Locale to many a good TV series.
HAD THE fickle-minded government taken back today’s holiday, I would have taken a vacation leave still to be at home as the Emmys is one of only two TV traditions I religiously keep. What can I do, I love TV and the movies.
I decide to take account of the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards as it unfolds. The time stamps are as they appear on my VCR, sans the looong commercials.
00:00:00. Pay attention and hey “put down that remote,” Neil Patrick Harris hosts this year. He is surprisingly good with the singing – and my, that tongue-twister towards the end when he rattled off all the networks’ names! The camera pans – Steve Carell, Keifer Sutherland, Glen Close.
00:04:05. Though he buckles a bit with his spiels. I can see it’s the nerves.
00:05:05. He makes the first Kanye West reference of the night. Hahaha!
00:06:03. They’re dividing the show into five genres, beginning with COMEDY.
00:09:07. Tina Fey presents and is really hilarious. She knows when to dish it out while keeping everything pulled back. I love her. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Wow, six nominees!
00:11:17. Vanessa Williams loses for the third year in a row. I could only concede to Amy Poehler or Jane Krakowski beating her. But it’s a come-from-behind win for former Broadway star (Wicked) Kristin Chenoweth. She practically appealed for future employment – pleading to Mad Men, among others. “Thank you very much to the Academy for recognizing a show that is no longer on the air.” Somehow brings to mind Blythe Danner’s thank you speech years ago.
00:15:53. At four of six nominations, how can 30 Rock lose the category for writing in a comedy?! I haven’t seen an episode of this show ever. But it has Tina Fey in it.
00:18:27. I think Neil Patrick Harris wants to do a pirouette at the podium.
00:18:38. Julia Louis Dreyfuss and Amy Poehler presenting! Their bit is funny. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. I’m rooting for Jon Cryer for Two and a Half Men. Yey! He wins (the curse is over for him… not so for Vanessa)! But what the hell is he wearing?!
00:20:20. Kevin Dillon of Entourage doesn’t look pleased losing to Jon.
00:21:48. They show a clip of Tina Fey’s character in 30 Rock confessing to a lot of her secrets while seated in a plane that seems to be about to crash. Sounds like Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella?
00:22:32. Neil tears his cue cards (prepared for had he won).
00:22:47. Justin Timberlake presents Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. He looks weird. I hope Christina Applegate wins!!! I heart Christina Applegate.
00:24:03. Christina Applegate smiles to the camera. So lovely.
00:24:49. But… Toni Collete wins. I didn’t know she was Australian. Okay, this Emmy win makes up for her loss at the Oscars for The Sixth Sense, for which I thought she should’ve won.
00:26:41. Neil is going to milk for laughs his loss to Jon Cryer. I see this happening. Hahaha!
00:27:47. The gorgeous Blake Lively – with legs that go on for days on end – and the vivacious Leighton Meister. Blake looks pale, she’s wearing Leighton’s dress color on her lips. Leighton wears Blake’s on hers.
00:28:57. Justin Timberlake has won for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in the separate Creative Emmys handed out earlier. He formally accepts his award and makes the second Kanye West reference of the night. Tina Fey, as usual, is hilarious, formally accepting her Guest Actress Emmy.
00:32:47. My favorite TV Republican Rob Lowe presents Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. I hope Charlie Sheen or Steve Carell wins! Oh, Jim Parsons is nominated! Oh my, I’m so nervous right now. And the Emmy goes to… that guy who wants to marry our women! He says he’ll trade his Emmy to look like Rob. Good call.
00:36:47. That animated bit (Family Guy?) is just so violent I couldn’t stand it.
00:38:09. Neil says they’re saving the biggest awards for Comedy and Drama Series at the end. So no clicking! They move to the REALITY genre for now.
00:39:59. This pair from Dancing with the Stars is amazing! Friendship loves this show. Glen Close loves it she’s clapping like someone who has a quiet crush on someone on stage – in high school!
00:43:18. Jeff Probst wins a second time as Outstanding Reality TV Host. Without the music when he stood up, I think the audience didn’t sound thrilled that he won. I actually wanted Padma Laskhmi and Tom Colicchio of Top Chef to win!
