Not all the winners at last night’s 13th Annual Webby Awards were as tech savvy as the professional web developers and bloggers who were honored at this “Academy Awards of the Internet.”
At least two winners didn’t even seem to know what Microsoft is.
That’s the story one employee of the tech giant told his colleagues in a shared van ride over to the Webby after party. He said he had bummed a cigarette (Marlboro Ultra Light) from Victoria Secret models Alessandra Ambrosio and Doutzen Kroes. Although the girls’ handler was ready to move the nicotine craver aside, the beauties waved their guard off and gave the Microsoft guy a smoke.
Then they asked where he worked. Then they asked again.
“They had never heard of Microsoft!” the guy exclaimed to the entire vanload of passengers, some of whom listened in shock while others ignored him, busy chatting or texting on their iPhones.
Ambrosio and Kores had accepted the award for Best Fashion Site on behalf of Victoria’s Secret. In Webby tradition, they limited their acceptance speech to just five words (“Victoria’s Secret: sexy lingerie. Yeah.”)
The models were certainly among the most aesthetically pleasing winners, although Molly Sims also raised eyebrows when she sauntered across the stage in a reflective dress to accept the award for Best Comedy (“I’m not with these guys.”)
In keeping with the democratic spirit of the Internet, the three-hour awards show, hosted by “SNL’s” Seth Meyers, was peppered with zany antics and obscenity laced acceptance speeches. After one winner pulled a wig out of his crotch and then tore off his clothes, Meyers gave his own three-word speech (“What the f***?!”)
The Webby Awards have grown considerably since their 1996 debut at a San Francisco nightclub, and this year, attracted A-list presenters like Cameron Diaz and Martha Stewart. While it may be tricky to see the link between Stewart and the award she gave to Twitter co-founder Biz Stone (“Creativity is a renewable resource”), surprising connections are perhaps the point of these technologies that are changing everything.
At the after party, Webby producer Neil Vogel summed up the goal of the show in his own five words. (“Want to be coolest nerds.”)
Watch comedian Sarah Silverman’s and late-night TV host Jimmy Fallon’s Webby acceptance speeches below. (See them all at this YouTube channel.)
jsilverman@nypost.com