61st Emmy Awards: "How Did that Happen?" Moments Abound

Connie Wilson
Connie Wilson, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Sep 21, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Host Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") kept the 2008 Emmy Awards show moving along briskly on Sunday night, September 20th, and even rivaled Hugh Jackman's Oscar song-and-dance number by belting out a song (written by Marc Shaman and Neil Whitman) that urged viewers at home to "put down the remote." Later in the evening, Jon Stewart would give the young song-and-dance man a compliment on his hosting prowess, which seemed very sincere and was well-deserved. Harris looked great, too, in a white tux.

For my part, as one of the anonymous crowd of at-home viewers out here in TV-land being urged to stay tuned, I found the 61st Prime Time Emmy Awards to be good. I'd give them a "B," overall.

In some areas, such as the way the stage was set up (Doogie Howser gave us a tour before the show began), I'd even give the show an "A."

Harris started out with a quip that was off-the-cuff and quite funny when he said, "I love that we are already running 27 minutes behind. How did that happen?"

Then the awards began.

This is where the rating of "A" for Harris' enthusiastic shepherding of the ceremony began to fall into the "B" range. The problem was that so many of the winners were people who were not the best-known or the favorites or even on shows that are still on the air (as with Kristin Chenowith's win for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for "Pushing Up Daisies.") When you are in a category with Jane Krakowski from "30 Rock," "Elizabeth Perkins from "Weeds" (Showtime), Amy Poehler ("Saturday Night Live") and the oh-so-annoying but better-known Kristin Wigg (also "SNL") and, also, up against Vanessa Williams for "Ugly Betty," it is amazing that the least-known performer and the least-known show won the award. It's a bit like the horse at the Kentucky Derby who is rated 100 to 1 taking the race. To echo Neil Patrick Harris' earlier comment (about running behind), "How did that happen?" And that comment just became more and more relevant as the night wore on and Tina Fey didn't win for Leading Actress in a Comedy and other miscues occurred.

This pattern of a relative unknown knocking off someone who seemed more deserving (or, at the very least, much better-known and on a much more popular, higher-rated show) continued, for me, with Toni Collette's win for "The United States of Tara." Collette was up against Christina Applegate, Tina Fey, Julia Louis Dreyfuss, Mary Louise Parker and Sarah Silverman (who was wearing a mustache when the cameras cut to her). What are the ratings for "The United States of Tara?" How could Tina Fey in the year of her Sarah Palin impressions, to boot, not win this award? Yet, Collete won.

"How did that happen?"

Even Toni Collette's remarks when she came to the podium were odd and off. To wit: "This is insanely confronting." (What does that means?) Ms. Collette then went on to babble incoherently about a male breast-feeding her baby, which made no sense to me. I asked my husband, "Did you get that?" He just shook his head no,. Not to quibble overmuch, but Collette was also the least "pulled-together" (appearance-wise) of all of the nominees in her category, Silverman's mustache notwithstanding. (The girls in the comedy category almost all wore funny glasses, with the exception of Vanessa Williams). I do realize that Toni Collete is a fine actress (which is not to say that the others are not) and that she has demonstrated that in several films, including "About A Boy" playing a depressed mother with Hugh Grant's able support, but this was an award for being funny on a television show that the majority of viewers watch. [I'd like to know the ratings of "The United States of Tara" versus "30 Rock." ]

So, I'm still wondering along with Neil Patrick Harris, "How did that happen?"

The ceremony had 5 categories this year. I really could not tell you what they all were, as I was in shock after a couple of the early awards. I am sure that "The Amazing Race" won...again. This is another show I have almost never watched, but it always beats the competition, no matter what. [Go figure,.] Comedy was definitely one category and Reality was the second. Someone named Shahrih Aghdashlav won for something, and I doubt if 1 out of 10 people could tell you what she was in or who she is.

I repeat, "How did that happen?"

