Jane Lynch and the Emmy Awards

FOX (press releases) will kick off the biggest night on television with COUNTDOWN TO THE EMMYS, the official live pre-show hosted by Emmy®Award-winning entertainment reporter Nancy O'Dell, Emmy®Award-winning television reporter Mark Thompson and television personality Amanda Byram, on Sunday, Sept. 18 (7:00-8:00 PM ET live/PT 4:00-5:00 PM PT live) on FOX. The Live one-hour special will capture the star-studded arrivals of Primetime Emmy nominees, presenters and special guests. The star-studded evening continues with the 63RD PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS, airing live in all time zones (8:00-11:00 PM ET live/5:00-8:00 PM PT live). Hosted by Jane Lynch and executive-produced by Mark Burnett, the Emmys will celebrate the year's best television programing.
* Remember, 74 awards already handed out Sept. 10. Yeah "Futurama."
* "Glee" cast will be heavily involved (why not, it's on Fox).
* Only the third time a woman has gone solo as host.
* Jane's memoir release is timing GOLD. It is called "Happy Accidents."
* She, as I did, graduated from Illinois State University. She in 1982; me in 1986.
- When she won: "I want to thank my parents (South Side, Chicago) for raising us to the sounds of musical theater, and for being so unintentionally funny."
- She called her ISU teacher "Dragon Lady." That would be Jean Scharfenberg, who was loved by many, including Lynch. Other huge impact at ISU, she notes in Illinois State: Don LaCasse. She was awarded a masters from Cornell after ISU.
- Her "Glee" costar, Matthew Morrison, has noted in many interviews that Lynch cracks her up so much in reheasals because of her improv skills.
* She, as I have not, has won an Emmy. Also, she was nominated for "Two and a Half Men" in the past. Yes, she was Charlie's shrink. Good stuff.
* She has dished that Snooki will show up; and how people believed her comparing "Jersey Shore" folk to the Beatles is beyond me. A joke, it was.
* The Red Carpet is 390-feet...the Nokia Theater is across from The Staples Center (Lakers play there). Again, 390-feet. Long, long carpet walk.
* Look for multiple screens as this is common for that theater. Almost too much at times.
* I have been told that White will have the best seat in the house Sunday night.

Emmy Awards 2011: Full list of nominees
Biggest Snubs and Surprises