CLARK: Oh, George, how could you?

I am so miffed at George Clooney right now, I could scuff up his luxe Italian leather loafers.

That miff is completely misplaced, of course. But because I have no idea how to put a face on the mysterious Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Clooney gets the brunt of it right now.

No matter that Clooney will neither know nor would give a rat's tu-tu that some nutty woman in Modesto is miffed at him, but at least there's a real person — and pair of expensive loafers — on which to place focus.

All this comes because the seemingly phantom group of foreign film critics totally screwed up its Golden Globe nominations Tuesday by overlooking Modesto gem Jeremy Renner and his knockout performance in "The Hurt Locker."

The film itself was most deservedly nominated for a Golden Globe. That's great. The film is awesome and has received universal praise.

Then again, so has Renner, the 1989 Beyer High graduate whose already- successful acting career has been catapulted by his breakout performance as an Army sergeant in the Iraq War who specializes in defusing bombs.

It was a gritty, dramatic, nuanced performance and his work absolutely deserves a nomination.

That's not to say Clooney's doesn't. It likely does. I haven't seen his film. And I love me some Clooney. The problem isn't that he was nominated — it's that his nomination is in the wrong place. He took Renner's seat at the table and I'd like him to move, please.

The Golden Globes split films and roles into two categories — drama and comedy/musical. That means there are 10 spots for actors to nab, five in each.

Since movie critics and writers mostly placed Clooney's performance and film in the comedy category leading up to the Globe nods, Renner should have taken a drama spot.

But no. Clooney and film were nominated in the drama set. For what? To make room in the comedy/musical category for "The Hangover"? Seriously?

Or to recognize the critically lukewarmly received "Julie and Julia"? Really?

Also surprising was the nomination of Tobey Maguire for his role in the drama "Brothers." That kind of came out of nowhere and seemingly took yet another spot from Renner.

And just in case I sound like a big Modesto-bent whiner, this came from San Francisco Chronicle film critic Matt LaSalle:

"But how could the foreign press nominate Maguire and pass over Jeremy Renner's brilliant performance as a soldier/adrenaline junkie in 'The Hurt Locker?' "

How, indeed?

But it's the Clooney thing that most gets me. Admittedly, the film is listed as a comedy-drama. And it's being touted as among the year's best. It probably is. I intend to find out when it opens in Modesto next week. I have no doubt it will get and deserves Academy Award nominations.

But there weren't enough deserving comedy/musicals to nominate, anyway, so why not give that category some credibility with a widely praised film that straddles the genre lines instead of tossing in movies that never would show up on any other industry award radar? Did I mention "The Hangover?"

Again, the fact that "The Hurt Locker" was nominated for best film is fabulous. Renner has to be proud, given that his performance was the core of this magnificent film.

You'd think people who call themselves critics would have noticed and rewarded that with a nomination Tuesday. But no. They went with the glitz and glamour and the Hollywood "It Factor."

Not surprising, but insipid, nonetheless.

They easily could have kept their glitz while still gaining a modicum of respect in recognizing Renner's work, simply by putting Clooney and "Up in the Air" on the comedy list.

It shouldn't matter so much, maybe, given the lack of real respect the phantoms behind the Golden Globes appear to get from within the industry.

Here's hoping the Screen Actors Guild — far more respectable from the outset — already corrected this wrong with a nod to Renner. The SAG nominations were announced Thursday, too late to know by this section's deadline.

And the Oscars are still to come. "The Hurt Locker" certainly will be nominated by the Academy. Renner's chances are not as obvious, but we always have hope.

If the Renner snub weren't enough, the Golden Globes folks managed another boneheaded move by ignoring a supremely deserving show in it's television nominations.

How "Damages" wasn't among the TV drama nominees is additional mind-boggling material.

Look, I enjoy "House," but to suggest that show is better than "Damages" is simply ridiculous.

And I would think so even if another Modesto native (Timothy Olyphant) wasn't a significant part of the "Damages" supporting cast last season.

Reach Scene editor Pat Clark at pclark@modbee.com.