00:45:00. Tracy Morgan presents Outstanding Reality Show and draws his bit for laughs but sadly buckles. I’m rooting for American Idol – duh! And oh, Top Chef! Darn, The Amazing Race wins. Why do they keep winning?! “Don’t know what to say anymore.” You go that right, Pop!
00:47:51. “Patricia Arquette and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 8 minutes” – nothing like this ticker tape reminder to take my attention away from the anticlimactic thank you speech. “Upset at every turn,” as Neil succinctly and sarcastically puts it. Hahaha!
00:48:41. Okay, it’s MOVIES and MINISERIES now. This one, I’m not really aware of. I think I can skip it and fix myself some breakfast. But wait, as I pull away from the screen I see in my peripheral view a parade of Oscar winners making the year in TV movies. Wow!
00:50:52. A favorite couple – Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick – present the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. YEHEY! Shohreh Agdashloo wins for House of Saddam. There is retribution for her being robbed of the Oscar for one of my favorite movies of all time – The House of Sand and Fog! There is justice. And I notice that in both films, it’s about a “House…” But Shohreh, what’s with all the heavy breathing? She looks very lovely though.
00:53:39. Ken Howard wins for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Mini-Series or Movie. He takes jab at a Congressman and – yes – a rapper, or shall I say “the rapper” known as Kanye West. “I will keep my speech as brief as possible in the hope that it will not be interrupted by a Congressman or a rapper.” My favorite line from him is his greeting to his loving and loyal wife: “Happy birthday, Sunshine. This one’s for you.”
00:56:30. My favorite doctors from Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, Kate Walsh and Chandra Wilson, respectively, present! Chandra looks lovely. Kate looks tanned and going for the all-natural California girl look. So many name-droppables nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Mini-Series or Movie and someone I don’t know wins. Hehehe.
00:59:23. Neil checks in a second time on “the best seat in the house” winner. Funny bit nonetheless.
01:00:00. Serious OH-EM-GEE moment – the very sexy-yet-very girl-next-door Jennifer Love Hewitt! And she is wearing yellow! Woo-hoo! She is so funny while Patricia is so bunched up in her dress that she didn’t even have room for sense of humor anymore.
01:02:22. Two quips from winner Dearblah Walsh of Little Dorrit for Outstanding Directing: “I’m taking this slow for two reasons. One is I can’t believe it and the second is the heels.” and “…And it looks like the three of us in the bed tonight!” (referring to her partner and her newly acquired Emmy trophy).
01:04:17. Okay, Dr. Horrible bit by Neil hijacking the portion where the accountants talk about the tallying process. Is this an homage to his Doogie Howser, M.D. days? Okay, I’ll now get breakfast. I wasn’t able to leave when the Kevin and Kyra came on.
01:06:44. That was so funny!!! When Dr. Horrible was cut by streaming video “buffering,” the camera zooms back to the Ernst & Young accounting firm guys wrapping up their spiel. “…and finally these envelopes are handed to the presenters as they walk out on stage.” Hahaha!
01:07:12. Alec Baldwin presents the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. Jessica Lange wins for Grey Gardens. I’m so happy. I love her from when she won her Oscar for Tootsie. She looks ravishing in green. And she is so generous for sharing the award with the movie’s other half – the Drew Barrymore. The orchestra is so respectful. They are not cutting Jessica.
01:10:44. Coming up – Keifer Sutherland and Ana Torv. I love love love Ana Torv and her show Fringe! Of course, pledging loyalty to 24 is a given!
01:11:09. Ana Torv is so beautiful, especially in red. She is not American?! Damn, she’s good in Fringe! Kiefer Sutherland is so dignified standing next to her. Grey Gardens wins Outstanding Made-for-TV Movie. Little Dorrit wins Outstanding Miniseries.
01:15:32. Okay, the next genre will be fun – VARIETY. The moving columns and panels of widescreen TV are such a sight. And to open with that bit from Saturday Night Live with Tina Fey as Sarah Palin – “And I can see Russia from my house! – is comic genius!
01:18:09. I have to clap after that opening bit for Variety.
01:18:50. Yey, The Big Bang Theory cast presents! The dumb blond is hot. But they mess up their spiels. I think!
01:20:11. The English Bruce Gowers wins Outstanding Directing for American Idol – it’s under Variety and not Reality?
