Apparently the Emmy Award show tonight was a repeat. In the eight main categories, seven winners—30 Rock, Mad Men, The Daily Show, The Amazing Race, Alec Baldwin, Bryan Cranston and Glenn Close—also won Emmys in 2008. The only new blood was Toni Collette upsetting Tina Fey for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy. The other winners of the night were Neil Patrick Harris, who did more than a respectable job hosting, and Jimmy Fallon, whose AutoTuned awards presentation provided for the night’s funniest moment.
The best one-liners referenced another recent awards show moment: Neil Patrick Harris said, “Here’s hoping Kanye West likes 30 Rock.” And Ken Howard, who won the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his role in HBO’s Grey Gardens said, “I’m going to make my speech as brief as possible in the hope that it doesn’t get interupted by a congressman or rapper.”
John Hodgman, known for his work on The Daily Show and as the PC on the Mac ads, was superb providing fun facts and fun made-up-statements about each of the night’s winners. And Joss Whedon fans could rejoice when Harris as Dr. Horrible hi-jacked the Emmys for a duet with Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion), complete with a quick cameo from Felicia Day.
My Emmy predictions turned out to be fairly terrible, though I did get the big two right.
Congrats to this year’s winners. Someday Dexter will get its due.
61st Primetime Emmy Award Winners
Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men, AMC
Outstanding Comedy Series: 30 Rock, NBC
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show, Comedy Central
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program: The Amazing Race, CBS
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad, AMC
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Glenn Close, Damages, FX
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Michael Emerson, Lost, ABC
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Cherry Jones, 24, Fox
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock, NBC
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Toni Collette, The United States of Tara, Showtime
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men, CBS
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies, ABC
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm, HBO
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens, HBO
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: Ken Howard, Grey Gardens, HBO
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Saddam, HBO