The Emmy Awards 2009: WE STILL LOVE YOU JON HAMM
I wonder sometimes if we’re the only people in the UK who really care about the Emmys.
This morning when I got up, all Sky News and BBC News felt like telling me was that British shows (um, so?) Little Dorritt and Little Britain had won some obscure categories (none of which anyone cares about, except maybe those nominated) but also that, much more excitingly, Mad Men and 30 Rock had won Best Drama and Best Comedy respectively, again. Excellent! Unpopcult favourites, both – we’d expected nothing less for those two shows, so we were off to a promising start. But what about everybody else?
[By way of an aside, this lack of interest has been a theme all year in the US as well - a lot of chat about how low Emmy ratings have become because, y'know, CSI doesn't get nominated or some such nonsense. The ceremony even opened with a very funny, but transparently desperate, song from host Neil Patrick Harris imploring people to put down their remotes and keep watching, as well as devoting a significant chunk of it to "Reality" tv. Anyway, whatevs - back to the post.]
Closer inspection of the interactive elements of BBC News (the red button, guys) revealed disaster! Okay, so Alec Baldwin won Lead Actor in a Comedy for his peerless performance in 30 Rock, and Glenn Close won Lead Actress in a Drama for being the scariest woman on TV in Damages; that’s exactly as it should be. But the red button also revealed that repeat offender Bryan Cranston took home Jon Hamm’s Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama. Again, dude? Seriously? Was last year not enough?
Poor Jon. As Jed succintly tweeted – robbed. Again.
The red button also told me Best Leading Actress in a Comedy didn’t go to Unpopcult’s other prime favourite, Tina Fey. Oh well. At least Tina picked up a Best Guest Actress in a Comedy (for her lovely Sarah Palin turn on Saturday Night Live). Unlike, y’know, poor Jon.
Anyway, by this time, I’d pretty much exhausted the red button and had to go to work. I found out later from here that other awards included Cherry Jones inexplicably being rewarded for the appalling President Useless from 24, but Jon Stewart and Michael Emerson being recognised as well, so it’s not all crazy.
I should really finish on that “well, it was a mixed night, but not a total washout” note, but I promised Jed I’d mention how utterly fantastic Christina Hendricks looked last night. Midnight blue was clearly the way to go this year, as other wins on the fashion front go to Alyson Hannigan and Christina Applegate. “So close and yet so far” nods go to House’s Olivia Wilde and those Gossip Girls as sometimes, a lot of skin is just a lot of skin, and a lot of lippy goes a long long way. Let’s bear that in mind for next year, girlfriends.
As for this woman? There is nothing I can say that speaks more loudly than that dress does. Ever.
I finally got round to watching the rest of season 1 of ‘Breaking Bad’, which was the season for which Bryan Cranston won Emmy number 1. I ended up liking it a bit more. UK viewers haven’t seen season 2 yet. I’m afraid, though, that I don’t see it with Cranston. He’s pretty good, but everyone else in this category is better.
Can I nuance my position on Cherry Jones? My main peeve about her nomination was that there were half a dozen ‘24′ cast members ahead of her in the queue – including at least two women. Her character is irritating as hell, but that might – might - be a tribute to her ability.
Big love to Kristin Chenoweth, deservedly rewarded for her work in the sadly departed ‘Pushing Daisies’.
And, yes, Christina Hendricks looked beyond fabulous.
I read somewhere that she was aiming for an Eleanor Roosevelt-type character – strong, confidence-inspiring, stately. If so, EPIC FAIL.
Speaking as a USian, I really try to avoid the Emmy’s. I think there should be an Academy of Television Arts (or whatever they are called) Honours List (see the u? I put the u in there for you guys!) and anyone (like John Hamm) who did a great job, should be honoured (or honored, or whatever) for the year. Of course, being a fan of wacky Japanese game shows, I would want the celebrities to walk the red carpet, complete with a judging panel, and at the end, they enter a booth that leads them either to a red ribbon ceremony (pinned on by the local Artichoke or Hog calling Queen) or to a dunking booth.
I think it would be vastly more entertaining. And the focus would remain on the red carpet rather than the “tension” and the acceptance speeches.
Whatchathink?
“Papi!” *splash* “Hilda!” *splash* “Cameron!” *splash*
There’s something in this.
I like the red carpet, and I like the idea of anyone who did a great job being honoured, and I love the idea of splashing folk we don’t like. But the actual ceremony is pretty dull, so I’m with you two as well.
Any organisation that gives The Daily Show an award, not to mention a comedy award, isn’t worth it.
Erm, who is Jon Hamm…?
And did he maybe miss out because he’s a ham actor? (Do you see what i did there, do you?)
e, I think you should have your own tv cahnnel.
Ceej, thanks for the frock round-up. I’ve *still* not grown out of my girl-crush on Willow. Thirteen clearly thought she would be expected to figure skate. Victoria Rowell would have looked considerably better if she’d worn her DM ME lab coat over that monstrosity.
No problemo – am now on the hunt for a midnight blue outfit myself, obv
I am currently trying to be good, but my resolve is being tested by the fact that the department store right across from my work stocks Great Plains and French Connection, has just started carrying Hobbs lines and is at this very moment advertising Clinique bonus time…
Quite the opposite. Their ongoing appreciation of The Daily Show is what gives me faith that there is some merit-based judgement going on.