01:21:30. As always, the roll call of the nominees for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Musical or Comedy is one of my favorites. The Colbert Report team poses in front of Letterman’s theatre to Stephen’s dismay. Cash-for-clunkers cars used for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Conan O’Brien goes through his facebook friends’ list. Billy Crystal sings for The Late Show with David Letterman. The esteemed Brian Williams reads for Saturday Night Live. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart wins and their representative says it all, “I haven’t had anything to say eversince George Bush left office.”
01:25:52. Is that Ed Burns on the upper left quadrant? Oh no, it’s Ricky Gervais!
01:26:10. Jimmy Fallon is really funny with his “everybody ready to party” synthesized rap bit. Hahaha! Camera shows Steve Carell, Glen Close and Sandra Oh having a good time.
01:28:32. The first ever musical number written for a Wolverine – Hugh Jackman’s opening at the 81st Annual Academy Awards – wins for Outstanding Music & Lyrics.
01:30:16. The Lord of the Laugh Sir Ricky Gervais presents. I so love his bit last year. “Me again. Better than last year, you know.” Hahaha! Tom Hanks is shaking his head at Ricky’s hilarious bit. I’m in stitches! He is one of the best example of the kind of humor that survives without the need for slapstick. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart wins Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series.
01:34:23. “If the Oscar guys would write me a song, I would sing it. Seriously.” – Jon Stewart
01:34:52. Vaseline Sheer Infusion reminds the audience for the nth time that there is still time to vote for this year’s TV breakthrough performance. Nominees are a scene from True Blood, from Gossip Girl and the coronation of Kris Allen as American Idol. I voted at http://tv.com/breakthrough for Gossip Girl.
01:35:52. It’s the final category. The one that makes our spine tingle and our hearts race – DRAMA. The opening montage has some of my own favorite shows – NCIS, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, 24, CSI, Grey’s Anatomy, and Brothers & Sisters. Nice!
01:38:44. LL Cool J and Chris O’Donell present the first award – Outstanding Supporting Actor. I want John Slattery to win for Mad Men. But Michael Emerson of Lost has to win again.
01:40:54. I want Sandra Oh to win the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress. But I have to concede that this is Cherry Jones’s year for her work on 24. And she does win! “This (the Emmy trophy) will be in the craft(?) service table tomorrow!”
01:42:42. In Memoriam with Sarah MacLachlan singing her haunting “I will Remember You” in her ethereal voice. I’m getting goosebumps. Just five months ago, I was listening to this song to get inspiration for a video I was putting together for special people.
01:46:00. So many wonderful people had left. This part of the show reduced me to silent tears. Sarah is just so amazing in this song number.
01:47:34. True Blood’s Stephen Moyer and Bones’s David Boreanaz present. Friendship doesn’t like David but I do. They ushered in the Outstanding Guest Actor and Actress – Michael J. Fox and Ellen Burstyn – to present the next award.
01:53:05. My favorite Simon Baker of The Mentalist presents Outstanding Lead Actress! I’m loving the glasses and the coat and bowtie. I hope Sally Field wins a second time! She was so good in the last season. But Glen Close of Damages has to make it a second year in a row. Oh well. I like her too anyways. And clearly, “she is not going to be ignored.”
01:57:16. They show the Emmy Clock to be at 10:42, running long by +5:00. Hahaha! I actually don’t feel that this live telecast to the Philippines is running long.
01:57:47. Outstanding Lead Actor presenter Dana Delany of Desperate Housewives sashays in. Makes me wonder where the other housewives must be. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Simon Baker. But I think someone else will snatch it. Oh yes, Brian Cranston for Breaking Bad. His speech is heartfelt.
02:01:11. Bob Newhart presents the Outstanding Comedy Series. He is really funny! The camera shows a pleased Tina Fey and Sandra Oh. It’s another 30 Rock year. At least, Weeds didn’t have to walk all the way to the front. Tina Fey as the team’s spokesperson is an excellent choice! I heart Tina Fey.
02:05:30. Before the show makes it final break, they reveal that the breakthrough performance of the year goes to… True Blood!
02:06:27. Sigourney Weaver honors the final category of the night – Outstanding Drama Series. I know Mad Men will win! And they do win.
02:09:19. Oh-Em-Gee. Neil Patrick Harris is one of the show’s producers. No wonder he’s hosting. Hahaha!
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