"Grey Gardens" won several awards, as everyone expected, it to and then came the much-deserved win by Bryan Cranston (last seen as the father in "Malcolm in the Middle") as the lead in a Dramatic Series for "Breaking Bad." I was sorry that the "Jessie" character on the show did not win for Best Supporting Actor. Aaron has also done a great job as the love interest on "Big Love" this year, but no award for him tonight.).

As for Glenn Close's win (for "Damages") or Alec Baldwin's (for "30 Rock"), or "The Daily Show's" many writing awards: all well-deserved. I even enjoyed the fact that "American Idol's" British-born director carried one off, since the show is an American phenomenon, love it or hate it.

My favorite moments of the night involved Alec Baldwin saying that he would gladly give up his statue to look like Rob Lowe and the seemingly genuine happiness that losers like Drew Barrymore experienced when their co-stars (in Drew's case, Jessica Lange) won. Another who talked up the collegiality aspect of the craft was Glenn Close, who praised her competition in the drama category and seemed sincere.

The much-praised "Mad Men" won, as we all thought it would, and "30 Rock" had so many nominees in the comedy writing category (3 or 4 of the 5 nominees) that it was hardly a surprise when Matt Hubbard won for "30 Rock's" "Reunion" episode, beating out the little-known (and probably little-seen) show "Flight of the Concords," (which really was about its only competition.)

People looked good (with the exception of the Irish woman who won for the obscure Dickens piece that kept reeling in awards, who really needs to invest in some good foundation garments) and there were no Kanye West moments. The funny voice-over comments made as the winners took the stage were amusing. The host did a nice job. Some of the winners were as we had all eagerly anticipated.

Still, I did find myself saying, "Shahrah who?" (please excuse me if I have misspelled her name) and all agog at the loss by a few well-known favorites.

And I'm still scratching my head over several awards (see above) and saying, "How did that happen?"

Published by Connie Wilson

Connie Wilson has written for five newspapers and taught writing at six Iowa/Illinois colleges. She has published nine books and lives in the Iowa/Illinois Quad Cities and in Chicago. www.weeklywilson.com; w...  View profile

  • Television broadcast of the 61st Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 20th, 2009.
  • "And the last shall be first" sounds Biblical, but it came true at the Emmys Sunday night.
Tina Fey didn't win the comedy award for lead actresses, despite a year that saw her iconic SNL Sarah Palin bits and a show ("30 Rock") which she oversees that garnered almost all the comedy writing nominations for its category. Go figure.

15 Comments

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  • Lara9/24/2009

    I know that most people on AC aren't professionals. I also know that you are, hence the comment. This last word business is getting silly, so that's all I'll say. Goodbye.

  • Connie Wilson9/24/2009

    And, Lara, if you go back about....oh, 3 boxes of commentary or so...you'll see that I apologized upfront for deleting your original comment. ("Usually, I write this long a response personally, but you didn't leave an address, so excuse the public response.") That remains my normal operational mode, as comments from you to me that go on and on and on, and back to you from me that go on and on and on have a place, but the place is in a private communication between the individuals discussing the issue (whatever it is). I'm also amused by a comment you made about "journalistic integrity" and what a "sad day" it was that we didn't it was declining. (News flash: that's why I followed the political candidates throughout the campaign and most who write on AC are NOT "professional journalists." It is true that I am, but this was an opinion or op/ed piece, and I am entitled to my opinion, just as you are entitled to yours. I hope you enjoy your new account on AC.

  • Lara9/24/2009

    Your line ("Tina Fey had a banner year on many creative fronts...") shows that you entirely missed MY point. Since we're missing each other's points all over the place, I think we should call it a day. I admit that that comment was catty, but I know that a lot of Pushing Daisies fans did fight very hard to keep the show on tv. It's just not always possible if the ratings aren't there. Thanks for the civil response, and thanks for not taking down my comment. Have a good day!

