start the new year for Kevin Bacon, who — along with actress-wife Kyra Sedgwick — was among the many victims last year of the massive Ponzi scheme run by financier Bernard Madoff.

"It's a very nice way to kiss 2009 goodbye," he said smirking backstage.

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A reflective Meryl Streep says she had it easier establishing a career than today's younger stars.

The 60-year-old Streep, who won the dramatic film actress Golden Globe for her role as Julia Child in "Julie & Julia," noted there was no such thing as a 24-hour news cycle when she was coming up in Hollywood.

"I think, for younger actresses, the scrutiny is very, very hard," Streep said backstage after winning. "The blogs where people comment on their weight and their appearance, endlessly tearing people down. That always happened, but it sort of happened in apartments and restaurants, and you didn't hear everybody's opinion of you."

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Olivia Wilde says that low-cut, shimmering black-and-silver Gucci gown you saw her in at the Globes is going on the auction bloc to raise money for Haitian earthquake victims, and she urged others to do the same with their red-carpet designer duds.

The "House M.D." actress says she will also be donating the shiny Judith Leiber purse she carried to the Globes to the organization Artists for Peace and Justice, which will put them up for auction. She promised 100 percent of the proceeds will go to help earthquake victims.

Mickey Rourke said he's already sent a contribution to support Haiti, but he'd like to hang on to his custom-made David August suit for a while.

"I'll donate my boots," Rourke said on the red carpet. "Not my suit."

Numerous stars arrived at the Golden Globes wearing red-yellow-and-blue ribbons pinned to their purses or lapels to show their support for Haitian relief efforts. Among them were Penelope Cruz, Paul McCartney, Ricky Gervais, Jon Hamm, Adrian Grenier and Lisa Edelstein.

George Clooney worked the celebrity crowd for more volunteers for the Hope for Haiti fundraising telethon he's co-hosting next week.

"This is the perfect place for me to go and recruit some people," the 48-year-old actor said.

Clooney told The Associated Press the benefit will include performances by Bono, Sting, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys.

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While most stars made their way across a rain-soaked red carpet with the help of umbrella-toting publicists, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Gabourey Sidibe decided to go it alone, hoisting their own rain gear above their heads.

Several celebrity gentlemen stepped up to defend their leading ladies from the elements. Among them were David Arquette, who sheltered his wife, Courteney Cox, from the rain, while Tom Hanks did the same for his wife, Rita Wilson. Harrison Ford made sure fiance Calista Flockhart stayed dry. Watching out for Diane Kruger was Joshua Jackson.

"I love my dress," said Kruger. "I hope it doesn't get ruined by the rain."