  • Connie Wilson9/24/2009

    love to take up 3 boxes (as I have just had to do) to have a dialogue. To me, the place for you to go off on me ("believe it or not, things Connie Wilson remembers are not the only things that have happened on this earth.") in (and I'll use your term) a "catty" fashion. Next time, I suggest that...since you now have an AC identity, you write a piece (which you have almost done here) and post it under your own name. Thanks for contributing. I'm sure we all need/want all the "hits" we can get.

  • Connie Wilson9/24/2009

    In the assignment, we were asked to give our opinions. I have given mine. You have given yours, WITH attribution, now (which is, I think, more professional.)The first line of your second very long comment ("Considering that Emmy nominees submit only one episode for consideration, it's entirely possible that Toni Colette's performance was better than Tina Fey's in the episode she chose") shows that you missed my point entirely. Tina Fey had a banner year on many creative fronts, including shepherding "30 Rock" and her iconic portrayal of Sarah Palin on "SNL." She deserved the award (in my opinion, which is the only one I am qualified to give and was what I was asked for) because of the depth and breadth of her work this year. I'm glad you have an account where civil discourse can take place privately, without chewing up 3 boxes of commentary, which was why I deleted your original piece. Just as you reference "spammers" who crowd your in-box with garbage, I get people (occasionally) who

  • Connie Wilson9/24/2009

    Pamela is/was my college roommate. I talk to her on a regular basis. You, on the other hand, did not leave a way to contact you. Even "Letters to the Editor" require that those writing critical comments leave proof of who they are.

  • Lara L9/24/2009

    I appreciate your response, but I don't appreciate your deletion of my non-inflammatory comment. It is a sad day when journalists find it necessary to silence those who disagree with them. If your problem was really with the fact that I didn't leave a contact name, then wouldn't you have deleted Pamela's comment as well? I understand that criticism can be hard to take, but you are a professional. Deleting perfectly civil comments that aren't full of praise is beneath you.

    (And look, I have an account now. So will you care to leave my comment up? I somehow doubt it.)

  • Lara9/24/2009

    Considering that Emmy nominees submit only one episode for consideration, it's entirely possible that Toni Colette's performance was better than Tina Fey's in the episode she chose. The same goes for Kristin Chenoweth. (Yes, I would imagine that voters often take into account other episodes they have seen, but at its core, that is the Emmy voting process.)

    In your article, it was lines like this: "this was an award for being funny on a television show that the majority of viewers watch," that prompted me to comment. The last part is simply untrue. It is an award for being funny on a television show, regardless of how many viewers watch. You may remember that in 2007, 30 Rock won the Outstanding Comedy Series Award for its first season. That year, 30 Rock was on the verge of cancellation, because it had so few viewers. By your logic, it shouldn't have won because "the majority of viewers" didn't watch it.

    I appreciate your response, but I don't appreciate your deletion of my non-i

  • Lara9/24/2009

    Thanks for deleting my civil and well-thought out comment, simply because I challenged your statements. It's lovely to see that censorship is alive and well.

    I don't have an Associated Content account, so there is no way for me to leave a contact. I'm not about to post my e-mail address on here so that a computer script can pick it up and spam my inbox nonstop, either. (Perhaps you aren't aware, but that does happen.)

    I find your response bizarrely catty, for someone who is supposed to be a professional. I never said Pushing Daisies was my favorite show, so I'm a little confused as to why you referred to it that way twice. I merely suggested that you should get the title right if you have any interest in maintaining journalistic integrity. As for whether there was a "Big Push," believe it or not, things Connie Wilson remembers are not the only things that have ever happened on this earth.

    Tina Fey's turn on SNL is irrelevant, because she was nominated for 30 Rock. Considering

  • Connie Wilson9/23/2009

    yes, I've seen Chenowith's work on Broadway and realize that she is a talented individual. However, if the show was that great, its loyal fan base (i.e., you) should have been able to mobilize to keep it on the air. I don't remember a Big Push to save it. (Usually, I write this long a comment personally, but you didn't leave an address, so excuse the public answer.)

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